The jungle forests of the Periyar Tiger Reserve continue to amaze me.  Every time I venture into this wild paradise, I leave with wonderful memories, already looking forward with great excitement to my next exploration.  I think it has become fairly obvious over the past year and a half or so of blogging for Raxa Collective that I have more than a slight interest in birds.  Even though Periyar has amazing four-legged animals such as elephants, bison, giant squirrels, and langurs, for me it is the two-legged ones that make this reserve so special.  In fact, the word “special” does not come close to expressing what I feel for this birding wonderland!

On the days I plan to trek into the reserve, my alarm sounds at 6:00 AM, and the debate begins.  Should I hit the snooze button to allow myself more sleep, or should I take advantage of yet another amazing opportunity?  My passion for birding drives me toward my camera and my binoculars, and soon I am out the door.  If Periyar has taught me one lesson, it is that I should always, always, always go!  Every time I enter the reserve, I see something new and exhilarating, such as six Heart-spotted Woodpeckers, five Asian Fairy Bluebirds, a pair of Trogons perched less than five feet away allowing for a great photo opportunity, or a tree filled with over fifty Pompadour Green Pigeons and over forty Malabar Barbets.

Yesterday I went on an early morning walk from the gate of Periyar to the boat launching area.  Of course, I debated with myself as my alarm sounded but once again departed bright and early.  The birding was great!  A pair of Indian Spot-billed Ducks and Rose-ringed Parakeets greeted me as I entered, and a Lesser Yellownape decided to pay me a much-welcomed visit; all three were new sightings in Periyar for me.  Not five minutes later, a beautiful Brown-backed Needletail zipped by, giving me another amazing lifer.  On the walk up, I also spotted Malabar Trogon, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, and Asian Fairy Bluebird.  Needless to say, I was happy with my decision to get up and out so early.  Upon returning to Cardamom County, I was immediately presented with the opportunity to go on a nature walk, one of Cardamom County’s outbound excursions into the reserve.  Staying true to the lesson I have learned, I very excitedly accepted the invitation.  Like I said, on every trip you see something – bird, mammal, and/or site – that shows you how truly amazing this area and this reserve are.  This trek was no exception …

Is there a location, a building, or an animal so unbelievably incredible that it takes your breath away?  Maybe it is the savannas of the African Serengeti, the Coliseum in Rome or the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, or the sight of thousands of Monarch butterflies in the branches of the oyamel trees in Mexico.  Or, just maybe it is the symbol of birding in the Western Ghats, a 105-cm hornbill, beautifully colored with contrasting yellow, black, and white and with wings so massive that they make a whooshing sound upon takeoff.

The Great Hornbill, found in India only in the Western Ghats, is the heaviest hornbill in the world, and it is also one of the longest.  On previous walks into the reserve, I have heard this bird and seen it fly high overhead a few times, but these experiences weren’t exactly up close and personal.  Then came the nature walk, and oh boy, would that all change!  After about an hour or so of hiking, we heard a hornbill calling from the nearby tree line, just out of sight … again.  The walk was nearing its end when we walked out of the jungle and onto the mostly dried-up lakebed.  The guide, who was already standing in the bed, turned to me and said, “Indian Great Hornbill.”  I ran, camera and binoculars ready, and scanned the trees on the other side of the lake.  Regally perched in a visible tree were two Great Hornbills.  Since I was with other people, I silently lost it; I was in shock.  This bird is something I could have only dreamed about before, and believe me, it is a bird of dreams.  In time, I crept closer in an attempt to capture photos, and one of the birds soon flew, which gave me the opportunity to see the amazing wing patterns on this bird.  I watched and listened in amazement as the heaviest hornbill in the world loudly flew from tree to tree.  We watched this pair for about half an hour, and they were eventually joined by a third before they disappeared into the jungle.  I was left speechless, I was excited beyond belief, and I could not even begin to fathom what I had just seen.

I wrote recently about the Heart-spotted Woodpecker and how it is my second favorite bird behind only the Secretary Bird.  Well, now the Secretary Bird must take a back seat, and the Heart-spotted Woodpecker must enjoy the third spot for a while.  The Indian Great Hornbill has secured the top spot!

Great Hornbills are what took my breath away!  They are indescribably beautiful and possibly the most brilliant animals I have ever seen.  The top spot on my bird list is hard to achieve, but believe me, these birds are just that awesome!  I encourage you to come to the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Thekkady to see it for yourself.