A Lazy Drive Across a Mountain and Some Forests…


Thread Starter #1
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
We had to attend a wedding at Coimbatore which was on a Friday (23rd Aug). We knew about this wedding sometime back and we were happy that we will be going to Coimbatore which is surrounded by a lot of hill stations. Our initial plan was to go to one of those places, with Munnar and Parambikulam/topslip on top of our list.

But all our hopes were ruined as I suddenly got a heap of deliverable (workload) and even taking that Friday Off was a great effort. So with just Saturday and Sunday left we didn’t have time for any real trip and decided to just drive back through Coonoor/Ooty/Mudumalai/Bandipur, with a night halt at Ooty. Booked a suite online with TTDC for Saturday.

We left Coimbatore around 6:30 am and proceeded to Metupalayam, where we had our breakfast (the hotel was on the right side of the road. Forgot the name of the hotel, but it had a car parking facility just opposite to the hotel. And the food was decent.) From Metupalayam as we go towards the mountain, there is a fork, where the left goes to Coonoor and the right to Kotagiri. We took the right to go through Kotagiri. That is a longer route and but with less traffic.
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2012
Messages
1,384
Likes
807
Location
Kerala
Re: A lazy drive across a mountain and some forests…

We had to attend a wedding at Coimbatore which was on a Friday (23rd Aug). We knew about this wedding sometime back and we were happy that we will be going to Coimbatore which is surrounded by a lot of hill stations. Our initial plan was to go to one of those places, with Munnar and Parambikulam/topslip on top of our list.

But all our hopes were ruined as I suddenly got a heap of deliverable (workload) and even taking that Friday Off was a great effort. So with just Saturday and Sunday left we didn’t have time for any real trip and decided to just drive back through Coonoor/Ooty/Mudumalai/Bandipur, with a night halt at Ooty. Booked a suite online with TTDC for Saturday.

We left Coimbatore around 6:30 am and proceeded to Metupalayam, where we had our breakfast (the hotel was on the right side of the road. Forgot the name of the hotel, but it had a car parking facility just opposite to the hotel. And the food was decent.) From Metupalayam as we go towards the mountain, there is a fork, where the left goes to Coonoor and the right to Kotagiri. We took the right to go through Kotagiri. That is a longer route and but with less traffic.
SR, Sometimes an unplanned trip will give a better memory. Congrats for your trip.

Waiting for your outstanding pictures and trip experience.
 
Thread Starter #3
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
Re: A lazy drive across a mountain and some forests…

Thanks Ram, true. We have to make whatever opportunity that is given to us work for us. We had covered Ooty and Coonor earlier in 2006. So this time it was only a drive through.

Just sorting out the pictures... nothing much. just a few birds, flowers and a few animals...

The road to Kotagiri... A lone morning walker...
We stopped here as we heard a lot of bird calls and walked around trying to spot the birds.

ooty_06.jpg


We managed to spot the following birds...

Purple-rumped Sunbird...

ooty_brd_08.jpg


White-browed Bulbul...





Yellow-billed Babbler...


ooty_brd_11.jpg

ooty_brd_15.jpg

ooty_brd_17.jpg


Ready to take off...

ooty_brd_16.jpg
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2012
Messages
1,121
Likes
472
Location
Bangalore
Re: A lazy drive across a mountain and some forests…

Great pics as usual. Again all from 70-300 ? You got a very good eyes to see all birds. Thanks for sharing. Learned few bird names from your posts
[clap]
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 20, 2012
Messages
697
Likes
145
Location
Bangalore
Re: A lazy drive across a mountain and some forests…

Amazing pics of the birds [clap] Which place did you click them??
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2012
Messages
1,384
Likes
807
Location
Kerala
Re: A lazy drive across a mountain and some forests…

Woh!!! your signature is always prominent [clap]

Beautiful photography, as usual. You and the birds are always patient when joined together.

