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18 MAR - 1 APRIL 2001 Trip Report by Dave Farrow dave@shortwing.co.uk Norwich UK This tour was a joy, and must stand out as one of the most productive and comfortable bird-tours available in Asia. Combining the best of the Kathmandu valley's hill-forest birding, the superlative Royal Chitwan National Park with its mosaic of grasslands and lowland forest, topped off with the impressive river plain of Kosi Tappu with its numerous raptors and wildfowl, its surprising that this country doesn't host even greater numbers of visiting birders! We began our feast of avian delights on the slopes of Phulchowki, the tallest of the mountains that make up the rim of the Kathmandu valley. At the scrub-covered base of this hill we found Brown-fronted Woodpecker, Green-billed Malkohas, White-tailed Rubythroat, Black-chinned Babblers and Speckled Piculet, but our search for the vocal and very elusive Spiny Babbler only resulted in a flight view. High on the mountain we lunched by a pool with Dark-breasted Rosefinches and White-collared Blackbirds coming to drink, the surrounding forests revealed Darjeeling Woodpecker, White-tailed Nuthatches, some stunning male Orange-flanked Bush Robins, Chestnut-crowned and Streaked Laughingthrushes. Lower down we had stunning views of Spotted Forktail, plus Chestnut-headed Tesias, Pygmy Wren Babblers and White-throated Laughingthrushes. We started early for Chitwan, stopping along the mighty roadside rivers, finding Crested Kingfisher, Brown Dippers, White-capped and Plumbeous Water Redstarts, Crimson Sunbird and singing Crested Buntings, and a lifer for the leader in the form of two Spot-winged Starlings. Scanning further downstream we found two Ibisbills among the boulders, as Alpine Swifts dipped in to drink. Arriving at Royal Chitwan National Park, we birded our way to the splendid Tiger Tops Tented Camp and began plundering rich avifauna with good views of a group of Slender-billed Babblers. An after-dinner walk resulted in great views of a rufous-phase Oriental Scops Owl and an excitable Brown Hawk Owl sat calling over the restaurant. Around the camp we had the unusual sight of both Jungle and Asian Barred Owlets visible from the same point, and a very obliging Red-headed Trogon that flipped into plain view. Add to this White-eyed Buzzard, Stork- billed Kingfisher, Banded Bay Cuckoo, Brown Crake, Rufous-necked Laughingthrush, Grey- crowned Prinia, Chestnut-crowned, Spotted and Pale-footed Bush Warblers, Slaty-blue Flycatcher, and two Grey-headed Fish Eagles. Indian Rhinoceros loafed about in the tall grass, and as dusk fell Large-tailed Nightjars emerged as we returned to our camp, the trail lit by pressure lamps. On our way to the other side of this excellent National Park we picnicked by forest lakes where White-rumped Spinetails and Crested Treeswifts hawked over the trees, Oriental Darters sat on prominent snags and Lesser Whistling Ducks fed around the fringes. Near to Chitwan Jungle Lodge we found Rufous-rumped Grassbird and Ashy Prinias, Rosy Minivets, Asian Brown Flycatcher and Tickell's Thrush around the camp, and a roosting Brown Fish Owl. On a jeep drive up one of the broad river beds to the interior of the park, we found a Savannah Nightjar in
jungle stream, an impressive cliff colony of Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and a sexy little Collared Falconet perched in the treetops. Searching the grasslands we met a (fortunately docile!) Sloth Bear that emerged from the forest, and then the prize of a superb male Bengal Florican that stood tall on one of the islands in the Rapti river, completing his show with a magnificent flyby. A superb birding locale indeed, but it was time to leave and drive eastwards, to our next stop of Kosi. At a roadside stop we found three Yellow-wattled Lapwings, negotiated a puncture and a village tyre-repair operation, then arrived at Kosi Barrage in time to enjoy the massed waterfowl. From the delightful and comfortable camp at Kosi Tappu with its Ruddy-breasted Crakes in the adjacent swamp, we began our birding with a lazy drift down-river for several kilometres on a raft, finding River and Black-bellied Terns, Small Pratincoles and exquisite Pied Harriers. On land we found Western Crowned and Smoky Warblers, Siberian Rubythroat, then one of our sharp-eyed guides picked out one of our main targets, the Swamp Francolin that provided us all with superlative scope views. As we returned at dusk, a Jungle Cat stood at the roadside, before slinking away into the jungle. Further exploration of the riverine grasslands and woods produced Yellow-breasted Buntings, Streak-throated Woodpecker, Eurasian Golden Oriole and Graceful Prinia. At Kosi Barrage we found a breeding plumage Pheasant-tailed Jacana, a perched Red- necked Falcon, Black, Black-necked and Asian Openbill Storks, Yellow-vented Prinia and Cotton Pygmy Goose, and a collection of handsome summer-plumaged Pallas's Gulls. At the nearby Dharan Forest we found Abbott's Babbler, Blue-capped Rock Thrush, Golden-throated Leafbird and Blue-throated Bee-eaters, before it was time to leave the lowlands on a flight to Kathmandu. Returning to Phulchowki we had a superb day where the good birds just kept coming. In scrub near the base of the mountain we were surprised to find three Gold-naped Finches and a Chestnut Bunting, both rarities here. Mountain Hawk Eagles, Maroon Orioles, Golden-throated Barbet, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Grey-bellied and Oriental Cuckoos, Chestnut-headed Tesias, Rufous-bellied and Bay Woodpeckers, and some overflying Ashy Wood Pigeons completed the picture. As so often occurs with forest birding, the same locality the following day was quiet by comparison, yet we managed to see White-tailed Robin and a noisy Grey-bellied Tesia that circled us twice. Our last morning was spent at Nagarjung, where we saw yet more new birds, with a vocal Pale Blue Flycatcher, Eurasian Woodcock, Barred Cuckoo Dove, Wedge- tailed Green Pigeon, Scaly Thrush and Orange-bellied Leafbird, and a last minute finale by a quintet of White-crested Laughingthrushes, perching up and deafening us with their exquisite cacophony. What a perfectly timed show, our last birding before leaving this magical mountain Kingdom and going our separate ways, having enjoyed a thrilling chapter of the Himalayan spring. |
