Monday, May 12, 2014

The haunting calls of the mountains of Bhutan



Copyright ©2014-2019 Ramaswami Ashok Kumar
Photographs by Poornima Kumar
Narrative by Ramaswami Ashok Kumar
Some Bird song records courtesy 
1.Mr. Sherub
Chief Research and Education Officer,
Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment
Department of Forest
Ministry of Agriculture
Lamai Gompa, Bumthang
Bhutan.

(Permission requested on 14 May 2014)
2. Bird Songs at Xeno Canto
   



The long awaited BNHS call for the visit to Bhutan finally came in the January February 2014 bi-monthly programme announcement:

Bhutan, the jewel of the eastern Himalaya and a global biodiversity hotspot is
home to a variety of wildlife. Here you can see birds like Beautiful Nuthatch, Redbilled
Leiothrix, Red-faced Liocichla, Blue-winged, Black-faced, and Grey-sided
Laughingthrush, Grey-throated Babbler, Brown, and Red-headed Bullfinch, Brownthroated
Treecreeper, Ward’s Trogon, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Black-throated
Parrotbill, Great Parrotbill, Brown Parrotbill, Fulvous Parrotbill, Slender-billed
Scimitar-babbler, Asian Emerald Cuckoo, Long-billed and Bar-winged Wren Babbler,
Streaked-breasted Scimitar-babbler, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Shortwings, Whitewinged
Grosbeak, Collared Grosbeak, Long-tailed Thrush and several more species.
Bhutan has a good diversity of butterflies too, ranging from Bhutan Glory, Golden
Birdwing, Kaisers to Sergeants and Jezebels.
April is the perfect time to enjoy the spring in the Himalaya. Witness the Himalayan
floral splendour of Rhododendron, primulas, and orchids. You will be in the middle
of the courtship and nesting time of Himalayan birds – and this is the time to hear
them sing. Do not miss this spring in the Himalaya.
Group Leader: Mr. Isaac Kehimkar
Payment schedule:
1st Installment (non-refundable) Immediate Rs. 20,000/-
2nd Installment Date- Immediate Rs. 20,000/-
3rd Installment Date- 15th January, 2014 Rs. 20,000/-
Final Installment Date- 15th February, 2014 Rs. 17,500/-
Dates: 18th–26th April 2014

We made the payment for the two of us Poornima, my wife and me who are family members of BNHS,Bombay Natural History Society.



We booked a hotel near the airport for the night of 17th April 2014:

From: Kings Crown Hotel Kolkata [mailto:vip@kingscrownhotel.com]
Sent: 21 March 2014 20:03
Subject: RE: From Website: Booking Kolkata. Adult:2

VIP ROAD

Dear Guest ,
Thank you for contacting Hotel Kings Crown, VIP Road.
Rooms are available in our hotel on 17th April 2014. Details are as follows:

Room Tariff: Rs.1959/-including Tax( complimentary breakfast )
Room Type: Economy
Check In: 12:00 noon
Check Out: 12:00 noon
You are required to come along with your valid id proof except pan card.


At Mumbai we asked Devender the private taxi owner to pick us up from Vashi and we were at the Santa Cruz Chattrapati Shivaji Airport, completed our check in formalities: Water bottle was allowed and I was made to drink it and show! 

The flight from Mumbai to Kolkata was a non meal flight but we could order and pay. We ordered a Rs 250/- Khadi Jeera Rice with Jal frieze aboard the Boeing Jet 737-900 ER. We had a restful sleep at the hotel and had a cup of hot hot coffee and checked out at 530 AM on 18th April 2014 and took a taxi to the Kolkata Airport.

The last time we used the Kolkata airport was during the Sundarbans trip of 17 to 20 December 2012:
http://sundarban2012.blogspot.in/2013/02/the-sundarban-in-2012-through-bnhs.html
and the rebuilt Kolkata Airport is marvelous and spacious!
Look at the Royal Bhutan Airlines ticket forwarded to us by BNHS:
ELECTRONIC TICKET
PASSENGER ITINERARY/RECEIPT
CUSTOMER COPY
Passenger: ASHOK KUMAR RAMASWAMI Ticket No: 7771100019641
PNR No. 00OMFX Issue Date: 4/11/2014 2:58:14 PM
Issuing Airline: Bhutan Airlines Issuing Agent: BTCL Ticketing , Thimphu
, BT
DATE CITY/TERMINAL/STOPOVER CITY TIMEFLIGHT/CLASS/STATUS/FAREBASIS
18 APR, 2014 DEP CCU-Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International 08 : 10 Hrs B3701 SOWBTN
ARR PBH-Paro International Airport 09 : 45 Hrs Economy/S/CONFIRMED
a. Cancellation charges
-100% refund permitted for tickets cancelled more than 03 days from the date of travel with
administrative charge of BTN724
-Refund not permitted for tickets cancelled less than 03 days from the date of travel.
All applicable taxes are refundable-No rebooking charge if the reschedule is done more than
72 HRS
BAGGAGE: 30 Kgs


But this was not the last of our travel reservations!

Since we would be dropped off at Bagdogra International Airport, we had another boarding pass for the flight to Delhi. And then a train reservation from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Mumbai Central by the August Kranti Rajdhani for the 30th of April 2014.

