V[\\\I .01 Dfij~ Nomenclature Follows That Used by Grirnmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, Birds of Nepal

$V[\\\I .01 Dfij~ Nomenclature Follows That Used by Grirnmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, Birds of Nepal$ The Systematic List for Everest Trek. March 31" to 11th APrilM&.COl V[\\\I .01 dfiJ~ Nomenclature follows that used by Grirnmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, Birds of Nepal. Place names used on the Everest Trek are those used in the Nepa Maps series Everest Base Camp. published by the Himalayan Maphouse Pvt. Ltd. Brief summary. Though this was not strictly speaking a 'birding trip' we still managed to see some 'sort after' species. We did the trek quicker than last year because of time restraints and were there-fore unable to visit a few birding sites. This accompanied by the fact that we were a week or so eartier this year meant that some of the altitudinal migrants had not arrived. As mentioned before we did however make it to Everest Base Camp so there-fore we saw a few high altitude species in greater numbers than the previous year. On our way down from Namche Bazar we had near torrential rain and hall storms which meant that hardly any birds were seen in some of the betler deciduous habitat on the way to Lukla. Snow Partridge Lerwa lerwa Four near Thokla Pass above Dug hla on April 5" and three near Lobuche on the ih. Tibetan Snowcock Tetraogallus tibetanus Two near the Lobuche Pass on the 6th with four at Gorak Shep on the 7th and two about one km from Base Camp on the same day. Two seen within feet of the trail just south Gorak Shep on the 811'1 with a further two bY the side of the Khumbu Glacier before Lobuche on the same date. Blood Pheasant Ithaginis cruentus Four seen well near Deboche in the woods behind the Paradise Lodge on the 3rd with a further/same four birds seen between Deboche and the Millinggo Bridge on the 4 11'1, Himalayan Monal Lophophorus impejanus ld A pair in the fields in the 'Lower Basin' of Namche Bazar late afternoon on the 1lit and t . A male and three females were seen well at Pangboche on the 9 11'1 in fields above the town. Two pairs were noted at Pangboche early on the 10th with one male between Deboche and Tengbcche with another male between Tengboche and Phunki Ten~a on the same date. A male was again noted on the 'Lower Basin' fields at Namche Bazar on the 10lh and11 . Eurasian Cuckoo Cuculus canorus Heard on a number of occasions on the lower part of the Trek below and up to Monjo .. Himalayan Swiftlet Callcealia brevirostris Three with The Fork-tailed Swifts at Namche Bazar on the 11 111. Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus At Namche Bazar 040 over the town late afternoon on the 11 111. Tawny Owl Strix aluco One heard and seen briefly at Monjc on the 3151 March. Snow Pigeon Columba leuconta rd Four at Namche Bazar on the 1't with eight near Kumjung on the 2nd with another six at Namche on the 3 • on the 5th at least c20 around Pheriche with 8 at Lobuche on the ih. At Gorak Shep nine on the 7th with four on th th the 8 • A flock of 32 were seen at Pheriche on the 9 with a further eight birds seen near Orsho on the sarTl oB date. The last birds of the trip were seen at Namche Bazar with 12 birds noted on the 11 111 , Oriental Turtle Dove StreptopeJia orientalis Only ones and two's noted on our ascent from the 31 ~t March to 1st April up to Namche Bazar. More abundant: on our decent with birds seen from Sanasa southwards. Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha strutherii At Pheriche on the 5th one pair seen welt in the Lobuche Khola valley along the river north of the town. 'he location was perhaps two hundred metres north of the weather station visible from the trail. Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus An adult gave superb views as it flew below us in the Dudh Koshi Valley halfway between Namche Bazar and) rd Kyangjuma on the 3 . On the 4th two were seen near Pangboche with three (two adults and an immatLlr~ around Pheriche on the 5th. One excellent individual (sub adult) came very close on the walk up to Base ca""" P from Gorak Shep on the i h with a equally confiding individual (adult) that gave us a fl ying display for a full five: th th minutes at Dughla on the 8 , On the 9 two were seen at Pheriche. Black-faced affinis Three seen at Sanasa on the and six at Phunki with a further four seen in the forest the at Deboche on the same date. On the between and nol".... "-np at which gave excellent views. Garrulax descent into the National . Three and four birds were noted reS,De<:::t!veIV Rufous-winged Fuivetta Alcippe The only ones seen were two the East Trail at Phakding on the 11th White-browed Fulvetta Alcippe vinipectus All birds seen were of the nominate race Av. vinipectus. On the 11th two between Monjo and Phakding. Along the East Trail at Phakding three were noted with a further two birds noted just south of the village. Three were also noted near Chhuthawa. Nepal Fulvetta Alcippe nipalensis On the 11th at least three along the East Trail at Phakding with a further four birds noted on the trek to Lukla on the same date. Whiskered Yuhina Yuhina flavicollis Three between Phakding and Chhuthawa on the 11 th. Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis Three below the Park entrance at Monjo on the 11th with a further two birds noted just south of Phakding on the same date. Rufous-vented Yuhina Yuhina OCCipitalis The only ones seen were four below the Park entrance near Monjo on the 11th. Rufous Sibia Heterophasia annectans th Four at Phakding on March 31 st with a further five between Phakding and Monjo on the same date. On the 10 four near Sanasa whilst on the 11th two noted at Phakding and five were just north of Lukla. Horned Lark Eremophila a/~estris th Three near Dughla on the 6 h with a pair at lobuche on the same date. On the 7 at least four on the trek to Base Camp from Gorak Shep with at least seven seen around the village early in the morning the following day. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus Five along the East Trail at Phakding on the 11th were the only ones seen. Mrs Gould's Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae A pair at Nurning on March 31 st with another stunning male just south of Phakding on the same date. The only other bird seen was a male along the East Trail at Phakding on the 11th. Green-tailed Sun bird Aethopyga nipalensis A pair just north of Lukla on the 11th were the only ones seen. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Relatively common around villages up to Pangboche. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea A few seen on the lower reaches of the trek up to Phunki Tenga. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsonii Small flocks noted between lukla and Phakding on March 31 st with a maximum of 11 near Chhuthawa. A few nd rd th th noted around the Everest View Hotel and Khumjung on the 2 and around Deboche on the 3 -4 and 10 • Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus A few seen on the lower reaches of the trek and around Namche Bazar including some breeding plum age birds. At least 10 noted in the Lobuche Khola valley around Pheriche on the 5th and 6th with other birds noted th th between the Thokla Pass and Gorak Shep from the 6 to 8 . Accentor Prunella collaris Two or three seen in the upper fields at Namche Bazar on the and 3rd with all birds noied from and above At Pheriche at least 12 seen on our acclimatisation on the with seven at Gorak on the the next count. Altai Accentor Prunella Two on above Pheriche on the 5th with a further two birds noted between Lobuche and Gorak on the . One on the trail to Base on the same date with the other bird a at Lobuche on the Robin Accentor Prunella rubeculoides Noted from Most numerous around Pheriche Lobuche with lesser numbers noted around Gorak Shep. The maximum count was six at Pheriche on the Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata Three in the fields above Namche Bazar on the 2nd with further birds noted on the walk to the Everest View Hotel on the same date. Two at Pangboche on the 4th with singles between here and Pheriche along the trail th on the same date. At least three around Pheriche on our acclimatisation day on the 5 . Similar numbers were noted in the same places on our descent. Plain Mountain Finch Leucosticte nemorico/a A flock of c35 in the Lobuche Khola valley on the 4th and 5th with smaller numbers seen at Lobuche and at Gorak Shep. Brandt's Mountain Finch Leucosticte brandti At Lobuche 12 were seen early morning on the ih around the village with ca at Gorak Shep on the same day. th At Gorak Shep on the a an estimated c30 were seen early morning with several seen at the Lobuche Pass and at Lobuche on the same date. Yellow-breasted Greenfinch Carduelis spinoides Pair seen near Deboche on the 4th were the only ones seen. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus A few seen around the lower reaches of the trek, most notably between Phakding and Benkar. A few seen/heard in the valley between Jorsale and the Larja Dobhan Bridge and in the forest below Namche Bazar on the 1st and 11th.

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