BIRD of the DAY: Greater Yellownape
More stunning views of Mount Kabru and more good birding early this morning.
As we did not have permission to enter Khangchendzonga National Park today, we birded 5 km down into a river valley along the road to Pelling. We enjoyed being in the countryside and it was a bonanza of birds.
A family was sorting ginger root. Sharon identified the greens in their garden as mustard.
After a busy morning we went back to the Red Palace for lunch. Shyam got his phone out to call "the Home Minister" to check on his family. After lunch we had a short break until the group discovered woodpeckers in our backyard. We were lucky that the Gray-headed and the Greater Yellownape woodpeckers decided to visit us this afternoon. It was a real birding highlight.
We drove back to Yuksom and went on the same trail as the day before only as far as the bridge. After a diligent seach along the stream bed, we finally saw the Slaty-backed Forktail. Getting a photo was tough, but Shyam took Bill's camera and got some shots. Barbara and Sue hung back and were rewarded with a Grey-headed Warbler.
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Birds in the Photos Today
Greater Yellownape
Large Niltava
Black Redtstart
Green-backed Tit
Verditer Flycatcher
Long-tailed Shrike
Red-vented Bulbul
Rufous-bellied Niltava
Himalayan Bulbul
Oriental Honey-Buzzard
Speckled Piculet
Small Niltava
Himalayan Buzzard
Gray Bushchat
Short-billed Minivet
Plain Flowerpecker
White-bellied Erpornis
Spangled Drongo
Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch
Streaked Laughingthrush
Gray-headed Woodpecker
Oriental Turtle Dove
White-capped Redstart
Slaty-backed Forktail
Gray-headed Warbler