Cheer Point
With the information we had picked up from Jungle Lore we had
learned that this site, about an hour’s drive from Nature Drops, was the place
to see the rarer pheasant species as well as Lammergeier. A group of five of us
set out with the intention of seeing the pheasants at first light, the others
going to join us later when the Lammergeiers had hopefully woken up.
The point itself was an area of upland grassland on the
boarder of an area of woodland. From there you could overlook a huge area, all
the way down to Corbett on a good day, and by filtering through the forest
margins you could pick out the pheasants. Once again the change in habitat to
more open grassland brought an array of new species.
Highlights
Lammergeier
- For the people fortunate enough to see this bird, it was a birding
experience not just for the trip, but for a lifetime. The five of us that had
committed to the early start were rewarded when a superb near-adult bird flew
from the cliff below us, and out into the valley. We were understandably
buzzing after that, but about five minutes later the bird reappeared flying
towards us at eye level. It then flew overhead at a phenomenally close range,
giving views that were simply unbelievable. It then flew round the point
itself, and was not seen again that day. The only downside was that the group
arriving later failed to see the bird.
Altai
Accentor - All the while we were dipping on the pheasants we were able
to watch huge flocks of hundreds of Accentors flying around us, feeding on the
cliff ledges both above and below us. Among the throngs of birds we were also
able to pick out a leucistic individual.
-Altai Accentor
-Lammergier
-Steppe Eagle
-Himalayan Griffon Vulture
Species
List:
Cheer
Point: Lammergeier, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Altai Accentor,
Common Kestrel, Blue Whistling Thrush, Black-throated Tit, Crag Martin,
Blue-capped Redstart, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Steppe Eagle, Large-billed Crow,
Peregrine, Rock Bunting, Streaked Laughingthrush, Striated Prinia, Black
Bulbul, Long-tailed Thrush, Himalayan
Goral, Indian Muntjac, Rhesus Macaque, Himalayan Agama, Sorrel Sapphire,
Pangot
By mid-morning when the other group arrived at Cheer Point
the first group decided to move off to keep the cars moving, meaning we were
not likely to be held up by the fact we only had one vehicle. We decided to
call back in a Jungle Lore for a bit more gen on a male Golden Bush Robin
somewhere in the valley near to Nature Drops. Whilst we were there we spent a
bit more time birding the garden.
The site described to us was a Shaolin Temple about eight
kilometres from Pangot, and four kilometres from Nature Drops, heading down the
valley. As soon as we arrived we knew we were in for an awesome afternoon of
birding, as new birds kept appearing. There was a small river flowing through
the valley. Upstream it was mainly surrounded by scrub with agricultural fields
above it, where downstream the river descended into woodland. The trees around
the temple were all in blossom, creating a beautiful scene. We chose to walk
upstream through the scrub, as the location of the bush robin had been
described to us about half a kilometre upriver.
Highlights
Golden Bush
Robin - For me, not only the bird of the trip, but the bird of a
lifetime! After an hour or so birding the site we finally began moving upriver.
From the scrub we got frustratingly brief views of a bird that could have been
nothing else, but it was gone as soon as it had appeared. We continued hunting
upstream, when TDJ and I heard a growl like ticking from the bushes ahead of
us. Our first thought was Rubythroat, but SJD had reached the bushes ahead of
us, and his exclamations clearly indicated that was not the case. We raised our
bins and beheld the bird in all its glory. Adult male Golden Bush Robin! I
can’t describe the feeling of seeing such a bird! A bird I had wanted to see so
badly on the trip, but one that I hardly believed we would see, let alone an
adult male. It showed extremely well, sitting well out into the open.
Unfortunately this pattern of behaviour did not last, and only four people were
able to connect with the bird before it took to cover.
Himalayan
Rubythroat - The compensation for all those that missed the bush robin
was a stunning male Himalayan Rubythroat. On any other day it would have been
the standout bird, as it showed extremely well feeding out in the open
alongside a small mustard field.
Crimson
Sunbird - I did want to see Crimson Sunbird on the trip, but only if it
was a male. Fortunately that is exactly what this bird was, and it showed
nicely in a blossomed tree near the temple. The only downside is that it did
not pose for photos. It was a bit gaudy for many trip members, but that’s fine
with me.
Water
Redstarts - A small ford at the temple gave us our first encounter with
a stunning species pair that we would later become very accustomed to seeing;
Plumbeous and White-capped Water Redstart. Both were superb looking birds, and
both showed very well.
-Spot-winged Grosbeak
-Rhesus Macaque
-Plumbeous Water Redstart
-Crimson Sunbird
-Slaty-blue Flycatcher
-Golden Bush Robin
-Long-tailed Shrike
-Himalayan Rubythroat
Species
List:
Pangot: Chestnut-capped
Laughingthrush, Himalayan Bulbul, Spot-winged Grosbeak, Streaked
Laughingthrush, House Sparrow, Golden Bush Robin, Grey Bush Robin, Oriental
White-eye, Black-headed Jay, White-capped Water Redstart, Plumbeous Water
Redstart, Crimson Sunbird, Slaty-blue Flycatcher, Blue-capped Redstart,
Green-backed Tit, Scarlet Rosefinch, Yellow-breasted Greenfinch, Barn Swallow,
Common Myna, Black Bulbul, Oriental Turtle Dove, Siberian Stonechat,
Long-tailed Shrike, Himalayan Rubythroat, Black-throated Accentor,
Grey-breasted Prinia, Black-chinned Babbler, Russet Sparrow, Small Niltava, Aberrant
Bush Warbler,
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