Tuesday 16 May 2017

A memorable trip to EagleNest, Arunachal Pradesh... April 2017

Unseasonal rains had me locked up inside the Resort I was staying in Nagaland and the birds were chirping just a bare 100-200 km away in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and around. A wonderful thing happened at that moment - a small group of friends (birders) made a plan for Assam and Arunachal Pradesh birding. My help was sought for tying up some administrative details - well my friends know 'devil me' pretty well by now - my help came with a small ransom - I have to be part of the group. That ransom demand was met surprisingly readily and soon enough I was busy charting out military strategies for our birding trip to EagleNest, the place in India where very recently a new species of bird was presented to the world - Bugun Liocichla. It is a birding heaven - birding heaven, that I realised at a great cost - it is a tough bloody birding heaven. About that a little later...


The trip was a wee bit complicated in a sense the team from Chandigarh was landing in Guwahati on Day 1 and birding in Guwahati and proceeding to Nameri Wildlife Sanctuary, spending the night and the next day there and proceeding to Kaziranga, then the next day they were to take a call whether to do Central Kaziranga or Eastern section. I was to join the team at Kaziranga by evening and next day proceeded to Tenga, spend the night there and proceed to Bhompu Camp in the EagleNest, spend four days there, return to Tenga - proceed to Guwahati and Back to Chandigarh.

The plan was simple now all we wanted was to tie up a vehicle, accommodation at all places and a good Bird guide. The help for birders is always at hand - I rang up Dr Chetna Sharma - the lady is a hardcore birder and does not leave any opportunity to bird. She, in turn, directed me to Mr Gaurav Kataria. Mr Gaurav Kataria - can be reached at http://www.eaglenestbirding.com/.  The first chat with him and  I felt I connected well. The deal with him was - he caters for a Veh from 5th to 13th that stays with us throughout the period, he provides us with bird guide from 8th to 12th and accommodation including food at Bhompu from 9th till 12th afternoon. The deal was great. The details of the expenditure like always are at the end of the write-up.
Striated Bulbul - one of the four bulbuls encountered here - but by far the most commonly heard and seen...
The road from Assam to Arunachal, fairly good condition and lazy traffic by our standards...
DAY ONE 
The vehicle was a comfortable Xylo, but we saw the problem straight away, with the driver, the Bird guide and four of us and throw in the sprinkling of camera bags and the luggage - the vehicle was in no way accommodating all of us. The grace was that the bird guide was to be picked up from the Arunachal Border - a town called Bhalukpong, the entrance to Arunachal. The entry to Arunachal requires and 'Inner Line Permit', also called IPL permit that was tied up by Mr Kataria. We travelled from Kaziranga to Tezpur - the drive was good, the road more or less was fairly wide for the given traffic and the surface was too in good condition. We had a hearty breakfast looked after by a colleague of mine in Tezpur - a military station. The next stop was Bhalukpong, we had rightly anticipated that with the Birdguide being picked up from this place - there was no way we could squeeze in, so we had tied up a small car (a rusty and trusty Maruti) from a local friend of the bird guide, Mr Gore to take our luggage. After crossing the border post we piled up the luggage (minus the cameras) in the Maruti and packed up in the Xylo and off we were... With the bird guide with us, we were now in full birding mode, ready to shoot down anything that moved on or in our way. Unluckily, the weather was somewhat overcast and we could not observe too many birds. The first stop we had for birdwatching was Sessa pass. The pass was hardly like one would expect - other than an Army rest and recoup area before the troops and material make their journey on their way to Tenga and Tawang. The road was still okay - not as bad as expected other than in some small patches where the repair and some work were going on. I am stressing on the road part because I had heard the stories of the quality of roads towards Arunachal and not all were very encouraging, but so far there was no worry. Irrespective of what I write - the monsoons in this part of the year can create havoc and maybe the condition varies greatly over any given year. At Sessa, after a cup of tea, we entered the 'Sessa Orchid Sanctuary'. The birds in the sanctuary were great and soon enough we were ticking them on our lifer list. Silver-eared Mesia, Beautiful Nuthatch, a couple of Black-throated Sunbirds were particularly worth mentioning.

Umm... mistake no 1, the shorts I decided to wear...
Shorts for roaming in this place - definitely not a good idea...
Long-tailed Broadbill sitting next to its nest (not in this pic)

Black-crested Bulbul

Long-tailed Sibia

Slaty-bellied Tesia

White-throated Bulbul

Beautiful Nuthatch

Black-throated Sunbird

Grey-winged Blackbird (Female)

Silver-eared Mesia

Black-faced Warbler (Click Me to read more about this bird)

I had made a blunder - perhaps after seeing too many 'Indiana Jones' type adventure movies - I was dressed up in knee length shorts and tracking shoes - there in the thick of tropical forests - I had my first-hand experience of bug bites. There is some fly like bugs called Dim Dam - and they bit me in unison all along my sock line. Lucky or unluckily for me - today was not the day the bites showed the severity. The weather had been lousy for past two weeks and though it was showing signs of opening up - it was still overcast and in patches, we were in and out of clouds. In one of those patches - we came across Golden-breasted Fulvetta. The fog and skittish nature of these birds just gave glances as they came upon the roadside and hopped/flew across. I did take out the camera and tried to shoot them but in dense fog that was - the camera just refused to focus and I lost - what could have been one of the best sightings ever of these beautiful birds. I refused to tick them on my list and the loss was entirely mine. We never came across these birds during the rest of our trip.

The night was spent in Army Guesthouse courtesy my senior of Army and we hit the beds after a quick dinner. In the morning we had decided to be on our way at 0400 hrs. We did miss the mark by half an hour and we repented missing those 30 mins of early morning birding. Well - we moved along the Tenga River for a few miles and crossed a very rickety bridge on our way to the EagleNest entry point. The clock was ticking and the sun was rising - as we entered the Sanctuary the entire valley had lighted up. Mr Gore (our Birdguide) finished the formalities of entering the Sanctuary and paying up the entry fees and Camera fees and we got out to stretch our legs and stare at the lighting up sky.
The valley lightening up as Mr Gore finished up his formalities at the EagelNest entry point...
The birders busy recording the golden moment...
Grey-cheeked Minivet

Green-backed Tit

Black Bulbul

Black-throated Prinia

Bhutan Laughingthrush (beleive me - the other photographs are even worse)

Will update ID soon (if you know this bird please leave a comment)

Rufous-breasted Accentor

Himalayan Cutia (male)

Himalayan Cutia (female)

Mountain Hawk Eagle

Grey-headed Bullfinch

Hodgoson's Treecreeper

Rufous-bellied Woodpecker

Bar-throated Siva (now Chestnut-tailed Minla - undeserving name change)

Stripe-throated Yuhina


Crimson-browed Finch

Grey-headed Bullfinch
Roaming around the abandoned village short of EagleNest Pass

Height recorded at the EageNest Pass, 9,149 feet.

As the formalities completed, we quickly piled up back inside and were now keenly listening to any sound we could and any bird we could. The road turned to unpaved and another km down the line - was rocking our vehicle as on the high seas. The mountains were resounding with the resonant calls of Large Hawk Cuckoo. One of the first birds we saw, however, were the Bhutan Laughingthrushes. Unfortunately for me, I could not get a clear shot of the bird - and this was just the beginning, time and again birds would call us out and then dodge us - hopping from one bush to another. There would be other dozens of birds that would give fairly good sightings but just no photo opportunity. 

After this, we were stopping at every place we heard or saw the birds like we had expected I would like to add. Tenga is at about 6,000 feet and we continued our climb till we came at a place called EagleNest pass. We stopped there and climbed a little up on foot at the top where we were in a very pleasant surprise. Rhododendrons were in full bloom and there were hundreds of birds feeding on the nectar. Infact, here all the pictures of all the birds we got had a smear of pollen. You will see these pictures soon. At this place there was another observation - We came across elephant dung - and the pass was at 9,140 feet as per my barometer. This was the first time I had come across evidence of elephants crossing over and roaming in an area at about 10,000 feet. I prodded the dung and found it old and dry. However, crossing over the pass - as we progressed we found dung that was getting fresher. It ultimately culminated in us running into a herd of elephants with a not so friendly bull elephant. Well, frankly that is another story to be told sometime perhaps. I bagged five of my twenty-five or so lifers at this pass. 

Our next stop was at and abandoned village of a sort - a couple of houses at the most. The walk was fairly long but we did not really get too many birds. Worth mention here was the Cutia. Continuing we came across the famed Lama Camp. There was no one there at the moment and we took a couple of mineral water bottles there. Here was our other problem that we faced. We were not aware that there will be no bottled water at the camp and the place is so isolated that there is no way you will get anything in your life - miles of road with no indication of any civilisation and no shops etc whatsoever, hence these water bottles we took here were Godsent. They did not last very long and I was cursing the moment when Narbir and Rima had told me to stock bottles and I took it casually, quite really ignoring their advice. 

We made two main stops there enroute and the effect of the Dim Dam bugs that had bitten me the day before starting to show. My legs were pretty swollen up and the pain was killing me. By evening I was running a fever also. Frankly - it was not that I realised the severity of bug bites. I was just feeling itchy at the legs and that I thought was natural for the bug bites that I had noticed the day before and I thought that the pain in the legs was because the amount of walk we had done. The stops were for the Tragopan and the Trogan - both of them who decided to give us a skip. We, however, got sightings and record shots of Slaty-bellied Tesia and the elusive Rufous-capped Babbler. We got down from the vehicle almost a km short of the Bhompu camp on the suggestion of Mr Gore. Soon we got split into two groups and I was the one ahead. We covered this km and reached the camp as the sun was setting. As I changed - excited Mr Narbir entered the tent we were holed up in and showed me pictures of Long-billed Wren Babbler. I was still cursing myself for walking fast as we ate our dinner and closed our eyes falling dead asleep in a moment. That also marked my day one without a bath. Well before anyone gets concerned - I did not take a bath for the four days we were there in the camp.


