Camping at Lonavla( 31st july-1st aug)
Here goes my next report. I had been with the BNHS Navi Mumbai Group to Lonavla for a nature camp organized so as to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the formation of the group.
Date- 31st july and 1st august
Mode of transport- BNHS van
Stay- NUSI
Members- 35+ ( including Isaac sir and Nandini, Milind and Deepa Soman, Jacob and neena, Joanna and Vinay, Vijaya mam and Adarsh, Adesh, etc)
It is always exciting and refreshing to visit a hill station on a weekend when the whole week becomes tiring and frustrating. Lonavla is gem of a place and extremely lively when it is monsoon season. I was pretty lucky to be there with people of high knowledge on various aspects of nature like flowers, insects, butterflies and birds like Isaac sir, Vijaya mam, Adesh etc. it was a great feeling to enjoy the beauty of mountains, loveliness of nature and grandeur of streams and waterfalls on the way to and in Lonavla. The highway was pretty exciting too as the path was green and smooth. The fun was seeing plenty of small and large waterfalls. The waterfall count could have been a pretty good timepass u know. In the lap of nature, far from the maddening crowd and pollution of the cities, such a visit is a great boon and blessing. Saw a brahminy kite, Black shouldered kite on the way.
I, my friend Vivek, Adesh and Mr.Nelson were the first ones to board the bus from sion then followed by the rest of people from Vashi and Nerul. We had Deepa’s car along too. The next pitstop was directly Lonavla for breakfast. After a tasty breakfast of Pohe and Scrambled egg( I didn’t taste _ veggy !!!) we left for a short walk to the Tata gardens which was just mindd blowing. The place was so picturesque and mesmerizing that anyone dreaming of going to Switzerland would mistaken this place to be it. With Mhasir fishes in the ponds, Gerbera cultures, various plants of exotic beauties and waterfalls, birds, fish cultures our hearts leaped with joy. I personally being a botany student was awed by that place. It was a pretty good walk as we recorded more than 25 birds. Saw nests of Black birds, Red rumped swallow, etc. We came back for lunch and then after it we proceeded to another place for nature study. We watched plenty of birds. Special ones were brahminy starling, jungle myna. Etc. The path was exhilarating as both the sides of the road was just mind blowing. On one side was the green mountains with gushing streams and waterfalls whereas on the other side was green meadows. They all looked like carpets of green. We even checked out a orphanage.
On return we had a slide show on insects and butterflies by Isaac sir that was indeed appetizing, increasing the need to know about them. The slides of butterflies and moths were indeed enchanting and so was the talk. It was dinner after it that followed talk on birds by Adesh. I am just short of words to describe it . Knowing about birds, their migration, their behavior is very exciting. We all called it a day after that. The next morning we left for the Tunri dam ( I hope I am naming it right) . This was the gem of an experience as the place was a paradise. This was a place of magic as the place lost visibility regularly. It looked as if the place was wrapped by some invisibity cloak. Well what was most exciting was the green paths along the lake. The place was calendar photo spot. With small elevated islands kind of joining the mainland with rocks, with plenty of fog and mist to play with , the fairyland had lots to deliver. With no wish to return back from that paradise we did finally managed to move out. Tasty idlis were waiting for us. Finishing those we assembled to talk with the MAMA’s on their expeditions to Sri Lanka and Pakistan and their excellent Documentations. It was just great. The documentation was made on the basis of photos, texts, newpaper cuttings, etc. After that we went to a school where we saw the Big Dane Dog. Was pretty handsome and huge. Again we retreated back to the hotel to pack our stuff and assemble for the talk by the person Incharge – NUSI . After a interesting session there which ended with everyone being given a packet of CHIKI. That was really nice of them. A few points that I would have missed here was that it rained pretty much there. We all were going to our rooms very regularly to change into dry clothes till our stock got over. It was very chilly and windy and our bones rattled and so did our teeth. With lot of ppl capturing the moments in camera and Adesh in his Cam-corder it is nice too know that all those funfilled happy moments would be cherished for the lifetime. Thanks to adesh for capturing some scenes of mine enjoying the rain and doing cranky stuff.
Overall it was a mind blowing, enchanting, exciting, exhilarating, mesmerizing, fantastic, marvelous, superbous, fultu Zhakkas trip. Thanks to Deepa, Milind, Jacob, Isaac sir, et al for their efforts for such an result. Last but not the least thanks a million to Sagar who pioneered the whole group. Thanks a lot for everything. We all missed u a lot and more than eager to have another trip with u . What say ppl?
