Goa, Day 9, 18 February 2012 - The Hermitage, Karnataka

On our 3rd and final day at the Hermitage we made another early morning walk walk before breakfast. This time to a similar area as yesterday but using a different path down to the stream. My only regret was not taking my camera because we enjoyed some fantastic views of my much wanted bird - Malabar Trogon. And it was a nice bright male into the bargain! 2 Asian Paradise Flycatchers, including a mega white phase male, 1 Dark-fronted Babbler, 2 Yellow-browed Bulbuls, 1 White-rumped Sharma, c5 White-cheeked Barbets, 2 Brown-cheeked Fulvettas, Orange-headed Thrush, loads of Blyth's Reed Warblers and a Greater Coucal made it a very rewarding early morning.

After a leisurely breakfast we ventured out again in the heat of the late morning to walk along the main track and a side track through a citrus grove. 2 Tickell's Blue Flycatchers and a Nilgiri Woodpigeon started things off and then I got onto a very welcome and surprisingly distinctive Taiga Flycatcher on a low wire fence by the track. Further on a group of Jungle Babblers skulked in low bushes and a couple of unidentified rufous quail flew quicky across a gap. A small group of pipits in the citrus grove turned out to be Tree Pipits when they were seen well enough.

Blyth's Reed Warbler

Red-whiskered Bulbul

After one last sumptuous lunch it was time to leave the Western Ghats for the last time and bid our farewells to our great hosts. Our taxi driver took us back to Baga in very heavy traffic and despite driving like a nutter he got us back without incident - until he hit a motorbike right outside the hotel gates!