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North East Butterfly Meet V– Pakke Tiger Reserve
Day 1: Opening Ceremony and Butterflying around the Park Area
We were up and ready by 630 AM in the morning in full gears for the day ahead and went around the area for some early
morning skippers. We just missed an Orange Awlet which left its spot a bit early than we expected. However, a Small Green
Awlet was kind enough to accommodate most of the participants need for a picture. We also saw plenty of Grass Yellows, Nig-
gers, Common Four-rings, Common Five-ring, Bushbrowns, Lineblues and Yellow Helens. After a while, we were treated by a
Banded Lineblue on a spot where we were scheduled to see so many other species, chief among them will be Common Tit. We
also walked around residential areas of the Park employees and we could add species like Pale Wanderer, Common Snow Flat,
Indian Skipper, Common Banded Awl, Yellow and Lemon Pansies, Small Branded Swift, a rare Colon Swift, Common Sailer, Chi-
nese Dart, Transparent Six-Lineblue, a Pale Grass Blue and a few more. In between we watched a baby elephant being milk fed
by the TR people and we also saw two of the adult elephants just outside the fenced area into the woods. These elephants are
under the care of the TR and is also used for the Safari for the tourists.
It was tie for the opening ceremony and the guests and the participants were all assembled, and the proceedings started by
930 AM sharp. The chief guests on the dais and inaugurated the meet include Mr. T R Tapu, Seijosa Additional Deputy Commis-
sioner, Mr. Tana Tapi, Pakke TR DFO and Mr. Takam Nabam, Ghora Abhe Society Chairman. After the formal introduction by all
participants and speech by the guests, followed by presentations, the meet was declared open formally.
The day’s further schedule was to roam around the park area for easy and open butterflying; Just out of the meeting, we were
welcomed by a Large Yeoman and a Common Tit. Both the species are easily the most abundant and dominant here during the
meet. It won’t be an exaggeration to say, we might have seen about five hundred of Common Tits. The small mud-puddling
spot in front of where we stayed started now attracting species like Common Ciliate Blue, Pointed Ciliate Blue and Orchid Tit.
The much waited White Dragontail was spotted near the residential area, and it was such a joy to see this tiny one from other-
wise the family of big fellows (Papilionidae). We were to see a lot more of them during the meet, but the first one was always a
special, although it was not a pristine specimen. One by one species were getting added to the list and that include a Common
Imperial, Glassy Tiger, Common Castor, Fluffy Tit, Pallid Nawab. Chocolate Royal, Parnara bada, Neptis clinia, Common Blue-
bottle, Chocolate Pansy and Three-spot Grass Yellow. And it was time for lunch (the lunch was usually Rice, Dhal and Vegeta-
bles for vegetarians).
After the lunch, a Sikkim White Flat was sighted near the canteen area and further searches added species like Great Swift,
Small Yellow Sailer, Lesser Gull, Common Gull and a Striped Blue Crow. The wet cloths which were hanged to dry attracted fur-
ther set of species like Tawny Rajah. Around 2 PM, we went to the far end of the residential area, where the domestic waste
and water created a nice hunting ground for us and the butterflies. I am here to see my first Five-bar swordtail which is still
eluding me in the Western Ghats. The other good sightings here include Grey Scrub Hopper, Light Straw Ace, Great Orange-
tips in good numbers, Chocolate Demon and a Chocolate Albatross which ended its life after landing on a mud-puddling spot. I
was fortunate enough to see another lifer here, which is a Tree Yellow. This was restless totally and gave only a fraction of sec-
ond every time it settled down before moving to a new spot. We left the spot, after realising that we are disturbing the resi-
dents, probably beyond their tolerance and the way to our favourite mud-puddling spot near our stay and on the way, we
could spot a Common Acacia Blue and a Bush Hopper. We could spot species of what we saw in the morning and in addition, a
Blackvein Sergeant, a Great Eggfly and a Grass Demon. As the light falling away slowly (in this part of the land, the light comes
early around 5 AM and goes of on the late Afternoon), the sightings got reduced one by one as the species flew away for the
day’s rest. We could add a Copper Flash, however, late in the Afternoon and a small walk outside the park gate yielded species
like Golden Birdwing, Common Batwing, etc. By 430 PM, all activities ceased, and we retired for the day for the day’s count at
the Conference Hall and while I have ticked about 80 +, the team total was about 120+, a good start to the proceedings. This
was followed by a screening of a short film on Hornbills by an NCF staff and it was heartening to see the efforts of locals, Forest
officials and the NGOS. They are also trying with artificial nest to improve the breeding efforts of Hornbills. This was followed
by a Quiz program, conducted by Mr. Atanu Bose, on the butterflies and three teams were identified as the first, second and
third. This was a fun event. After this and the Dinner, we retired to the room with lots of memories for the day and excitement
for the new day.
PATTAMPOOCHI
A TNBS MAGAZINE
WINGS 3 VEINS 1
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