Birding North-East India

Thursday, March 17



BIRD of the DAY: Photo 3 - Red-faced Liocichla

Photo courtesy of Happy's Click http://happysclick.blogspot.ca/2014/04/birding-in-chopta-valley-kedarnath-musk.html

It was our last morning in Yuksom so we said goodbye to Mount Kabru and the surrounding hills.



The Red Palace was an amazing location for mountain views and close-up birding. We had several good bird sightings this morning.



Shyam and Rick and the staff posed for a last photo at the Red Palace.



This morning we would be travelling to Pelling (Sikkim's second capital). Shyam planned a stop along the way at Khechuperi Lake in the revered valley of "Demazong" meaning valley of rice. The lake is part of a Buddhist religious pilgrimage which also includes Dubdi monastery which we visited in Yuksom and Pemayangtse Monastery we would be visiting later this afternoon in Pelling. The lake is believed to fulfill wishes. It has many prayer wheels along the dock to the lake.



We birders were in search of the elusive Black-tailed Crake. The wet trail around the lake is the home of leeches, so we donned leech socks to protect ourselves. Sue had an experience with a leech bite two days ago so we wanted to avoid any more.



We hiked to the Holy Lake and then birded along the trail. Shyam led us into a field where he was hoping the crake would walk out from the underbrush. We waited quietly a long time in the hot sun. Shyam called for it and, although we heard a response, the bird was too shy to come out of the bushes.



Did we get any leeches? YES! We were taking off our leech socks back at the vans and Shyam spotted two leeches on the ground. No bites.



Next we drove to the Elgin Mount Pandim Hotel in Pelling where we would spend a few days.



We were close to the peaks of Kanchenjunga mountain which we had admired one week ago at Tiger Hill, Darjeeling. We were greeted with brandy and welcoming scarves. The Elgin hotel felt like going back in time with its British Raj decor, uniformed staff and white cloth table service in the restaurant. The best part was excellent on site birding, especially in the early morning.



After a filling lunch, we checked out the birds along a nearby road and had a quick glimpse of the Red-faced Liocichla and other bird sightings.



We walked to the impressive Buddhist Pamayangtse Monastery, built in 1647 and in continuous use since than. Very beautiful.



At the end of the day we reflected that we had a variety of enjoyable cultural and birding experiences.



Birds in the Photos Today

Scarlet Minivet
Tickell's Thrush
Little Pied Flycatcher
Gray Bushchat
Large Niltava
Long-tailed Shrike
Yellow-breasted Green Finch
Gray-headed Woodpecker
Greater Yellownape
Common Green Magpie
Mountain Bulbul
Great Barbet
Common Merganser
Rock Pigeon
Black-throated Sunbird
Crested Serpent-Eagle
Mountain Hawk-Eagle
Rufous-winged Fulvetta
White-tailed Nuthatch
Gray Shrike