Paul Holt from his on-going tour of Southern India

We got off to a rocky start as access to most of the sites around the hill station of Ooty was restricted as a man-eating Tiger was on the loose. Nevertheless we knew of alternative sites, and the vast majority of the region's specialities, including Grey Junglefowl, Black-chinned (or Nilgiri) Laughingthrush, Black-and-orange and Nilgiri Flycatchers and Nilgiri Pipit were soon 'in the bag'.

Black-chinned (or Nilgiri) Laughingthrush

Nilgiri Pipit

Other goodies, not endemics but hardly second division fare, included close encounters with a juvenile Rufous-bellied Eagle and a host of mammals. Our second port of call, Mudumalai NP, was just as exciting and rewarding,as Ooty. Highlights here included a solitary White-bellied Minivet, numbers of Malabar Parakeets, Jungle and several elusive Painted Bush-quail.

Painted Bush-quail

Our second hill station, Munnar, was similarly productive with astonishing looks at more Painted Bush-quail as well as Indian Broad-tailed Grassbird, umpteen White-bellied Blue Robins and more Kerala Laughingthrushes than you could shake a stick at. The spectacular scenery - Munnar's peaks host Nilgiri Thar, one of the world's rarest goats - the birding, mammal viewing, food and accommodation all exceeded our expectations -as they did at Periyar NP, just over the State border in Kerala.

Rajamalai Sanctuary, Munnar