Thanks for sharing HR
 
Thread Starter #7
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
Re: A lazy drive across a mountain and some forests…

Great pics as usual. Again all from 70-300 ? You got a very good eyes to see all birds. Thanks for sharing. Learned few bird names from your posts
[clap]
Thanks appus. All pictures except the landscapes are taken with 70-300.

Amazing pics of the birds [clap] Which place did you click them??
Thanks Fyzy09. These bird photos were taken on the road to Kokagiri before climbing up. The first photo shows the location and the trees from where these birds were spotted.

@ Ram
Thanks again. I like your passion for travel and photography. Wish we could do a trip together sometime...
________________________________________________________________


We started the climb towards Kotagiri and the road was great.

View of the Bhavani reservoir...


ooty_02_a.jpg


The ghat road to Kotagiri...

ooty_05.jpg

ooty_07.jpg

ooty_09.jpg

ooty_10.jpg
 
Thread Starter #9
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
Re: A lazy drive across a mountain and some forests…

good snaps HR. how do you remember those names ?
Thanks, It is easy to remember these names as I find out the name of a new bird after I spot the bird. So it is, sort of, one bird at a time.
______________________________________________________________________


Nearing Kotagiri we took the road to Coonoor. on the Coonoor road we had a small minor traffic crawl due to an accident.

An overturned lorry...


ooty_11.jpg

ooty_12.jpg


Our destination in Coonoor was the Sim's park. I love the tranquility of the park and left alone I can spend the whole day there without getting bored for a minute.

We reached the park at around 10 am. As soon as we entered the park I was very happy to see a lot of birds flying/hopping around and also the flowers. The birds/Monkeys here were well fed and the flowers/plants were healthy.

ooty_13.jpg

ooty_14.jpg

ooty_ani_03.jpg
 
Joined
Dec 20, 2012
Messages
697
Likes
145
Location
Bangalore
Re: A lazy drive across a mountain and some forests…

Those ghat roads of Kotagiri are so tempting [glasses]
I hope nobody was hurt in that lorry accident.
 
Thread Starter #11
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
Re: A Lazy Drive Across a Mountain and Some Forests…

^ the driver escaped with minor injuries...
__________________________________________________________________


A slow walk in Sim's park provided a lot of opportunities to photograph birds and flowers.


A spotted Dove...

ooty_brd_18.jpg

ooty_brd_19.jpg


Pied Bushchat (male)... they were everywhere - on the tree - on the ground...

ooty_brd_20.jpg

ooty_brd_21_a.jpg

ooty_brd_22.jpg

ooty_brd_25.jpg


Pied Bushchat (female)...

ooty_brd_27.jpg

ooty_brd_28.jpg
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2012
Messages
1,384
Likes
807
Location
Kerala
Re: A Lazy Drive Across a Mountain and Some Forests…

Great pictures HR.[cheers]

Yes, definitely we will have a trip together. And you can't compare your photography with mine, I am only a 'L' board
 
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
3,077
Likes
1,927
Location
Vellore/Chennai
As usual excellent pics HR[clap]

after seeing some pics at FB, I thought of calling you to discuss about the trip which you done[:)] Now your TL explained the story in brief.

Expecting more beautiful pics from your camera[:)]
 
Thread Starter #15
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
Re: A Lazy Drive Across a Mountain and Some Forests…

Thanks AppU. I was busy with work. So I couldn't write this log. In the meantime we also did another drive to BR Hills last weekend.
_________________________________________________________________

Sim's park was littered with birds. There were birds every where. I felt like a "Mosquito in a nudist colony"[:)] Not knowing which bird to photograph.

Some of the Red whiskered Bulbuls that I could capture...

ooty_brd_29.jpg

ooty_brd_31.jpg

ooty_brd_36.jpg

ooty_brd_37.jpg

ooty_brd_64.jpg

ooty_brd_65.jpg

ooty_brd_66.jpg

ooty_brd_67.jpg

ooty_brd_68.jpg
 
Last edited:

Top Bottom