Participants:
• Benoît Forget
forgetbenoit@yahoo;fr
• Basanta Boro Driver - basantaboro77@gmail.com
+91 9402456058
+91 9436443797
https://www.facebook.com/basanta.boro.7?fref=ts
• Lobsang Tsering - local birding guide - lobsangtsering56@gmail.com
+918729947167.
https://www.facebook.com/lobsang.tsering.568?fref=ts
Local support & useful contact in India & Assam
Gaurav Kataria - Ae Travels Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi
Living in New Delhi, excellent photographer
http://corporatedir.com/company/a-e-travels-private-limited
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152441743664314&set=a.10151161780689314.500612.750604313&type=1
+91-9999030436
Bikask Kalita
Living in Guwahati, excellent photographer
https://www.facebook.com/bikash.kalita.777?fref=nf&pnref=story
Coordinating “The Wild Trail”, an interesting brand new birding editorial initiative focussed on Assam and the subregion :
http://wildtrail.org/index.php
+ Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheWildTrailJournal/?fref=ts)
Outline and tour
I flew from Delhi to Guwahati on 15th and returned on 23th January 2015. I had my flight back to Brussels at 3 am on 24th.
Transport in the North East was by 4x4 throughout, on mainly mountain roads, many in poor condition or undergoing re-construction.
The troubled recent history of the North-Eastern frontier zone was reflected in the conspicuous army presence along many border roads. It didn’t mean any problem for birding however.
The general travel arrangements between Guwahati and Dirang were decided together with Gaurav Kataria ( http://eaglenestbirding.com) who organised for the guide (Lobsang Tsering) to take me to a range of sites also decided together, including rivers, middle elevation, cloud and coniferous forests and mountain passes.
I did organize for the driver, a wise and reliable young guy I met and tested a few weeks before in Assam.
Itinerary review
• 15 january: arrive Guwahati and drive to Nameri area (overnight at Nameri Eco Camp):
• 16 january : Rameling;
• 17 january : Bompu Camp;
• 18 january Bompu Camp;
• 19 january Bompu Camp;
• 20 january birding eaglenest back to Rameling;
• 21 january: drive to Dirang - visit to Mandala Road & Sangti
Valley (overnight in Hotel Samdup-Khang);
• 22 january: Sela Pass (4500m) (overnight in Hotel Samdup-Khang - Dirang);
• 23 january : 2.30 am departure - way back to Guwahati - flight 16.48 pm to Delhi;
• 24 january : 3am flight back to Brussels - Belgium.
Our short itinerary in Arunachal was excellent in virtually all respects.
A longer trip would logically have included the two nearby hotspots: Nameri-Kaziranga. A "second half" would have brought us to the deep end of Arunachal, Namdapha and the mythical Mishmi Hills yielling a good bunch of ‘new’ species and offering a second-helping of some of Eaglenest’s birds.
It is important to keep some flexibility in the itinerary with the guide because of bad weather hazards or logistical problems.
Birding highlights
A little less than 300 species recorded during this little seven full days birding trip in Arunachal Pradesh (15 & 23/01 were full driving days) is definitely quite good for january even if certain bird families proved very hard. Highlights are Ward’s Trogon, Beautiful Nuthatch, Fire-Tailed Myzornis, 10 species of Woodpeckers, 11 Laughingthrushes, 9 tits, 6 fulvettas, 5 Yuhinas, 3 accentors, etc. In forested areas 40-60 species a day was usual. Lobsang got the Bugun Liocichla in a large group of laughinthruches just below Lama Camp. I dipped it. Sela and Mandala gave definitely a plus for higher elevations species; Goodies added in the nearby Sangti valley included Ibisbill & the Black-Necked Crane. Near Guwahati airport a short detour to the city dump is of course a must for the mythical Greater Adjudant.
Accommodation and Travel
The accommodation was varied including Lobsang's private house, Bompu Campsite & Hotel Samdup-Khang (dirang). The tented & cottages ecocamp at Nameri was comfortable and had good food. Prices 1800 rps breakfast included for the cottage & 300 for the evening food) Hotel Samdup-Khang at Dirang was adequate but the manager is not welcoming nor friendly (1250 or 1500 depending on the person; no breakfast included). Only warm place in the buildng, the kitchen seems the place to be for debriefing the day and having a tea near the stove. Unless kindly forcing the entrance, I was systematically left outside. It seems Peter Lobo uses to go to another one "Pemaling hôtel" which might be a good alternative although it is not the same standard http://www.hotelpemaling.com).
The Bompu tented camp we used at Eaglenest was basic but had helpful staff and good food.
