Birding in Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve or in Khangchendzonga National Park and Yuksom Valley can be comprehensively appreciated by undulating environment thereby exploring on foot along the tracks and animal paths that runs along the valley floors, slopes and ridges. Protected to preserve its unique Himalayan range of flora and fauna, birding at Yuksom valley should be in any enthusiastic birder's wishlist. Blossoming forests in summer in the month of April and May or covered under thin patch of snow in winter months of November to February may be considered as a testament to some of elusive species of birds.
Chestnut Thrush (Turdus rubrocanus) is a native breeder to higher altitudes of western Himalayas and that of extreme eastern parts of Himalayas; in central Himalayas, i.e. in Nepal and Sikkim it is a non-native resident. During winter months in Sikkim; these birds can be found alongside forest edges in cultivation fields between 6000 to 8000 ft.
___________
Scarlet Finch (Haematospiza sipahi) - Tiny drop of Red against greenery of West Sikkim! Another commoner from KBR and adjacent area. The species name sipahi is funny, isn't it! On 18th February '16' our visit to Intake listed some other beautiful avian fauna. The path was uneven through forest; actually there was no path! We were saved by Google maps that day. An utter belief in god assisted us to reach our home stay in time before evening.
___________
A 9.5 cm piculet! White-browed Piculet (Sasia ochracea) I have no answers why tiniest of them all are most beautiful looking. While we (Sujal, Ten Hang, Avinash and me) were returning back from National Park; on our way we saw this spectacular tiny tot; hanging in bamboo thickets. They are so tiny that they make their nests inside bamboo stems and lay their eggs inside pockets. Such a beauty!
___________
Not Blue-fronted Redstart, White-throated Redstart (Phoenicurus schisticeps) it is - Beautiful bird bunnies are everywhere; you have to have an eye to find them and praise their beauty. This is just another one from West Sikkim. Though not commoner but this fellows are winter visitors there.
___________
Chestnut-headed Tesia (Cettia castaneocoronata) A tiny bird with attitude! On 16th Feb, in the afternoon, when we were doing birding behind a khola adjacent to forest of Dubde (/Tupti) we found this skittish bird foraging on stone wall and barbed wire. At last patience paid off!
___________
Hodgson's Redstart (Phoenicurus hodgsoni) - We saw during our birding and bird photography tour to West Sikkim. East or West, Sikkim is the Best! Believe me I'm not bluffing!
___________
Sometimes you have to get dirty to photograph skulkers. I can still smell the place. Black-tailed Crake (Porzana bicolor)
___________
An warbler from West Sikkim up-close! Uniform grey crown and grayish chin confirms it as a Grey-cheeked Warbler. Grey-cheeked Warbler (Seicercus poliogenys)
___________
A Bunting, termed as a little one - Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla)
___________
An Alpine Thrush from the forests of West Sikkim (Khangchendzonga National Park), photographed during the birding trip of February with juniors! Alpine Thrush (Zoothera mollissima)
___________
Rufous-winged Fulvetta (Alcippe castaneceps) - A commoner from central and eastern Himalayas has been photographed during the birding trip in Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve. A mixed flock consisting of Green Shrike Babblers, Green-tailed Sunbirds, Yellow-cheeked Tits, Nuthatches was foraging on Ficus religiosa (most likely). Photographed one ingested the flesh of the ficus fruit and threw away the seed later.
___________
Golden-naped Finch (Pyrrhoplectes epauletta) - A tiny finch with gold in its crown. That is why Gold is considered to be one of the most valuable metal! Today I'm feeling Golden! Jokes apart, during the birding tour in West Sikkim, we (four of us Sujal, Ten Hang, Avinash and me) saw a flock of 7-8 Golden-naped Finch on our way back to home stay. Just after White-browed Piculet we saw them. White-browed Bush Robin was there too.
___________
Golden Bush Robin (Tarsiger chrysaeus) males are so brightly colored that, even perched on cluttered background, it was easy to focus on them in low light. Though they are very common throughout Himalayas, but hard to get them in open unless they give a regular visit. This fellow whereas is a regular visitor over a pile of dung; almost every morning we saw this fellow foraging in search of food items.
___________
"Charismatische Vogel" - as they say in dutch. While we moved towards Intaakee; we saw it. This yellow beauty was foraging in a mixed flock around 11 AM in the morning. They are real skulkers! Golden Babbler (Stachyridopsis chrysaea)
___________
Grey-backed Shrike - A high altitude breeder in Himalayas; who comes down to medium and lower elevation zones in winter months. It is known to devour smaller birds, this time got it with a wasp. Grey-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus)
___________
Male and female of Spot-winged Grosbeak feeding on berries; photographed from KBR West Sikkim. Spot-winged Grosbeak (Mycerobas melanozanthos)
___________
These 9 cm wren babbler is smallest of all 'Pnoepyga' wrens. On 20th February morning, we saw something moving on thickly vegetated forest floor; though the photographic outcome was not of that quality. Pygmy Wren Babbler (Pnoepyga pussila)
___________
Yellow-rumped Honeyguide (Indicator xanthonotus) - A near threatened species among the honeyguide family. This beauty we saw on 17th February, as well as on 20th February during the birding trip to West Sikkim.
