Tuesday, May 26, 2020
WALONG -SPECIES SPECIFIC BIRDING
WALONG:
GROUP OF 6 OF US:
1-Subbu
2- Vasantrajan
3-Raj
4-Ms Roda Dalal
5-Dr Kiran Marthak
6-Myself
Guide -Nikhil Bhopale
driver : Mr Bittu : Mobile number:8638601583
9435034741
Dates: 20th April to 27 April 2019
Our journey started by all of choosing the same flight to Mumbai-Guhati-dibrugarh
At Dibrugarh, Mr Bittu came with 2 vehicles loaded up and started our journey to Chowkham.
We stopped at the market to pick up a pair of shoes for Mr Vasant.
A quick roadside hotel for food and off to Chowkham.
We had the most awful vehicle which was rocking away and thus reached golden pagoda resort. Quick last good shower and dinner we took a walk in the spacious gardens.
lucky sighting of the Brown Hawk Owl, and as we walked another treat was awaiting us- Red giant flying squirrel. It took flight from one tree to another showing of its wings. All of us were so awestruck and forgot to roll our cameras. There were lots of glow worms which all of admired and thought to ourselves what a wonderful beginning .
21st April:
GROUP OF 6 OF US:
1-Subbu
2- Vasantrajan
3-Raj
4-Ms Roda Dalal
5-Dr Kiran Marthak
6-Myself
Guide -Nikhil Bhopale
driver : Mr Bittu : Mobile number:8638601583
9435034741
Dates: 20th April to 27 April 2019
Our journey started by all of choosing the same flight to Mumbai-Guhati-dibrugarh
At Dibrugarh, Mr Bittu came with 2 vehicles loaded up and started our journey to Chowkham.
We stopped at the market to pick up a pair of shoes for Mr Vasant.
A quick roadside hotel for food and off to Chowkham.
We had the most awful vehicle which was rocking away and thus reached golden pagoda resort. Quick last good shower and dinner we took a walk in the spacious gardens.
lucky sighting of the Brown Hawk Owl, and as we walked another treat was awaiting us- Red giant flying squirrel. It took flight from one tree to another showing of its wings. All of us were so awestruck and forgot to roll our cameras. There were lots of glow worms which all of admired and thought to ourselves what a wonderful beginning .
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| red giant flying squirrel |
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| brown hawk owl |
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| glow worms |
21st April:
Travelling en route Lohit River was giving beautiful landscape and occasional birding .
In the evening went to stay at Khupa,via udayak pass.
In the evening went to stay at Khupa,via udayak pass.
The highlight was seeing a formation of a river
This spot is totally avoidable.The stay is not worth mentioning at all. I would have preferred to drive to along without this stop gap arrangement. The food was home cooked and good was the only best part of Khupa.
This spot is totally avoidable.The stay is not worth mentioning at all. I would have preferred to drive to along without this stop gap arrangement. The food was home cooked and good was the only best part of Khupa.
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| formation of a River |
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| pintail pigeons |
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| Khupa homestay |
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| aberrant warbler |
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| white capped red start |
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| hoary bellied squirrel |
| 22nd April: Travel to Walong .Roads were bad but birding on the way was fairly good. |
There were lots of variety of butterflies en route. But our 2 nd car continued to give us problems.
23 april:
Morning we tried to go to Helmet Top.It was cold ,windy and rainy. No much birding except Eurasian cuckoo singing in the rain.We could not reach the top due to security reasons.
We went to Tillam Tops in the evening.Very nice place.Eye level birding. Yunnan nuthatch was found investigating the tree hole.Was it in search of a nesting place?
24 April:
drove down to to Kibitoo ,in search of Godlewski Buntings, and Lesser Rufus headed parrotbills.We just got a glimpse only of both. But good views of Derbyan Parakeet. Breakfast at the Riverside (lohit) was calming and wonderful. We were at the northern- eastern most road in the India.Pictures taken and walk on the rope bridge.we all went back in search of 2 main species again.
There were so many raspberries growing wild on the road. I kept picking them and eating. Loved the delicious fruit.
We saw black browed bush tit there. A Francolin call was disturbing for all of us.Even Nikhil could not identify this call.
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| map butterfly |
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| Paris Peacock |
 Tawny mime |
| six and four barred sword tail |
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| grey wagtail |
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| biscuits and cock |
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| cooking maggie |
23 april:
Morning we tried to go to Helmet Top.It was cold ,windy and rainy. No much birding except Eurasian cuckoo singing in the rain.We could not reach the top due to security reasons.
We went to Tillam Tops in the evening.Very nice place.Eye level birding. Yunnan nuthatch was found investigating the tree hole.Was it in search of a nesting place?
 |
| black headed green finch |
 |
| Eurasian cuckoo calling |
 |
| Yunan nuthatch in search of nest |
24 April:
drove down to to Kibitoo ,in search of Godlewski Buntings, and Lesser Rufus headed parrotbills.We just got a glimpse only of both. But good views of Derbyan Parakeet. Breakfast at the Riverside (lohit) was calming and wonderful. We were at the northern- eastern most road in the India.Pictures taken and walk on the rope bridge.we all went back in search of 2 main species again.There were so many raspberries growing wild on the road. I kept picking them and eating. Loved the delicious fruit.
We saw black browed bush tit there. A Francolin call was disturbing for all of us.Even Nikhil could not identify this call.
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| Groove necked keelback |
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| Godlewski Bunting |
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| Debyan Parakeet |
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| Lohit River bed Picnic |
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| On the rope way bridge |
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| long horned beetle |
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| Eastern most road in India |
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| Brown cheeked Bunting |
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| Sweet wild Raspberries |
 |
| Indo-China war Memorial 25 April-day 6-travel day
Lots of ups and down -We had bad cars which made our day quite bad. We had 2 tyre punctures and then at one point the tyre just rolled away.All went searching for screws to fix back the tyre.While the tyre was being fixed ,i went birding and saw a whole family of white crested laughing thrushes .There was a pool full of tadpoles and orchids,butterflies,and dragonflies too and a Group of Mesias, Finally we reached Golden Pakoda resort once more.Night trail was not good 26 April:Day 7: Kamlang wild life sanctuary-Chowkham Morning lovely Trail:. A pair of chestnut winged Cuckoos,greater and lesser necklaced laughing thrushes,slender billed Oriole,lesser Coucal,.streak throated weaver birds.Some saw broad bill ,which i missed. Good views of Yellow breasted piraña,Blue bearded bee Eater was very difficult to see . It was very well camouflaged.Stork billed kingfisher,emerald dove and grey headed pigeon were some birds seen .
while repairing our puncture we saw rosy Minivet. I also learnt that red vented bulbul in North east area is called BROWN Cheeked bulbul.-it is different subspecies. Evening we heard the loud cries of Gibbon monkeys.   |
27 April : day 8
Morning was lovely with no cameras , we still all enjoyed the Crested Goshawk male and hoary squirrels feeding away ,with once again views of chestnut winged cuckoos(a pair).We quickly retreated back in time for breakfast and packed our bags to catch the return flight to Mumbai.
Labels: WALONG-SPECIES SPECIFIC BIRDING
