Chiplun Trip Report

Hi, lovely readers hope you enjoyed both part 1 & 2 of the Dandeli trip, I got many motivational comments on both reports, with folded hands I would like to convey my thanks to all of you. Your comments, suggestions, and likes are motivating not only me but also it is motivating many others to join the nature trips. 

By reading blogs and stories my colleagues motivated to do trips outside the city and explore such nature linked places where luxury will not be there like five star but hospitality and nature’s rewards will be unmatched. 

Amish and Ashwini who already love birding motivated Sarang and Preeti to join for a birding trip. In pas also larger group had enjoyed places like Pench and Gir. Support of such lovely colleagues is just like oxygen and super motivating to improve the blog as well as photo quality. I hope you are also geared up for yet another fantastic trip through this blog. 

hum panch

As the title suggests, the story is of five nature lovers, at the beginning, certain things were unanswered when Ashwini initiated the thought, the open questions in front of us were - Where to go? How to go? Tiger safari possibilities and safety measures etc. Ashwini led the thought and discussed the same with Amish and then matter came to my bucket to finalize the place to the nearest possible location to avoid outside state travel. 

Tiger safari was ruled out due to time and distance, I had a couple of options, and one of them was Nandu Bhau (Shiroli – Chiplun). I discussed the matter with our travel expert Saurabh (he always has something unique in his pocket). After discussion with Saurabh and Nandu Bhau, we finalize the plan with a small group who are more interested in birding. So finally, with the addition of Preeti and Sarang the group Hum Panch was finalized for the trip. 

The Journey started by Sarang with his car and I was the one who boarded the last, we reached Nandu’s sanctuary after taking multiple breaks including budget discussions of our finance minister Preeti 😝. We enjoyed yummy food at Datta Snacks, Joshi wade wale, and finally hotel Abhishek for lunch. At all places, we were lucky to have the best food varieties starting from Vada Pav, missal pav, Kokum Soda, SOL kadhi, and Wada at the end. After having so many things during the journey and me being there the journey cannot end without PAN, Anita pan shop made us crazy with a superb pan at such a small place. This is how we enjoyed the road journey but once we reached Nandu’s place, the joy reached a different level, let me explain what all happened during these 3 days in the next section.  

All-rounder Trip

Yes, the trip deserves to be called as an “All-rounder” I will explain the same step by step so and at the end DSLR section together surely will convince you on the same.

 Day 1

Day 1 that is on Wednesday we reached at around 5-5.30pm at Nandu’s place, I had a little bit of idea about the place because I had traveled there for ODKF but the other 4 had no idea about offering the of this place. I told them when Nandu is there we should not bother about expectations; he will surely ensure the best things for us. Upon reaching while settling down with tea and coffee, we heard some calls as if it is for our welcoming, we came out of the cottages, and before we ask anything, we saw coupe of Hornbills occupying tree and doing playful activities. This was the warm welcome by birds and it was a hint that the place is rich with surprises and we will surely have the best time. The day ended with yummy local homemade food by Ram Bhau and we closed the day early to take a rest. 

Day 2

Nandu Bhau was completely managing the plan of action for us, the morning we were asked to go for the hide. Though I had experienced the hide earlier as well, this was new for other partners. In hide, we had a good time with birds like Barbet, Treepie, Indian blackbird, flycatcher, squirrel, and many more. The hide always remains a small part as it depends on temperature and bird’s mood, a still close encounter with such small lovely birds made our session successful with some sharp images. After a small session and having yet another different food test we geared up for the evening session.

After hiding the expectations were there to find raptors in the field, Bhau is an expert who knows where to get the best of the best, and hence he had decided safari of grassland for the evening session. The evening started with Indian roller, Bus chat, Pipits, and it went up to the level of the scene of matting of Brahminy kite, the sighting of Honey-buzzard couple and Black-eared kit couple, etc. One after the other sitting on the tree with various styles was just mazing. This was not enough, we also saw a tunnel that is rich with a lot of unique species, but who will dare to go inside the same let's see someday will have some courage to do that as well 😜

Day 3

Day 3 activity came as an idea of Ashwini, the idea was to go out and meet Crocodiles in their own zone. (Dekho Mugger Pyar Se). To experience this the best place is the Vashishti river where you take a ride on a motor boat to take a tour of not only Crocodiles but many other wetland birds and raptors as well. We saw cute little Croco to big huge Croco with count crossed mostly 80 or maybe 100. The first time we saw such a large quantity at one place, the fear in mind was Khoon Bhari Maang part 2 toh nahi Banega na Hamara😜. The experience was out of the world because it also added sighting of the kite with a kill, harrier with kill, eagle, wooly neck, kingfisher, storks, etc. this was the third pattern such as Hide then grassland and now river safari, it was dream come true type of feeling which again added as toping to us with the sighting of Thick-knee, this made our lunchtime more delicious, so we had a lot more during the lunch and then we went back to the cottage for taking rest. 

