Participants from Delhi, Chandigarh, Surat and Baroda celebrating World Environment Day congregated at Nali–a small hamlet between Debra dun and Missouri from where .the Dehra dun and the Missouri lights can be seen twinkling like the stars above (Narbir captured the scene on his camera).
It was organized by Pratik Panwar–ARCH founder trustee and member. Participants were from all age groups. We all had an agreeable engaging time trekking, lazing, sighting hill birds. Arvind, Rita (also an IIC Nature Group member), Mridul, Bharat and I were delighted and awed by the sight of the hill birds as this was our first experience of these gorgeous birds, which were identified by Narbir, Nitu, and Rima the birding experts.
The awesome sight of these birds and the experience left us very satisfied and elated...
Some of the participants who reached the Forest Lodge at Nali–the camping place on the 5th morning little realized what was in store for them at the end of the day. By late afternoon while the tents were being pitched–the gathering clouds gave rise to plans and discussions–‘what if it rains and how shall we spend the night?’ Little did we know that Nature was brewing up a thunderous storm for the night.
By dinner time Nature and the clouds created merry hell and fury–the thunderous roar, the capping of clouds, the flash of lightening, the fury of the hail, wind and gale frightened and scared all of us. Pratik who was to meet Narbir at some point down the road frantically tried to call Narbir and tell him to stay put wherever they were (he was driving up with Nitu and Vineeta) but signals were not available.
Kudos to Narbir and his driving skills that through the wind and the hail and the rain and the narrow hill tracts—all gravel and stones and sharp bends—he brought the ship to port. The next morning Nitu and Vineeta were aghast to see the conditions through which they had driven thenight before. The experience must be heard from the horse’s mouth.
During birding the participants would split and go in different directions but we always made sure that one or the other of the experts was with the group always for quick identifying.
Repetition, if any, of bird names may please be ignored.
Chandrima