Bangalore to Horsley Hills

Horsley Hills is a small hill station located in AP. Our search for a relaxing weekend getaway led us to Horsley hills which is just 135 KMs from my home in Bangalore. Here's a photo tour...

We started from Bangalore around 8:30 AM and soon we were cruising on the straight narrow road with interesting rocky hills splattered all around...

Our first stop was on the Hoskote-Chintamani road, where we had breakfast that we had brought along. From left to right is Dad, me, Rohan, Mom and Manju. Nishant is clicking...

That's Nishant...

Nishant and Rohan...

Roads become narrower but manageable because of negligible traffic... 

Saw a sheep with her octuplets...

Entered AP state to find tomato and papaya farmlands on both sides of the road...

The ascend to Horsley hill top has seven hairpin bends. The view all along is stunning...

We reached the Hill Resort at the top of Horsley Hills at around noon. We checked in to our rooms at Whisper Winds...

After an Andhra buffet lunch (spicy!) at the APTDC restaurant we headed out to explore the area...

There are many stunning View Points from where you can get good birds eye view of the valley and surrounding hills...

Galibanda View Point is a beautiful rocky hilltop...

Wind was really wild here. But our guys just loved it...

Feeling the wind in your hair is fun...

The view from top...

Nishant tried his newly acquired swimming skills...

Rohan was reluctant to get in the pool initially...

But he had good fun with his grandpa...

Later in the evening we walked along the scenic curvy roads...

Some Jungle Babblers were active...

The day ended with petting a Rose-ringed parakeet...

Next day, I braved the early morning chill to see the glorious sunrise...

The wind at the Sunrise Point was wilder. It can blow you away if your not careful...

Nishant at the adventure zone called Freakouts...

Nishant rode an ATV...

There's a small zoo at Horsley Hills. Manju feeding black bucks...

Peacock...

Another View Point...

Plumeria flower...

Jumping Spider...

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Hebbal lake visit

Over the years, I have often visited Hebbal lake for birding. This visit comes after a gap of more than one year. Here's what I saw...

A Gray heron was standing motionless, waiting for prey to come within striking distance...

I walked along the bank of the lake...

There were beautiful waterlily bloom all along...

A squirrel was busy nibbling a berry...

A male Asian koel was singing its sweet song koo-Ooo repeatedly...

A Little cormorant was drying itself after a dip...

A Little grebe emerged after a dip for prey...

After few more attempts, the Little grebe catches a Water Strider...

The grebe has an expressionless face. I guess he was happy after the meal...

I continued the walk...

Some more beautiful waterlily...

A pair of Indian Spot-billed duck were seen in a small pond...

They were hunted extensively in British India, noted for their excellent taste...

When shot at, especially when in moult, they are known to dive and remain underwater to evade capture...

A Common castor butterfly was basking in the early morning sun...

A Rose-ringed parakeet was busy around its nest...

During the non-breeding season Eurasian Coots form large flocks, possibly related to predator avoidance...

A White-breasted waterhen emerges after a dip...

Luckily I found this Yellow waxtail damselfly hidden in the camouflage of leaves...

Macro closeup revealed the spider it was eating...

Its beautiful wings...

Also seen in the foliage was this Skipper butterfly...

Some serious deliberation between the Asian Openbill couple...

He gives up...

The Little Cormorant is still drying itself. A study in Sri Lanka found that the time spent drying was always after they had spent some time underwater, and that the duration was related to time spent underwater and inversely related to the temperature and dryness of air...

A juvenile Brahminy kite flew in with its food...

Got a glimpse of an extremely shy Greater coucal... 

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