>
About Us
>
Getting Started
>
Introduction Weekends
>
Camera Operator
>
Wildlife Video Editing
>
Final Cut Pro
>
Sound recording
>
Sound in India
>
Big Cat Film Safari
>
Maasai in Tanzania
>
Previous Trip Photos
>
Wildeye Chat
Forum
>
Wildeye Publishing
>
Book/DVD
Store - UK
>
Book/DVD
Store - US
>
Links
>
Email Us
>
Home
Producers
of
Wildlife
Film News
The free monthly e-zine for the wildlife film-making industry


Essential reading:
Careers
in Wildlife Film-making
Go
Wild with your Camcorder
How to Make Wildlife Films


|
Wildlife
Sound Recording in Northern India with Chris Watson
A
unique opportunity to record the rich sounds of the jungles of Northern
India accompanied by experienced wildlife
sound recordist Chris Watson.
Our base will be Camp
Forktail Creek - a forest home surrounded by a dense Sal
forest and moist jungles and the only ‘jungle’ camp of its kind within
Corbett Tiger Reserve, offering exclusivity in game viewing, great walks
and explorations on foot. Corbett National Park was the
first National Park founded in Asia and being an excellent habitat for
the Bengal Tiger, “Project Tiger” was launched here in 1973. Corbett is
also rich in avifauna with counts of over 600 bird species.
From Camp you could get great sound recordings
of Great Hornbill, Slaty Woodpecker, Oriental Scops Owl, Spot bellied
Eagle Owl, Brown Hawk Owl, Large Tailed Nightjar, Indian Cuckoo, Common
Hawk Cuckoo, Cheetal, Barking deer and monkey alarm calls and if lucky
a leopard sawing.
As
can be seen below, we have a fantastic itinerary planned with walks, game
drives into various parts of the park, night expeditons, and, with luck,
elephant-back safaris. Although the focus will be on recording wildlife
and natural atmospheres there will also be opportunities to record the
wonderful sounds of the people and villages of the area. As April is wedding
time in the area we may get lucky with a wedding in the village or a prayer
ceremony in a local temple.
Accommodation will be in large mud huts
(see left) or safari tents (sharing two people per hut/tent), elevated
on wooden floors. Each tent/ mud hut has an attached, fully functional
toilet. Wonderful meals will be prepared daily by the camp chef.
Itinerary
Day
1: Sun 29th March - Depart (British Airways London Heathrow plane
BA 257 departs1720)
Day 2: Arrive at Camp Forktail Creek
0615 touchdown. Early morning depart from Delhi, in a private bus for
Camp Forktail Creek, a drive of 7 hours.
After wash and change and a sumptuous lunch, sort out the gear and then
we would take you on an escorted nature and bird walk into the Sal forests
surrounding camp. It is an excellent opportunity to walk in the cool of
the forest, to be so close to nature and to appreciate the varied plants,
insects, birds, mammals and reptiles that inhabit this part of the country.
Back to camp by sundown for campfire and dinner. Then it is time to relax
once again and enjoy carefree chatter by the fireside whilst feasting
on the unique sounds and smells that your exclusive location offers, before
retiring to bed.
Day 3: Around Camp
Early morning walk around Camp for bird calls. Breakfast and then depart
for a long walk in the forest around Camp which would include a picnic
lunch by a forest stream. Lots of opportunities to film and sound record
birds, animals & folk from the village and observe the local lifestyles
of the area. Visit the village school, local homes, the farms and cultivation
around the village. As a whole a visit to the village helps one understand
the methods of farming and cultivation, the local lifestyles, interaction
with the local folks etc.
Back to Camp by sundown. Maybe some night recording.
Campfire, dinner and overnight in Camp.
Day
4: Full day game drive into the Bijrani range
Early morning, depart for a full day game drive (jeep safari) to the Bijrani
range of Corbett Tiger Reserve to observe the wildlife of the area. Breakfast
and lunch would be served at the Bijrani FRH, specially packed by our
chef at Camp.
