Tuesday 15th January,2013.

Hello,

Today is our second day in the Gir National Park.
Our flight from Mumbai to Diu was on time and
uneventful.
The drive to Gir was a thrill a minute.  The roads
were super crowded as it was Sunday and as we
also stopped to look at birds on the way it took
about 31/2 hrs.
The land here is fertile and crops abundant and
various.  There are, however, two introduced
plant species, Lantana and Mesquite, which are
now considered a problem.
Lantana is an ornamental - the same as at home -
and Mequite, introduced from New Mexico, to
counter a fuel wood problem in the dry parts of
western India but as it spread like wild fire it ate
up pristine grasslands to become a pest.
Our hotel here is an oasis.  It has large spacious
room, the gardens are green and at the very bottom
of the grounds there is a dam which has a habitat of
many species of birds.

Monday 14th January, 2013.

We had 3 safaries.  We were at the park gate in the
cold and dark by 7.00a.m.
Gir National Park is a dry deciduous forest and is
home to the rare Asiatic lion and leopards.  There
is much bird and wild life - very diverse.
We were very luck on our first safari as we saw three
lions, one was so close I could have patted him.  As it
became lighter the birds began to appear.
I have posted the photo. of the 2 mottled wood owls as
I spotted them.
We stopped for a cuppa and then our second safari.
By now the birds were very busy and many animal were
coming to graze and drink.  The Park is so very dry that
we and our clothes etc. are covered in dust.  The last two
monsoons have not been at all long or plentiful enough so
crops, wells, reservoirs and dams are all suffering.

Tuesday 14th January, 2013.

Today Thomas, my eldest grandchild is 11.

This morning was not nearly as cold as yesterday.  Once
again we saw Asiatic lions, spotted deer, indian grey mongoose
nalgai.  In the middle of the sanctuary there is a reservoir and here
there were crocodiles, and the bird life which included spoonbills,
pelicans, cranes and many more species.  By about 10.00a.m. we
had shed our woolies and put our sunhats on.
Bird spotting is great fun and if you look carefully at the tree trunk
of one of the following pictures you will see a spotted owl sticking
its head out.
This afternoon was very quite.  We did however revist one of
the lions who in the morning had eaten so much he was lying on
his back all four legs spread, snoring and his great tummy was
rising and falling very rhythmically.  I thought that he could have
been comatose.

 Setting out at the crack of dawn.

 Morning cuppa.

 Look closely and carefully.

A Star Tortise that we nearly ran over.

As we are moving to further remote parts I think that it will be harder to
get a connection.  Tonight it was a real drama.  The young people who
look after little old ladies like me are very kind.

Cheers!!!


Vivienne.