The shy - Rufous-capped Babbler

Rufous-throated Wren Babbler

Have to honour this bird with another picture. The pictures are at 3200 iso so I would call them record shots - but all the same: Rufous-throated Wren Babbler

A walk through the forest. A lot of time was spent either walking tracks or in forests.
Small Niltava (Male)

Streaked Spiderhunter

Rusty-fronted barwing

Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill

The young lady of our group that outwalked, our birded all of us and that too carrying her own gear: Mrs Sarabjeet Kaur

Bar-throated Siva/Chestnut-tailed Minla

A dozen sightings over past year and all pictures with leaves in front of its face: Chestnut-crowned Warbler
This skulker of a bird was seen as the sun was setting and the picture is at 3200 iso and hand shake too is evident. Neverthless the bird sighting was its weight in gold: Long-billed Wren Babbler

The road to Bhompu Camp
The view of the forests...
The Chaku viewpoint enroute to the camp...

Day three i.e. 10 April we decided to do birding from Bhompu Camp to EagleNest pass. We stopped at all the places that were pointed out as important areas for birding and walked and trudged through thick forests. Every time I saw the Elephant Dung my senses would be on high alert and the dung was getting fresher by the passing hour. The birding was superb yet again with eight lifers bagged including a record shot of the Long-billed Wren Babbler I missed a day before. The sleep that night was great, not only because I got to see this bird - I also got great sightings and record shots of another great bird - the Rufous-throated Wren Babbler. Over and above we had great sightings of Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill inside our camp only. Oh, what a day it was. We still had not bagged Tragopan nor the Trogan though. 
Yellow-cheeked Tit

Yellow-browed Tit

Green-tailed Sunbird

Blue-winged Laughingthrush

Orange-bellied Leafbird

Another difficult but prized bird to see: Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler
Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler/Blackish-breasted Babbler

I am holding the ID - till it gets confirmed. If you know it please leave a comment

Golden Babbler

The beautiful Golden Babbler

ID later

Asian Emerald Cuckoo

Rufous-necked Hornbill

Red-headed Trogan

Next day, 11 Apr we were to do a walk and drive down south from the Bhompu Camp and back. We started as planned at 0430 and had gone just about a km when I had to turn back to heavy stomach rumblings. I was back at camp and again on the path hurrying up to catch up with rest of the party. It turned out to be another great day. When I caught up with my birding gang -they were peering into bushes with two birds scurrying and I was asking them - what? Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler was the answer - one of my target birds. The birds were too shy and we were chasing them like chasing the ball in a football ground - only to realise that the other team is miles better than you. Only saving grace was that the birds in their moment of hopping from one branch to another afforded good sightings. The shots once again can best be described as record shots. Next bird we saw was the Streaked-spider hunter, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Golden Babblers and to top the icing on the cake - Red-headed Trogan. Umm... the targeted Trogan was Ward's Trogan and that eluded us still (finally we finished the trip without sighting the bird).
The board giving the jist of the layout of EagleNest. Self with Mr Gore

At the EagleNest Pass with Mrs Rima Dhillon

Brown Bullfinch

Rufous-winged Fulvetta

Fire-tailed Myzorins

Stripe-throated Yuhina

Brown-throated Fulvetta/Ludlow's Fulvetta

Beautiful Sibia

Pygmy Blue Flycatcher (Female)

Pygmy Blue Flycatcher (Male)
Dark-sided Flycatcher 

Golden-throated Barbet

Verditer Flycatcher


Pale-blue flycatcher

Day four, 12 April we were to go back from Bhompu to Tenga. Once again we were to bird the entire day. The stops were more or less pre-decided - all possible places where Trogan and Tragopan would or could be seen. The EagleNest pass and around Lama Camp. As we started out in the morning back in the vehicle we came across the elephant herd on the track and the bull was clearly not amused. We stopped, backtracked in a hurry - reversing the vehicle facing forward. After what we thought was a good distance between the elephant and the vehicle we were busy birding in the vicinity of the vehicle only. Two lifers were bagged at this moment alone.We moved forward and once again the elephants were still on the track - maybe because there was a steep fall on the Southern side and the elephants had come down from the Northern side. Gore waited and once again went ahead on foot to investigate, this time over he was chased by the bull. No more risks we said in unison and waited a good amount of time. The elephant herd by this time would have got some pathway and had disappeared leaving a long trail of dung in their path. The birding continued till we reached Tenga as the sun was about to set. We had a dinner invitation awaiting us and after a good drink, a great dinner and hearty laughs and sharing our experience at the dinner, close to midnight we called it off and were asleep yet again. Next day morning we were back heading towards Guwahati to catch our flight - but not before other great birds our way like Greater Racket-tailed Drongos, Pygmy Blue Flycatcher, Mountain Bulbul and others.
Greater Adjutant

Standing at 152 odd cm - it is a huge bird as seen from this picture where the girl and the cows are dwarfed by the birds.
Day five, 13 Apr - we started early morning with very less planned stops enroute. The idea was to catch the flight to Delhi from Guwahati that was scheduled at 1700 hours. The most important part of the plan was to stop at the garbage dump to see the Endangered Greater Adjutants. Widespread a few decades earlier they have a very restricted range now to include Assam, Bihar and Cambodia. The only sure shot place to see them was the Guwahati Garbage dump in the country. The travel down was with some stops for some birds but nothing worth mentioning really. We reached the outskirts of Guwahati well in time and were at the Garbage dump around 1:30 saw these birds. When I was in Uganda last year I was told that the Marabou Stork was adjudged the ugliest bird. From the same pedigree, I had to pitch in this bird for that too. Well, will surely do an article on that sometime.