Rgds
Naturelovervidya
N.B- Plant list will be put by me
Bird list by Adesh
Terminalia tomentosa ( Ain) Fruit
Saraca indica ( Ashoka tree)
Dendrocalamus sp. ( Bamboo)
Bottle palm
Date Palm
Couroupita guianensis ( Kailashpati) Flower and Fruit
Bauhinia purpurea ( Camel foot )
Bauhinia variegata ( Camel foot )
Anthocepalus kadamba ( Kadamba) Fruit
Butea monosperma ( Palas)
Calotropis gigantean ( Rui) Flower
Ficus glomerata Fruit
Adina cordifolia ( Haldu) Fruit
Syzygium cuminii ( Jamun)
Sterculia foetida
Carissa carandas ( Karvanda)
Pongamia pinnata ( Karanj)
Mangifera indica ( Mango)
Thespesia populnea ( Wild bhindi) FLower
Bombax malabaricum
Putranjiva roxburghii ( Putranjiva) Flower
Lagerstromia speciosa ( Jarul/ State tree of Maharashtra/ pride of India) Fruit
Taubebia rosea
Tectona grandis ( Teak)
Cochlospermum religiosum ( Yellow silk cotton)
Habenaria grandiflora ( white coloured ground orchid) FLower
Habenaria species (2) FLowers
Kali musli Flowers
Begonia concanensis Flowers
Impatiens balsaminae FLowers
Impatiens ( chinese) Flowers
Justicia sp Flower
Cyanotis cristata FLower
Heptis sevaveolus
Callistemon lanceolatus ( Bottle brush tree) Flower
Argemone mexicana ( Mexican poppy)
Vitex nigundo ( Nirgudi) Flower
Vanda sp.
Verbena venosa FLower
Carvia callosa (karvi)
Asteracantha longifolia ( talim khana)(life cycle completed)
Solanum xanthocarpum
Carica papaya
Ceiba pentandra
Mimosa pudica Flower
Smithia sensitiva ( Lajatu/touch me not)
Mussanda frondos
Ocimum sanctum ( Tulsi)
Lantana camara ( Ghaneri) flowers and fruits
Heliconia angustifolia Flower
Asclepias curassavica FLower
Sida acuta Flower
cup and saucer plant
Urena lobata Flower
Sanciveria trifasiata ( Motherinlaw’s tongue)
Loranthus
Hibiscus rosasinensis Flower
Neuracanthus sphaerostachyus
Cassia tora
Date- 31st july and 1st august
Mode of transport- BNHS van
Stay- NUSI
Members- 35+ ( including Isaac sir and Nandini, Milind and Deepa Soman, Jacob and neena, Joanna and Vinay, Vijaya mam and Adarsh, Adesh, etc)
It is always exciting and refreshing to visit a hill station on a weekend when the whole week becomes tiring and frustrating. Lonavla is gem of a place and extremely lively when it is monsoon season. I was pretty lucky to be there with people of high knowledge on various aspects of nature like flowers, insects, butterflies and birds like Isaac sir, Vijaya mam, Adesh etc. it was a great feeling to enjoy the beauty of mountains, loveliness of nature and grandeur of streams and waterfalls on the way to and in Lonavla. The highway was pretty exciting too as the path was green and smooth. The fun was seeing plenty of small and large waterfalls. The waterfall count could have been a pretty good timepass u know. In the lap of nature, far from the maddening crowd and pollution of the cities, such a visit is a great boon and blessing. Saw a brahminy kite, Black shouldered kite on the way.
I, my friend Vivek, Adesh and Mr.Nelson were the first ones to board the bus from sion then followed by the rest of people from Vashi and Nerul. We had Deepa’s car along too. The next pitstop was directly Lonavla for breakfast. After a tasty breakfast of Pohe and Scrambled egg( I didn’t taste _ veggy !!!) we left for a short walk to the Tata gardens which was just mindd blowing. The place was so picturesque and mesmerizing that anyone dreaming of going to Switzerland would mistaken this place to be it. With Mhasir fishes in the ponds, Gerbera cultures, various plants of exotic beauties and waterfalls, birds, fish cultures our hearts leaped with joy. I personally being a botany student was awed by that place. It was a pretty good walk as we recorded more than 25 birds. Saw nests of Black birds, Red rumped swallow, etc. We came back for lunch and then after it we proceeded to another place for nature study. We watched plenty of birds. Special ones were brahminy starling, jungle myna. Etc. The path was exhilarating as both the sides of the road was just mind blowing. On one side was the green mountains with gushing streams and waterfalls whereas on the other side was green meadows. They all looked like carpets of green. We even checked out a orphanage.