___________
Happy Birding! www.goingwild.in
Dibyendu Ash: +919681417974 / dibyendu@goingwild.in / dbndsh@gmail.com
Birding with kids was a real fun for them as well. In just 7 days we listed 118 species altogether.
Date: 15th February to 21st February 2016
Coordinates: 27.373401, 88.227559 (Within 8 kms radius)
Coordinates: 27.373401, 88.227559 (Within 8 kms radius)
Habitat:
- Montane Forest.
- Temperate Coniferous.
- Broadleaf.
- Riverine.
- Alluvial.
- Alpine steppe.
- Sub Alpine Forest.
- High altitude marshes.
- Cultivation Land.
- Human Habitat.
Temperature Range: 5°C ~ 20°C
Altitude Range: 4900' to 8500' (from MSL)
Bird Checklist (As per Birds of Indian Subcontinent field guide by Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp, Tim Inskipp):
- Hill Partridge
- Satyr Tragopan
- Crested Serpent Eagle
- Mountain Hawk Eagle
- Black-tailed Crake
- Common Pigeon
- Barred Cuckoo Dove
- Oriental Turtle Dove
- Collared Owlet
- Asian Barred Owlet
- Himalayan Swiftlet
- Great Barbet
- Yellow-rumped Honeyguide
- White-browed Piculet
- Bay Woodpecker
- Lesser Yellownape
- Greater Yellownape
- Grey-headed Woodpecker
- Scarlet Minivet
- Long-tailed Shrike
- Grey-backed Shrike
- Black Drongo
- Ashy Drongo
- Yellow-bellied Fantail
- White-throated Fantail
- Common Green Magpie
- Grey Treepie
- Large-billed Crow
- House Crow
- Green-backed Tit
- Yellow-cheeked Tit
- Black-throated Tit
- Nepal House Martin
- Barn Swallow
- Striated Bulbul
- Himalayan Bulbul
- Red-vented Bulbul
- Mountain Bulbul
- Common Tailorbird
- Chestnut-headed Tesia
- Ashy-throated Warbler
- Mandellie's Leaf Warbler
- White-spectacled Warbler
- Whistler's Warbler
- Grey-hooded Warbler
- Grey-cheeked Warbler
- Chestnut-crowned Warbler
- Pygmy Wren Babbler
- Rufous-capped babbler
- Golden Babbler
- Grey-throated babbler
- Slender-billed Scimitar babbler
- White-throated Laughingthrush
- Striated Laughingthrush
- Black-faced Laughingthrush
- Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush
- Rusty-fronted Barwing
- Hoary-throated Barwing
- Red-billed Leiothrix
- Himalayan Cutia
- Red-tailed Minla
- Blue-winged Siva
- Bar-throated Minla
- White-browed Shrike Babbler
- Green Shrike Babbler
- Black-eared Shrike Babbler
- Rufous-winged Fulvetta
- Rufous Sibia
- White-naped Yuhina
- Whiskered Yuhina
- Strip-throated Yuhina
- Black-throated Parrotbill
- White-tailed Nuthatch
- Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch
- Hodgson's Treecreeper
- Rusty-flanked Treecreeper
- Common Myna
- Blue-whistling Thrush
- Alpine Thrush
- Long-billed Thrush
- White-collared Blackbird
- Grey-winged Blackbird
- Chestnut Thrush
- White-browed Shortwing
- Rufous-breasted Bush Robin
- Himalayan Bluetail
- Golden Bush Robin
- Oriental Magpie Robin
- Plumbeous Water Redstart
- White-capped Redstart
- Hodgson's Redstart
- White-throated Redstart
- Blue-fronted Redstart
- Little Forktail
- Slaty-backed Forktail
- Spotted Forktail
- Common Stonechat
- Grey Bushchat
- Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush
- Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher
- Large Niltava
- Small Niltava
- Orange-bellied Leafbird
- Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
- Green-tailed Sunbird
- Fire-tailed Sunbird
- Eurasian Treesparrow
- Russet Sparrow
- Rufous-breasted Accentor
- Grey Wagtail
- Olive-backed Pipit
- Tibetan Serin
- Yellow-breasted Greenfinch
- Dark-breasted Rosefinch
- Scarlet Finch
- Spot-winged Grosbeak
- Golden-naped Finch
- Little Bunting
Mammal checklist (as per the Indian Mammals | A Field Guide by Vivek Menon):
- Indian Muntjac
- Hoary-bellied Squirrel
- Himalayan Striped Squirrel
Participants:
- Dibyendu Ash (L)
- Ten Hang Limboo
- Sujal Limboo
- Avinash Limboo
Chestnut Thrush (Turdus rubrocanus) is a native breeder to higher altitudes of western Himalayas and that of extreme eastern parts of Himalayas; in central Himalayas, i.e. in Nepal and Sikkim it is a non-native resident. During winter months in Sikkim; these birds can be found alongside forest edges in cultivation fields between 6000 to 8000 ft.
