West & East Sikkim_November 2018 Date: 3rd November 2018 to 9th November 2018 Habitat: Broad-leaf / Temperate Coniferous. Montane Forest. Conifers / Alpine. Dwarf Junipers and Dwarf Rhododendron Steppe Grassland. Riverine / Streams / Dam. Alluvial. Human Habitat. Temperature Range: -2°C ~ 25°C Places: Melli-Jorethang-Legship-Tashiding-Yuksom-KNP in West Sikkim District Rongpo-Rongli-Lingtham-Phadamchen-Zuluk-Kupup-Sherathang in East Sikkim District Bird Checklist (As per Birds of Indian Subcontinent field guide by Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp, Tim Inskipp): 1. Rufous-throated Partridge - Heard multiple times on day 6 (on 8th November) while coming back to home stay after morning birding session. Call was coming from nearby hillock from inaccessible location. 2. Himalayan Monal - Multiple sightings. First sight was on day 5 (on 7th November), a female crossing a ditch. No photographs taken. Later in the afternoon near Lungthu a flock of five females were seen. Successfully photographed. On 8th November the morning session was dedicated for Monal male. Sighted the male for more than 30 minutes; with the male five other individuals (female+juvenile) was seen. Entire flock was moving high up. 3. Bar-headed Geese - Two birds sighted at Elephant Lake (Bedang Tso) at the northern extreme of the sanctuary. 4. Ruddy Shelduck - 32 Individuals seen along with Bar-headed Geese foraging on algae lake, adjacent to Bedang Tso. 5. Little Egret - Saw around 10 of them while crossing eastern range of Mahananda on road adjacent to Teesta riverbed. 6. Indian Cormorant - On Teesta - Sevok rail gate area, some perched on rock / boulders. 7. Great Cormorant - Saw on the way to Melli on day 1 (3rd Nov) just before entering Sikkim check post. 8. Collared Falconate - First bird photographed on day 1 (3rd Nov) around 12:30 PM before entering Jorethang. 9. Common Kestrel - Multiple sightings, between Laxman Chowk and Gnathang valley (on 7th Nov) 10. Black Kite - Saw on Day 1 and Day 7 (3rd and 9th Nov) multiple times adjacent to Siliguri only. www.goingwild.in Page 1 West & East Sikkim_November 2018 11. Black-eared Kite - Near Sweti Jhora bridge saw a flock of five (or more) on 9th November 12. Black Eagle - Seen on 8th November, around 1:30 PM during lunch hours from Phadamchen home stay. 13. Himalayan Vulture - Saw at Thambi View point on 7th November; five of them soaring high and later disappeared behind south ridge of AP Salami (military check post) 14. Crested Serpent Eagle - Heard multiple times, a must see raptor :D in every forest visit. Saw near Phadamchen. 15. Hen Harrier - Saw near Tiffin dara to AP Salami on 7th November on the way to Gnathang Valley. 16. Besra - Saw one at Yuksom, in a nice forested area in the village in the morning birding session at 9:45 AM on 4th Nov. 17. Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Saw twice on 7th November and 8th November, both times in morning session. 18. Himalayan Buzzard - Saw twice, first sighting on 6th Nov near Namthang (south Sikkim) and later on 8th Nov, 3 kms below Dzuluk (East Sikkim) 19. Upland Buzzard - Multiple times sighted on 7th November; with Black-faced Laughingthrush kill in the morning. Later on 8th November in the morning session sighted just for once. 20. Common Pigeon - Saw at multiple places during the tour; mostly feral distribution. 21. Snow Pigeon - Saw a big flock of 10-15 birds just for few second on 7th Nov around Old Baba Mandir area; photographed a flock of three birds on 8th November morning session below AP Salami around 11 AM. 22. Barred Cuckoo Dove - Multiple sightings :: Near Rambi, Yuksom, Labing in west Sikkim and Phadamchen, Lingtam in east Sikkim. 23. Oriental Turtle Dove - Common in mid and low altitude in first week of November. Unfortunately no Green 'Treron' pigeons are seen in this tour. 24. Spotted Dove - Saw couple of them perched electric wires on 9th November, CSD army canteen on Sevok road. 25. Asian Barred Owlet - Multiple times heard calls, mostly during sundown times (4:30 PM-5 AM). Sighted one near Rongli Khola on 6th Nov. 26. Mountain Scops Owl - Tried to get in night, could not photograph. IC Recorded calls only. 27. Grey Nightjar - A beautiful sighting went on for more than 5 minutes, perched on parapet adjacent to road on 7th Nov. 28. Indian Roller - Seen one on 9th Nov near army CSD canteen on Sevok road. 29. Crested Kingfisher - Only kingfisher sighted at Rambi (West Sikkim) on 5th Nov. Prolong sighting, left the bird before sundown. 30. Great Barbet - Multiple times sighted in West Sikkim and east Sikkim; mostly at the edge of villages on ficus and other fruiting trees 31. Blue-throated Barbet - Sighted just once near Lingtam khola on 9th Nov. 32. Golden Barbet - Heard just for once on 8th November, near Nimachen forest block. Could not be seen in open. Responded against playback. 