In the evening Nandu Bhau took us to a small jungle trail to give another type of experience of forest birding and a little bit of walk as well. This was not the end of the story because the main part is yet to come which will be the poster boy of this blog, yes the climax in the movie always comes at the end. The journey was almost towards the end but the owl was not yet there on the list, how can it be possible to end the trip without an owl. I had requested Nandu Bhau on the very first day to see if we have any sight where we can capture owl, so see what happened at the end, whether we got Owl or not in the next section. 

The Climax

On the last day after diner Bhau came and said let's go for the owl, you will not go without taking owl pics. He took us to the place where Barn owl was there with little ones, we went during the night with no lights around. We were searching it around in the dark where Amish and I saw some moment, it was like something in fraction passed in front of us. It was quick and we felt that it is surely bird movement, we immediately informed Nandu to check. Nandu without taking time turned the torch in the right direction and what we saw was just out of the world. The Barn Owl with small rat kill was sitting in from of us, it was an unbelievable moment because it is always difficult to find nocturnal species right in front that is too with the kill. This was like a dessert treat for ending the trip, we got a lot definitely much more than what we had expected, it was an awesome trip and will always remain as one of the best nature trips for all of us. 

Now the time came for us to take a leave from this lovely place, the return journey too had its own fun element. We stated return journey same way we had while coming to this place, taking small breaks starting with Anita Pan shop, Parshuram temple, shopping of local stuff (like Poha papad, Amla juice, Kokam) lunch at Shiv Sagar and many small stops in between for tea and more shopping without which trip would have not qualified as “All-Rounder”

This was not the only fun we had, let me explain what all we enjoyed apart from birding in the next section. 

Nandu’s World

Nandu’s sanctuary is a different world in itself, he with his family tried all possible help to give us comfort in all aspects. Starting with stay, cottages are neat and clean with all required amenities, surrounding is such that you feel auto meditation and mental peace, food serving by his cousin brother Ram, too good food especially UKDI Modak, and Homemade Kokum Sharbat both were outstanding, it was added with flavor Pitlay, Upma, Poha, routine sabzi with Bhakri, pickles, etc 

Therefore, to conclude Nandu’s expert knowledge and his efforts and passion towards conservation, his hospitality and stay and food all this combine together the sanctuary becomes a different world all together. Every season here has its own importance with varieties so one should visit here in Shiroli Chiplun and understand nature by exploring Nandu’s sanctuary.  

Lucky list

Now before I end the blog let me update you on the list of species we sighted 

Malabar Pied Hornbill, Asian Koel, Sadhan coucal, White Throated Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, Brown Shrike, Plum Headed Parakeet, Indian Blackbird, Rufus treepie, White-cheeked Barbet, Squirrel, Indian Roller, paddy field pipit, yellow wattle lapwing, Pied Bush Chat, Siberian bush chat, Indian Robin, Brahminy kite, oriental honey buzzard, grater spotted eagle, wooly necked stork, Crocodiles, Marsh Harrier, Night Heron, Purple heron, Green Heron, Grey Heron, Open Bill Stork, Eurasian Thick-knee, Spider, Orange Headed Thrush, Barn Owl, ashy drongo, black-headed oriole, Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Oriental White Eye, Prinia, Jungle babbler, Russell's Wiper, Dove, black eared kite, hoopoe, common Drongo, Pond Heron, etc. 

I hope you liked this blog, keep blessing me and keep motivating me to deliver unique stuff, do let me know your feedback on btwildart@gmail.om

Vote of Thanks

Mumbai Travelers and Team – Many thanks, Saurabh for valuable suggestion and all your help to plan successful trip

Hum Panch  - Many thanks Amish, Ashwini, Sarang and Preeti for such a memorable trip

Food Arrangement – Ram Bahu many thanks for the yummy food

Over and above Nandu Tambe, many thanks for sharing your thoughts about conservation and taking all the efforts to make this trip a lovely one. Keep it up. 

BT Wild Art

DSLR Section

Barn Owl

Barn Owl

Brahminy Kite

Marsh Harrier 

Malabar Pied Hornbill 

Plume headed Parakeet 

White-Cheeked Barbet

Rufous Treepie 

Dekho Mugger Pyar Se - Crocodile 

Khoon Bhari Maang Yaad hai - Crocodile 

Indian Blackbird

Spider 

Indian Roller 

Paddy Field Pipit

Black Eared Kite

Common Kingfisher 

Wooly necked stork 

Eurasian Thick-Knee 

Yellow Wattle Lapwing 

Indian Robin

Hum 5 with Nandu

At Datta Snacks

At Hotel Abhishek

Homemade Kokum sharbat

Morning Breakfast by Ram Bhau