At Subhas Chandra Bose Int Airport we waited! 
At 0836 hrs IST we were waiting for the weather which was cloudy to clear up at Paro! At the
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport we were all waiting and were entertained by the common tiger butterfly, the drongo, the blue tiger.. We had a comfortable flight to Paro where the plane turned tantalisingly into the Paro valley and landed safely.
Just before we landed we thought we had a view of Kanchenjunga from the air at 951 AM IST:

 951 AM IST: Is the Kanchenjunga visible?



The Paro International Airport, 18 April 2014 1045 Bhutan Standard Time




1045 Bhutan Standard Time: Poornima at the Paro International Airport





Me at the Paro International Airport just after a pleasant landing(1045 AM Bhutan Standard Time).

How about a spectacular landing? Check out:
A spectacular landing on the Paro International Airport by JayMcDir:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc1gIZaryQw




A view of Paro from the tarmac at 1108 AM IST on 18 April 2014.

Mr. Tashi Namgay of Yeshy Dema Namgay Tours and Treks, Thimpu, Bhutan, Cell 0097517163398 guided us in a minibus on the way from Paro to Thimpu. We arrived in the capital Thimpu at Hotel Kisa after a one and a half hour ride(11:15 to 1245 Bhutan standard time(IST plus 30 minutes)).
The hill sides were barren on the way. Near the roadside were Chirpines, apple blossoms- spring in Bhutan. The driver's name was Indra. We made it half an hour earlier at 12:15 BST. Thimpu at 2320 m elevation. After a good lunch we went birding in the Begana area, north west of Thimpu:
The first view at 2:22 PM(IST) on the way to the Begana Region:






Note: The Begana area where we birded is shown by a red square as a power station. Actually a power station is located there.

It was a very very satisfying experience with Tashy Namgay, the guide for birds and culture, with his Birds of Bhutan(Inskipp et al) in his pocket and his i phone with bird songs, Karma Wangdi, the Bhutanese guide on plants and butterflies and we 11 of us very happy to the brim on the fantastic forested area with so many trees, plants and birds and butterflies.
Relatively dry, Thimphu valley is surrounded by fine stands of Blue Pine and temperate evergreen forests. The increasing human settlement has pushed birding spots at least 10 km and now the ideal areas for birding are around the stream near Motithang and in and around Begana and Cheri villages.

The fist glimpse of the Rhododendron(308 PM IST) and the Primula(3:18 PM IST):





At 4:03 PM on 18 April 2014 we were at the famed Park:




On this trail we saw the Rock Pigeon, the Oriental Turtle Dove, the Common Hoopoe, the Yellow Rumped Honeyguide, the White Wagtail, Red-vented Bulbul, the Brown Dipper, Rufous-breasted Accentor, Blue Whistling Thrush, Grey-winged Blackbird, Whistle's Warbler, Rufous-gorgeted flycatcher, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Plumbous Water-Redstart, White-throated Laughingthrush, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush, Rufous Sibia, Green-backed Tit, Long-tailed Shrike, Grey-backed Shrike, Black Drongo, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, House Crow, Russet Sparrow and Eurasian Tree Sparrow: A total of 28 species for the day, just in Begana!  We spotted the Yellow Rumped Honeyguide(18 April 2014 at 1439 IST) moving from a bee hive on the left to a bee hive on the right among the rock cave formations. It then sat on a slanted twig and posed for a long time for us giving various angles!
I show the location in the Begana area  between the two bee hives where on the slanted twig the Yellow rumped honeyguide sat posing:

A gallery of the birds of Bhutan(surfbirds.com) which includes a photo of the Yellow Rumped Honeyguide  is found at:
http://www.surfbirds.com/gallery/search2.cgi?species=&photographer=&location=&county=Bhutan
The song of the honeyguide is found in the mp3 site for birdsongs given at Ref 4. Emits song pulses in flight.
A photo of Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush is also found in the surfbirds site above and its call in my mp3 site for birdsongs above.
See Rufous Sibia here:
http://www.surfbirds.com/gallery/search2.php?species=&photographer=&location=&country=Bhutan&start=61
And its call at the mp3 site above.
For a picture of the Green-backed tit see
http://himalayanconnections.org/our-feathered-friends-birds-the-power-of-retreat/green-backed-tit/
And its call at the mp3 site at Ref 4.
A picture of the Blue Whistling Thrush we saw in Begana area on 18th April 2014 is here(seen in Mochu Valley by the author of this photo):
http://www.pbase.com/ianfulton/image/96275530
The song is sweet and complex and is in the mp3 site above.
The Brown Dipper photo is at
http://www.arthurgrosset.com/asiabirds/photos/cinpal26236.jpg
and its song is in the mp3 site above.
Rufous-breasted Accentor can be seen at
http://www.surfbirds.com/gallery/search2.php?species=&photographer=&location=&country=Bhutan&start=81
And its song in the mp3 site above.
The Grey-winged Blackbird(male) may be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26931849@N04/12323337724/
And its song at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-yv8RIioBY
The white wagtail is at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNAsFvzeLGA
And its song at:
https://sites.google.com/site/bhutanbirdsongs/himalayan-monal-pheasant
Whistler's Warbler can be seen at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Whistler%27s_Warbler_%28Seicercus_whistleri%29.jpg
And its song is at my mp3 site above.
Song lacks tremelos and trills which are present in Golden-spectacled Warbler and this is the best means of identification. Let us anticipate the Golden-spectacled Warbler which we spotted on 20 April 2014:
The song of the Golden-spectacled Warbler is at mp3 site above.
The Golden-spectacled Warbler can be seen at:
http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Image:Golden-spectacled_Warbler.jpg
1633 Indian Standard Time 18 April 2014: In the Thimpu, Begana area, we saw the Yellow-billed Blue Magpie(Threatened):

The song of the Yellow-billed Blue Magpie is at the mp3 site above.

