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ENVIS CENTRE S I K K I M On ECOTOURISM ISSN: 0974-6072 Strong-Footed Bush Warbler

BIRD WATCHING SPECIAL Newsletter Volume 13 Number 2 April - June 2015 BIRDING IN EAST - A REPORT BY AN ECO TOURISM ENTHUSIAST (PART-1) East Sikkim- Gangtok, Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary- Tsomgo, Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary Tour Leader: Chewang Rinchen Bonpo E-mail: [email protected] Introduction forests of Darjeeling Hills offers you Sikkim the second smallest state of the best choice with many good India with an area of 7,096 sq. km. and important Birding areas and a with the least population among all the minimum of 200 in a span of states of India. Located between the one tour. two Himalayan countries of in the west and the Kingdom of in the East, Sikkim is one of the star point for the of the Indo-Malayan type species with most of them endemic to Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary: The the Eastern Himalayas. sanctuary is situated on the hills opposite to Gangtok. The highest point of this sanctuary is Tinjurey, which is one of the better places for B i r d w a t c h i n g . T h e L o g h u t Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary: accommodation within the sanctuary Kyongnosla and Tsomgo region lies in makes watching more worthwhile East Sikkim. As the name suggests it is compared to other places. The an Alpine forest with dominant species temperate forests of Oak, Chestnut, like the Rhododendrons and Junipers and Bamboo with small shrubs of ferns and small shrubs making it a good are an ideal habitat for Babblers and The Birdlife of Sikkim is estimated to habitat for game like the Blood Wren Babblers. be of 550 species with most of the Pheasant , Himalayan Monal (Dec to species resembling the Kingdom of May) followed by many good high Detailed Tour Report Bhutan. Thus if one want to come for a altitude species like the Fire-tailed Day 1- 25th June 09 Bird-watching Holiday with reasonable Sunbirds. The Bamboo forest on the expenses and interest in the Eastern way to Tsomgo is one of the favourite As soon as arriving in Gangtok at noon Himalayan species combined with the sites for many good bamboos Amit was anxious and impatient for lovely view of the world's third highest habituating species like Parrotbills, photographing birds with his powerful mountain then Sikkim along with the Laughing Thrushes etc. 500mm lens so we headed to the National Highway between Ganesh Tok started form Gangtok at half past five c o u p l e o f B l a c k - f a c e d and Tashi view point after a few meters in the morning and even the weather near the restaurant from Ganesh Tok we started our walk on which was not on our side with its mist feeding on the food waste and called on the Highway where we came across a and little showers could not dampen Amit to take his shot. Also at a distance mixed flock of birds which we managed our optimism. After we crossed the 9th was a White Collared Black Bird. get good shots of some of the species mile Check post we came across a The weather seemed to improve after like the Green Crowned Warbler, Blue- Bamboo forest near a small village half an hour so we moved towards the winged Minla, Red-tailed Minla and where we saw a flock of Red-headed Sanctuary. As we began our trek to the Red-billed Leiothrix. Laughingthrush crossing the road. We top of the sanctuary the first bird that made a stop and followed the flock. As we came across were a flock of Stripe- we approached a waiting shed near the throated Yuhinas followed by road, we took a shelter for a while form R u f o u s v e n t e d Yu h i n a . T h e the showers. Suddenly a bird popped disappointing part was that as we out from the nearby bamboo grove trekked more inside the park, the path which was identified was Brown slowly disappeared and we were Parrotbill. This was one species we c o m p l e t e l y l o s t a m o n g t h e never expected to see on this tour. As Rododendron Shrubs. So we had to trek usual, Amit was quick enough to back and came across a little wooden capture the bird in his Camera. bridge where Amit managed to photograph an Orange-gorgeted F l y c t a c h e r [ Ru f o u s - g o r g e t e d flycatcher] and a Fire-tailed Sunbird that was flying around all over the place. On reaching the entry gate we Red-tailed Minla encountered two White-capped River chats [White Capped Water Redstarts]. As we walked just a few meters we After the trek we drove towards the came across a pair of Russet Sparrows lake and came across a Grey-backed of which Amit could capture the male. Shrike perched on an electric wire. As After the flock passed on we carried on we reached the lake we scanned the walking towards Bulbulay as the place lake for any interesting water birds. seemed to have lesser traffic. As we Despite the place being a rush of traffic entered the Park, Amit encountered a of tourists and Yak herders, Amit Red-headed Laughing thrush perched sighted a Dark-breasted Rosefinch on one side of the lake. on a stone sunning itself but could not Red-headed Laughingthrush capture it in his camera. However, we were not as disappointed as we were We loitered around the area for sure we would encounter it again. As sometime searching for more birds and we walked a few meters we came happened to sight some birds like Dark- across the sharp-pitched dual note sided Flycatcher flying around the area singing of a Strong-footed Bush Warbler and a Dark-throated Thrush perched in [Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler] which Electric wire about hundred meters took us a couple of minutes to capture from us of which we had no chance to it as like other bush warblers it is also a photo because of the fog. other birds very restless bird. We did manage to in that area were the Russet Bush get a very good picture of the species Warbler calling from the distance and Dark-breasted Rosefinch singing in a bamboo grove. As we also Spotted Laughingthrush calling reached near a gully we could hear a down from the Gully about a kilometre After the visit to the lake we decided