As the time passes by so as water flows through Teesta river; but the birds of the Himalayas are always there in the beautiful state of Sikkim. The beauty of birding in Sikkim is beyond the description of any poetic narration. As soon as your step into the state via Rongli, you will start noticing activities and movements of bird and other fauna life in hamlets. This year in the month of April as well I had a tour to Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary. A birding team from Mumbai joined me during this tour.
As they came from south-western part of India, they had to avail flight in order to save time. Pick up was arranged from Bagdogra Airport on 2nd April 2016. They had a scheduled arrival of flight around 1:40 PM. After picking them from Bagdogra, we moved towards Rongpo and there after headed towards Mankhim. Mankhim is a village adjacent to lower parts of Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary. Since the distance was long (around 140 kms-5 hrs of driving), thus on day 1 after picking them up we hardly had any time left for birding. The itinerary and birding we did is as follows.
Itinerary of April 2016:
Timing and itinerary schedule along with seasonal bird activity changes from month to month. This itinerary was not followed in late April.
As they came from south-western part of India, they had to avail flight in order to save time. Pick up was arranged from Bagdogra Airport on 2nd April 2016. They had a scheduled arrival of flight around 1:40 PM. After picking them from Bagdogra, we moved towards Rongpo and there after headed towards Mankhim. Mankhim is a village adjacent to lower parts of Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary. Since the distance was long (around 140 kms-5 hrs of driving), thus on day 1 after picking them up we hardly had any time left for birding. The itinerary and birding we did is as follows.
Itinerary of April 2016:
- 2nd April 2016 - Came from Bagdogra Airport to Mankhim (via Salugara-Sevok-Teesta-Melli-Rongpo-Rhenok). Reached at home stay at Mankhim around 5 PM in the afternoon. Very little time was left in our hand thus we considered it as a rest day. After having high tea, we took our dinner within a 30 minutes gap.
- 3rd April 2016 - We started very early, around 5 AM we were hearing calls of birds around home stay. We did morning birding between 5:30-9 AM in and around Mankhim-Aritar area. After having breakfast, we did very little birding till 10-10:30 AM. Took a rest of one hour and started birding again after lunch from 2:30 PM onwards. Post afternoon birding we came back and had high tea. Took our dinner around 8:30 PM.
- 4th April 2016 - Today we had to leave Mankhim. Though we did little bit of birding in and around home stay. Post breakfast we check out from Aritar and as scheduled we started moving towards Zuluk. On the way we had our lunch. The route was Mankhim-Rhenok-Rongli-Sisney-Lingtam-Nimachen-Phadamchen-Zuluk. We did our birding on the way and arrived at Zuluk late afternoon. Had some high tea around 5:30 PM. We took our dinner a little early at 7 PM.
- 5th April 2016 - In the morning we started around 5:30 AM nad did birding on Dhupidara-Lungthu-Laxman Chowk area with packed breakfast. We had our lunch outside. Post afternoon birding when we returned back to our home stay we took our dinner as day before at 7 PM.
- 6th April 2016 - We covered lower altitudes (Padamchen-Nimachen-Lingtam-Sisney) in the early morning and higher altitude during afternoon birding session. Post birding we took a tea break adjacent Lungthu.
- 7th April 2016 - Today we repeated same as 5th April.
- 8th April 2016 - Today we had to leave Zuluk. After doing morning birding session in and around Tambi-Lungthu from 5-8:30 AM; we had our breakfast at home stay. After freshing up, we left around 10 AM. Did our birding on the way Phadamchen-Nimachen-Rongli-Rongpo. We took our lunch at Rongpo around 2 PM. Post lunch we headed towards Siliguri. We reached Siliguri around 5-5:15 PM that day. Since both the participants were from Puna, they had to stay one night at Siliguri to catch next day flight. Flights from leave 4:30 PM at last. Thus they had to schedule flight accordingly.
Timing and itinerary schedule along with seasonal bird activity changes from month to month. This itinerary was not followed in late April.
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| We saw a flock of 15 plus Myzornis in the early morning. Later they moved uphill as the day progressed. Such daily migration takes places in higher altitudes. In the afternoon, the same flock would move downhill and rest there for the night. Fire-tailed Myzornis (Myzornis pyrrhoura) |06.04.2016| Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, East Sikkim |
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| Other than Blood Pheasant and Shiyafale, we had Long-tailed Broadbill too from Pangolakha WLS. Long-tailed Broadbill (Sarisomus dalhousiae) |03.04.2016| Pangolakha WLS, East Sikkim |
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| Twilight Saga of Bullfinches. Male to the left and female to the right. This foraging couple were moving uphill around mid day. Followed by some Niltavas and Golden Babblers we saw them in the hills of Chuzachen RF. Red-headed Bullfinch (Pyrrhula erythrocephala) |05.04.2016| Chuzachen RF, East Sikkim |
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| Chestnut Thrush are infrequently seen in Himayalas. Previously got it from Khangchendzonga NP in February, this time got it from Pangolakha in the month of April. Photographed one is foraging on pile of compost. Farmers use organic composts as fertilizer - 'Green Sikkim'. But the worst factor being a photographer was, that compost had slugs and maggots; where this individual found protein source. Chestnut Thrush (Turdus rubrocanus) |05.04.2016| Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, East Sikkim |
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| Gorgeousness is everywhere for a Himalayan Monal. Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) |06.04.2016| Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, East Sikkim |
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| I didn't expect to see Short-eared Owl in 12,500 ft. Since, most of the records that frequently come for this species are from drier states of west. My first ever encounter of Short-eared Owl from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary. Though it is very much wide spread through out the globe. But, certainly it brings a question of its sighting from 12,500 ft. I don't see others photographs of this species from Sikkim. Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) |06.04.2016| Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, East Sikkim |
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| There are no state of poverty in the womb of Pangolakha! The place is really surprising! Alongside Long-tailed Broadbill we saw Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush too. They were huge in numbers foraging alongside Common Green Magpies. Lesser Necklaced laughingthrush (Garrulax monileger) |03.04.2016| Lower Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, East Sikkim |
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| When we were looking after Himalayan Brown Goral; we heard the call of a foraging flock of 4-5. Most likely courtship were going on then. The outcome were only record shots. Here is 2nd most majestic beautiful bird. Blood Pheasant Male (♂) (Ithaginis cruentus) |06.04.2016| Upper Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, East Sikkim |
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| "The blues was bleeding the same blood as me." - B.B.King Blood Pheasant Female (♀) (Ithaginis cruentus) |06.04.2016| Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, East Sikkim |
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| Shimmering beauty from lower Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary (East Sikkim), during the birding trip in April '16. Rusty-fronted Barwing (Actinodura egertoni) |03.04.2016| Near Mankhim, lower PWLS, East Sikkim
Bird-list can be seen at "click here" [Bird Photography Tour in East Sikkim at Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary]
Participants:
Sangeeta Dhanuka + 1
Other Helpful Information:
Have a look at the photographs taken by birding participants:
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