Munnar Top Station

We hired a taxi for the day and followed the typical tourist route from Munnar to Top Station, stopping at all points in between, some of which were worthwhile, others were not. Why do I want to stop at Echo Point just so I can shout and hear an echo? Anyway, stop we did and I didn't complain too much because each stop offered the chance of birds, including this one, grey-headed canary flycatcher, a new species for me.

However, first stop was Top Station. Our driver recommended that we stop just before the viewpoint which was very busy and take a walk which he claimed was only known to the locals. To be fair, it was very good, a beautiful location and very quiet, just ourselves and the tea pickers.

Beyond the tea plantations are the remains of the shola forests which is the native woodland in the Western Ghats. Only pockets remain these days, with most having been cleared for tea or eucalyptus, but where they do occur they are the richest areas for wildlife.

This is a butterfly I really wanted to see, common map. It's not rare but this was the only one that I saw.

Indian blackbird used to be just a race of our Eurasian blackbird but has recently been split. Note the yellow legs especially.

Having tea with the tea pickers. Everybody is super friendly here.

We saw three animals swimming across a reservoir, not just along the edge as shown in these photos, but right across the middle. I'm told that they are gaur or Indian bison, but I'm not so sure. If they are then they are young animals.

I was pretty convinced at the time I saw them but I have a few doubts now. Any opinions welcome.