10-Day Thattekkad & Periyar Birding with Nikhil Devasar

Meet in Kochi and transfer to Hornbill Camp on the Periyar River. Use the Thattekkad block to look across riverine woodland, evergreen and dry deciduous forest, scrub and grassland. Possible birds include Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar Parakeet, Rufous Babbler, Crimson-backed Sunbird, White-bellied Treepie, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher and Wayanad Laughingthrush.

Look also for Grey Junglefowl, Red Spurfowl, Indian Pitta, Black-throated Munia and Grey-headed Fish Eagle. The owl list includes Mottled Wood Owl, Oriental Bay Owl, Oriental Scops Owl, Brown Fish Owl and Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl.

Spend the day birding Periyar Tiger Reserve across grassland, evergreen and dry deciduous forest, and riverside scrub. Wayanad Laughingthrush is a focus. Watch the sky for White-rumped and Brown-backed Needletails, Oriental Honey-buzzard, Black Eagle, Black Baza, Pompadour Green Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Yellow-browed Bulbul, Gray-breasted Prinia, Thick-billed Warbler, Brown-cheeked Fulvetta and Asian Fairy-bluebird.

Watch also for Woolly-necked Stork, Besra, Vernal Hanging Parrot, Jungle Owlet, White-rumped Spinetail, Black-naped Monarch and Little Spiderhunter. Stay at the Wildernest.

Drive toward Munnar via Khambam, with chances of Large Grey Babbler, Common Babbler, Jungle Bush Quail and Grey Francolin. Search the Bodi Ghats for Yellow-throated Bulbul, Indian Robin, Sirkeer and Blue-faced Malkohas, Short-toed Snake Eagle and Black Eagle. Reach Munnar by evening and stay at Olive Brook.

Bird in the shola forest and grassland around Munnar. Possible birds include Nilgiri Pipit, Painted Bushquail, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Black-and-orange Flycatcher, Nilgiri Flycatcher, White-bellied Shortwing, Broad-tailed Grassbird and grasshopper warblers. Stay at Olive Brook.

Allow about two hours for the drive into Tamil Nadu to Top Slip in Indira Gandhi National Park. The program includes birding walks and a forest safari with local trackers. Look for Malabar Parakeet, Malabar Grey and Great Hornbills, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Wayanad, Nilgiri and Grey-breasted Laughingthrushes, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Nilgiri and Black-and-orange Flycatchers, Grey-headed and Yellow-throated Bulbuls, and White-bellied Treepie.

Other wildlife mentioned for the area includes elephants, gaur, sloth bear, leopard, dhole, lion-tailed macaque, king cobra and butterflies. Stay at the Banyan Tree Resort.

Drive to Ooty, reaching the hill town in the afternoon. Ooty lies around 2,200 meters in the Nilgiri Hills. Stay at Regency Villa.

The main birding site of the Ooty block is Cairnhill Reserved Forest on the Avalanche road, around three kilometers from town. Look for Nilgiri Laughingthrush, White-bellied Shortwing and Black-and-rufous, Rusty-tailed and Nilgiri Flycatchers. Stay at Regency Villa.

Return to Kochi for the departure flight.