Another photo of the  Yellow-billed Blue Magpie is at:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yellow_Billed_Blue_Magpie-Dogra.jpg

Source http://www.flickr.com/photos/33126323@N04/3251129784/ Yellow Billed Blue Magpie
Author http://www.flickr.com/people/33126323@N04 Rakesh Dogra] from Dehradun, India

We saw the Rufous-gorgeted flycatcher:
A glimpse of it is available at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51435649@N05/8740654751/
And its song at the mp3 site of mine above(Ref 4 for the URL).
More info on the bird at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous-gorgeted_Flycatcher
The image there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous-gorgeted_Flycatcher#mediaviewer/File:Rufous-gorgeted_Flycatcher_%28Ficedula_strophiata%29.jpg

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher (Ficedula strophiata)CC BY 2.0

I was close to Tashy Namgay who with his i phone bird calls and zoom camera was busy photographing the Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher:
Catch the bird on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUaYklF5Thk
And the mp3 sound of the bird song at my site above.

The Plumbeous Water Redstart was spotted a number of times in the Jigme Dorji National Park:
Get an idea from here for the male:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr1t7OoPLJc 
And here also for the female:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgdTXzm89Bs
The song of the Plumbeous Water Redstart is at the mp3 site mentioned above and pasted here: 
https://sites.google.com/site/bhutanbirdsongs/himalayan-monal-pheasant
Habitat: Mountain streams and rivers.
Beside the mountain stream inside the Jigme Dorji National Park:


And me too in the lovely Begana Area beside the stream:


We saw the White-throated Laughingthrush:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-throated_laughingthrush#mediaviewer/File:White-throated_laughingthrush_at_Pangot,_Uttarkhand,_India.jpg

White-throated laughingthrush at Pangot, Uttarkhand, IndiaCC BY-SA 3.0
Kannan AS - Own work

Check out also:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/francesco_veronesi/7214330224/
The video  White throated laughingthrush in Jatoli village of WildFilmsIndia is at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf-6Ns79pqU
And its song is my mp3 site above(Ref 4).
Habitat: Broadleaved and broadleaved-coniferous forest and secondary growth.
The Black-faced Laughingthrush(garrulax affinis) is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Black-faced_Laughingthrush.jpg#file
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Black-faced_Laughingthrush.jpg


This image was originally posted to Flickr by Allan Drewitt at http://flickr.com/photos/31003918@N05/5824982792. It was reviewed on by the FlickreviewR robot and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

And its song is in the bhutanbirdsongs site reference above.
Habitat: Broad leaved coniferous and mixed forests and shrubberies above tree line(We saw it in Thimpu).
We saw the long-tailed shrike:
A view is here:
http://www.arthurgrosset.com/asiabirds/photos/lansch26476.jpg
And its song is at the mp3 site here.
Habitat: Bushes in cultivation and open forest.
And we saw the grey backed shrike:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grey_backed_shrike_%28Lanius_tephronotus_tephronotus%29.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Grey_backed_shrike_%28Lanius_tephronotus_tephronotus%29.jpg
This image was originally posted to Flickr by Lip Kee at http://flickr.com/photos/64565252@N00/440579673. It was reviewed on by the FlickreviewR robot and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-sa-2.0.

And its song in the birdsong site above.
We saw the black drongo, the Russet Sparrow and the Eurasian Tree Sparrow.
The Russet Sparrow(male):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russet_sparrow
Male:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russet_sparrow#mediaviewer/File:Passer_rutilans.JPG

Passer rutilansCC BY-SA 3.0
Alpsdake - Own work



Female Russet Sparrow:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russet_sparrow#mediaviewer/File:Passer_rutilans_%28female%29.JPG


Passer rutilans (female)CC BY-SA 3.0
Alpsdake - Own work
http://www.birdforum.net/opus/images/8/8c/Russet_Sparrow_8.jpg
Female Russet Sparrow:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2104&Bird_Image_ID=88377&p=4
And its song is in my mp3 site above. It also contains the song of the Streaked Spiderhunter.
Its habitat: Open forest, forest edges and upland cultivation.
We saw the Eurasian Tree Sparrow:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_tree_sparrow
The image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_tree_sparrow#mediaviewer/File:Tree_Sparrow_Japan_Flip.jpg



https://www.flickr.com/photos/nagesh_kamath/9606528226/
And its song is in my mp3 site above.
Its habitat: Forest and secondary growth.
This completes what we saw on 18 April 2014 in Bhutan.
We had a good dinner and rested blissfully in Kisa Hotel.


