Bird with Bonpo : Birding in South/West Sikkim & Beyond

Time Duration: 5 nights /6 Days – 13th December 2021 to 18th December 2021

Destination Covered: Kewzing,Okhrey ,Rongtong, Gajoldoba Barrage.

Guest: Deepak Mittu & Kanak Sharma, Delhi

Tour Guide: Chewang Rinchen Bonpo (9735900165), chewangrinchen@gmail.com, bonfarmhouse@gmail.com.

A private winter birding tour was conducted for Deepak and Kanak by myself covering birds from the warm foothill forest of Bengal to a cool-temperate forest of Sikkim, we covered altitudes from 112 meters to 2500 meters and the temperature range from twenty degrees to minus five in the tour. We managed to cover around 160 species of birds with some good photographs and sightings.

Day 1: 13th December 2021: Siliguri – Rongtong and Kewzing

Morning session of birding around Rongtong (foothill forest) with a local guide Ankit Beck around his restaurant for 2 hours we managed to record some species like Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium cuculoides), Blue-throated Barbet (Psilopogon asiaticus), Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus), Common Green-Magpie (Cissa chinensis),Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis), Lemon-rumped Warbler (Phylloscopus chloronotus),Yellow-bellied Warbler (Abroscopus superciliaris), Rufous Sibia (Heterophasia capistrata), Blue-throated Flycatcher (Cyornis rubeculoides), Blue Whistling-Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus),Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher (Ficedula strophiata), Taiga Flycatcher (Ficedula albicilla), Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja),Streaked Spiderhunter (Arachnothera magna).

The drive from Rongtong to Kewzing via Melli in Sikkim covering forest of foothill to temperate forest of Damthang and Ravangla birding on the way we recorded species like White-throated Fantail (Rhipidura albicollis),Gray Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae),Chestnut-headed Tesia (Cettia castaneocoronata),Black-faced Warbler (Abroscopus schisticeps),Fire-tailed Myzornis (Myzornis pyrrhoura) a pair ,Whiskered Yuhina (Yuhina flavicollis),Nepal Fulvetta (Alcippe nipalensis),Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron erythrocephalum),Rufous Sibia (Heterophasia capistrata),Hoary-throated Barwing (Actinodura nipalensis),Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea),White-crested Laughingthrush (Garrulax leucolophus),Sikkim Treecreeper (Certhia discolor),Himalayan Bluetail (Tarsiger rufilatus),Blue-fronted Redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis),Green-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga nipalensis). Overnight stay in Bonfarmhouse, Kewzing.

Day 2: 14th December 2021: Kewzing -Meanam Wildlife Sanctuary & Tendong RF

Early morning birding around Bonfarmhouse (mid- altitude forest) got some of the local winter residents species and later part of the day was spending in Meanam Wildlife Sanctuary and Tendong Reserve Forest (cool temperate broadleaved forest) b ird species for the day Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens),Greater Yellownape (Chrysophlegma flavinucha),White-throated Fantail (Rhipidura albicollis),Yellow-bellied Fairy-Fantail (Chelidorhynx hypoxanthus),Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis),Green-backed Tit (Parus monticolus),Scaly-breasted Cupwing (Pnoepyga albiventer),Pygmy Cupwing (Pnoepyga pusilla),Whistler's Warbler (Phylloscopus whistleri),Chestnut-headed Tesia (Cettia castaneocoronata),Whiskered Yuhina (Yuhina flavicollis),Rufous Sibia (Heterophasia capistrata),Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea),Red-tailed Minla (Minla ignotincta),White-crested Laughingthrush (Garrulax leucolophus),White-tailed Nuthatch (Sitta himalayensis),Gray Bushchat (Saxicola ferreus),Black-throated Sunbird (Aethopyga saturata),House Sparrow (Passer domesticus),Russet Sparrow (Passer cinnamomeus) Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus nipalensis),Besra (Accipiter virgatus),Golden-throated Barbet (Psilopogon franklinii),Bay Woodpecker (Blythipicus pyrrhotis),Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus),Mountain Bulbul (Ixos mcclellandii),Broad-billed Warbler (Tickellia hodgsoni),Fire-tailed Myzornis (Myzornis pyrrhoura),Golden-breasted Fulvetta (Lioparus chrysotis),Rufous-vented Yuhina (Yuhina occipitalis),Rufous-throated Wren-Babbler(around 3 individuals) (Spelaeornis caudatus),Rufous-winged Fulvetta (Schoeniparus castaneceps),Nepal Fulvetta (Alcippe nipalensis),Striated Laughingthrush (Grammatoptila striata),Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron erythrocephalum),Blue-winged Minla (Actinodura cyanouroptera),Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea),Red-tailed Minla (Minla ignotincta),White-tailed Nuthatch (Sitta himalayensis),Rusty-flanked Treecreeper (Certhia nipalensis),Himalayan Bluetail (Tarsiger rufilatus),Blue-fronted Redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis),Fire-breasted Flowerpecker (Dicaeum ignipectus),Green-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga nipalensis),Red-headed Bullfinch (Pyrrhula erythrocephala), Alpine/Himalayan Thrush (Zoothera mollissima/salimalii)( 2 individuals one in Meanam WLS and one in Tendong RF).

Overnight stay in Bonfarmhosue, Kewzing.

