MEMORABLE TRIP TO KUMANA AFTER MORE THAN 11 YEARS.AND MY 3RD TRIP OVERALL....

 I got an opportunity to go to Kumana in the 4th week of June with 3 fellow photography friends.

We went in one of the friend's vehicle on a Thursday night leaving at 9 in the night and arrived at the hotel around 3.15 in the morning and incidentally  this friend only organised and executed the plan to perfection We did 2 full day safaris and left on Sunday morning and came home by 4pm.  It was a very fruitful trip photography wise and we had a super time altogether bonding with good company as well.

This was a good omen seeing a jackal as soon as we entered the park

Pied Malabar hornbills 

This was very special though we were not fast enough to keep pace with the dash . We were trying to confront this cub in a specific area as we were told y a few oncoming vehicles that it had suddenly crossed thr road from one side to the other on a few occasions and we were circling the area when suddenly we saw it going into the jungle from the side of the road and we quickly went and parked the vehicle anticipating it to cross and it did at top speed carrying a giant squirrel in its mouth.

Watching us before darting across

with the prey

This is Superrnika" a female

Small pratincole in Panama beach

There were a few elephants ..

blue tailed bee eaters

Coppersmith aret nesting

This was a rare sight of a nesting of  rare  crested racket tailed drongo 

Ashy crowned sparrow larks
female

male

Lesser adjutant

Eurasian spoonbill

Jungle crow

This we noticed by chance seated on the side of the road . A male - Ritta

A jeep full of noisy students and teachers arrived after a while and upset the statuesque and the leopard made a move in to the jungle.

Stripe - necked mongoose

This is a dominant male called BHAGU"

sambar deer

 A croc with the baggage

This crested hawk eagle was deceived by the red wattled lapwings and couldn't find the chicks 

A somewhat arrogant wild buffalo

Crested serpent eagle in flight
                                                                                                                                                                

First time I came across an eagle drinking water- white bellied sea eagle

Taking off after quenching the thirst

May e a juvenile lack drongo with golden wings 

A lesser plover

A full sized sloth ear- Unfortunately it was moving inside and the focusing was very difficult due to leaves and branches in the undergrowth;

This croc  slowly moved in to the water

in harmony