to flock coming towards us and we could away. We then proceeded on our head back towards Gangtok but were get good shots of Rufouscapped journey towards Tsomgo Lake. stuck up for couple of hours due to the Babblers in the flock. road construction. On our way back we After a drive of about an hour we sighted a flock of birds passing in front th Day 2- 26 June 09: reached a small village where we of our vehicle. Amit was able to After a very good start on the first day, decided to have a sip of tea and wait for photograph the male Gold-naped we had great expectations for sighting the weather to improve, As we were meanwhile I was trying to capture the more star birds especially in the taking our sip of tea I looked outside White-browed Shortwing without Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary. We the window of the restaurant and saw much success due to the place being slowly covered with fog. We also could The first bird of the day was a White- not capture the Lesser Cuckoo that was tailed Nuthatch just by the side of the perched on an Electric wire a few road. As we trekked few meters inside meters from us. from the entry point we heard a flock of Though we were hungry we forgot all Grey-sided Laughingthrushes moving about lunch as soon as we reached the inside a thick shrub but could not Parrotbill Bamboo forest where Amit capture them on camera. As soon as we captured very good shot of the Red entered the forest there was mixed Headed Laughing Thrush followed by a flock of birds all around us. Some of the species that we managed to take Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler. Rusty-fronted Barwing photos of where the Indian blue Robin, We had a late lunch at Tashi view point Pygmy Blue Flycatcher (both Male and of a flock of Wedge-tailed Green and decided to seek birds in North Female) and a Rusty Fronted Barwing. Pigeons, Ashy Drongo and the very shy Sikkim highway as it has a very good A couple of White-tailed Blue Robins and difficult to sight Blue-fronted Blue Bamboo mixed forest. We soon [White-tailed Robin] kept coming near Robin (couple of them singing near the encountered a flock of Green-tailed us but was too quick for the camera. pathway). We reached a point in the Sunbirds, Black-throated Sunbirds, forest where the path seemed to be Green-backed Tits followed by a Pygmy After the entertaining flock passed on very narrow and difficult to walk with Wren Babbler and a Slaty-bellied Tesia. we walked a further few meters where the tripod and the camera so we After the flock passed on we carried on we heard the star bird of the tour decided to walk back towards the Log our walk for half an hour and came *Rufous-throated Wren Babbler. I hut.Our decision proved to very across a flock of Striated Laughing thought of manoeuvring it in the open favourable as we were able to Thrushes. area so we could photograph it. We photograph the Pygmy Wren Babbler worked very hard to capture the bird by just by the side of the path few meters sitting motionless for about fifteen from us and also had the opportunity to minutes but as usual due to the restless try and capture the creepy and restless nature of the bird we could only get a singing Grey-bellied Tesia. On our way few passable shots of it. to the Log hut we sighted a flock of Red On our trek towards the log hut, as we headed Tits [Black-throated Tit] with a were passing through an open grass pair of Himalayan Green Finch [Yellow- field we took a rest to enjoy the breasted Green ] and had an beautiful environment of the forest interesting wait for the amazing and suddenly our attention was drawn looking Sickle-billed or Slender-billed by a flock of about ten Wedged-tailed Scimitar Babbler but all in vain since it th Day 3-27 June 09 Green Pigeon that flew towards us and kept itself well hidden inside the The day started with a drive towards one of them had very bad crash on the bushes. electric wire. Around the same time, I Pangthang to enter the Fambonglho Day 4- 28th June 09: Wildlife Sanctuary. We reached the heard the call of a Black-throated On the last day of our tour we started entry point towards the sanctuary at Prinia form a nearby bush which with the same spirit to find new birds in about seven in the morning. gradually moved towards the top while Amit had his best photo shooting the area to be photographed. We session of the species. After a while we decided hang around the Log hut. Soon saw a couple of the same species flying the first bird to be sighted for the day around the area. was the Large Hawk Cuckoo singing near the hut followed with the same We carried on our walk toward the Log mixed flock of Sunbirds, Minlas and hut for a rest and hot cup of tea as the Yuhinas. As we walked quietly far away weather became cold with a light drizzle. After lunch the weather seemed to improve so we decided to carry on our venture towards Chulei. The birds that we encountered on the way to Chulei were the Black-throated Sunbird and a mixed flock of Yuhinas and Minlas. As we walked a couple of kilometres Rufous-throated Wren Babbler into the dense forest we made sightings Black-throated Prinia from our Log hut we had our last cooperative but due to the fog and bad more than 50 different species of birds encounter with the Rufous-throated light, photographing them became within the three and half days that too Wren Babbler of which we could more and more difficult for Amit. After in the month where most of the Birds capture one of the best photos of the a good morning's sighting we headed for are hard to see' and some of them very bird that I have seen till date. We our destination after our breakfast. prized ones too. I am immensely slowly moved down from the hut and The whole tour was one of the most pleased with the variety on offer and tried our luck in the open for satisfying tours for me as a bird guide in this spells volumes of the prospects of capturing some of the thrushes. We Sikkim in my whole of six years' birding birding in Sikkim within the proximity soon sighted a pair of Rusty-cheeked experience. We could make sightings of of Gangtok. Scimitar Babblers who were quite