Finally coming to the budget and the related...

The flight tickets were bought from Delhi - Guwahati and back and cab from Chandigarh - Delhi and return.

Besides that, the trip was divided into two parts - From 5th to 7th were in the three birders from Chandigarh landed at Guwahati and were picked up by a Vehicle from Airport, went to Nameri and came to Kaziranga. The cost of vehicle for these three days was rs 16,000/-

The stay was divided among the birders and since I had still not joined - I am not privy to the expenditure during the period.

We paid Rs 96,000/- for the following period from 8th to 13th to include (24,000/- per head):
1. Vehicle for the entire period,
2. Stay at Bhompu Camp on 9th, 10th, 11th
3. Bird guide

Rs 4,880/- for two rooms at Dhanshree Resorts (one night) and Rs 1,400 for Dinner. I must add here that during my last visit to Kaziranga I stayed at Bonhabi Resorts and found Dhanshree better on some counts. Firstly Dhanshree was cheaper and little better maintained. The food was better and so were the toilets and linen. The layout of Dhanshree was more open and better. The hutments at Dhanshree, however, did not have Ac and would not be appropriate in the wrong season.

Rs 3,500/- night stay for 8th night and 12th night to include lunch

Rs 2,700/- entrance fees to EagleNest and carriage of 4 cameras

Rs 2,500/- Extra vehicle for luggage on 8th from Bhalukpong to Tenga

Rs 2,000/- Misc expenditure.

Planning trip to EagleNest?

1. Please cater for bottled water or clarify the availability from Operator
2. Wear appropriate clothes and carry rain capes for eventualities - the showers can really surround you without warning. Especially for the equipment like camera etc.
3. Tripod? I do not recommend - the walking is much more than expected and to carry every extra bit of equipment is painful. Secondly, all the birds are shy and do not give you time to settle, point and shoot.
4. Plan adequate batteries. The charging of mobiles and camera batteries is only when generator starts in the evening after sundown and that too for a few hours at a time.
5. Get some munchies for while trekking. Though the food follows but still there are times the hunger pangs strike and you do not have anything at hand.
6. Plan to log the birds on eBirds? get something that records the log offline like Birdwatcher app for iOS. eBird app does not work as the signal is inconsistent and frequently available. Let us say it is not available for 80% time.
7. If you are planning the trip plan sooner than later. After the intended Railway line - the area may be irrevocably destroyed.
8. Be aware that there are insects and leeches to be expected off and on.
9. Lastly - do plan and start walking minimum 10 km a day atleast one or two months before the trip. Will help you like hell...

Bhompu Camp: There are two subdivisions with separate washrooms. The facilities are identical.

Checklists

IN-Arunachal Pradesh-Seppa Road - 27.0300x92.6106 - 08-Apr-2017, 08:50 till Sesa, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, IN
Apr 8, 2017 8:51 AM - 12:47 PM
Protocol: Traveling
30.0 kilometer(s)
20 species

Blue-throated Barbet (Psilopogon asiaticus)  1
Long-tailed Broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae)  1
Long-tailed Minivet (Pericrocotus ethologus)  1
Maroon Oriole (Oriolus traillii)  1
Hair-crested Drongo (Spangled Drongo) (Dicrurus hottentottus)  1
Black-crested Bulbul (Pycnonotus flaviventris)  2
Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)  1
White-throated Bulbul (Alophoixus flaveolus)  5
Himalayan Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus)  6
Slaty-bellied Tesia (Tesia olivea)  2
Long-tailed Sibia (Heterophasia picaoides)  2
Silver-eared Leiothrix (Silver-eared Mesia) (Leiothrix argentauris)  2
Oriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis)  1
Rufous-bellied Niltava (Niltava sundara)  1
Blue Whistling-Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus)  1
Plumbeous Redstart (Phoenicurus fuliginosus)  1
White-capped Redstart (Phoenicurus leucocephalus)  1
Orange-bellied Leafbird (Orange-bellied Chloropsis) (Chloropsis hardwickii)  2
Green-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga nipalensis)  1
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)  1

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35777151

IN-Arunachal Pradesh-Seppa Road - 27.1075x92.5265 - 08-Apr-2017, 12:59 Sesa to Tenga, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, IN
Apr 8, 2017 12:59 PM - 5:54 PM
Protocol: Traveling
50.0 kilometer(s)
12 species

Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus)  1
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis)  4
Black-throated Tit (Black-throated Bushtit) (Aegithalos concinnus)  4
Beautiful Nuthatch (Sitta formosa)  2
Black-faced Warbler (Abroscopus schisticeps)  5
Grey-hooded Warbler (Phylloscopus xanthoschistos)  1
Silver-eared Leiothrix (Silver-eared Mesia) (Leiothrix argentauris)  12
Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus)  1
Blue-capped Rock-Thrush (Monticola cinclorhynchus)  1
Grey-winged Blackbird (Turdus boulboul)  1
Black-throated Sunbird (Aethopyga saturata)  1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)  10

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35778855

IN-Arunachal Pradesh-West Kameng - 27.2021x92.4864 - 09-Apr-2017, 04:41, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, IN
Apr 9, 2017 4:41 AM - 4:39 PM
Protocol: Traveling
50.0 kilometer(s)
38 species

Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus nipalensis)  1
Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malaiensis)  1
Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens)  1
Rufous-bellied Woodpecker (Dendrocopos hyperythrus)  4
Short-billed Minivet (Pericrocotus brevirostris)  2
Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus)  1
White-throated Fantail (Rhipidura albicollis)  1
Yellow-billed Blue Magpie (Urocissa flavirostris)  1
Yellow-bellied Fantail (Chelidorhynx hypoxantha)  2
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis)  3
Green-backed Tit (Parus monticolus)  2
Hodgson's Treecreeper (Eurasian Treecreeper) (Certhia hodgsoni)  2
Striated Bulbul (Pycnonotus striatus)  2
Himalayan Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus)  5
Chestnut-headed Tesia (Cettia castaneocoronata)  1
Golden-spectacled Warbler (Green-crowned Warbler) (Seicercus burkii)  7
Black-throated Prinia (Prinia atrogularis)  4
Rufous-capped Babbler (Cyanoderma ruficeps)  5
Rufous-winged Fulvetta (Schoeniparus castaneceps)  6
Ludlow's Fulvetta (Brown-throated Fulvetta) (Alcippe ludlowi)  7
Striated Laughingthrush (Grammatoptila striata)  1
Himalayan Cutia (Cutia nipalensis)  4
Bhutan Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron imbricatum)  2
Beautiful Sibia (Heterophasia pulchella)  2
Streak-throated Barwing (Actinodura waldeni)  8
Chestnut-tailed Minla (Bar-throated Siva) (Actinodura strigula)  3
Blue Whistling-Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus)  2
Himalayan Bluetail (Orange-flanked Bush-Robin) (Tarsiger rufilatus)  1
Blue-fronted Redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis)  1
Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush (Monticola rufiventris)  2
Blue-capped Rock-Thrush (Monticola cinclorhynchus)  4
Grey Bushchat (Saxicola ferreus)  2
Grey-winged Blackbird (Turdus boulboul)  1
Green-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga nipalensis)  2
Rufous-breasted Accentor (Prunella strophiata)  1
Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni)  4
Crimson-browed Finch (Pinicola subhimachala)  2
Grey-headed Bullfinch (Pyrrhula erythaca)  3

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35891874

None, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, IN
Apr 10, 2017 4:56 AM - 1:16 PM
Protocol: Traveling
40.234 kilometer(s)
Comments:     Bompu camp full day. 25 Km from camp towards Eaglenest pass for about 12/13 km. Morning 0430 to 1800
50 species

Hill Partridge (Arborophila torqueola)  1     11:00, (27.08380, 92.40414)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)  1     08:05, (27.06799, 92.40280)
Mountain Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula badia)  1     05:27, (27.06828, 92.40248)
Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens)  2     04:56, (27.06686, 92.40427)
Grey-chinned Minivet (Pericrocotus solaris)  1     06:20, (27.07044, 92.39873)
Long-tailed Minivet (Pericrocotus ethologus)  2     06:46, (27.07093, 92.39635)
Himalayan Shrike-Babbler (Himalayan White-browed Shrike-Babbler) (Pteruthius ripleyi)  3     17:01, (27.07733, 92.40597)
Maroon Oriole (Oriolus traillii)  4     08:35, (27.06694, 92.40543)
Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus)  3     04:57, (27.06682, 92.40404)
Yellow-bellied Fantail (Chelidorhynx hypoxantha)  1     05:08, (27.06685, 92.40263)
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis)  6     18:58, (27.06647, 92.40634)
Yellow-browed Tit (Sylviparus modestus)  2     12:54, (27.10752, 92.43264)
Black-lored Tit (Machlolophus xanthogenys)  2     12:54, (27.10746, 92.43259)
Yellow-cheeked Tit (Machlolophus spilonotus)  1     06:18, (27.07058, 92.39890)
Black-throated Tit (Black-throated) (Aegithalos concinnus [concinnus Group])  3     08:21, (27.06693, 92.40477)
Hodgson's Treecreeper (Eurasian Treecreeper) (Certhia hodgsoni)  2     18:59, (27.06645, 92.40639)
Striated Bulbul (Pycnonotus striatus)  5     07:16, (27.07029, 92.39655)
Grey-bellied Tesia (Tesia cyaniventer)  3     05:36, (27.05246, 92.45991)
Chestnut-headed Tesia (Cettia castaneocoronata)  2     13:39, (27.10569, 92.43527)
Brownish-flanked Bush-Warbler (Horornis fortipes)  1     19:01, Heard Only, (27.06643, 92.40645)
Blyth's Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus reguloides)  2     06:13, (27.07090, 92.39939)
Grey-cheeked Warbler (Seicercus poliogenys)  2     19:10, (27.06645, 92.40638)
Chestnut-crowned Warbler (Seicercus castaniceps)  8     11:51, (27.10179, 92.41241)
Rufous-headed Parrotbill (Psittiparus bakeri)  8     09:22, (27.06632, 92.40610)
Rufous-capped Babbler (Cyanoderma ruficeps)  3     19:16, (27.06641, 92.40641)
Rufous-throated Wren-Babbler (Spelaeornis caudatus)  2     05:58, (27.07070, 92.40070)
Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler (Pomatorhinus superciliaris)  2     11:00, (27.08397, 92.40387)
Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler (Pomatorhinus ruficollis)  3     05:23, (27.06723, 92.40317)
Long-billed Wren-Babbler (Napothera malacoptila)  2     19:15, (27.06640, 92.40639)
Striated Laughingthrush (Grammatoptila striata)  7     04:56, (27.06683, 92.40415)
Himalayan Cutia (Cutia nipalensis)  2     06:46, (27.07077, 92.39619)
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush (Ianthocincla pectoralis)  3     19:13, (27.06641, 92.40641)
Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron erythrocephalum)  1     19:13, (27.06641, 92.40641)
Beautiful Sibia (Heterophasia pulchella)  3     05:29, (27.06844, 92.40218)
Red-tailed Minla (Minla ignotincta)  4     13:53, (27.10601, 92.43468)
Streak-throated Barwing (Actinodura waldeni)  3     19:19, (27.06634, 92.40664)
Rusty-fronted Barwing (Actinodura egertoni)  13     07:47, (27.07171, 92.40101)
Chestnut-tailed Minla (Bar-throated Siva) (Actinodura strigula)  5     13:53, (27.10605, 92.43471)
Large Niltava (Niltava grandis)  2     13:56, (27.10606, 92.43382)
Small Niltava (Niltava macgrigoriae)  3     08:26, (27.06690, 92.40475)
Rufous-bellied Niltava (Niltava sundara)  1     13:56, (27.10612, 92.43377)
Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus)  1     06:28, (27.07107, 92.39708)
Himalayan Bluetail (Orange-flanked Bush-Robin) (Tarsiger rufilatus)  1     07:32, (27.07106, 92.39756)
Blue-fronted Redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis)  1     18:58, (27.06646, 92.40635)
Grey Bushchat (Saxicola ferreus)  3     18:59, (27.06646, 92.40637)
Black-throated Thrush (Turdus atrogularis)  2     06:18, (27.07062, 92.39892)
Orange-bellied Leafbird (Orange-bellied Chloropsis) (Chloropsis hardwickii)  1     18:57, (27.06647, 92.40636)
Black-throated Sunbird (Aethopyga saturata)  2     08:10, (27.06698, 92.40269)
Green-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga nipalensis)  5     13:04, (27.10752, 92.43270)
Streaked Spiderhunter (Arachnothera magna)  2     06:49, (27.07093, 92.39635)