We used two low-cost airlines (SpiceJet and Air India), both of which were entirely satisfactory and moderately priced.
Moving about in NE India was mostly on rough roads, often carved into steep mountain sides. Our driver (Basanta) was very good and drove in a confidence-inspiring way. It is in the nature of a visit to this frontier area, however, that facilities will tend towards the basic. In midwinter, ‘basic’ also implies cold (very cold as far as Sela pass is concerned).
Until fairly recently much of Arunachal Pradesh was closed to overseas visitors: a visitor permit is still required, booked in advance (50 $ - arranged for me by Gaurav Kataria), is checked on entry and exit, this being additional to an Indian visa. The area has yet to develop some more tourist infrastructure. The only other visitors we saw at Eaglenest were Bikask Kalita (coordinating the new “The Wild Trail” magazine) a friendly indian birder from Guwahati and his guide.
This small 7 days tour provided a good introduction to the birds of NE India. The combination of low mid-winter temperatures, short days and a high proportion of skulking species, however, meant that many species required a lot of work to winkle out. Also, we neither heard nor saw any Tragopans or Monals. It seems likely that the most popular months for a visit, March and April, favoured by most of the larger group tours, are definitely better for seeing certain the residents and summer-visiting migrants, with many species by then singing and calling (but this of course at the cost of missing many of the departed Palaearctic winter visitors).
Guide
Our guide, Lobsang was very good on what is his ‘home territory’. He comes from a small village near Dirang and has been living for the last 15 years in Ramaling a small village in eagle nest area. Coming from an agricultural family Lobsang started birding 10 years back, with no particular educational background. Knowing eagle nest area like the back of his hand, he is involved with eaglenest project as Bompu camp director and head birding guide in Eagle nest & Mandala area. He is a keen sound-recordist, is planning his own audio-guide although many skulkers seemed out of reach. Quite logical in january, few species did respond to any taping and even less did come.
All advice in India indicate that the window for visiting NE India that largely avoids travel being hampered by the monsoon and landslip-caused road-closures runs from November to early May, with an increasing risk of rain in the later months as the monsoon nears. I didn't actually have the choice but if you do put the focus on February or March.
While subzero temperatures were not uncommon in the mountains in midwinter, we barely got snow this year - it was largely dry so this was one plus for this short January visit.
Practicalities
Overseas visitors are not permitted to buy a mobile phone in India (for security reasons). This means (depending on your contract) that you may be out of phone-contact for much of the time in the more remote areas of the NE since most networks with reasonable coverage are India-based (i.e. Airtel). You will probably be able to negotiate with your guide/driver to use their phone occasionally.
Tipping can sometimes be problematic. In India, there is an expectation of a tip for any service and yet advice on its level is very variable. It’s clearly up to you, but be aware it will be a significant extra expense overall and will require careful management of pocketfuls of the hard-to-find smaller bank notes to meet all your requirements
On midwinter days with barely 10 hours of useful light, and even less in forest, and with more time usually ‘lost’ for a lunch break, birding-hours are at a premium. Nor will you be taken down road culverts or into bamboo-swamp thickets, as we were, to find some more elusive targets.
Further readings:
• The Wild Trail Magazine: http://wildtrail.org/index.php + Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheWildTrailJournal/?fref=ts)
• B. Forget, "EAGLENEST " - ARUNACHAL PRADESH – INDE (1), Un "must" accessible pour découvrir l'avifaune himalayenne, in Ornithomédia, 7p.
• B. Forget, "EAGLENEST " - ARUNACHAL PRADESH – INDE (II), Trois extensions proches d'Eaglenest : Mandala, Sela et Sangti, in Ornithomédia, 3p.
Source : this excellent mapping of the region and target areas was found in the birding report Henk Hendriks birding report to North East India 17 April - 9 May 2009; http://www.birding2asia.com/TripReports/NorthEastIndiaHendriks09.html
The list largely follows the sequence of the Field Guide we used: Grimmett et al. (2011) ‘Birds of the Indian Subcontinent’, Helm (2nd edition).
Site-codes for the North-East are as follows:
EN=Eaglenest Reserve,
MR=Mandala Road & pass, ,
SP=Sela Pass,
SV=Sangti Valley.
NEI=Species seen at several sites or on the way to EN
Absence of a site-code indicates a generally widespread species.