For a systematic list of birds please visit our website www.scstsenvis.nic.in EAGLENEST & ASSAM - A REPORT BY AN ECO TOURISM ENTHUSIAST (PART 2)

Tour Leader: Chewang R. Bonpo Participants: Sakari, Marja, Jarkko,Jenni,Petteri,Hanna,Anderas ,Heikki (Finland Group ) Organised by: Peter Lobo (Adventure Gurudongma )

Introduction: A tour of Seventeen days took us to Nameri National Park, Dirang, Shangti Valley, Sela pass, Mandala, Eaglenest WLS, Kaziranga National Park, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Digboi. Our tour program as designed covered us the hill birds of Arunachal Pradesh as well as the birds of the flood plains of Assam and yield us a total of 473 species of which some of the highlight species were Ward's Trogon, Beautiful Nuthatch, Grandala, Green Cochoa, Bugun Liochichla, Snow Partridge and the Royal Bengal Tiger. We were very luck with weather as we always had a narrow escape with the rains and most of our days were sunny and comfortable. Details of the Tour: We started our tour from Guwahati with a short stoppage in the city garbage dump for the Greater Adjutant and drive for 05 hours to Nameri Eco-camp with couple of stoppage to pick species like Pied Harrier, Lesser Whistling duck, Black shoulder Kite, Lesser Adjutant and Black Drongs. The next day we had an early start with a trek inside the park after crossing the Jia-Bhorali River to look out for the White-winged Duck which according to the forest guards was not see for a week as they Sela Lake Tawang District, Arunachal believed that the bird was breeding with a sight of Yellow-throated Marten inside the forest but later I came to a feeding on the same figs. On our way conclusion that it was disturbed from we made couple of stoppages to tick the main pond area by photographer species like the rare Blyth's Kingfisher, but the morning was full with species Small Forktail, Slaty-backed Forktail. like the Barred Cuckoo Dove, Sultan tit, We arrived in the town of Dirang in the Great Thick knee, Eurasian Thick-knee, late evening. Green Imperial Pigeon and many more. We had a total of four days in our hand Afternoon session was with a rafting to bird in and around Dirang so we along the Jia Bhorali River for the made up a thoughtful plan to give two Fire-breasted Flowerpecker species like Ibisbill, Small Partincole, days to the Mandala road and two days in Shangti Valley Crested Kingfisher, Sand Martin, River for Sela Pass. First morning we did the Lapwing, Wreathed Hornbills, Black- Shangti valley with species like the On our two days venture to Sela pass necked Stroke and Grey headed Fish Long-billed Plover, Black-tailed Crake, the first day was bit disappointment Eagle. Crested Bunting, little Bunting, with the heavy snow and bad weather Wallcreeper, Long-tailed Shrike, Russet in the pass as we could hardly make it Sparrow, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker to the top of the pass but still we had and rest of the day was spent in species like the Plain-, Mandala road with species like Mrs. Himalayan Buzzard, White-winged Gould's Sunbird, Plain-backed Thrush, Grosebeak, Fire-tailed Sunbird, poor Coal Tit, Rufous fronted Tit, Black- view of the Grandala flying at a distant throated Tit ,Grey-crested Tit, Russet and a pair of Blue Sheep a scope view Bush Warbler,Brownish-flanked Bush while scanning the opposite mountain Warbler and many more on or second from the road. Second visit