After a full, action-packed day in the forest, we head back to camp by
sundown, just in time for that hot cup of tea.
After a quick wash, join your hosts by the campfire for drinks and snacks
and resume the discussions leftover from the previous night. For those
of you weary from the long day, dinner would be ready under the Thatch
after which you could settle into your comfortable beds.
Day 5: Camp to Dhikala range
Early breakfast and then depart in jeeps for the FRH at Dhikala. Enter
through the Dhangari gate - a mere 6 kms from Camp. Our route today would
take us via Gharial pool, Champion pool on Champion road and High Bank
– each one of them, great observation points on the Ramganga river.
April is a good time for huge herds of elephants that pour out of the
forest into the grasslands and then cross over to cool in the waters of
the Ramganga reservoir.
Arrive at Dhikala by lunch. Post lunch game drive to the Dhikala “chaur”
– grasslands, to observe the varied bird and mammal species found in the
area. Back for an evening wildlife movie, dinner and overnight stay in
rooms at the FRH in Dhikala.
Day 6: Full day game drive at the Dhikala range
A brand new and exciting day to view the wildlife & birds at Dhikala.
Viewing would be split on elephant back (subject to availability as it
cannot be booked in advance) and game drives. We would be back to Dhikala
for breakfast and lunch but otherwise the entire day we would be out in
different areas of the Park viewing, filming and recording the interesting
flora and fauna. Back to Dhikala by late evening, followed by an early
dinner and the comfort of your bed.
Day
7: Dhikala to Camp
We start the day early with a game drive to your most favorite part of
the area, from your experiences in the last couple of days.
Back to Dhikala for breakfast, after which we drive back to Camp Forktail
Creek, 35 kms away, with a packed lunch.
We would drive past and visit High bank, Champion Pool, Gharial Pool and
the interpretation center at the Dhangari gate. Arrive at Camp by evening
where you can take a leisurely wash and join your hosts by the campfire.
This time it’ll be you telling the stories!
Day 8: Patharia and then a full day game drive
into the Lohachaur range
Early morning, post breakfast, drive to the ridge behind Camp where on
clear winter days one can get really nice views of Himalayan peaks. In
April it‘ll be good for landscapes and raptors.
Then we drive on for a full day game drive (jeep safari) to the Lohachuar
range to observe the wildlife of the area. We would be amidst some excellent
patches of fern laden, moist sub tropical jungles and would encounter
a variety of birds. Lohachaur would be especially good for close recording
of birds. This zone has the added advantage being allowed to walk with
jeep support.
Packed lunch by the Mandal River; return to Camp by early evening. Campfire,
dinner and overnight in Camp.
Day
9: Around Camp
Early morning walk around Camp for bird calls.
Breakfast and then spend your last day in and around Camp. Walk in the
forests, to the village, to the stream, film from the Machan, record at
the Acre (all spots in camp), spend time at the waterholes…
Back to Camp by afternoon. Pack and then enjoy your last campfire. Dinner
and overnight in Camp.
Day 10: Depart for onward journey
Wake up at leisure and have a lavish breakfast at Camp. Bid goodbye to
your naturalist and the rest of the team and depart for Delhi after breakfast.
Packed lunch en route. Stop off at Imperial Hotel in Delhi for farewell
dinner. Check in at airport.
Day 11: Wed 8th April - Return Home
(BA 142 Delhi flight take-off at 0210, touchdown Heathrow 0655)
What Wildlife will you see?
Corbett
boasts a rich variety of faunal species. About 50 species of mammals,
about 600 species of birds, 26 species of reptiles, 7 species of amphibians
and many insect species are found in the reserve.
Besides,
being home to the Bengal Tiger, Corbett is also the northern most tract
of habitat for the Asiatic Elephant and one can see large herds in the
grasslands during the summer months. Other mammals of the reserve include
the Leopard, Jungle Cat, Leopard Cat 4 kinds of deer Sambar, Hog Deer,
Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Nilgai, Rhesus monkey& Langur monkey,
Ghoral or Mountain Goat, Wild boar, Sloth Bear, Indian grey mongoose,
Small Indian civet, Indian crested porcupine, Asiatic Jackal, Yellow-throated
marten etc.
