We had a grand time exploring the backwaters of the Kabini today. Well, if truth were told, we had a grand day doing not very much and then about 3pm we set off to meet Arvin, the naturalist assigned to today’s afternoon river safari.

I came home with lots of photos but no time to write. This blog post has been composed in several stages then - first the photos, then the first half of the story and finally, I put the last few details in just now, having arrived in Bengaluru.

The “Backwaters” of the river are really an offshoot of the huge reservoir we passed on our way here. Arvin told us that this season is very unusual, for a much higher than average rainfall last Autumn has resulted in higher than usual water levels. Normally the winter water level is half what it is now. That clearly affects the wildlife.

As we sit in the restaurant, we’ve noticed women coming down to the water to do their washing. They bash their clothes on rocks there, using so much energy! This little group were further along the edge and it was interesting to view what appears to be quite a social occasion.

The laugur monkeys and the spotted deer are everywhere.

And my Hero commented that this looked like a cormorant minutes before Arvin said “There’s a Great Cormorant over there”.

There were about twelve of us on the boat, all on the lookout for the tiger coming out of the forest!

But no tiger today either - just a Grey Heron standing on the waters edge. Pronounced Her-ON here.

Arvin pointed out two Woolly necked Storks, who’d migrated from colder climes.

A lot of the time I was struggling to see what we were looking at! I’m sure this is a fascinating bird but I haven’t a clue what it was.

Amy was the spotter for the Snake Bird, drying its wings on a stump in the water.

Whilst I was just curious about the little construction on the shore - surely intentional? I have no idea.

Then the boat engine was switched off and Arvin pointed out why. A Marsh Crocodile was just waiting by the shoreline in the shallow water, looking menacing.

After a minute or two he swam off, smoothly and without effort at a surprisingly swift speed. Ugh!

Another cormorant, there in the nest above the water.

And now I’m lost…this red crested bird was pointed out to us but I have no idea what it is! Answers in the comments please!

I remember this large deer to be a Sambar, because we saw one yesterday as well.

And suddenly, we picked up speed. Arvin said he’d heard “a tusker” was having fun in the water just over there.

and sure enough, there he was!

Since the shoreline is higher than usual, there’s grass underwater and this elephant was sifting through the grasses and then “spin drying” them before enjoying whatever was left.

We sat with the engine turned off, bobbing about and watching him for quite some time. He wasn’t bothered in the slightest, possibly turning around so he could watch us as we were watching him.

We couldn’t stay there all afternoon though, and anyway, Arvin had spotted possibly the one thing that would move us on.

No, not a tiger….or a leopard…

but a family of elephants with a baby! Now we’re talking! They mooched around that patch for a while and then turned and walked away, back into the forest. Cute!

Time to head back, this time spotting a bee eater (I think) in the tree.

And a kingfisher who conveniently turned and posed. We’ve seen lots of these birds, admittedly mostly on the labels of beer bottles!

The parting shot from the National Park was the wild pig who stood and looked at us as we sailed on by.

The light was fading fast - it gets dark here very quickly - and the team were loading their trailer with the fallen logs. I noticed Arvin keeping an eye over his shoulder and at about two minutes to seven, he stopped the engine again and turned the boat so we could all get a photo.

Tomorrow morning we leave for the big city. I am trying not to think of it as the first step of the journey home.