to Sela pass visit to the Mandala road we spend the was good weather but the pass was whole day with some of the special blocked with the broken-down truck so species like Bar-winged Wren Babblers, we spend the morning in the lower area Red-Headed Bullfinch feeding, Mandala Road Slinder-billed Scimitar Babbler, Pygmy- with the species like Himalayan The next stage of our tour we headed Blue Flycatcher, Fire-tailed Myzornis Bluetail, Alpine Accentor, Snow towards the hill state of Arunachal and Golden Bush Robin. Partridges and afternoon on the pass Pradesh with our morning session in the we had a lovely view of a male lower Bamboo forest with species like Grandala. Mountain Bulbul, Grey-throated The next part of the tour we headed Babbler, Yellow-bellied Warbler, Pale - from Dirang to the main part of the tour headed Woodpecker, White-hooded Eaglenest WLS where we had in total Babbler, Lesser Rufous-headed four days, we did birding all the way to Parrotbill, Silver-eared Mesia, a pair of Bomdila with the species like Coral- Rufous-necked Hornbill and many billed Scimitar Babbler, White- more. We discovered a big fig tree breasted Parrotbill, Blue-winged which had loads of Black Bulbul, Laughingthrush, Rufous-throated Wren Golden Throated Barbet, and Pin- Babblers, Pygmy Wren Babblers, tailed Green Pigeon, Wedged-tailed Bhutan Laughingthrush, Large Hawk Green Pigeon, Asian-fairy Bluebirds Scarlet Backed Flowerpecker in Kaziranga Cuckoo and many more. We spend first two nights in Lama camp with species tailed Broadbill, Spotted Forktail, Saikhowa and one morning near the on the list was as following a pair of Rufous necked Hornbill, Coral billed Digboi Oilfields. Birding in Dibru Bugun Liochichla, Gold-naped Finch, Scimitar Babbler and many more. Saikhowa started with full rain storm so Scarlet Finch, Black-eared Shrike After our Eaglenest we headed to the we could not cross the fierce water to Babbler, Green Shrike Babbler, UNESCO world heritage site Kaziranga go out in the flood plains to look out for Crimson-browed Finch, Strip-throated National Park where we ventured in the black-breasted Parrotbill but we Yuhina, Temmnick's Tragopan ( Heard in different part of the park in Jeep. The did birding around Maguri bill the day eagle nest pass) and many more . We highlight of the park was the sighting of we had species like the Black-faced spend two nights in Bompu camp and on the two male and female Tiger in the Bunting, Blue-throat, Jorden's Babbler, the way to Bompu camp from Lama Central Range followed by species like Straited Grassbirds, Marsh Babbler. The Camp we were lucky to have got the the Palla's Fish eagle, Grey headed Fish last hour of our Birding we spend a Ward's Trogon which at that time was Eagle, Twany Eagle and many more couple of hours nearby the Digboi difficult. Two days Birding in Bompu along with mammals like Great Indian Oilfields with the species like the camp we spend most of our time in the Rhino, Swamp Deer, Hog Deer and Chestnut-backed Laughingthrush, Dark lower elevation around Sisnee camp more. necked Tailorbird, Drongo Cuckoo, with the species like the Beautiful White-Browed Scimitar Babbler, Blue- Nuthatch, Sikkim Wedged- Billed Wren The last part of the tour took us to the nape Pitta and the end of the our tour Babbler, a pair of Green Cochoa, Long- Eastern point of Assam in Tinsukia with a pair of Hoolock Gibbon. where we spend one full day in Dibru

