By Sanjeev Acharya
Naturalist and Guide Asian Adventures
The North India Birding Tour with Dr. Shree Nivas Murti around Pangot and the Sattal area was very successfully completed on February 25, 2017. These areas are very good habitats for Himalayan birds. Here is the short report of day-by-day birding around the Pangot, SattalChafi, and Nukichiyataal areas.
Day 1: Around the Pangot region
Day 2: Pangot-Ghughukhan-Kunjakharak
Day 3: Pangot-Cheer point-Baggar
Day 4: Pangot- Shikri- Virtual- Chafi
Day 5: Around Sattal
Day 6: Sattal-NaukuchiyaaTaal- Chafii
Day 1 (Feb 20): The first day of this trip started from Pangot after late lunch. Short hiking up to woodpecker point and a little further we got three different species of woodpeckers: Rufous-bellied, Brown-fronted, and Himalayan, a variety of Tits, warblers, and thrushes.
Day 2 (Feb 21): The Second day of birding had started earlier unfortunately, the weather conditions were very bad. It was a rainy and foggy day. Despite bad weather conditions, we got some important and interesting birds like the Koklass Pheasant, Kalij Pheasant, Hill-partridge, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Upland Pipit, Common Wood Pigeon, and many more varieties of other birds.
Day 3 (Feb 22): The third day of birding went up to Kunjakharak. The day was sunny and a little windy but pretty much perfect for birding for the cheer pheasant. The habitat is totally affected by the forest fire and only a few grass patches still remain so we scanned the area but could not get any signs or calls of the pheasant to mark its presence. After lunch, we went further down to Baggar is excellent birding in the afternoon. We got three varieties of Accentors Black-throated, Altai, and Rufous-breasted, some raptors, and other Himalayan birds.
Day 4 (Feb 23): On Day four we began, following the same routine to search for more birds and the priority was the gorgeous Cheer Pheasant but luck did not strike. During our break for breakfast, we sighted a beautiful Adult Bearded Vulture, it soared around us for a while and moved further and vanished but made us pretty excited. After finishing breakfast, we headed back to the lodge, stopping at Shikri spent some time birding around there, and returned to the hotel. After lunch, we went to Chamfi for birding. Birds of the day were the Bearded Vulture, Plain Mountain Finch, Brown Dipper, Asian Barred Owlet, Rock Bunting, and White-tailed Rubythroat.
Day 5 (Feb 24): The Fifth day of the birding trip started early morning, carrying a packed breakfast from the resort. We spent the entire day around the Sattal area and got so many beautiful and colorful birds of the region such as – the Common Green Magpie, Red-billed Leiothrix, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush, Blue-winged Siva, White-bellied Erpornis and different varieties of Woodpeckers, Flycatchers, Warblers, etc.
Day 6 (Feb 25): Last day of the birding trip started earlier with some targeted species around the Sattal area. Morning birding was very successful. From Seattle, we drove to Naukuchiyataal. Great habitat in this region. When we were walking through the trail suddenly my eyes stopped on some brown object on the edge of the lake but inside the foliage and quickly my hands moved up my bin to set in my eyes. It was an adult Eurasian Woodcock, we were thrilled to sight it. Finally, we proceeded to Champi. Our last day was very fruitful we got very special birds like Woodcock, Brown Fish Owl, Asian Barred Owlet, Mountain Bulbul, Maroon Oriole, and much more.
- Goral
- Barking Deer
- Yellow-throated Marten
- Rhesus Macaque
- Himalayan Langur
The trip had been very successful, now as the weather changes, there are many birds calling such as the Collared Owlets and Mountain Scops Owls. The Forest is filling up with a variety of birds. A few species arrived from the wintering grounds as they moved further north such as the Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, Common Stonechat, Hume’s Leaf Warbler are arrived and the Golden Bush Robin, Aberrant Bush Warbler, Dark-breasted Rosefinch
List of Birds Spotted at Jungle Lore Birding Lodge Pangot between
Season Winters -December 20th, 2016 to February 28th, 2017
- Hill Partridge (H)
- Kalij Pheasant
- Black-eared Kite
- Himalayan Vulture
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk
- Black Eagle
- Steppe Eagle
- Mountain Hawk-Eagle
- Common Kestrel
- Common Pigeon
- Oriental Turtle Dove
- Slaty-headed Parakeet
- Red-breasted Parakeet
- Mountain Scops Owl (H)
- Collared Owlet (H)
- Himalayan Swiftlet
- Alpine Swift
- Little Swift
- Great Barbet
- Brown-fronted Woodpecker
- Himalayan Woodpecker
- Long-tailed Minivet
- Grey-backed Shrike
- Bronzed Drongo
- White-throated Fantail
- Eurasian Jay
- Black-headed Jay
- Red-billed Blue Magpie
- Large-billed Crow
- Coal Tit
- Green-backed Tit
- Black-throated Tit
- Black-lored Tit
- Yellow-browed Tit
- Himalayan Bulbul
- Black Bulbul
- Barn Swallow
- Red-rumped Swallow
- Aberrant Bush Warbler
- Spotted Bush Warbler
- Black-faced Warbler
- Buff-barred Warbler
- Ashy-throated Warbler
- Lemon-rumped Warbler
- Grey-hooded Warbler
- Whistler’s Warbler
- Striated Prinia
- Grey-breasted Prinia
- Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler
- Black-chinned Babbler
- White-throated Laughingthrush
- Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush
- Streaked Laughingthrush
- Striated Laughingthrush
- Rufous Sibia
- Whiskered Yuhina
- Oriental White-eye
- White-tailed Nuthatch
- Bar-tailed Treecreeper
- Blue Whistling Thrush
- Chestnut Thrush
- Grey-winged Blackbird
- Black-throated Thrush
- Himalayan Bluetail
- Golden Bush Robin
- Blue-capped Redstart
- Blue-fronted Redstart
- Grey Bushchat
- Slaty Blue Flycatcher
- Rufous-georgette Flycatcher
- Green-tailed Sunbird
- House Sparrow
- Russet Sparrow
- Olive-backed Pipit
- Yellow-breasted Greenfinch
- Common Rosefinch
- Spot-winged Grosbeak