Hampi is fascinating… the vast uneven landscape with mounds of boulders magically stacked in strange order some defying gravity while others creating imaginative shapes – I wonder in awe. The luscious Tungabhadra meanders through this rocky terrain to add a dash of blue in this semi-arid yet scattered green vista – I admire the scene. This abundant river not only beautifies the area but also nurtures life and enriches the avifaunal life – I watch them with great contentment.

During my first visit to Hampi, I was enticed by such ethereal beauty and the best part of my trip was the bird watching experience. I came to know a lot of new species. Since then I always wanted to visit Hampi again. (Read about my previous visit to Hampi.)

I was in Hampi again after a couple of years. It was again the same peaceful place and an equally enjoyable stay at Hampi Heritage and Wilderness Resort but still, there was freshness in everything. The new excitement made the same old place even more enticing. (Read my about my last bird watching experience in Hampi.)

I request my readers to go through my previous posts on Hampi so as to correlate with the present story. This post is a kind of photo story so to know more about Hampi read my previous posts.

This time we watched a Sloth Bear cub playing in the boulders in the Darori Sloth Bear Sanctuary near our Jungle Lodge and Resort.

We again visited the vast ruins scattered within the region. It was also a good physical exercise walking and climbing the hillocks.

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But the best part was the bird watching time in the morning and the evening.

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So now lets come straight to the bird watching part and I am happy to say that this time a few new species were added to our list.

Many new constructions of the Hampi University has come up in these days near the canal area. We were little concerned and was sceptical about bird watching.

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While our evening trip to Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary we did see a new species which was the Eurasian Thick Knee. The rest were Grey Francolin, Bush Quail, Painted Sandgrouse, Baya Weaver, Ashy Lark, Bay Backed Shrike, Peafowl, Eurasian Collared Dove and a few more.

Groups of gypsies were frequenting the forest with their herds. This is when a handsome Ram with its huge curvy horns leading his flock came in front of our vehicle, I got an opportunity to capture this beautiful creature.

Again the best sighting was from the canal surroundings. This time we were there was six sighting of the magnificent Eagle Owl. The pied kingfisher with its catch and the Common Cuckoo Hawk were the other major birds among the other tiny species.

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Hampi always delights me in various ways. The vast surreal landscape with the ancient ruins and the varied avifaunal life here … nothing stops to awe me and Hampi lures me to visit there again and again and witness the old things in a new way on my every visit.

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Hampi at a glance, with travel information.