Long-tailed Broadbill, Eaglenest WLS Snow Partridge feeding in Sela Pass

Green Shrike Babbler, Eaglenest WLS Pygmy-blue Flycatcher, Mandala Road

Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Eaglenest WLS Crimson-browed Finch Great Pied Hornbill, Nameri Kalij Pheasant

Beautiful Nuthatch Streak-throated Barwing

Golden Babbler Yellow-throated Fulvetta

Dark-necked Tailorbird Rufous vented Yuhina The ENVIS team:

Member Secretary Dr. Anil Mainra, IFS

Co-ordinator Mr. D.T. Bhutia Additional Director, DST&CC

Sr. Programme Officer Hair-crested Drongo Common Snipe Mr. Sherap N. Bhutia

IT Officer-cum-Research Assistant Mr. Prabhakar Gurung

IT Assistant-cum-DEO Ms. Kalzang Eden

Published by Shri Anil Mainra, IFS, secretary to the Govt. of Sikkim Ex-Officio Member Secretary to the State Council of Science & Technology for Sikkim and edited by Shri Dorjee Thinlay Bhutia, Additional Director on behalf of ENVIS centre Sikkim From Right- Sakari, Marja, Jarkko,Jenni,Petteri,Hanna,Anderas ,Heikki and Myself Chewang on Eco-Tourism As part of the programme on The Total species of birds for the trip is 473 out of which 13 are heard. Environmental Information For a complete list of birds seen on the tour please visit our website System(ENVIS) to the www.scstsenvis.nic.in where you can download the complete document by Mr. Ministry of Environment and Forests, Chewang Rinchen Bonpo. Government of India.

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Please send your valuable suggestions, queries, comments and articles to: The Coordinator, ENVIS centre Sikkim on Ecotourism, Vigyan Bhawan, Department of Science & Technology and Climate Change, Deorali, Gangtok, Sikkim. 737102 Email: [email protected] Or call us @ (03592) 280025, 280002; Fax: (03592) 280004

This newsletter is aimed at disseminating ecotourism information and its related subjects among, environment enthusiasts, ecotourism stakeholders, students, researchers and public at large. Disclaimer: the ideas and views expressed in the article in this Newsletter are solely of the writers and information derived from secondary sources. Hence the centre holds no responsibility to errors in any kind.