On return we had a slide show on insects and butterflies by Isaac sir that was indeed appetizing, increasing the need to know about them. The slides of butterflies and moths were indeed enchanting and so was the talk. It was dinner after it that followed talk on birds by Adesh. I am just short of words to describe it . Knowing about birds, their migration, their behavior is very exciting. We all called it a day after that. The next morning we left for the Tunri dam ( I hope I am naming it right) . This was the gem of an experience as the place was a paradise. This was a place of magic as the place lost visibility regularly. It looked as if the place was wrapped by some invisibity cloak. Well what was most exciting was the green paths along the lake. The place was calendar photo spot. With small elevated islands kind of joining the mainland with rocks, with plenty of fog and mist to play with , the fairyland had lots to deliver. With no wish to return back from that paradise we did finally managed to move out. Tasty idlis were waiting for us. Finishing those we assembled to talk with the MAMA’s on their expeditions to Sri Lanka and Pakistan and their excellent Documentations. It was just great. The documentation was made on the basis of photos, texts, newpaper cuttings, etc. After that we went to a school where we saw the Big Dane Dog. Was pretty handsome and huge. Again we retreated back to the hotel to pack our stuff and assemble for the talk by the person Incharge – NUSI . After a interesting session there which ended with everyone being given a packet of CHIKI. That was really nice of them. A few points that I would have missed here was that it rained pretty much there. We all were going to our rooms very regularly to change into dry clothes till our stock got over. It was very chilly and windy and our bones rattled and so did our teeth. With lot of ppl capturing the moments in camera and Adesh in his Cam-corder it is nice too know that all those funfilled happy moments would be cherished for the lifetime. Thanks to adesh for capturing some scenes of mine enjoying the rain and doing cranky stuff.
Overall it was a mind blowing, enchanting, exciting, exhilarating, mesmerizing, fantastic, marvelous, superbous, fultu Zhakkas trip. Thanks to Deepa, Milind, Jacob, Isaac sir, et al for their efforts for such an result. Last but not the least thanks a million to Sagar who pioneered the whole group. Thanks a lot for everything. We all missed u a lot and more than eager to have another trip with u . What say ppl?
Rgds
Naturelovervidya
N.B- Plant list will be put by me
Bird list by Adesh
Terminalia tomentosa ( Ain) Fruit
Saraca indica ( Ashoka tree)
Dendrocalamus sp. ( Bamboo)
Bottle palm
Date Palm
Couroupita guianensis ( Kailashpati) Flower and Fruit
Bauhinia purpurea ( Camel foot )
Bauhinia variegata ( Camel foot )
Anthocepalus kadamba ( Kadamba) Fruit
Butea monosperma ( Palas)
Calotropis gigantean ( Rui) Flower
Ficus glomerata Fruit
Adina cordifolia ( Haldu) Fruit
Syzygium cuminii ( Jamun)
Sterculia foetida
Carissa carandas ( Karvanda)
Pongamia pinnata ( Karanj)
Mangifera indica ( Mango)
Thespesia populnea ( Wild bhindi) FLower
Bombax malabaricum
Putranjiva roxburghii ( Putranjiva) Flower
Lagerstromia speciosa ( Jarul/ State tree of Maharashtra/ pride of India) Fruit
Taubebia rosea
Tectona grandis ( Teak)
Cochlospermum religiosum ( Yellow silk cotton)
Habenaria grandiflora ( white coloured ground orchid) FLower
Habenaria species (2) FLowers
Kali musli Flowers
Begonia concanensis Flowers
Impatiens balsaminae FLowers
Impatiens ( chinese) Flowers
Justicia sp Flower
Cyanotis cristata FLower
Heptis sevaveolus
Callistemon lanceolatus ( Bottle brush tree) Flower
Argemone mexicana ( Mexican poppy)
Vitex nigundo ( Nirgudi) Flower
Vanda sp.
Verbena venosa FLower
Carvia callosa (karvi)
Asteracantha longifolia ( talim khana)(life cycle completed)
Solanum xanthocarpum
Carica papaya
Ceiba pentandra
Mimosa pudica Flower
Smithia sensitiva ( Lajatu/touch me not)
Mussanda frondos
Ocimum sanctum ( Tulsi)
Lantana camara ( Ghaneri) flowers and fruits
Heliconia angustifolia Flower
Asclepias curassavica FLower
Sida acuta Flower
cup and saucer plant
Urena lobata Flower
Sanciveria trifasiata ( Motherinlaw’s tongue)
Loranthus
Hibiscus rosasinensis Flower
Neuracanthus sphaerostachyus
Cassia tora
posted by VIDYA at 10:41 PM
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