Burma (Myanmar) January 18-31, 2014 with Chris Leahy If it were possible to design a perfect biological hot spot, one could hardly do better than create a place like Burma (aka Myanmar). Situated on the Tropic of Cancer, bounded by mountain ranges whose highest peak approaches 20,000 feet, combining the floras and faunas of the Indian lowlands, the Himalayas and Indochina as well as its own isolated pockets of endemism, blessed with great rivers and a 1,200 mile long, largely undeveloped coastline, the Texas-sized country contains every Asian habitat except desert. Given these fortunate ecological circumstances, it should not be surprising that Burma contains the greatest diversity of birdlife in Southeast Asia with more than 970 species recorded to date, including four species that occur nowhere else and many more rare, local and spectacular Asian specialties. In addition to these natural treasures, Burma boasts a rich cultural heritage, which, due to both geographical and political isolation, has survived to the modern era in the form of spectacular works of art and architecture and deeply rooted Buddhist philosophy. Unfortunately – as if to counterbalance its immense natural and cultural wealth – Burma has a history marked by tribal and international conflict culminating in one of the world’s most corrupt and repressive governments, which has destroyed the Burmese economy and greatly restricted travel to the country since the 1960’s. Even as travel restrictions were loosened in recent decades, we have hesitated to offer natural history explorations of this biological treasure house, because most of the income generated by foreign visitors flowed into the coffers of the military regime. In recent years however the regime appears to be seeking a rapprochement with the developed world and has taken steps such as holding legitimate elections, releasing the Nobel laureate and Burmese patriot Aung San Suu Kyi, one of the world’s most famous political prisoners, and seeking contact with western diplomats. President Obama visited the country in November of 2012. Most leaders of the Burmese democracy movement, including Suu Kyi now endorse travel to their country, with the conviction that increased contact with the outside world will help show the world’s concern for the Burmese people, encourage further democratic reforms and speed economic development. Accordingly, Mass Audubon is pleased to offer its first natural history tour of Burma, following our usual ideals of combining excellent birding, general natural history, and opportunities to become acquainted with a country’s people and their culture. Travel with the Massachusetts Audubon Society 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 800-289-9504 DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY ______________________ Day 1, January 18th: Arrival in Yangon. Our two week tour of the lost-in-time land of Burma begins in the country’s capital, Yangon (Rangoon). After checking into our hotel, we will get our first taste of the Burmese cuisine at a nearby restaurant; the seemingly infinite variety of dishes are both distinct from and also reminiscent of the tastes of the surrounding countries, India, China and Thailand. If time and inclination permit, we can take a short walking tour of this colorful, friendly and safe capital. At sunset, we will pay a visit to the Shwedagon Paya, arguably the most spectacular Buddhist monument in the world, and as much a bustling social center as a religious shrine. At sunset millions of bats (probably Blyth’s Horseshoe Bat), emerge from the temple and fly off into the night sky to feed. This combination of cultural and natural spectacles will set the tone for the experiences of our next two weeks. Overnight: Season's Hotel, which is very close to the airport is a very comfortable, fairly large hotel. Rooms are very comfortable and clean with hot water, air-conditioning, television, good food and service. English-speaking staff. International flights from several US airports, including JFK are offered by Qatar Airlines and Cathay Pacific (~$1500 from JFK as of April 2013). Yangon, is the primary international airport of Burma and the second largest airport in the country. Airport code is RGN Day 2, January 19th: Yangon to Bagan (Pagan). This morning we will fly to Bagan, the ancient city of temples in Burma’s central plains where we will stay for the next three nights. Depending on our time of arrival, we may have an introduction from our local guide about this world famous (and awe inspiring) complex or do some birding in the open, acacia and euphorbia studded savanna around the multitude of magnificent temples. The dry countryside of the Central Burmese Plains has long been isolated by the surrounding mountain ranges, which explains the presence of four endemic bird species: Burmese Bush Lark, White-throated Babbler, the striking Hooded Treepie