Corbett Tigers in Winter 2015-16

Armed with my new Canon 300mm f2.8L IS USM lens and the old Canon 7D body, time was up for some field testing. And being the month of January, what could have been better than the majestic Corbett TR of Uttarakhand.

Initial three and half days in Dhikala went tiger-less. With a lot of hope we moved to Bijrani zone which has always been in news for consistent tiger sightings. And as expected, Bijrani didn't disappoint us. Into the first safari during that evening, we got this sub-adult male sitting inside the thickets.

Next day morning safari was almost event-less, but towards the fag end we got Shramili sitting on the tracks. She has been a very cooperative tigress and allowed us to make some beautiful close-up images. She was constantly roaring and was calling her sub-adult cubs. There was a news that she has made a kill in the adjoining bushes.

In the evening safari, we got her again at the same place where we have left her during the morning round. And the growling was still ON. She looked little pissed-off as she kept moving here and there, calling her cubs. We got some wonderful opportunity to make some good images too.

It was almost by late evening that the sons, Pandit and Virat, responded to the calls and came to meet their mother. These two sub-adult tigers generally move around together. They have been growing up into massive males who will be much sought after in the coming days in Bijrani. Virat is shy type whereas Pandit is quite bold and love to pose for the photographers.

I was able to make some lovely habitat images during this process. The slanting evening golden light was just perfect for the backdrop of tall saal forest and the dry river bed with boulders in the foreground.

Next dar during the morning round we got Pandit and Virat again. It was low light and I got an opportunity to test my new lens in challenging conditions. One can see the result for himself.

My next venture to this park was in the month of March. As usual, my initial stay was in Dhikala and this time Dhikala didn't disappoint me.

The 1st sighting happened on Day 1 from the Sambar Road watch tower in Dhikala. We got a tip-off at Dhikala campus that a tiger has charged at the tourist elephant in the grassland near the watch tower. So we decided to spend the time, when safari remains closed, at the tower. Half an hour in the tower and there were Cheetal alarm calls in the grassland below. She emerged out of the tall grasses after an unsuccessful hunting attempt. After some hide-&-seek game she went to the Ramganga to cool her off. For nearly 20 minutes she was in the water and then moved back to the grassland to relax. This sighting lasted for almost an hour. She was seen again by the tourist elephant and also from the watch tower during the evening safari.

The 2nd sighting too happened Day 1, from Sambar Road watch tower itself. As we were trying to figure out where did Thandi Maa hide herself in the grasses, a sambar deer quite far away started bellowing alarm calls gazing towards the 1st high bank on Sambar Road. And then emerged this female from the bend, walked all along the river bank and climbed on to the 1st new track branching off the Sambar Road, spray marked on a tree and walked off to the dense foliage. We could not adjudge the proper identity of this tiger; however, she looked like the Chuwapani Female.

The 3rd sighting of the tour happened on Day 2 at Tungbhoji. We actually had missed this female on Day 1. She came out minutes after we crossed Mota Saal and sat on the track for almost an hour. Few other people saw and photographed her. So we decided to spend some time in the grassland on Day 2 morning. We saw some pugmarks at Amla Tiraha and were waiting there when the forest came alive with Cheetal alarm calls. We anticipated some action to happen near the Thandi Sadak watch tower as the calls came from that side itself. So we went to Tungbhoji and after a few minutes wait she emerged out of the thickets. She crossed the track thrice before vanishing towards Bichhubhoji.

The 4th sighting of the tour took place on Day 2 itself, from Sambar Road watch tower. As it was immensely fruitful on Day 1, we decided to spend the noon time in-between safaris again on the watch tower on Day 2 too. Hardly half an hour into the break and this huge male came from the "paar", crossed Ramganga river and climbed the 2nd high bank on Sambar Road. 

Surpise! We got our 5th sighting of the tour too on Day 2 from Sambar Road watch tower. Few minutes after the male vanished into the forest, we saw this female (most likely the Chuwapani Female) approach Ramganga river from the old Sambar Road. She drank water and went back to the Sambar Road, scent marking on the trees. She also came close to the watch tower but didn't pay visit to the near by waterhole as there were too many people making noise. It would be interesting to note that there were no alarm calls today for both the sightings from tower, though deer were present in plenty all around!

The 6th sighting of the tour happened Day 3 at Kanda Road. With 5 tiger sightings in 2 days already under the belt, we now decided to check on the whereabouts of the queen from the paar, the Paarwaali. She was not to be seen from quite some time and all tourists were getting was only her pugmarks. After checking the Gethia Rao waterhole and Hasgadda Sot, we decided to check the Kanda Road which is her one of the hot favorite spot. On the Kanda Road, there were some fresh pugmarks and then the Gypsy in front started waiving at us. Tiger has been spotted. She was resting in a fire-line covered with fallen Saal leaves. This sighting last for 2.5hrs and all the while she just kept sleeping, at times changing sides. As not much of action was happening, we decided to leave her and go to the grassland to check the situation there. We heard that, later this particular female had got up and walked into the forest.

This female was seen with cubs, sometime in January 2016. The cubs at that time looked like 2-3 months old. However, during my tour, it seems that she has moved into mating again. The whereabouts of the cubs too were unknown. Not even the pugmarks were to be seen anywhere.

7th sighting of the tour was on Day 4 from Sambar Road watch tower again. It had been raining on and off since the previous night which is not a good sign for wildlife watching. It rained in the morning safari too and as expected there were no sightings. After the safari we decided to sit at the watch tower. As it was our last day in Dhikala, our plan was to spend starting couple of hours in the afternoon safari and then head towards the Dhangari gate. 

It was quite gloomy and at the watch tower too we were not expecting much to happen. I decided not to put the 2X tele-converter and try my luck if any action happens near by. Almost an hour into the break and a Sambar calls, followed by Spotted Deer. We could judge that some action is happening on the Sambar Road itself and in the close proximity. Hence, I decided to go down to the 1st tier as I was anticipating the predator to come towards the waterhole. 

The calls came closer and then suddenly I saw 2 Spotted Deer jump across the small path leading to the waterhole, along with their fawn. Few moments later, more deer ran and inside the bushes and tall grasses I saw the big cat behind them. The Chuwapani Female stopped momentarily near the watch tower to have a look at us, before carrying on with her hunt. But that one glance was good enough to give me goosebumps, as she stood just 20 feet away from the tower, and myself being all alone on that deck!

My 9th (last) sighting of the March 2016 tour happened. This sighting will remain etched in my memory for the lifetime as this is one of those shy tigers of Corbett which avoids Gypsys. My target in Bijrani this time was this particular female and for that I spent all my time in Ringora area. It was a tough hunt which included a lot of patience and sacrifices (sighting of Sharmili and her grown up cubs are relatively easier, but I didn't go for them). I missed this female during my first safari itself and finally on my last safari I managed to get her. Icing on the cake was her head-on walk on the track towards my Gypsy!

This is one of those shy tigers which is seen seldom, and many a times she used to charge at Gypsys if met on the track. However, that afternoon I was fortunate that neither did she shy away nor did she charge at us. Our Gypsy was parked at a very comfortable distance which allowed her to be comfortable and carry on with her routine patrolling. Four days of hard work done by myself and Shamshad (my Gypsy driver)​ finally didn't go futile, as we got her on the very last safari.