Oct 27, 2016

Old Magazine House, Ganeshgudi- The Bird Paradise!


Bathing beauty at Old Magazine House in Ganeshgudi Karnataka India
Bathing Beauty- White rumped Shama at Old Magazine House Ganeshgudi

A peaceful place where one can relax body and mind, little birds sing for you! Do you love birds? Just birds? No craze for tigers, no rushing safaris! Only colorful little winged wonders- birds and butterflies. The place is Old Magazine House in Ganeshgudi, Karnataka, India.

Birds at Old Magazine House in Ganeshgudi Karnataka India
Yellow browed Bullbul and a White bellied Blue Flycatcher indulging in a short chat while bathing

Western Ghats is known for its lush forests and abundant wildlife. Amidst these dense forests flows River Kali. Known for her uneven and fierce water flow she is rafter's paradise. Here, an old house converted into a lodge by Jungle Lodges and Resorts provides decent stay and an amazing hospitality. 

Old Magazine House in Ganeshgudi Karnataka IndiaJungle Lodges and Resorts

I have been to Dandeli and its surrounding villages and forests innumerable times and still I get excited to go back again and again. And OMH (Old Magazine House) is one place that brings stars in the birder's eyes. I too was excited when I got a chance to visit OMH with the courtesy- OLD MAGAZINE HOUSE. People with telescopic lenses greet you as soon as you reach. Or some may frown if you happen to be loud. Keep your mobile on silent mode. Noise is banned here.

Butterfly at Old Magazine House in Ganeshgudi Karnataka India
Colorful butterflies are all around  the place

There are pots and perches arranged for the birds to enjoy a bath and then preen on the perches. Different species come together to enjoy that little water, seeing  which invokes inner happiness within us. Just stand behind the hide and watch the show. Brown cheeked Fulvetta, White bellied Blue Flycatcher, Rusty tailed Flycatcher, Orange headed Thrush, White rumped Shama, Indian Yellow Tit, Red whiskered Bulbul, Bronzed Drongo are regular visitors and they will not disappoint you. Many others join too if you are fortunate. I got pictures of around 25 new species to my GALLERY.

Goldenback at Old Magazine House in Ganeshgudi Karnataka India
Greater Goldenback sitting and pecking on high trunk of the tree

This scenic destination is 25KM away from Dandeli, a place popular for rafting and Malabar Hornbills. Dandeli is well connected by road to the most of the cities of Karnataka like Bangalore and Hubli. My stay was booked by OLD MAGAZINE HOUSE run by Sanjay/Ramnath who also arranged transport from Dandeli to OMH. I was treated like a family member which is an advantage booking through the official travel partners of Jungle Lodges and Resorts. 

Brahminy Kite at Old Magazine House in Ganeshgudi Karnataka India
Soaring Brahminy Kite Juvvie
The lodge is quite neat and the food is good and plenty. The staff is attentive and the naturalists are the best. Nights are silent with the occasional  screams of malabar giant squirrel. Owls might hoot but not scary. If you feel like doing more than bird watching, there is river rafting, picnic spots at Syntheri Rocks and Supa Dam. There are many jungle camps around too. Or go for a short drive to a bridge from where one can witness flying Malabar Hornbills and Brahminy Kites. 

Malabar Giant Squirrel at Old Magazine House in Ganeshgudi Karnataka India
And a trip to Western Ghats is incomplete without sighting a Malabar Giant Squirrel
Made an attempt to upload a video of small birds playing with water. Enjoy!



If you are looking for a holiday like this one visit Dandeli.com or Old Magazine House for booking. Also you can reach them- Phone: 9483940400  E-mail: book@dandeli.com.
---

Thank you and hope you enjoyed reading the article. Leave a comment to share your beautiful thoughts and constructive feedback. If you have enjoyed this article then connect with Google+, Twitter, Facebook or subscribe through email for more exciting updates!

More similar articles-
1200 birds of India!
Backpacking India Part IV- In search of 1200 birds of India
Bandhavgarh National Park
The river of gharials- The Chambal!
Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary

If you want pictures please ask me :)
---
Creative Commons License
Scrapbook- A Travel Blog by Kusum Sanu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

9 comments:

  1. This is an awesome place. I once stayed in a hotel where we watch owls hunt at night.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is an absolute paradise for avian lovers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This really a awesome place. I visit this place whenever I feel bored of time.

    ReplyDelete
  6. very informative post for me as I am always looking for new content that can help me and my knowledge grow better.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey keep posting such good and meaningful articles.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Each species of birds and animals provides us with an unforgettable stay in this place. The park has the picturesque nature far from the bustling city.

    ReplyDelete

I would appreciate to have your precious thoughts, suggestions and kind encouraging words in comments. Please do not include self-promotional links.I am encountering some problems because of these links and hence I may not publish them.