Snow Partridge Lerwa lerwa SP
Hill Partridge Arborophila torqueola NEI
Chestnut-breasted Partridge Arborophila mandellii EN
Kalij Pheasant Loiphura leucomelanos EN
Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilus javanicus seen while leaving Guwahati
Greater Adjutant Leptoptilus dubius, only seen at Guwahati dump
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Great Egret Casmerodius albus
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Black Kite Milvus migrans
Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis
Himalayan Vulture Gyps himalayensis NEI
Himalayan Buzzard Buteo burmanicus NEI
Changeable Hawk Eagle Niseatus cirrhatus
Mountain Hawk Eagle Nisaetus nipalensis EN
Black tailed Crake Porzana fusca SV
Black necked crane Crane Grus SV
Ibisbill Ibidorhychus struthersii SV
Red-wattled Lapwing V. indicus
Long-billed Plover C. placidus SV
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Snow Pigeon Columba leuconota SP
Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea EN
Barred Cuckoo Dove Macropygia unchall EN
Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis
Red-collared Dove S. tranquebarica
Spotted Dove Stigmatopelia chinensis
Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon Treron sphenurus EN, MH
Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica
Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krumeri
Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria
Large Hawk Cuckoo Hieroccyx EN
Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
Collared Owlet Athene
Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris NEI
Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis
Common Hoopoe Upupa epops
Ward’s Trogon Harpactes wardi EN
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
Crested Kingfisher Megaceryle lugubris EN
Chestnut-headeed Bee-eater Nyctornis
Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis EN
Great Barbet Megalaima virens NEI
Lineated Barbet Megalaima lineata NEI
Golden-throated Barbet Megalima franklinii
Blue-throated Barbet Megalaima asiatica
Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala
White-browed Piculet Sasia ochracea EN
Rufous Woodpecker Celeus brachyurus
Pale-headed Woodpecker Gecinulus grantia EN
Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis NEI
Brown fronted woodpecker Dendrocopos auriceps
Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos macei
Rufous-bellied woodpecker Dendrocopos hyperythirus
Darjeeling woodpecker Dendrocopos darjellensis EN
Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophos
Greater Yellownape Picus flavinuncha
Large Cuckooshrike Coracina maqcei
Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike Hemipus picatus
Common Iora Aegithena tiphia
Small Minivet Pericrocatus cinnamoneus
Grey-chinned Minivet P. solaris EN
Long-tailed Minivet P. etholagus
Short-billed Minivet P. brevirostris NEI
Scarlet Minivet P. speciosus
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus
Grey-backed Shrike L. tephronatus
Lesser Raquet-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer NEI
Greater Raquet-tailed Drongo D. paradiseus
Black Drongo D. macrocercus
Ashy Drongo D. leucophaeus EN
Bronzed Drongo D. aeneus
Crow billed Drongo D. annectans
Black-hooded Oriole O. xanthornus
Maroon Oriole O. traillii
Yellow-bellied Fantail Chelidorhynx hypoxantha
White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis
Yellow-billed Blue-magpie Urocissa flavirostris
Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
Eastern Jungle Crow C. levaillantii
Indian Jungle Crow C. culminatus
House Crow C. splendens
Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes MR, SP
Great Tit Parus major
Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus
Yellow-cheeked Tit Parus spilonotus NEI
Sultan Tit Melanochlora sultanea NEI
Coal Tit Periparis ater MR
Grey-crested Tit Lophophanes dichrous MR
Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus EN
Black throated tit Aegithalos concinnius NEI
Rufous fronted tit Aegithalos iouchistos MR
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Striated Bulbul Pycnonotus striatus EN
White-eared Bulbul P. leucotis D
Black-crested Bulbul P. flaviventris
Red-whiskered Bulbul P. jocosus
Red-vented Bulbul P. cafer
White-throated Bulbul Alophoixus flaveolus
Mountain Bulbul Ixos mcclellandii EN
Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus
Black-throated Prinia Prinia atrogularis EN
Mountain Tailorbird Phyllergates cuculatus h
Common Tailorbird P. sutorius
Chestnut-headed Tesia Oligura castaneocoronata NEI
Slaty-bellied Tesia Tesia olivea NEI
Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
Tickell’s Leaf Warbler P. affinis
Ashy-throated Warbler P. maculipennis NEI
Lemon rumped warbler P. chloronotus
Yellow-browed Warbler P. inornatus
Greenish Warbler P. trochiloides
Blyth's leaf warbler P. reguloides
White spectacled warbler Seicercus affinis
Black-faced Warbler A. schisticeps NEI
Yellow-bellied Warbler A. superciliaris NEI
Grey-cheeked Warbler Seicercus poliogenys NEI
Grey-hooded Warbler Seicercus xanthoschistos NEI
Chestnut-crowned Warbler S. castaniceps NEI
Bar-winged Wren Babbler S. troglodytoides NEI
Long-billed Wren Babbler Rimator malacoptilus EN
Himalayan Wedge-billed Babbler Sphenocichla humei EN
