Northeast India; Day 18 - Namdapha National Park

  The quest for the White-bellied Heron really began today! We started our day at 05:00 but at that point it was still dark so we spent a little time scanning the river from the Deban Forest Camp, before we headed down to the beach where we had searched the previous evening and checked around the corner. However, after half an hour there our guide decided that it was time for a change of location and that we would travel further into the National Park to a watchtower that overlooked another section of the river.

  And from that watchtower we waited, and watched, until 12:30. In the morning sun it was pretty brutal and once again we had no joy with the heron, entertaining ourselves with the limited other species there were on offer. Hill Prinia was a good species for India, although it was common around the tower. Overhead we had a few Himalayan Griffon Vultures and a pair of Wreathed Hornbills, as well as close encounters with Orange-bellied Leafbird and Streaked Spiderhunter. However it was a disappointing and frustrating few hours as our optimism slowly faded away.

  After lunch back at the Deban Forest Camp, at around 14:30 we returned to the river beach here, but this time crossed the bamboo bridge and began exploring the other side of the river where we had not visited. Although it did not offer much in the way of new river areas to check for the heron, the variety was appreciated and we were rewarded with a few interesting species. The highlight was undoubtedly three Ibisbill feeding in the rocks in front of us. In addition we had a nice flock of around 70 Pin-tailed Green Pigeons, perched more open than yesterdays birds but also more distant, and a Blue Rock Thrush enjoying the rocky habitat. And we did not find the White-bellied Heron.

  In the evening we had more fun with the same mammal species we had seen the previous evening, with another nice showing from the Masked Palm Civet and more frustratingly quick views of the Particoloured Flying Squirrel. In the Giant Red Flying Squirrel tree we found three individuals all feeding at the same time, licking sap from different bits of the tree. They were not as low as the individual the previous evening (assuming one of them was that individual) but it was still great to see, and in addition we also got to see one of them fly, which was very impressive.