The monsoon brings the forest alive! Lush green leaves erupt everywhere, and the forest floor buzzes with insects and new plant life. While some say it’s not the best time to find forest owlets, with all that dense foliage, it’s also a season of plenty for these little hunters.

On June 16th, 2024, Jungle Buddies Tours ventured into the Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary for a special Monsoon Forest Walk. We arrived at our birding spot at 8 am, greeted by the symphony of the forest – treepies calling, drongos chasing each other, and cuckoos singing their sweet melodies.

Our hike took us through Quarrypada, a known haven for forest owlets. After exploring the hilly terrain, we finally spotted one! As expected, the drongos and bulbuls raised the alarm first, sending the owlet into the dense vegetation. But our patience paid off! We later found another individual who allowed us to observe and photograph it – a lifer (a new bird species seen for the first time) for all our participants!

eBird Checklist – https://ebird.org/checklist/S181997889

The forest wasn’t just about owlets, though. We spotted many other bird species (check out the eBird list below) and even came across two beautiful flowering orchid species – the Fox Brush Orchid and the Tall Shield Orchid.

Sujata maam, who travelled all the way from Chennai for this trip, shared her amazing experience:

“Our guide, Mr. Pratham, was incredibly knowledgeable and took great care of everyone. He kept searching for the owlet even when it got hot and humid. Finally, we saw the shy little guy! I highly recommend Jungle Buddies Tours for anyone interested in birding and wildlife. I can’t wait for their next trips!”

Join Jungle Buddies Tours and discover the magic of the monsoon forest for yourself!

Photos Credits : Sundaram Sir & Sujata maam.

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