You know that heady feeling when India’s largest butterfly deigns to visit your garden after quite a while? Yes, exactly that same feeling! That’s what I felt when from the second floor I saw a Troides minos aka Southern Birdwing aka Sahyadri Birdwing alight on the ixora in the garden.  It is much sought after by collectors and is a highlight of many butterfly tours in the Western Ghats according to Wiki, and here it was fluttering around in my garden!

Fortunately, I had the camera in hand, having just taken a picture or two of Luci doing her ‘rock and roll’ routine. Another minute and I would have been back inside my room, staring at my laptop screen, the butterfly’s arrival lost to me and no knowledge as to when it would be visiting these parts again (not that I know now when it will come next!).

Today is indeed a lucky day 🙂

© Shail Mohan 2019