En route to Bhimtal from Delhi. Early morning mist.
The forests on the route to Bhimtal from Nainital.
Bhimtal Lake which has an island at its centre. Bhimtal is named after Bhima of Mahabharata who is believed to have created the lake when he smashed his mace into the ground here.
Flowers at Van Vilas Hotel, Bhimtal
Purple Sunbird (at Bhimtal)
Yellow-Bellied Warbler
Himalayan Treepie (at Bhimtal)
Common Sparrow
Stonechat (at Bhimtal)
Red-Rumped Swallow (at Bhimtal)
Oriental White-Eye (at Bhimtal)
White-Eared Bulbul (at Bhimtal)
Bhimtal Lake at night.
The hills and conifers en route to Mukteshwar from Bhimtal.
Climbing up from Bhowali to Mukteshwar.
Himalayan Treepie (at Mukteshwar)
Mukteshwar
Mukteshwar's coniferous forests
A lizard at Chauli-ki-Jali (at Mukteshwar).
A lizard at Chauli-ki-Jali, Mukteshwar.
Now there are two.
Another lizard at Chauli-ki-Jali (at Mukteshwar).
Another lizard at Chauli-ki-Jali, Mukteshwar.
Vulture sighted from Chauli-ki-Jali (at Mukteshwar).
The Mukteshwar temple from which the place gets its name. This is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Devotees tie bells around the Mukteshwar temple when their wishes are fulfilled.
One of the bells around the Mukteshwar temple.
Ladybug
A view of Chauli-ki-Jali from Mukteshwar temple. Chauli-ki-Jali is the name given to these overhanging scraggy rock cliffs in Mukteshwar.
Chauli-ki-Jali. This hole in the Chauli-ki-Jali cliffs has an interesting story. Apparently women who don't conceive should pass through this hole on a full moon night. And voila!
White-Breasted Laughingthrush
Blue Whistlingthrush (at Mukteshwar)
Black-throated Tit (at Mukteshwar)
Streaked Laughingthrush (at Mukteshwar)
Parthenium/Vernonia (at Mukteshwar)
Unknown flowers (at Mukteshwar)
Compositeae (at Mukteshwar)
Blue Zenia (at Mukteshwar)
Purple Zenia (at Mukteshwar)
Rufous-Bellied Niltava (Binsar)
Buransh or Rhododendron inside Binsar Forest Reserve
Bar-Tailed Tree-Creeper (at Binsar)
Spotted Dove (at Kausani)
Verditer Flycatcher (at Kausani)
Pied Bushchat (at Kausani)
A view of the Himalayas from Kausani
The Trishul Peaks, Himalayas
A view of the Himalayas from Kausani.
Baijnath temple complex, near Kausani.
One of the temples at Baijnath. The temples are dated to the 9th Century AD.
One of the temples at Baijnath.
All the dope on Baijnath.
A close view of a temple at Baijnath.
Water Redstart at Baijnath
Water Redstart (Female) at Baijnath
The Baijnath temples stand on the banks of a river. For religious reasons these fish are not considered food but are rather fed by the pilgrims.
Just outside the Baijnath temple complez. Nope, we didn't go check out the market.
Great Barbet (at Kausani)
White-Capped Water Redstart (at Kausani)
Eurasian Hoopoe (on the way to Ranikhet from Kausani). The Hoopoe is considered to be "lucky" omen in mythology.
Eurasian Hoopoe (on the way to Ranikhet from Kausani)
Red-Rumped Swallow (on the way to Ranikhet from Kausani)
Magpie Robin (on the way to Ranikhet from Kausani)
Small Green Bee-Eater (on the way to Ranikhet from Kausani)
Common Kestrel (on the way to Ranikhet from Kausani)
White-Breasted Kingfisher
Racket-Tailed Drongo (on the way to Ranikhet from Kausani)
Red-Vented Bulbul (en route from Kausani to Ranikhet)
Slaty-Headed Parakeet (at Ranikhet)
Streaked Laughingthrush (at Ranikhet)
Sap of the Deodar Pine Tree. Turpentine is made from this sap. We were trekking through Ranikhet's forests to Bhalu Dam.
Pygmy Woodpecker (at Ranikhet)
A loggers' hut inside the forests of Ranikhet. We were on a 9 KM trek to Bhalu Dam.
Verditer Flycatcher, female (at Kausani)
Spangled Drongo (at Ranikhet)
Russet Sparrow (at Ranikhet)
Booted Eagle (at Ranikhet)
Booted Eagle (at Ranikhet). We found over 20 of these eagles at a garbage dump just outside Ranikhet.
A Booted Eagle in flight (at Ranikhet)
Booted Eagles (at Ranikhet)
Egyptian Vultures at a garbage dump outside of Ranikhet
Egyptian Vultures (at Ranikhet)
Jackal. Spotted at the garbage dump outside of Ranikhet.
A magical sunset at Ranikhet.
The light of the setting sun sets the Himalayas aglow.
The Himalayas at sunset from Ranikhet.
We stopped our car and sat drinking in this sight till it was dark.
Shikra. En route to Ramnagar and the Jim Corbett National Park from Ranikhet.
Slaty-Headed Parakeets (en route to Corbett from Ranikhet)
Plum-Headed Parakeet. En route to Ramnagar and the Jim Corbett National Park from Ranikhet.
White Wagtail. En route to Ramnagar and the Jim Corbett National Park from Ranikhet.
