[ashishsGT]

Hello fellow Motor-heads,

Before I begin, here’s hoping that my travelogue finds you all in pink of health. This is my first ‘proper’ post here on the esteemed forum, so request readers to bear with me for any shortcomings that might have crept in.

Introduction:

Enough has been said about the pandemic, and I’m no exception for being caught in the mundane existence of work from home grind. While people have got accustomed to calling this the ‘new normal’, my heart and soul was still detesting at this very thought, and I’m sure many of you would willingly agree with me. Having stayed home for most part of a good two years, the itch to just break the routine and get behind the wheel was at an all time high. Still being apprehensive of staying over at an unknown place, I was on the lookout for day’s drive out from Bangalore. I’m an avid photographer and was hell bent on making this a good photo op day too. So, in came the suggestion from my brother-in-law about a place called Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve, Tumkur. A quick search on google showed that there isn’t much to the place itself, but the idea of photographing wildlife had me going. Armed with whatever limited knowledge I could garner, I went ahead and prepped my wildlife photo gear, in a bid to capture these amazing creatures.

Destination:

The Blackbuck reserve is located in Tumkur district, neighbouring a village called Maidenehalli. Apparently, this is the only notified reserve area in Tumkur, spanning about 798 acres, exclusively for preservation of these species. This is also home for about 125 species of birds, 26 species of reptiles and 14 different species of snakes. If you’re blessed by the stars and with loads of luck, one can also spot leopards in this region, as documented very recently by my BIL’s friend.

Route Options:

Distance from Bangalore ~ 115 kms

I always prefer traveling on weekdays, just so I can avoid the usual crowd and this was no different being a Thursday. Visiting the place by road is quite a straightforward affair, with or without G-Maps, as there are markers / sign boards in plenty.



Left home casually at around 8 AM. I chose to travel via Tumkur road (NH 48) as highlighted above. At Dobbaspet, one needs to take a deviation towards right and head over to Madhugiri. This road also has some interesting landscapes Enroute for interested shutterbugs.

An random hillock:



Customary pic of my beloved ride:



The most crucial part is a left turn at a village named Obalapura. I missed this turn and G-maps started acting crazy with route options and had to resort to asking locals for direction. After some tense moments through the narrowest of roads, I finally made it there. The entry is visible from the main road, which then takes you through mud roads (much like game roads in safaris) and the landscape opens up into vast grasslands. Unfortunately, the sun was already high up, bearing down on me with all his might, so I found some shade for my ride and decided to wait it out until the light diffuses. At about 4:30 PM, just as the sun was claiming his place on the horizon, I embarked on my quest of finding them through my viewfinder.

Sightings:

With me was my trusty old Nikon D7500 mounted onto a Tamron 150-600 mm VC G2. This terrific combination has rewarded me with some of the best clicks to cherish, with excellent sharpness and colour rendition. The crop factor of the sensor translates to a ludicrous 900 mm at the long end, perfect for small bush birds and shy animals.

Bay Backed Shrike:

I was pleasantly greeted by this tiny bird, that has a striking contrast of colours with orange pinning on its back and a clean white throat. Although small, it is relatively easy to spot as they prefer to perch on exposed twigs, cables, etc.





Large Gray Babbler:

Their persistent cacophony of chatters led me to this. They’re found to be hopping around in large groups close to the ground in shallow shrubs. You can get quite close to them, as they don’t seem to be bothered much.



As I slowly inched on, scanning in every possible direction, at a far distance I could spot a family of blackbucks grazing together. They’re extremely timid creatures, and are wildly aware of variations in their surroundings. Used the adjacent trees for a nice frame, got down to eye level for a better composition and froze it in time!



I was desperate to get a closer shot. The light was also noticeably falling off, and after wandering hopelessly for a few more minutes, I was not disappointed. Spotted a male quiet close by and didn’t miss the opportunity. Before he could sense my presence, I went all out on burst mode.



As I sat down reviewing the images to my heart’s content, the female also decided to pose for me, albeit a quick one though!



They gleefully jumped off and disappeared into the bushes, as I saw them against the vivid hues of the sky. By this time, the mighty sun had humbled down to a blissful orange ball of fire, threatening to disappear from my sight. This also was my cue to head back, as it can get spooky as darkness falls. The drive back was uneventful, except for the usual delay at Nelamangala toll, waded my way out and reached home before my usual dinner time.