Rufous-fronted Babbler Stachyridopsis rufifrons NEI
Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyridopsis ruficeps NEI
Golden Babbler Stachyridopsis chrysaea NEI
Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps KNP
Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomathorinus ruficollis NEI
Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler Pomathorinus ferruginosus NEI
Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler Xiphirhynchus superciliaris h MR
White-throated Laughingthrush Garrulax albogularis EN
White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus NEI
Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax monileger MH, DB
Striated Laughingthrush Garrulax striatus NEI
Grey-sided Laughingthrush Garrulax caerulatus NEI
Bhutan Laughingthrush Garrulax imbricatus MR
Blue-winged Laughingthrush Garrulax squamatus NEI
Scaly Laughingthrush Garrulax subunicolor EN
Black-faced Laughingthrush Garrulax affinis NEI
Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax erythrocephalus EN
Rusty-fronted Barwing Actinodura egertoni EN
Streak-throated Barwing Actinodura waldeni EN
Hoary-throated Barwing Actinodura nipalensis EN
Red-faced Liocichla Liocichla phoenicea EN
(Bugun Liocichla Liocichla bugunorum) EN
Blue-winged Siva Siva cyanouroptera
Bar-throated Siva Siva strigula
Red-tailed Minla Minla ignotincta NEI
White-browed Shrike-babbler Pteruthius flaviscapis
Green Shrike-babbler Pteruthius xanthclorus EN
Black-eared Shrike-babbler Pterutius melanotis NEI
Golden-breasted Fulvetta Lioparus chrysotis EN, MH
Yellow-throated Fulvetta Lioparus cinerea NEI
Rufous-winged Fulvetta Pseudominla castaneceps NEI
Brown-throated Fulvetta Fulvetta ludlowi NEI
Nepal Fulvetta Alcippe nipalensis MH
Rufous-backed Sibia Leioptila annectans EN, MH
Long-tailed Sibia Heterophasia picaoides NEI
Beautiful Sibia Malacias pulchellus NEI
Striated Yuhina Staphida castaniceps MH
White-naped Yuhina Yuhina bakeri NEI
Whiskered Yuhina Yuhina flavicollis
Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gulans
Rufous-vented Yuhina Yuhina occipitalis NEI
Black-chinned Yuhina Y. nigrimenta
Black throated Parrotbill Psittiparus
Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill Psittiparus ruficeps NEI
Fire-tailed Myzornis Myzornis pyrrhoura MR, EN
Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus
Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes SP
White throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus - SP
Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii SV, SP
Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch Sitta Castanea
White-tailed Nuthatch Sitta himalayensis
Beautiful Nuthatch Sitta Formosa EN, MH
Brown throated Treecreeper Certhia discolor
Rusty-flanked Treecreeper Certhia nipalensisMR
Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus
Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
Asian Pied Starling Gracupica contra
Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus
Plain-backed Thrush Zoothera mollissima EN
White-collared Blackbird Turdus albocinctus MR, EN
Black-breasted Thrush Turdus dissimilis MH
Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis MR
Eyebrowed Thrush Turdus obscurus
White-browed Bush Robin Tarsiger indicus SP
Rufous-breasted Bush Robin Tarsiger hyperythrus EN
Himalayan Bluetail Tarsiger rufilatus
Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis
Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicatus D
Plumbeous Water Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros D
Hodgson’s Redstart Phoenicurus hodgsoni NEI
White-throated Redstart Phoenicurus schisticeps SP
Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis MR
Black backed forktail Enicurus immaculatus
Slaty-backed Forktail Enicurus schistaceus EN
Spotted Forktail Enicurus maculates EN
Siberian (Common) Stonechat Saxicola maurus
Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferreus
Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Monticola rufiventris
Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata
Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva
Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
Large Niltava Niltava grandis EN
Pygmy Blue Flycatcher Muscicapella hodgsoni MR, EN
Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella
Orange-bellied Leafbird Chloropis hardwicvkii
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Clalcoparia singalensis KNP
Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus
Green-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga nipalensis
Black-throated Sunbird Aethopyga saturate NEI
Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna NNP, EN
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris SP
Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata NNR, EN
Maroon-backed Accentor Prunella immaculate h MR
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea MR
White Wagtail Motacilla alba
Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
Beautiful Rosefinch Carpodacus pulcherrimus SP
White-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus thura MR
Dark rumped Rosefinsh Carpodacus edwardsii SP
Grey-headed Bullfinch Pyrrhula erythaca MR, MH
Brown Bullfinch Pyrrhula nipalensis)EN
Scarlet finch Carpodacus sipahi EN
Golden-naped Finch Pyrrhoplectes epaulette MR