Birding in Jungle Retreat Wayanad
We get 350+ different species of birds in Wayanad and on a given day, you could sight close to a 100 different species of birds within our property itself. The meadows and the waterholes attract the herons, lapwings, thick-knees, along with the kingfishers, storks, rails and raptors, the fruiting tress in the estate is where we get to see the parakeets and barbets, the wooded areas is teeming with woodpeckers, drongos, minivets, treepies and the garden is where we have the flowers that attract sunbirds, white-eyes, sunbirds and more. We have multiple birdwatching points within the Retreat and we also arrange birdwatching walks along all these terrain. If you are looking for best birding in Wayanad, look no further, you have come to the right place.
Having a well thought-out checklist prevents you from missing out on important items when packing for your birding trip. Here is a list of items that you may want to bring with you to make your birding experience a pleasant and successful one.
Binoculars
Identifying a bird and observing its behavior is the very core of birding and a binocular would be the primary tool to make it happen. We recommend you to bring a binocular with a minimum of 10X zoom.
Field Guide
A must for birders, a field guide is an invaluable item to carry along when you go birding. From a distance some of the birds would be hard to distinguish, that is when you need a good binocular and an easy to read field guide.
Camouflage clothes
Most of the birds shy away from humans and so it is important to blend in. This is where your attire plays an important role, so we'd recommend camouflage clothes or dull colored ones that would enable you to blend into the surroundings.
Hat or caps with brim
More often than not, you will be looking up while watching birds and so it is important to wear comfortable caps or brimmed hats to keep the sun off your eyes.
Walking shoes
You will be walking from one spot to another in search of birds, so it would be ideal to wear a pair of comfortable shoes. Rubber-soled ones make less noise and such shoes would be preferred.
Water bottle
Good birding is almost always the result of 2 factors. 1 is the location and we can assure you, we will provide you with excellent location for birdwatching or birding. You will also need patience and that means you may spend time waiting for the action to start. So it is better to get your water bottle with you to keep dehydrated
Sunscreen and insect repellent lotions
You may want to get your sunscreen lotion to keep the skin in top condition and we also recommend you to bring your insect repellents with you while you go birding. When walking through the jungle or when sitting up on a watch tower, you don't want insects to get attracted to you and disturb you while birding.
Camera with Zoom lens
It is always advisable to get a camera with at least 10 fps and we'd also recommend that you carry your telephoto lens with you, preferably a 400mm or more Nothing beats a camera with high fps (frames per second) clubbed with a telephoto prime lens. Do consider getting your tripod too especially if your camera/lens combination is heavy.
Birdwatching checklist
It'd be ideal to carry a checklist of birds that is found in a particular region. We find more than 350 different species of birds in Wayanad and more than 100+ species of birds in Jungle Retreat Wayanad itself. You can download the checklist detailing the common birds we see in Wayanad, carry a pen or a pencil and you are all set.
Birdwatching Package
Rs 6,000/- per person per night; accommodation in Jungle Cottage which has 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 balcony (best views)
Rs 5,000/- per person per night; accommodation in Twin Cottage which has 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 balcony (all private)
Rs 5,000/- per person per night; accommodation in Jungle Villa which has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 entry room, 1 balcony
Days | Morning | Noon | Evening | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Day-1 | 1 PM: Check-in 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM Lunch | 4:00 PM: Relax in the retreat and enjoy the meadows from your balcony 5:00 PM: Coffee/Tea, Snacks 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM: | 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM: Night drive to spot the birds of the nights such as the nightjars, owls, frogmouths 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM: Dinner | |
Day-2 | 7:00 AM: Morning Coffee/Tea 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM: Trek through our estate full of fruiting trees and spend 30 minutes on the watchtower deep inside the estate. This area is rich in birds. 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM: Breakfast | 1:30 PM: Enjoy a sumptuous lunch and relax in the Retreat | 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM: Spend time on the watchtower overlooking the large waterhole where we are likely to see the water birds, kingfishers, bee-eaters and more 5:30 PM Coffee/Tea, Snacks | 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM: Dinner |
Day-3 | 7:00 AM: Morning Coffee/Tea 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM: Sit in your balcony and look for the birds in the meadows and the ones visiting the many flowering plants in the garden. 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM: Breakfast | 11:00 AM Check out |