travelogue-ketki: MADAGASCAR-2

I would like to continue form part-1
we stopped on November 13 Monday day 8
TOOK THE SOUTH WARDS ROUTE AND REACHED IVATY
AT MOSA PARK :
We met a funny thin guide called MOSA. He was a hunter by profession,17 years ago but when he came in contact with GERARD (our local navigator for the whole trip), he became a herder
Do you know what is herding? I was very surprised to see Mossa with his sons go into the forest to look for a specific bird which PHIL would want us to see.They work as a team after spotting the bird, and tell us 9 birders to stand at one location.Then they would surround the bird in such a way that the bird is pushed out towards all of us and we get good views .There were no bird calls used to search the bird. A simple but efficient technique ,which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Highlights of the morning was sakalava weavers building their nests. About 50 grey headed love birds came in to invite us in the morning walk.
2 sulky birds-found no where else-Desert Mesite and running coua .
Enjoy the pictures of the morning at Mossa national park.-Also called Baobab forest.

Baobab
forest is also called Moss
forest

desert Mesite-difficult to spot bird

LONG TAILED GROUND ROLLER

Day 8 November-14-After packing we left Bamboo club,went MOSA Park and we saw a cute black shouldered lemur-sleeping in his hole. Then we went to LA TABLE-FOR 3 MAIN BIRDS

RED SHOULDERED VANGA,GREEN CAPPED CUOA,BUSH WARBLERS AND STRIPED JERY. It was very thorny ,I got scratched all over but did manage to see all the birds. Pictures now will be at the end of the blog.Went and stayed at Victory hotel - Tuliar

Day 9-November15-Early Morning was search for Sand grouse and one lone one showed up after a long time. Looked at shore line for waders but not much luck.Packed at left for BERENTY .This travel day had the most roughest road. On crossing some bridges all of said a small prayer when we

Crossed over. The unfortunate part AC of BUS was not working and I fell terribly ill.

Brent private reserve was amazing place to stay. We did the night walk for mouse lemurs and night jar.

Day 10-November16-I will call this day breakfast with seeing the dance of the SIFAKA-LOVED THEM cute cuddly and would dance on the forest floor. Ring tailed Lemurs which I had always seen on National Geographic channel,were in plenty here,and looked at us begging to throw some bread at them-BUT OF COURSE IT WAS NOT allowed. I forgot the rough journey and had the most enjoyable time here .Morning bird walk was good to see Madagascar Hawk.Went to stay at fort dauphin.

Day 11-November17-Travel day-caught flight to Tana.

Day 12-November18-Went to nearby Lake Rhodeo, where lots of duck species ,white throated Rail, and we saw the umbrella dance of black heron. Watched and thought of all the what's app videos circulated in Mumbai about this bird. Here I am watching it and enjoying the way it is catching fish.

We loaded up into the 4x4 cars to travel to ANDASIBE . Went to stay at Feony-A-L AL hotel. It means the call of the Indris. Birding on roadside saw Pranticoles. Pranticoles.WeWe had cute hotel-and wagtails would come to our balcony and we would get up with the call or song of the Indris-Biggest Lemurs of Madagascar.Loved the place a lot. Different experience.

Day 13-November 19-We left for Mantadia Park. It was walking up and down and rough back breaking but we managed to see the scaly breasted ground roller. Road side birding in the noon and evening , where nelson our guide herded the FLUFF-TAIL . We went to see the Madagascar long eared owl.Up above the tallest tree got glimpse the light was fading fast. I said two 2 days only heard the song of Indris but still had not got a glimpse of this Big lemur.

Day 14 November 20:20-started Started Raining and I had to return back from Indris park to get our raincoats. The other group members trekked up to see the short legged ground roller.We did catch up after brisk walk in short cut damp and soggy forest floors .Admiring a grey bamboo lemurs, feeding on bamboos. A very Unfortunate incident happened then. Phil our guide stepped and brushed open a bee hive and all bees came down on him and Gerard.Kiran too got caught, while the rest of us ran as fast as could up the hill. Luckily had Eu-de cologne which helped smoothen their burning sensation and then went down without very good sightings of the Indris. We shifted out to another hotel Ande-se be lodge. Clean neat place . Went birding in the evening with Nester.-Not much luck except nest of the Ibis.

Post some interesting pictures of these days and would take you to part 3 of Madagascar then .

Mosa Park: