The silence of the morning was broken by the chorus of birds. Several colourful butterflies flitted around. Langurs pranced from tree to tree and peacocks sprang a surprise by making a sudden appearance. We were on a nature trail in Blackbuck Resort, a unit of Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd. Perched on a hillock behind a barren facade, between the Honnikere Reserve Forest and the Vilaspur lake, this nature retreat is an 18-km drive from the town of Bidar in north Karnataka. It gives added zest to a weekend getaway as one can combine bird-watching and boating. . .