33. Yellow-rumped Honeyguide - Saw one at Pahakhola at the entrance of Khangchendzonga NP (at Pahakhola Bhir) on 5th Nov in the morning session 8 AM. Another prolong sighting at Gangyap www.goingwild.in Page 2 West & East Sikkim_November 2018 (near iron bridge). We noticed six active (foundation) hives and multiple inactive hives in Gangyep. 34. Bay Woodpecker - Saw in Khangchendzonga biosphere reserve on 4th November in the morning. Missed to photograph. Shrill repeated more than 30 fast notes recorded. 35. Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker - At Yuksom in the late morning around 11 AM near the check post. 36. Crimson-breasted Woodpecker - Saw in both districts of the state; in West Sikkim at Yuksom village on 4th Nov with mixed flock and in East Sikkim at Phadamchen village on 8th Nov solo. 37. Lesser Yellownape - At Legship on 3rd Nov, while going up, after crossing the cable bridge. 38. Greater Yellownape - Multiple sightings in Yuksom (on 4th Nov), Rambi-Famrong Falls (on 5th Nov) and Phadamchen-Nimachen forest block-Lingtham khola (8th and 9th Nov) a commonly seen. 39. Short-billed Minivet - '7' on wingbar is unmistakable, saw below Rongli, near Rorathang with a mixed flock of drongo and necklaced laughingthrush parties. 40. Long-billed Minivet - Saw below Phadamchen on 8th November afternoon, Moving with Black- throated Tit and Blue-winged Siva flock. 41. Brown Shrike - One seen at Rongli, near SDPO office on 9th morning. It is the only shrike seen from the tour. 42. Spangled Drongo - Seen with mixed flock of Green Magpie, necklaced Laughingthrush and White-crested Laughingthrushes. Both adults and juveniles were seen. 43. Ashy Drongo - Commonly seen at middle altitude, in both east and west district. 44. Black Drongo - Seen multiple, from Siliguri town to Sevok rail gate. 45. Maroon Oriole - Heard once in Yuksom on 5th, got three individuals at Rorathang-Rongli road in degraded forest patch with Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush. 46. Yellow-bellied Fantail - Multiple sightings mostly in mixed flocks with Fulvettas-Minla and other passerines, foraging primarily on lichens and moss. 47. White-throated Fantail - Same as Yellow-bellied, but seen less in number. Just seen thrice during 7 days tour. 48. Yellow-billed Blue Magpie - Seen at AP Salami area on sunny weather on 7th morning in pine forest. 49. Common Green Magpie - Seen on 3rd November at Legship (near SBS office), In Yuksom at multiple places at Phadamchen-Nimachen-Lingtam area. Very much active and vocal when playback used. 50. Grey Treepie - Commonly seen inside the village and at the edge of human habitat; not seen inside forested area. 51. House Crow - Siliguri-Salugara till Melli-Jorethang in the west district and till Rorathang-Rongli in the east district. 52. Large-billed Crow - At Labing on 6th Nov and 7th,8th in Phadamchen. 53. Red-billed Chough - Seen just once at Gnathng on 7th, from the upper road of the valley. 54. Green-backed Tit - Very much common through out. www.goingwild.in Page 3 West & East Sikkim_November 2018 55. Sultan Tit - Saw inside KNP on 5th Nov, morning birding session with large Shrike-babbler species; foraging on moss cloaked Oak trees. Five individuals were seen. Sighting went on for more than 15 minutes. 56. Rufous-vented Tit - Seen few in AP Salami pine forest area, in amixed flock with Goldcrest and Grey-crested Tit. 57. Grey-crested Tit - Considered to be hard to see Tit from this region. Most of the sightings happen in winter only. May be in summer they spent in adjacent higher areas or North-Sikkim or Bhutan Gaps. Bhutan hills are closer than north Sikkim ridges. 58. Yellow-browed Tit - Seen on 9th Nov below Phadamchen above Nimachen with mixed flock - Ashy-throated, Grey-hooded Warblers and Scarlet Finch on Moua 59. Black-throated Tit - Saw in flocks of more than 15-20, flying fast at canopy level at Phadamchen on 8th afternoon and 9th morning session. 60. Nepal House Martin - Saw a flock near Tashiding flying against high cliffs and over hangs. This is the only hirundinidae seen from the entire tour. 61. Striated Bulbul - Inside Khangchendzonga NP on 5th Nov, just 4-5 birds were there at canopy level. 62. Himalayan Bulbul - Huge numbers, sighted every day; but not inside park. At the park boundaries and village edges. 63. Black-crested Bulbul - Seen three at Tashiding, west Sikkim on 3rd Nov, afternoon. 64. Red-vented Bulbul - Seen up to 6,000 ft 65. Black Bulbul - Saw first flock at Yuksom, second at Gangyap and last flock at Nimachen. 66. Black-throated Prinia - Seen at Phadamchen SSB camp, beside a deforested land opening. 67. Common Tailorbird - Seen at Jorethang and Legship only; in summer commonly seen at 6,000 ft above Yuksom as well. 68. Chestnut-headed Tesia - Saw beside, kitchen garden at home stay on 4th afternoon birding; at Phadamchen on 9th morning session beside a small stream.