All in all, I was a happy soul!

Traveler Information:

1. Although this is a protected area, I could not find anybody inside the premises, not even at the gate
2. Villagers freely roam inside for cattle grazing, as their fields are nearby
3. Early mornings and evenings would be the best time to visit (and photograph) the place, as midday can get sultry hot with not much shade around
4. There are no eateries nearby and one is advised to pack something to munch on the go, along with lots of water
5. Most of the mud roads inside are mapped by google. To be on safer side, it is better to mark your location at entry point, which you can later use to navigate out. It can get quite disorienting inside, as you go round and round
6. The reserve has multiple exits, all of which enter the adjoining villages through very narrow roads, and should be avoided (learnt the hard way) at all costs. The main exit is the best one to take, as it directly leads to the main road

If you’re still with me, I thank you for your patience and time! Signing off for now, as I conclude my short write up! Hope you all enjoyed it, and would love to hear from you!

Cheers,
Ashish

[Torque123]

Lovely crisp travelogue with beautiful images of the birds & black bucks ,. Never been to Madhugiri but have heard that one can find sloth bears & Leopards around too.

[ashishsGT]

Originally Posted by Torque123

Lovely crisp travelogue with beautiful images of the birds & black bucks ,. Never been to Madhugiri but have heard that one can find sloth bears & Leopards around too.

Hello Torque123,

Thank you for your kind words, I'm glad you liked it!
Yeah, there have been random leopard sightings in the area as confirmed by the locals there, mostly during late evenings, making them very elusive.

Cheers,
Ashish

[ampere]

Beautiful images! We went here almost 12-13 years back and we had no camera! For a minute since we had no idea of the roads we were not even sure if we were heading in the right direction (mainly sign boards). But it was an amazing experience!

[ashishsGT]

Originally Posted by ampere

Beautiful images!

Hello ampere,

Thank you!
True that! Things are better now in regard of both approach roads and sign boards.

Cheers,
Ashish

[Chinmay]

Nice writeup, and thanks for this weekend's travel idea! Me and my Nikon shall go exploring!

[ashishsGT]

Originally Posted by Chinmay

Nice writeup, and thanks for this weekend's travel idea! Me and my Nikon shall go exploring!

Hello Chinmay,

Thanks and welcome!
Looking forward to seeing your clicks.

Cheers,
Ashish

[Garth]

Nice and crisp travelogue. Inspired by your post, I have added this place to my list. Hopefully I will go there soon.

[ashishsGT]

Originally Posted by Garth

Nice and crisp travelogue. Inspired by your post, I have added this place to my list. Hopefully I will go there soon.

Hello Garth,

Thanks a ton!
Do share your experience with us, post your visit.

Cheers,
Ashish

[megazoid]

ashishGT, You really know how to use your gear well and the pictures are really beautiful. Enjoyed them!

The blackbuck shots are beautifully framed.

[majumon]

Wow splendid photographs, being your first post very nice. You seem to be a birder, identifying them so easily. Was it because you reached in the evening that the number of birds captured through your lens is lesser. Keep clicking and sharing your rides, we love them and never get bored.

[ashishsGT]

Originally Posted by megazoid

ashishGT, You really know how to use your gear well and the pictures are really beautiful. Enjoyed them!

Hello megazoid,

Thanks a heap for your kind words!
Prior to this, even as a non-member I never missed your amazing posts and travel stories. Keep them coming! Oh and by the way, it goes without saying, I'm a big fan of your Bimmer!

Cheers,
Ashish

[ashishsGT]

Originally Posted by majumon

Wow splendid photographs, being your first post very nice. You seem to be a birder, identifying them so easily. Was it because you reached in the evening that the number of birds captured through your lens is lesser. Keep clicking and sharing your rides, we love them and never get bored.

Hello majumon,

Thank you so much, it truly means a lot!
Yeah, I've been into birding for about 5 years now and have learnt to recognise some species, if not a lot. True, I could not find many since I reached at a 'not so ideal' time. Early mornings are always the best time to photograph birds, as they're most active during sunrise.

Cheers,
Ashish