Pench Day 1

We started early after the usual cookies and coffee and a packed breakfast.

The first sighting was a tigress family but only the oldest cub was visible. We waited for awhile but they were quite well hidden.

The next was a well camouflaged serpent eagle waiting quietly by a stream for his unsuspecting breakfast to come swimming by, I am guessing.

We proceeded on to a water body and were rewarded by sighting a number of different birds.

We had our picnic breakfast and comfort break nearby and then finished up the morning’s Safari, finding a roller bird posing for us in the process.

Returned to the Lodge where Mr. Ghale greeted us and said that the game parks may be closing from tomorrow due to COVID 19 and he will know for sure when we come back from the evening safari.

We were disheartened to hear this but it is beyond our or anybody else’s control.

After another tasty lunch, we walked around the premises a bit until it was time for the afternoon safari.

The travelers in all the other vehicles that we met in the jungle were talking about the closure and were quite depressed as expected.

We saw a sloth bear drinking water here as well but didn’t get good photos like the other one.

The two best photos of the afternoon were the Hawk Cuckoo and Green Bee Eater, both were just outside the lodge premises.

The Hawk Cuckoo has beautiful eyes which is quite unique for a predator.

I loved the green bee eater; it was gorgeous in such a tiny package.

Soon it was time to get back and as rumored, Mr. Ghale verified that this would the last day the safaris will take place for at least 2 weeks.

He also informed us that international flights may not be permitted to land after Sunday, today was Thursday.

We were in a panic to get our international flights moved up to Sunday and did manage to make the last Emirates flights out of Mumbai. It was a major hassle but I don’t want to bore anyone with the crazy details.

Mr. Ghale was a lot of help in getting hold of our travel agent in India and getting our Nagpur to Mumbai flight moved up accordingly.

I am so glad it happened here and not at Tadoba.

Shortly it was time for dinner, which of course was just as excellent as other meals have been.

Retired for the night, a bit scared about the unknown.