Day 2     19 April 2014

The expectation after an early morning start in the Begana Area and the Dochula Pass Region:
In the morning butterflying in the Begana area- drive along the central highway to Dochula(3150 m). Afetr the Dochula pass sojourn, explore the Royal Botanical Park with about 50 species of butterfly, and diversity of birds on the east side of the pass, by walking the highway. Here we have a good chance of seeing the Satyr Tragopan. White-throated, Striated and Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrushes are present here.  Darjeeling Woodpecker, Hoary-throated Barwing,  Fire-tailed Myzornis, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Rusty-flanked Treecreeper, Red-headed Bullfinch are all amongst a range of possibilities. In the evening look for the critically endangered White-bellied Heron alongside the Pho-chuu river and for other river birds. Overnight at Punakha.

The trail.
On the google earth we show the route we took from Thimpu to Dochula Pass and the landscape there:


 We reached Dochula Pass Trail(Dont you recognise it friends?) beside the 108 stupas after a 22 km winding trip through one of the densest forest areas of the world:


We missed the view of the Himalayas from Dochula on the 19th but caught a traveling glimpse on the 21st April 2014 as we were hurrying to beat the block with Indra on his flying horse. Look at what we may have missed: Bhutan's highest peak Gangkhar Peunsum:


A tour of Gangkhar Peunsum:

Paste the URL for the birdsong site on the address bar:
https://sites.google.com/site/bhutanbirdsongs/himalayan-monal-pheasant
Open the Gangkhar Puensum TourA.kmz file by clicking on download and then clicking on open the file(Do not click on save). You will go on a tour of the highest peak of Bhutan-Gangkhar Puensum with a peak measuring 7570 m and a prominence of 2995m. In topography, prominence[a] characterizes the height of a mountain's or hill's summit by the vertical distance between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit. It is a measure of the independence of a summit. A peak's key col is a unique point on this contour line and the parent peak is some higher mountain, selected according to various objective criteria(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topographic_prominence).


A panoramic view:
Have a peek of the peaks at:
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/37857356


 537 AM: Dochula Sun

 0604 AM: Dochula Primulas: Spring in Bhutan





We saw the Pallas's Fish Eagle by the side of the river Pho-chuu river:
Check out:
http://www.arkive.org/pallass-fish-eagle/haliaeetus-leucoryphus/video-00.html
Habitat: Large rivers. 


River Lapwing(Vanellus duvaucelii)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_lapwing
The Images there:

River Lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii) at Jayanti, Duars, West Bengal W IMG 5291CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work


River Lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii) at Jayanti, Duars, West Bengal W IMG 5298CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work


Near threatened. See http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22693992/0
Dams a major cause.
A photo of the bird at Paro:
http://jonathanhornbuckle.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=133478003
A video: A River Lapwing at a sewage pond in Thimpu:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmHa6BaEgQc
Its song:
See my mp3 site above.
We saw a red-wattled lapwing also.
For this bird in action sitting on its eggs and also in motion see
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5Ugaq41sc4
Its song:
See my mp3 site above.
We saw the oriental cuckoo:
Male:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=444
Female:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=444&Bird_Image_ID=51787&Bird_Family_ID=
The song is in my mp3 site above.
As we wet on the trail in excellent weather by the side of the river Pho-chu we saw the ibisbill:
Daniel Bhalla's video on the ibisbill:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybAesA4iLag
A photo:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/JC_Ibisbill.jpg
The image there:
JC IbisbillCC BY-SA 3.0
Subramanya C K - Own work
 

The song is in the mp3 site above.
Habitat: Mountainstreams and rivers with shingle beds.
We saw the Crested Kingfisher along the river:
A photo is at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crested_Kingfisher
The image there:
CrestedKingfisherCC BY-SA 3.0
Vndas - Own work


http://www.surfbirds.com/gallery/search2.php?species=&photographer=&location=&country=Bhutan&start=21
Another photo:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7102/6935785106_e287541d27_o.jpg
The song is in the mp3 site above.

We saw the Black Bulbul(Hypsipetes leucocephalous):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Bulbul#mediaviewer/File:Black_Bulbul_I_IMG_6662.jpg
The image there:


Black Bulbul I IMG 6662CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work

http://www.flickr.com/photos/francesco_veronesi/7186905032/
Its song is in the mp3 site above(Ref 4).
Habitat: Tall forest mainly broadleaved,also coniferous and mixed forest.

We saw the Blue Rock Thrush:
Check out the image here(male) from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_rock_thrush#mediaviewer/File:Monticola_solitarius_philippensis.JPG

Monticola solitarius philippensisCC BY-SA 3.0view terms
Original uploader was Jojo2000 at ja.wikipedia - Originally from ja.wikipedia; description page is/was here.


The female at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Rock_Thrush#mediaviewer/File:Isohiodori_fem2.JPG
The image of the female there:


Isohiodori fem2CC BY-SA 3.0view terms
NIMSoffice (talk). Original uploader was NIMSoffice at en.wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia; transfer was stated to be made by User:NIMSoffice.

The Xeno Canto Records of the song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Monticola-solitarius?pg=1


And what a sight the white collared blackbird was!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-collared_Blackbird#mediaviewer/File:White-collared_Blackbird_%28Male%29_I_IMG_7377.jpg
The image there:
White-collared Blackbird (Male) I IMG 7377CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rfhcPcJYf4
The female:
See the female in this gallery:
http://biodiversity.bt/observation/show/2160
Birdsong of  white collared blackbird(Chele la) :
http://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/uploaded/RNVWOVLEUN/white-collaredblackbirdcallbhutanFarrow.mp3
The complete set of birdcalls of white collared blackbird  on Xeno Canto:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Turdus-albocinctus
Habitat: Broadleaved, coniferous and broadleaved-coniferous forest, forest edges and clearings.