___________
Scarlet Finch (Haematospiza sipahi) - Tiny drop of Red against greenery of West Sikkim! Another commoner from KBR and adjacent area. The species name sipahi is funny, isn't it! On 18th February '16' our visit to Intake listed some other beautiful avian fauna. The path was uneven through forest; actually there was no path! We were saved by Google maps that day. An utter belief in god assisted us to reach our home stay in time before evening.
___________
A 9.5 cm piculet! White-browed Piculet (Sasia ochracea) I have no answers why tiniest of them all are most beautiful looking. While we (Sujal, Ten Hang, Avinash and me) were returning back from National Park; on our way we saw this spectacular tiny tot; hanging in bamboo thickets. They are so tiny that they make their nests inside bamboo stems and lay their eggs inside pockets. Such a beauty!
___________
Not Blue-fronted Redstart, White-throated Redstart (Phoenicurus schisticeps) it is - Beautiful bird bunnies are everywhere; you have to have an eye to find them and praise their beauty. This is just another one from West Sikkim. Though not commoner but this fellows are winter visitors there.
___________
Chestnut-headed Tesia (Cettia castaneocoronata) A tiny bird with attitude! On 16th Feb, in the afternoon, when we were doing birding behind a khola adjacent to forest of Dubde (/Tupti) we found this skittish bird foraging on stone wall and barbed wire. At last patience paid off!
___________
Hodgson's Redstart (Phoenicurus hodgsoni) - We saw during our birding and bird photography tour to West Sikkim. East or West, Sikkim is the Best! Believe me I'm not bluffing!
___________
Sometimes you have to get dirty to photograph skulkers. I can still smell the place. Black-tailed Crake (Porzana bicolor)
___________
An warbler from West Sikkim up-close! Uniform grey crown and grayish chin confirms it as a Grey-cheeked Warbler. Grey-cheeked Warbler (Seicercus poliogenys)
___________
A Bunting, termed as a little one - Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla)
___________
An Alpine Thrush from the forests of West Sikkim (Khangchendzonga National Park), photographed during the birding trip of February with juniors! Alpine Thrush (Zoothera mollissima)
___________
Rufous-winged Fulvetta (Alcippe castaneceps) - A commoner from central and eastern Himalayas has been photographed during the birding trip in Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve. A mixed flock consisting of Green Shrike Babblers, Green-tailed Sunbirds, Yellow-cheeked Tits, Nuthatches was foraging on Ficus religiosa (most likely). Photographed one ingested the flesh of the ficus fruit and threw away the seed later.
___________
Golden-naped Finch (Pyrrhoplectes epauletta) - A tiny finch with gold in its crown. That is why Gold is considered to be one of the most valuable metal! Today I'm feeling Golden! Jokes apart, during the birding tour in West Sikkim, we (four of us Sujal, Ten Hang, Avinash and me) saw a flock of 7-8 Golden-naped Finch on our way back to home stay. Just after White-browed Piculet we saw them. White-browed Bush Robin was there too.
___________
Golden Bush Robin (Tarsiger chrysaeus) males are so brightly colored that, even perched on cluttered background, it was easy to focus on them in low light. Though they are very common throughout Himalayas, but hard to get them in open unless they give a regular visit. This fellow whereas is a regular visitor over a pile of dung; almost every morning we saw this fellow foraging in search of food items.
___________
"Charismatische Vogel" - as they say in dutch. While we moved towards Intaakee; we saw it. This yellow beauty was foraging in a mixed flock around 11 AM in the morning. They are real skulkers! Golden Babbler (Stachyridopsis chrysaea)
___________
Grey-backed Shrike - A high altitude breeder in Himalayas; who comes down to medium and lower elevation zones in winter months. It is known to devour smaller birds, this time got it with a wasp. Grey-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus)
___________
Male and female of Spot-winged Grosbeak feeding on berries; photographed from KBR West Sikkim. Spot-winged Grosbeak (Mycerobas melanozanthos)
___________
These 9 cm wren babbler is smallest of all 'Pnoepyga' wrens. On 20th February morning, we saw something moving on thickly vegetated forest floor; though the photographic outcome was not of that quality. Pygmy Wren Babbler (Pnoepyga pussila)
___________
Yellow-rumped Honeyguide (Indicator xanthonotus) - A near threatened species among the honeyguide family. This beauty we saw on 17th February, as well as on 20th February during the birding trip to West Sikkim.
___________
Happy Birding! www.goingwild.in
Dibyendu Ash: +919681417974 / dibyendu@goingwild.in / dbndsh@gmail.com