Day 3:15th December 2021: Lower altitude forest of Kewzing and High Temperate Forest

The day we headed towards Rangeet valley (Sub-tropical spare forest with big bamboo) in the morning and afternoon in upper reaches of Kewzing village and the species recorded are as following Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus),Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium cuculoides),Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens),Blue-throated Barbet (Psilopogon asiaticus),Gray-capped Pygmy Woodpecker (Yungipicus canicapillus),Gray-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus),Greater Yellownape (Chrysophlegma flavinucha),Blyth's Shrike-Babbler (Pteruthius aeralatus),Black-eared Shrike-Babbler (Pteruthius melanotis),Maroon Oriole (Oriolus traillii),Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus),Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus),Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus),Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach),Gray-backed Shrike (Lanius tephronotus),Common Green-Magpie (Cissa chinensis),Gray Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae),Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis),Sultan Tit (Melanochlora sultanea),Green-backed Tit (Parus monticolus),Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius),Pygmy Cupwing (Pnoepyga pusilla),Nepal House-Martin (Delichon nipalense),Himalayan Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucogenys),Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus), Ashy Bulbul (Hemixos flavala), Ashy-throated Warbler (Phylloscopus maculipennis),Buff-barred Warbler (Phylloscopus pulcher),Lemon-rumped Warbler (Phylloscopus chloronotus),Chestnut-headed Tesia (Cettia castaneocoronata),Yellow-bellied Warbler (Abroscopus superciliaris),Black-throated Parrotbill (Suthora nipalensis),Black-chinned Yuhina (Yuhina nigrimenta),Whiskered Yuhina (Yuhina flavicollis),Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler (Pomatorhinus ruficollis),Rufous-winged Fulvetta (Schoeniparus castaneceps),Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron erythrocephalum),Rufous Sibia (Heterophasia capistrata),Chestnut-tailed Minla (Actinodura strigula),Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea),Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (Sitta cinnamoventris),White-tailed Nuthatch (Sitta himalayensis),Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (Sitta frontalis),Common Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa),Large Niltava (Niltava grandis),Blue Whistling-Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus),Slaty-backed Forktail (Enicurus schistaceus),Snowy-browed Flycatcher (Ficedula hyperythra),Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher (Ficedula strophiata),Blue-fronted Redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis),Plumbeous Redstart (Phoenicurus fuliginosus),White-capped Redstart (Phoenicurus leucocephalus),Gray Bushchat (Saxicola ferreus),Fire-breasted Flowerpecker (Dicaeum ignipectus),Black-throated Sunbird (Aethopyga saturata),Green-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga nipalensis),Streaked Spiderhunter (Arachnothera magna),Gray Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea),Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni).

Overnight stay in Bonfarmhouse.

Day 4: 16th December 2021: Kewzing – Okhrey

After the morning session in Kewzing with species like Rufous-winged Fulvetta (Schoeniparus castaneceps), Scaly Breasted Cupwing (Pnoepyga albiventer), We headed towards Okhrey Birding on the way and reached Okhrey at noon and evening session between Okhrey and Hilley with species like Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Yellow-billed Blue-Magpie (Urocissa flavirostris). Overnight stay in Okhrey Khe-Khor Homestay

Day 5: 17th December 2021: Okhrey – Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary

The day we birded in Hilley and Barsey Rhodo Dendron Sanctuary with the bird species recorded as following Darjeeling Woodpecker (Dendrocopos darjellensis), Yellow-billed Blue-Magpie (Urocissa flavirostris),Eurasian Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes),Yellow-browed Tit (Sylviparus modestus),Gray-crested Tit (Lophophanes dichrous),Striated Bulbul (Pycnonotus striatus),Ashy-throated Warbler (Phylloscopus maculipennis),Black-browed Tit (Rufous-fronted) (Aegithalos iouschistos iouschistos),White-browed Fulvetta (Fulvetta vinipectus),Brown Parrotbill (Cholornis unicolor),Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler (Pomatorhinus superciliaris),Striated Laughingthrush (Grammatoptila striata),Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron erythrocephalum),Hoary-throated Barwing (Actinodura nipalensis),Spotted Laughingthrush (Ianthocincla ocellata),Spotted Forktail (Enicurus maculatus),Himalayan Bluetail (Tarsiger rufilatus),Rufous-breasted Bush-Robin (Tarsiger hyperythrus),White-browed Bush-Robin (Tarsiger indicus),Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher (Ficedula strophiata),Dark-breasted Rosefinch (Procarduelis nipalensis),Plain Mountain Finch (Leucosticte nemoricola).

Afternoon we head to Siliguri which was around six hours drive to cover Gajoldhoba wetland nest morning as an evening the bird activity was dead in Okhrey , Hilley and Barsey. Overnight Stay in Siliguri.

Day 6: 18th December 2021: Siliguri – Gajoldhoba

Last day we spend in Gajoldhoba though we could not do the regular birding on boat as Forest Department only allowed boats only after 9 AM due to some departmental work and thus we spend time birding on the peripheral of the lake and Teesta river with some of the species recorded Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea),Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata),Gadwall (Mareca strepera),Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope),Northern Pintail (Anas acuta),Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca),Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina),Common Pochard (Aythya ferina),Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), Great Crested Grebe ( cristatus),Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus),Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra),Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus),Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii),Paddyfield Pipit (Anthus rufulus),Striated Grassbird (Megalurus palustris),Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus),Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus),Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach).

Birding in winters around Sikkim is one of the most challenging as most of the birds are in mixed flocks and on a move to find food and shelter.