We saw the Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler(Cettia fortipes):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownish-flanked_Bush-Warbler#mediaviewer/File:Brownish-flanked_Bush_Warbler_I_IMG_6777.jpg
The image there:
Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler I IMG 6777CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work

See a video on it from Arunachal Pradesh, Kameng:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/brownish-flanked-bush-warbler-cettia-fortipes/singing-bird-moving-fallen-branch
A Xeno Canto recording:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/uploaded/RNVWOVLEUN/brownishflankedbushwarbler-deothang070509farrow.mp3
The fullset of songs of this bird at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Horornis-fortipes?view=1&dir=0&order=cnt&pg=1
Its song is also at my mp3 site(Ref 4).
Habitat: Bushes at forest and cultivation edges.

The Blue-fronted Redstart:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-fronted_Redstart#mediaviewer/File:Blue-fronted_Redstart_Aritar_Sikkim_India_7th_January_2014.jpg
The image there:

Blue-fronted Redstart Aritar Sikkim India 7th January 2014CC BY-SA 3.0
Dibyendu Ash - This image file contains the photograph of Blue-fronted Redstart from Aritar from the state of Sikkim, India, Photographed on 7th January 2014

http://www.surfbirds.com/gallery/search2.php?species=Blue-fronted%20Redstart
Both male and female birds are shown in this web site:
http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue-fronted_Redstart
Xeno Canto Recordings of the Blue-fronted Redstart:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Phoenicurus-frontalis?&view=3
Habitat: Shrubberies and open forest.

The Hoary-throated Barwing
Actinodura nipalensis
Check out image at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/francesco_veronesi/7215206070/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/francesco_veronesi/7215206070/in/photostream/lightbox/

http://bird-stockphotos.photoshelter.com/image/I0000IBcrXrMIRW8
Xeno Canto birdsongs at
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Actinodura-nipalensis?view=0&dir=1&order=loc
"Adult Fairly common altitudinal migrant; 1830 to 3300 m. Prominent buffish-white shaft-streaking on crown and nape, black moustachial stripe, streaked mantle, and greyish throat and breast. Mainly mossy oak forest, also fir and mixed forest."- Inskipp et al,   Birds of  Bhutan. p 158. 2007. Timeless Books, New Delhi.

We saw the White-browed Fulvetta at Dochula Pass:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-browed_fulvetta#mediaviewer/File:White-browed_Fulvetta.jpg
The image there:



Check out:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/white-browed-fulvetta-fulvetta-vinipectus/views-foraging-individual
http://bird-stockphotos.photoshelter.com/image/I0000VQXA2u7yIZE
Call Xeno Canto at Che le la, Bhutan(11 seconds):
http://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/uploaded/PWDLINYMKL/XC115852-WhitebrowedFulvettaBh2.mp3
24 seconds of song at Ghorepani, Nepal:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/uploaded/KZQAYURRFG/XC118603-Alcvin_s_Ghorepani_16h45m19s27mar2011.mp3
53 seconds of songs on my mp3 site at:
https://sites.google.com/site/bhutanbirdsongs/himalayan-monal-pheasant

And we saw the Fire-tailed Myzornis several times and also in flight:
Check out for example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Myzornis_pyrrhoura_-Eaglenest_Wildlife_Sanctuary,_Arunachal_Pradesh,_India_-male-8.jpg
And the image there:

Source Flickr: Fire-tailed Myzornis male
Author soumyajit nandy
Permission
(Reusing this file)
Checked copyright icon.svg This image, which was originally posted to Flickr.com, was uploaded to Commons using Flickr upload bot on 17:19, 16 March 2014 (UTC) by Snowmanradio (talk). On that date it was licensed under the license below.
w:en:Creative Commons
attribution share alike
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.


Also see
http://rockjumperbirding.blogspot.in/2012/04/2012-bhutan-highlights-by-glen.html
And at:
http://spe.fotolog.com/photo/62/51/121/cookie_and_milk/1325002388072_f.jpg
The Xeno Conto song recordings at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Myzornis-pyrrhoura
mp3 song record also at my site:
https://sites.google.com/site/bhutanbirdsongs/himalayan-monal-pheasant

Brown Parrotbill we saw at Dochu la, Royal Botanical Park:
See the Wikipedia site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brown_Parrotbill.jpg
And the image there:




Source Own work
Author Mahesh Iyer
This photo was taken in the evening hours when Parrotbills were about to go for roosting.
Licensing
I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license:
w:en:Creative Commons
attribution share alike
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.




Check out also the bird images in Bhutan:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/images/data/2013_1116_brown_parrotbill_2.jpg
The Xeno Conto recording of the song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Cholornis-unicolor?&view=3
You may also check out my mp3 file for the song also(59 secs).
Habitat: Bamboo stands and dense bushes.

We saw the White-tailed Nuthatch:

Check out the example from Uttarakhand:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NawBYOoC42o
The image:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/files/pictures/5781_White-tailed_Nuthatch.jpg
Song from Xeno Conto:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Sitta-himalayensis
Habitat: Broadleaved and mixed forest.