The
Mugger or the fresh water Crocodile, Gharial, Common otter, Smooth-coated
otter, Small-clawed otter, turtles and a variety of fishes; Golden Masheer,
Goonch, Trout, etc are seen in and around the Ramganga River. Reptile
species include Monitor Lizard or the Bengal Monitor, King Cobra, Indian
Rock Python, Indian Trinket Snake, Common Indian Krait, Spectacled or
Indian Cobra…
Corbett is also a bird watchers paradise and some of
the avian attractions include a variety of Woodpeckers, Kingfishers, Hornbills,
Parakeets, Shrikes, Barbets, Drongos, Minivets, Storks, Owls, Pheasants,
Eagles, Vultures, Harriers...
Personnel
Chris Watson
(pictured right - experienced sound recordist specialising in wildlife
- Chris also runs courses in wildlife sound recording and post production
at the BBC Natural History Unit, and lectures internationally on location
sound and sound design. He has worked closely with two of the most high-profile
natural history presenters in the business, David Attenborough and Bill
Oddie. He is Oddie's favourite sound man and the TV veteran says of Watson:
"I don't know anyone who is so intense yet so splendidly frivolous."
Chris became a sound recordist in 1981 when he joined Tyne Tees Television
and is now widely regarded as one of the most creative sound artists in
the business. His recent credits include the hugely popular Springwatch
and Autumnwatch, and he received the Wildlife Film Asia Award
for the BBC's Galapagos: Born of Fire. Watson also creates for
the radio, with credits including Soundscape: The Sea Swallow, Watersong
and The Estuary all for BBC Radio 4. See www.chriswatson.net)
Piers
Warren - Principal of Wildeye - Piers is well known
throughout the wildlife film-making industry as the editor of Wildlife
Film News and producer of wildlife-film.com,
which he created in the 1990s. With a strong background in biology, education
and conservation, he has had a lifelong passion for wildlife films and
has a wide knowledge of natural history. He cut his teeth in the industry
as a sound engineer and multi-media producer, running a studio for many
years. He is one of the founders of the international organisation Filmmakers
for Conservation and was Vice President for the first three years.
Piers is the author of many magazine features and several books including
Careers in
Wildlife Film-making and Go Wild
with Your Camcorder - How to Make Wildlife Films.
Plus experienced local guides and drivers from Camp
Forktail Creek.
Travel
Information
Visas: Required. Cost UK£30. Further information
and form from http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/
Immunisations: Check with your
health clinic and Fit
for Travel or MASTA
- you can obtain a Health Brief by telephoning the Travellers Healthline
on 0906 8 224100. Advised to be in date for; diphtheria; tetanus; poliomyelitis;hepatitis
A; typhoid.
Malaria:
Protection recommended - check with your health clinic
See Travelpharm.com
for travellers' medication and health supplies
Insurance: Although not a legal requirement
we STRONGLY RECOMMEND you take out comprehensive travel insurance – we
do not offer this service but have suggested using BUPA TravelCover https://www.bupatravel.co.uk/.
Whichever insurance you choose please ensure it provides adequate cover
for both you personally and also for any equipment you may be bringing
with you.
Dates:
Sun 29th March - Wed 8th April 2009 - *** Just one place left...
Costs:
£1,990 per person
Includes international flights, all local travel in
India, accommodation and full board (apart from expenses of personal nature
like phone calls, postage, laundry, tips, alcoholic beverages. The final
dinner at Imperial hotel is also not included.)
Booking: Tours in association
with Different
Tracks (ATOL 9153)
To check availability
contact: dominic@differenttracks.co.uk
or tel: 01628 648733
If places are available you will be asked to pay a deposit of £500
per person to secure your booking.
Places are strictly limited so early booking is recommended.
|