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Hi all,
I'm just back from the 2 weeks in the Great
Himalayan National Park in Himachal Pradesh, north west India.
We birded in the Tirthan Valley, in the south of
the Park, whereas most birders go to the Sainj Valley. The highlight of
the trip was on the track northwest from Silth, at about 3000m when a male
Western Tragopan, flew down the slope and landed on the path a mere 5 metres
from me. For 5 seconds I was treated to an eye-filling view of his spiky black
crest, scarlet face and nape, and flame-red breast. There was a bright
white spot in the middle of each of the black feathers on the
breast.
I'll be doing a detailed report on all birds seen
(I got 90% of the Northwestern Himalayan endemics and specialities) including
detailed info on where Tragopans were seen and heard and at what altitudes and
times. It is not an area a group could visit as going up to Silth involves
ascending 1000m on a 40 degree slope on a track that involves narrow
zigzags. At least 8 calling males were heard at this site. We
also trekked up to Khorli Poi on the opposing north face of the
valley. Two calling males were there. This involves a 1200 m hike up
a track where the zigzags are a bit bigger than at Silth.
Late April is a good time to go, as all the
pheasants were calling (though Chir only intermittently), and the leaves on the
deciduous trees were still in bud. If you come later, I suspect the
Tragopans will have gone up higher and be much harder to reach; also it will be
much harder to see other birds when the deciduous trees are fully clad with
leaves.
4 Altai Accentors were another
highlight.
John
John Penhallurick
Phone BH (61 2) 6201 2346 AH
(61 2) 6258 5428
FAX (61 2) 6258 0426 Mobile 0408 585 428
Snail Mail:
Division of Communication & Education, University of Canberra,Canberra City,
A.C.T.2601, Australia
Please visit my website at
http://worldbirdinfo.net/
or Private:
P.O.Box 3469, B.M.D.C.,
BELCONNEN, A.C.T. 2617, Australia
"I'd rather be birding"
"Vivat, crescat, floreat
Ornithologia" Hartert,Vög.pal.Fauna,p.2016
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