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36066223

None, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, IN
Apr 11, 2017 4:52 AM - 1:12 PM
Protocol: Traveling
40.234 kilometer(s)
Comments:     Bompu camp full day.
54 species

Kalij Pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)  1     13:45, (27.02399, 92.41566)
Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus nipalensis)  1     07:27, (27.06994, 92.41160)
Mountain Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula badia)  2     05:07, (27.06681, 92.40716)
Asian Emerald Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus)  1     12:02, (27.03014, 92.41373)
White-rumped Needletail (White-rumped Spinetail) (Zoonavena sylvatica)  3     18:02, (27.06641, 92.40643)
Red-headed Trogon (Harpactes erythrocephalus)  2     16:13, (27.06344, 92.41301)
Rufous-necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis)  1     15:51, (27.06258, 92.41448)
Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens)  5     15:55, (27.06092, 92.41180)
Golden-throated Barbet (Psilopogon franklinii)  3     15:26, (27.05493, 92.41642)
Grey-capped Woodpecker (Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker) (Dendrocopos canicapillus)  1     12:52, (27.02366, 92.41577)
Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos macei)  1     07:34, (27.06943, 92.41205)
Grey-chinned Minivet (Pericrocotus solaris)  2     08:48, (27.06746, 92.41342)
Maroon Oriole (Oriolus traillii)  5     15:27, (27.06055, 92.41396)
Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus)  1     04:54, (27.06560, 92.40585)
Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus remifer)  3     10:45, (27.04774, 92.41818)
White-throated Fantail (Rhipidura albicollis)  3     06:31, (27.06805, 92.41100)
Common Green-Magpie (Common) (Cissa chinensis [chinensis Group])  1     12:57, (27.02218, 92.41489)
Nepal House-Martin (Delichon nipalense)  5     18:04, (27.06639, 92.40641)
Yellow-bellied Fantail (Chelidorhynx hypoxantha)  1     08:48, (27.06745, 92.41339)
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis)  5     18:06, (27.06642, 92.40643)
Striated Bulbul (Pycnonotus striatus)  2     06:51, (27.06705, 92.41129)
White-throated Bulbul (Alophoixus flaveolus)  5     12:38, (27.02302, 92.41483)
Grey-bellied Tesia (Tesia cyaniventer)  2     08:23, (27.06623, 92.41308)
Chestnut-headed Tesia (Cettia castaneocoronata)  1     08:23, (27.06623, 92.41307)
Black-faced Warbler (Abroscopus schisticeps)  2     06:11, (27.06919, 92.40964)
Grey-crowned Warbler (Seicercus tephrocephalus)  2     07:45, (27.06807, 92.41176)
Whistler's Warbler (Seicercus whistleri)  5     06:43, (27.06737, 92.41107)
Rufous-headed Parrotbill (Psittiparus bakeri)  2     09:11, (27.06604, 92.41494)
Golden Babbler (Cyanoderma chrysaeum)  2     08:05, (27.06679, 92.41212)
Coral-billed Scimitar-Babbler (Pomatorhinus ferruginosus)  1     06:35, (27.06801, 92.41078)
Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler (Pomatorhinus superciliaris)  1     17:16, (27.06641, 92.40614)
Blackish-breasted Babbler (Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler) (Stachyris humei)  2     06:08, (27.06916, 92.40987)
Yellow-throated Fulvetta (Schoeniparus cinereus)  10     15:05, (27.05465, 92.41617)
Striated Laughingthrush (Grammatoptila striata)  4     04:52, (27.06614, 92.40567)
White-throated Laughingthrush (Ianthocincla albogularis)  5     12:53, (27.02364, 92.41579)
Blue-winged Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron squamatum)  1     14:30, (27.03403, 92.41475)
Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron erythrocephalum)  2     06:11, (27.06909, 92.40982)
Beautiful Sibia (Heterophasia pulchella)  5     07:27, (27.06990, 92.41142)
Red-tailed Minla (Minla ignotincta)  4     05:00, (27.06679, 92.40705)
Hoary-throated Barwing (Actinodura nipalensis)  1     15:27, (27.06059, 92.41399)
Rusty-fronted Barwing (Actinodura egertoni)  7     07:46, (27.06786, 92.41196)
Chestnut-tailed Minla (Bar-throated Siva) (Actinodura strigula)  2     07:06, (27.06902, 92.41163)
Dark-sided Flycatcher (Muscicapa sibirica)  1     09:16, (27.06579, 92.41449)
White-gorgeted Flycatcher (Anthipes monileger)  1     05:55, (27.06960, 92.41045)
Small Niltava (Niltava macgrigoriae)  1     07:26, (27.06981, 92.41166)
Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus)  2     06:36, (27.06797, 92.41084)
Himalayan Bluetail (Orange-flanked Bush-Robin) (Tarsiger rufilatus)  2     07:26, (27.06990, 92.41167)
Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher (Ficedula strophiata)  1     16:04, (27.06555, 92.41518)
Blue-fronted Redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis)  1     17:17, (27.06643, 92.40616)
Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush (Monticola rufiventris)  1     17:16, (27.06643, 92.40615)
Blue-capped Rock-Thrush (Monticola cinclorhynchus)  1     17:16, (27.06642, 92.40615)
Orange-bellied Leafbird (Orange-bellied Chloropsis) (Chloropsis hardwickii)  2     05:42, (27.06735, 92.40817)
Streaked Spiderhunter (Arachnothera magna)  4     15:27, (27.06052, 92.41390)
Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni)  4     17:17, (27.06643, 92.40617)

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36066102

None, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, IN
Apr 12, 2017 5:31 AM - 5:37 AM
Protocol: Traveling
40.234 kilometer(s)
Comments:     Bompu camp to Tenga
43 species

Hill Partridge (Arborophila torqueola)  2     13:24, (27.17207, 92.45987)
Long-tailed Minivet (Pericrocotus ethologus)  2     06:25, (27.09224, 92.40795)
Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)  1     15:28, (27.19701, 92.46599)
Black-headed Shrike-Babbler (Pteruthius rufiventer)  2     13:34, (27.17280, 92.46014)
White-throated Fantail (Rhipidura albicollis)  2     06:42, (27.10254, 92.41461)
Eurasian Nutcracker (Spotted Nutcracker) (Nucifraga caryocatactes)  2     10:05, (27.12486, 92.45469)
Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos)  1     15:49, (27.20777, 92.47007)
Yellow-browed Tit (Sylviparus modestus)  2     06:26, (27.09465, 92.40926)
Green-backed Tit (Parus monticolus)  1     13:31, (27.17334, 92.46082)
White-tailed Nuthatch (Sitta himalayensis)  1     15:01, (27.19392, 92.46129)
Striated Bulbul (Pycnonotus striatus)  5     13:18, (27.16878, 92.45820)
Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)  13     15:23, (27.19973, 92.46592)
Himalayan Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus)  2     15:38, (27.19940, 92.47201)
Blyth's Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus reguloides)  2     06:28, (27.09529, 92.41193)
Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius)  2     15:21, (27.19964, 92.46619)
Fire-tailed Myzornis (Myzornis pyrrhoura)  4     10:05, (27.12482, 92.45463)
Whiskered Yuhina (Yuhina flavicollis)  2     06:33, (27.09780, 92.41279)
Stripe-throated Yuhina (Yuhina gularis)  9     11:03, (27.12602, 92.45467)
Rufous-winged Fulvetta (Schoeniparus castaneceps)  5     07:02, (27.10380, 92.41655)
Ludlow's Fulvetta (Brown-throated Fulvetta) (Alcippe ludlowi)  2     10:07, (27.12496, 92.45472)
Spotted Laughingthrush (Ianthocincla ocellata)  3     07:01, (27.10389, 92.41572)
White-throated Laughingthrush (Ianthocincla albogularis)  20     05:31, (27.09204, 92.40801)
Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron erythrocephalum)  1     05:37, (27.09276, 92.40797)
Beautiful Sibia (Heterophasia pulchella)  2     06:24, (27.09193, 92.40777)
Red-tailed Minla (Minla ignotincta)  4     06:25, (27.09330, 92.40833)
Rusty-fronted Barwing (Actinodura egertoni)  3     06:28, (27.09538, 92.41146)
Blue-winged Minla (Actinodura cyanouroptera)  2     14:00, (27.17032, 92.45932)
Dark-sided Flycatcher (Muscicapa sibirica)  2     13:24, (27.17211, 92.45982)
Pale Blue-Flycatcher (Cyornis unicolor)  2     14:45, (27.19213, 92.46165)
Himalayan Bluetail (Orange-flanked Bush-Robin) (Tarsiger rufilatus)  3     13:35, (27.17232, 92.46016)
Pygmy Blue-Flycatcher (Ficedula hodgsoni)  2     12:53, (27.16066, 92.45810)
Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush (Monticola rufiventris)  1     15:39, (27.19793, 92.47139)
Blue-capped Rock-Thrush (Monticola cinclorhynchus)  2     15:39, (27.19801, 92.47150)
Blue Rock-Thrush (Monticola solitarius)  1     15:38, (27.20085, 92.47276)
Grey Bushchat (Saxicola ferreus)  2     15:37, (27.20209, 92.47262)
Black-breasted Thrush (Turdus dissimilis)  1     15:32, (27.20097, 92.47018)
Grey-winged Blackbird (Turdus boulboul)  2     06:42, (27.10246, 92.41435)
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)  1     15:48, (27.20654, 92.46917)
Gould's Sunbird (Aethopyga gouldiae)  4     10:06, (27.12495, 92.45467)
Green-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga nipalensis)  6     06:42, (27.10247, 92.41436)
Brown Bullfinch (Pyrrhula nipalensis)  2
Grey-headed Bullfinch (Pyrrhula erythaca)  6     06:24, (27.09148, 92.40698)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)  5     15:48, (27.20661, 92.46911)

