Swarna and I made a quick 3-day trip to Top Slip over the New Year weekend. INP member Suraj (who runs an NGO focused on the Anamalais called Discover Wild) made all the arrangements as usual. Poornima, a Ph.D student studying vegetation in the Anamalais also joined us.
The weather was great for birding and photography. A lot of photo-lifers for me in the Anamalais - Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Dollar Bird, Red Spurfowl (the reddish stewarti ssp.), Ruby-throated Bulbul and Travancore Tortoise.
After multiple efforts, we could not find both the Sri Lanka Frogmouth and Wynaad Laughing thrush - birds I have easily spotted (with guide Arumugam's help) several times in the past.
A great way to welcome 2006 - and far far away from the partying crowds!
Cheers,
--r@mki
PS - Swarna and I wrote an article in the Hindu about eco-tourism in the Anamalais. You can read the online version here.