We saw the green-tailed sunbird:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Green-tailed_Sunbird_%28Aethopyga_nipalensis%29.jpg
The image there,male:
Description Green-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga nipalensis Phulchowki, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal 14th. March 2009
Date , 10:17:36
Source originally posted to Flickr as Green-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga nipalensis)
Author Lip Kee Yap
Permission
(Reusing this file)
Checked copyright icon.svg This image, which was originally posted to Flickr.com, was uploaded to Commons using Flickr upload bot on 10:28, 21 May 2010 (UTC) by Alastair Rae (talk). On that date it was licensed under the license below.
w:en:Creative Commons
attribution share alike
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.


http://video.orange.mu/travel/nepal-yellow-backed-sunbird-in-bhutan/
Images:
Male
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOeYy5PxLhS4znsCfJMZXt-n4ngxJZyaj3IYLFmYfcXCna2Z9xJx7kP9BYFqQQl5bY2DT14YP5iCJXsYEY7k5XfzCCBM-wvsuJkKss87imDtK_E3MwPtsVAh0GA7x38t0SoRzGjyTwwDF1/s1600/8.+Green-tailed+Sunbird+-+this+exquisite+sunbird+is+a+pleasantly+common+feature+of+Bhutanese+forests-001.JPG
Female
http://thewildernessalternative.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bhutan-13-5-18.jpg?w=1024
Migrates between 610 to 3665 m. Forest and secondary growth.
Call from Xeno Canto:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Aethopyga-nipalensis


We saw the Fire-breasted Flowerpecker:
Check out at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fire-breasted_flowerpecker_%28Dicaeum_ignipectus%29.jpg
The image there:

Description Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus (Clements 5th. ed) Dicaeum ignipectum (Clements 6th. ed) Nominate race Dicaeum ignipectus ignipectus
Pokhara, Nepal 13th. March 2009
690V3954
Date , 10:25:56
Source originally posted to Flickr as Fire-breasted flowerpecker (Dicaeum ignipectus)
Author Lip Kee Yap
Permission
(Reusing this file)
Checked copyright icon.svg This image, which was originally posted to Flickr.com, was uploaded to Commons using Flickr upload bot on 02:57, 6 April 2009 (UTC) by Rufous-crowned Sparrow (talk). On that date it was licensed under the license below.
w:en:Creative Commons
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This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.


Female:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/files/pictures/Fire-breasted_Flowerpecker_female.jpg
Male:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2173&Bird_Image_ID=85505&p=9
Xeno Canto Recording of song:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Dicaeum-ignipectus
Broadleaved forest and secondary growth. Migrates between 610 and 2895 m.

We saw the Oriental White-eye:
Habitat is well wooded areas.
http://yesheydorji.blogspot.in/2013/04/a-great-birding-trip.html
Bird song recording:
https://sites.google.com/site/bhutanbirdsongs/himalayan-monal-pheasant

Grey Treepie was also sighted:
Images:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grey_Treepie.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grey_Treepie_O_DSC02062.jpg
The image at the latter URL:

Description
English: Grey Treepie Dendrocitta formosae in Uttarakhand, India.
Date
Source Own work
Author J.M.Garg

Licensing:

I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following licenses:
GNU head Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled GNU Free Documentation License.
w:en:Creative Commons
attribution share alike
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.


Videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWeh7RRMz1o
Grey Treepie vs Eurasian Tree Sparrow(which we also saw today):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94gMfKv-6mE

Popular Grey Treepie videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtg5FVnE7HpTxajalokd-EA
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Dendrocitta-formosae 

Apart from these birds, we also sighted the Rock Pigeon, the Oriental Turtle Dove, the Common Hoopoe, the Oriental Skylark, the White Wagtail, the Redvented Bulbul, the Rufous-breasted Accentor, the Blue Whistling Thrush, the Oriental Magpie Robin, the White-throated Laughingthrush, the Black-faced Laughingthrush, the Rufous Sibia, the Green-backed Tit, the long-tailed Shrike, the Ashy Drongo, the Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, the House Crow, the Large-billed Crow, the Common Myna, the Russet Sparrow, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow and the Chestnut-tailed Starling - all on 19 April 2014 in the Dochula area. 

The Dachula Temple

Dachula Walkway beside the Monastery:

The Dachula Monastery

 

 We saw the castonopsis tree with white flowers:




(From Ohsawa,M ed.1987. Life Zone Ecology of the Bhutan Himalaya.Laboratory of Ecology,Chiba University, page 42)



The Dochula to Punakha travel on 19 April 2014:

The Castonopsis tree, an idea from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castanopsis#mediaviewer/File:Castanopsis_sieboldii2.jpg


Castanopsis sieboldii2CC BY-SA 3.0view terms
KENPEI - KENPEI's photo
Castanopsis sieboldii

License details

GFDL,Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.1 Japan License 
 
The 20 April 2014 Memories- Bhutan

Plan: Start early morning from Punakha and drive to Jigme Dorji National Park for birding. Pallas's FishEagle, Crested Kingfisher and Slaty-backed Forktail can usually be found along the river. We also hope to find the Yellow-vented Warbler in the forests here. Other possibilities include Great and Golden-throated Barbets, Grey-hooded Warbler, Maroon Oriole, Grey Treepie, Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker and Black-throated Sunbird. Overnight at Punakha.

