Picto Diary - 09 January 2016 - Nigel
Above: Nilgai (Blue Bull). Jawai Leopard Camp. Sumerpur, Rajasthan, India. 09 January 2016.
Foreground, bull. Behind, cow.
In 1973 friend and Citibank boss AG took me on a blue bull hunt in Haryana. Around mid-night, five or six of us were riding in a cart pulled by a tractor. Someone said, "Stop! There's a blue bull!" In the moonless night we thought we saw the outlines of a nilgai, but, were unsure. Still, all five of us began firing away from the cart at the wraithlike form. We drove over to the site of the "apparition" after the barrage and found nothing. False alarm. It sounds funny now... and it was funny at the time. We continued to ride around until pre-dawn, but, found no prey to shoot.
We alit from the cart at dawn, switched to shotguns, and began looking for birds. I was with AJ when we came upon a tree loaded with dove. "Shoot the tree," said AJ. "What,?" I replied? "The whole tree?" "Yes!" exclaimed AJ.. I fired and about a dozen doves, of four times that many, dropped to the ground. "Isn't this irresponsible to kill so many birds in this manner," I righteously asked. AJ: "No... of course not. We'll take the birds to the villagers and they will all be gratefully consumed."
Above: Common Stonechat (?). Jawai Leopard Camp. Sumerpur, Rajasthan, India. 09 January 2016.
Above: Lemur. Jawai Leopard Camp. Sumerpur, Rajasthan, India. 09 January 2016.
Above: Grey Francolin. Jawai Leopard Camp. Sumerpur, Rajasthan, India. 09 January 2016.
Above: Eurasian Collared Dove. Jawai Leopard Camp. Sumerpur, Rajasthan, India. 09 January 2016.
Above: Grey Babbler. Jawai Leopard Camp. Sumerpur, Rajasthan, India. 09 January 2016.
Above: The site of our first leopard sighting. Jawai Leopard Camp. Sumerpur, Rajasthan, India. 09 January 2016.
I didn't catch Nigel at this very spot. While seated in the Maruti safari vehicle with excellent high powered binoculars provided by the camp, I listened to the guides. "See that round rock? Go to the flat rock above it. See the euphobia bush above the flat rock? Look to the left of the bush. Nigel is lying down, only head visible, at the base of the bush.
Nada. I couldn't see anything. This sighting, only 1% spotted the leopard.
Then, dusk coming on, the guides chattered by radio amongst themselves and started driving down an unimproved jeep track leading to the right of the spot where Nigel was first sighted. The Marutis rounded a corner and began a decent down a hill towards a large rock facing, increasingly ill defined in the waning light.
Varun, the head guide, turned a high powered beam on the rock. There was Nigel, two hundred feet away... walking slowly from our left to our right, along the base of the rock face. While seated in the Maruti safari car, I was able to get a clear, close-up view of Nigel through the binoculars. Nigel lay down, then got up again and continued walking. He seemed to be unfazed by the beam. Finally he walked out of site.
Because it was dark... and because of the distance... I didn't think I would be able to get an image with either of my two devices... a Panasonic Lumix small camera and my Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Wow! Fulfilled! A leopard sighting our first outing.
Addendum:
Hi Steve
Thanks for keeping me on your mailing list.
I am just sending you the link to a program that I watched on an Indian channel called NDTV. This is about how the world economy is confronted with a global recession situation and also some very intriguing insights into the global economy, particularly chinese, indian.
The new buzz word in global economy I believe is FANG and not BRIC any more. It’s no more about the countries but corporations that are dominating the global economy many of which are not even listed stocks.
Happy Travels.
Mohan, TravelScope India
Delhi, India
Much appreciated. Helps in understanding the challenges and opportunities of this dynamic country.
Thanks for sharing your magnificent trip.
LaDoc and LaPsy,
Los Angeles, CA
Unbelievable Steve! In my 91 years, how little I have known about India's lore!
Thanks,
Manhattan,
Park City, UT