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35965642

IN-Arunachal Pradesh-West Kameng - 27.2070x92.5380 - 13-Apr-2017, 04:40, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, IN
Apr 13, 2017 4:41 AM - 9:17 AM
Protocol: Traveling
50.0 kilometer(s)
31 species

Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens)  1
Blue-throated Barbet (Psilopogon asiaticus)  1
Long-tailed Minivet (Pericrocotus ethologus)  4
Scarlet Minivet (Pericrocotus speciosus)  2
Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)  1
Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus)  4
Bronzed Drongo (Dicrurus aeneus)  1
Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus remifer)  2
Hair-crested Drongo (Spangled Drongo) (Dicrurus hottentottus)  1
White-throated Fantail (Rhipidura albicollis)  3
Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (Sitta cinnamoventris)  1
Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)  12
Himalayan Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus)  2
Mountain Bulbul (Ixos mcclellandii)  1
Grey-hooded Warbler (Phylloscopus xanthoschistos)  1
White-naped Yuhina (Yuhina bakeri)  4
Striated Laughingthrush (Grammatoptila striata)  2
Beautiful Sibia (Heterophasia pulchella)  1
Silver-eared Leiothrix (Silver-eared Mesia) (Leiothrix argentauris)  2
Rusty-fronted Barwing (Actinodura egertoni)  20
Dark-sided Flycatcher (Muscicapa sibirica)  1
Small Niltava (Niltava macgrigoriae)  2
Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus)  2
Blue Whistling-Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus)  2
Plumbeous Redstart (Phoenicurus fuliginosus)  1
White-capped Redstart (Phoenicurus leucocephalus)  2
Blue-capped Rock-Thrush (Monticola cinclorhynchus)  4
Blue Rock-Thrush (Monticola solitarius)  1
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)  2
Green-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga nipalensis)  1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)  8

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35913458

IN-Assam-Guwahati-781039 - 26.1150x91.6796 Garbage disposal site, Kamrup Metropolitan, Assam, IN
Apr 13, 2017 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Protocol: Stationary
4 species

Greater Adjutant (Leptoptilos dubius)  10
Cattle Egret (Eastern) (Bubulcus ibis coromandus)  10
Black Kite (Black-eared) (Milvus migrans lineatus/formosanus)  2
House Crow (Corvus splendens)  2

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36066647

6 comments:

Bob Bushell said...

Fantastic array of birds, beautiful India.

Phil Slade said...

Wow. It took me ages to read that and to appeciate thos brilliant, spectacular and colourful birds. Stuck with ID other than a "phylloscopus".

Thanks for your wothywhile suggestion re my blog. I am reluctant to click to another template in case it messes up the original. May be I'll have a go but with fingers crossed. Looks like a chiffchaff except for that pale wing-bar. Hume's Warbler?

Salim Digital Marketing said...

Ohh man ..Amazing Pics. Which camera you are using?

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S S Cheema said...

Thanks a ton Bob Bushell and Phil Slade for leaving the comments. Phil I have emailed you, hopefully, that would be of some help to you.
Salim, I am using Nikon D500 along with 200-500mm Nikon lens. More on the ups and downs of my life with my equipment on http://forbirdwatching.blogspot.in/2016/08/my-troubled-marriage-with-canon.html

Meena said...

Good collection of bird photographs! Nice write up
Meena

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