We saw the castonopsis tree 

The Trail :
As we were moving in the vehicle we saw House Sparrows, a Common Hoopoe on a tree and Ruddy Shelducks in flight.
Check out:
http://www.tibetbirds.com/Ruddy%20Shell%20Duck.html
My mp3 site contains Ruddy Shelduck's song.
Xeno Canto Recordings:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Tadorna-ferruginea

1. 0615: White-throated Kingfisher, a Treepie and ashy drongo.
2. 0725:  We saw the Maroon Oriole at Jigme Dorji National Park.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maroon_Oriole_0917.jpg
The image from the above Wikipedia site:

Description
English: taken at Wulai, Taipei County, Taiwan.
Date
Source Own work
Author Alnus

Licensing:

I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following licenses:
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attribution share alike
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.


See the video of the male and with female feeding the chick at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_txNU35myf0
Habitat: Dense moist broadleaved forest.
Song at Xeno Canto:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Oriolus-traillii


3.  0650: On the bridge at entrance to Jigme Dorji National Park we saw Plumbous Water  Redstart, Blue Whistling thrush and the Slaty-backed Forktail.
Check out the Slaty-backed Forktail at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Slaty-backed_forktail,_Dibang_Valley,_Arunachal_Pradesh,_India.jpg
See the image there:

Description
English: Slaty-backed forktail, Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Date
Source Own work
Author Kannan AS

Licensing

I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license:
w:en:Creative Commons
attribution share alike
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Also see:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=2547&Bird_Image_ID=167&Bird_Family_ID=
Check this Forked Tail from Bhutan:
http://bird-stockphotos.photoshelter.com/image/I0000RadClNA88Ac
Bird Song at Xeno Canto:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Enicurus-schistaceus

0730: Fabulous Forests en route Punakha to Jigme Dorji National Park(20 April 2014):



At 0740 hrs we saw the Golden-spectacled Warbler:
Check out:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/francesco_veronesi/7215210964/
Habitat: Forest understory.
Song: Xeno Canto:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Seicercus-affinis

At 7:55 we saw the Striated Laughingthrush:
Male:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=1654&Bird_Image_ID=61423&p=7
Song: Xeno Canto:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Garrulax-striatus
Habitat: Dense broadleaved forest.

We also saw Common Hoopoe, Great Barbet, the Black Bulbul, the Brown Dipper at the Waterfall (See below for photo).
0624 hrs IST: We saw a beautiful Rivulet in the park:


  Butterflies in Bhutan

"Little is known about the butterflies of Bhutan. The
British Natural History Museum in London has a large
number of specimens from Bhutan, mostly collected
by explorers during the first half of the last century,
but no systematic studies seem to have been carried
out. Bhutan probably has some 800 to 900 species of
butterflies (Dr. Torben Larsen, pers. comm.).
800 to 900 species is a huge number for a small country
such as Bhutan. There are more butterfly species in
Bhutan than in the whole of North America (679
species) or of Europe (440 species). The incredible
range of habitats present in Bhutan, from subtropical
in the south to alpine in the north presents a vast array
of habitat niches for butterflies. Also, both Palaearctic
and Indo-Malayan species are found in Bhutan. The
largest number of butterflies is found in the subtropical
zone, but an amazing number can be found at midelevations
and in the mountains even at elevations
above 5000m. The hardy high-altitude butterflies fly
only during the summer."-- 

From Ref 8: The link to Ref 8:
lib.icimod.org/record/13075/files/766.pdf
  

We spotted the Chestnut Tiger Butterfly a number of times in the Park-Punakha road. Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Parantica_sita.jpg
The Image:
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Attribution: Andrzej Kaim at en.wikipedia


We spotted the Assamese Macaque:
Spot the Assamese Macaque in this grand account of a trip to heavenly Bhutan at
http://bellbirdramblings.blogspot.in/2012_01_01_archive.html
And note the Himalayan peaks we missed at Dochula and other places at dawn beginning to glow in the sun from crimson to white!
At 802 hrs ist: We spotted the Brown Coloured Punchinello Butterfly:


Another view of the Brown butterfly:


Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RN007_Zemeros_flegyas.jpg
The image from there:
  • Punchinello, Zemeros flegyas basking on a rock. Sucking minerals?
  • Photographed in Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh on 15 Nov 2005 by Rahul Natu <rahulnatu_at_gmail.com> who has donated it on Wikimedia Commons for use by the Indian butterflies project on Wikipedia.
  • This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Then the Map butterfly: Check out at:
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/38162067




820 hrs we spotted the Nepal Fulvetta:
Migrating between 500 to 2400 m. Grey head with black lateral crown-stripes.
Habitat: Dense understory in moist, broadleaved forest and bamboo.
Check out the bird at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nepal_fulvetta_sulking_in_Mishmi_Hills_Arunachal_Pradesh_India.jpg
The Image:

Description
English: Nepal Fulvetta Alcippe nipalensis, Mishmi Hills, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Date , 22:12:33
Source Own work
Author Kannan AS

Licensing

I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license:
w:en:Creative Commons
attribution share alike
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.