and Jerdon’s Minivet. In addition to these rarities, we will also be on the lookout for more widespread species such as colorful Indian Rollers and Green Bee-eaters, Burmese Shrike, and Laggar Falcon, which often perches atop the spectacular pagodas. As always, when we visit the Burmese lowlands, we’ll rest during the midday heat, and later in the afternoon head to the nearby Irrawaddy River for a boat trip in search of the area’s special waterbirds and wetland songbirds. The charming Small Pratincole roosts in numbers on the river’s sandbanks and there is always a fine variety of shorebirds and waterfowl. We’ll be especially alert for the specialized Sand Lark and the rare White-tailed Stonechat in stands of tall grass and with luck we might get to watch an exquisite Pied Harrier winging gracefully over the reedbeds. Overnight: Bagan Princess Hotel is situated in Bagan village and is close to the best birding areas. The hotel is extremely comfortable with spacious and rather luxurious rooms that offer air-conditioning, television & small bar fridge. Hotel also has a swimming pool. Many small and very good restaurants nearby that offer excellent local cuisine. Travel with the Massachusetts Audubon Society 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 800-289-9504 Day 3 and 4, January 20th and 21st: Bagan. We have scheduled two full days (three nights) for the Bagan area, both to thoroughly sample its diverse avifauna with its (sometimes elusive) endemics and to do justice to the sacred plain with its more than 2,200 temples and pagodas dating from 700-1100 years ago. This will give us the time and flexibility for birding, further professional interpretation of the site, and the opportunity to wander and photograph on our own. In addition to chasing down the endemics, we will bird the scrubby thickets for migrant and resident warblers, chats and quails; the many small wet pans in the area attract storks, herons, ducks, and shorebirds; and we’ll keep one eye on the sky for raptors such as White-eyed Buzzard and Crested Honey Buzzard. In the early evening we will position ourselves in an area where we have an excellent chance of seeing Indian Nightjar. Overnight: Bagan Princess Hotel Day 5, January 22nd: Bagan to Mt. Victoria. Early this morning, we will cross the Irrawaddy River at Chauk in our 4WD vehicles for a full day journey to the remote and seldom-visited Mount Victoria in the Chin Hills. Our route passes through the Nagabwet Forest Reserve and includes areas of dry savanna where we will have a chance to catch up with any Bagan species we may have missed, especially the scarce Hooded Treepie, perhaps the scarcest of Myanmar’s endemics. The route also takes us through dry dipterocarp forest, and mixed mid and low altitude deciduous and bamboo forest that support a host of seldom-seen species. One of the day’s special target birds is the scarce and habitat-specific White-rumped Falcon, but we will also watch for the uncommon Rufous-bellied Eagle, several impressive woodpecker species, as many as five species of parakeets (including the rare Grey-headed and the stunning Blossom-headed) and an unpredictable assortment of pigeons, barbets, laughing thrushes, minivets, drongos, and Old World orioles, among other possibilities. We hope to reach our destination above the small village of Kanpetlet, by early evening. The comfortable villa, which will be our home for the next four days, is situated at about 4,200feet to the south-east of Mt. Victoria and is the perfect base from which to explore the mountain. Overnight: Pinewood Villa. The guest house is rather basic but quite comfortable. The rooms are small and basically equipped but neat, clean and comfortable. There is running water as well as hot water for showering. The food here is excellent: Real traditional Burmese food that is delicious. The staff is helpful and friendly. There are very few places to stay on the remote Mt. Victoria and Pinewood Villa is the best available lodge in the area. The mountain is still very well forested and rather remote with few people living on and around it. However, the trapping and eating of the larger birds is an issue in this remote area. Therefore be very fortunate to see either of Mrs. Hume's Pheasant or Blyth's Tragopan. Days 6 to 9, January 23rd to 26th: Mt. Victoria area. The 180 square mile Nat-ma-taung (Mt. Victoria) National Park, is one of Asia’s richest birding destinations and contains a great diversity of habitats, including montane bamboo stands, broad-leaf evergreen forest, temperate pine forest, and mixed oak and rhododendron forest near the mountain’s 10,2000 foot summit as well as successional grasslands and shrub lands and cultivated areas. One of the joys of birding montane forest in this part of the world is encountering mixed foraging flocks that often contain an astonishing variety of species and numerous individuals.