The Xeno Canto records of the song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Alcippe-nipalensis
A high fidelity recording is at my mp3 site(Reference 4)

0820:  Small Niltava
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Niltava
The image from the above wikipedia page:

Niltava macgrigoriaeCC BY-SA 3.0
Umeshsrinivasan - Own work
Small Niltava male, Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary


Check out the following URL for both the male and female photos:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=2680&Bird_Image_ID=90544&Bird_Family_ID=
For the xeno canto record of the song, check out at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Niltava-macgrigoriae
It migrates between 245m to 2200m. Resident.
Habitat: Bushes in broadleaved forest.

0829: Chestnut tiger butterfly.
0830: Half a dozen green backed tits.
0830: Beehive on rock.
0831: Grey Treepie
0832: On Alnus nepalensis, Orchid Dendrobium, pink. At:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Alnus_Nepalensis.JPG


Alnus NepalensisCC BY-SA 3.0
Krish Dulal - Own work

Another photo of Alnus Nepalensis from Flowers of India:

On this an Orchid Dendrobium
Dendrobium cucullatum Dendrobium pierardii, Dendrobium aphyllum var cucullatumOrchidaceae Hooded Dendrobium




Check out:
http://www.panglobalplants.com/2013/02/13/no-whiteys-since-kingdon-ward-planthunting-in-darkest-manipur/






We saw a pink orchid on a tree
Pink orchid lovely
On a tree with pink flowers
Orchids in full bloom.

Imaginatiion
Running wild with pink orchids
Just one epiphyte!
0841 hrs IST: Breakfast with Tashy Namgay, Karma Wangdi, Indra and the group in excellent weather in heavenly Bhutan: In between the two trees on the slender tree behind on a top branch a verditer flycatcher was singing.



0915 hrs IST:  we saw the verditer flycatcher on a tree sitting and singing for a long time:


A Haiku on the Verditer Flycatcher

Memories may fade
Verditer flycatcher blue
Frozen in sharp snaps!

Check out oriental bird images site for both sexes at:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2667&Bird_Image_ID=79598&p=19
Xeno Canto recordings at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Eumyias-thalassinus
Habitat: Open forest and wooded areas.

0915 hrs IST:  We saw a pale blue flycatcher here:
Check out at:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2630&Bird_Image_ID=54723&p=12
The Xeno Canto song recording at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Cyornis-unicolor

0915: White-capped Water Redstart
Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chaimarrornis_leucocephalus_2_-_Doi_Inthanon.jpg
The Image from there:

Description White-capped Water Redstart (Chaimarrornis leucocephalus), Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Date , 17:13:27
Source Own work
Author JJ Harrison (jjharrison89@facebook.com)
Camera location 18° 32′ 48.56″ N, 98° 30′ 55.13″ E View this and other nearby images on: OpenStreetMap - Google Maps - Google Earth info

Licensing:

w:en:Creative Commons
attribution share alike
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

The Xeno Canto song records at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/explore?query=chaimarrornis
Migrating between 150 m(Nov) to at least 4350 m(May).
Habitat: Mainly mountain streams and rivers.

Look at the area from Punakha to Jigme Dorji National Park where we were birding on the 20th, its me in the background and the busy photographers in the foreground(Nishat and Armin):


As we walked on and on we saw:
0916 hrs IST:

Can you identify the butterfly above? I guess it is female Dark Judy, cf p 277  ref 5.

918: A butterfly (Painted Lady):
Spotted the Painted Lady on the Punakha Highway to Jigme Dorji National Park.


940: Two great barbets.
 Check out at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Megalaima_virens_-Chakrata,_Uttarakhand,_India-8.jpg
And the image there:
Description Megalaima virens
English: A Great Barbet in Chakrata, Uttarakhand, India.
Date , 06:36
Source The great barbet
Author Meghana Kulkarni from Pune, India

Licensing

w:en:Creative Commons
attribution
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.



Xeno Canto records at:

http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Megalaima-virens




1000 hrs: Jigme Dorji National Park:
1000 hrs: Paris Peacock:











 Waterfall



Groundflora:



Freak!





1005: Chestnut Tiger Butterfly
A tree of the mangifera species.
1010: Acer species tree.
10:15 White Cabbage Butterfly and again the Paris Peacock.
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieris_brassicae#mediaviewer/File:Large_white_spread_wings.jpg
The image there of the large white cabbage:

Large white spread wingsCC BY-SA 3.0
S Sepp - Own work


Small White Cabbage Female:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieris_rapae#mediaviewer/File:Pieris.rapae.mounted.jpg
The images there(Female Small White and male):

Pieris.rapae.mountedCC BY-SA 3.0view terms
Sarefo - Own work

Pieris rapae maleCC BY-SA 3.0
JamesDouch - Own work

1025: Chocolate Pansy
1030: Pink orchid.
1035: Caesalpenia decapetala-Mysore Thorn we saw:





1040: Araflusis Patruchinello(?) alias Goat Weed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epimedium
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epimedium#mediaviewer/File:Elfenblume_%28Epimedium_x_versicolor%29.jpg


Elfenblume (Epimedium x versicolor)CC BY 2.0view terms

1120: Freak
1125: Lhasa Range(See photo below)
1130: Brown Dipper and Myna on a rock near the water falls(see the waterfalls pic above).
1215: Cynoclossum Ferruculum-a sticky plant. ?
1200: Wild Rasperry-very tasty! The tree:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hf0xyXsIkE0/Ug9UngJKYyI/AAAAAAAAEns/xSErjinKi60/s1600/umsang7.jpg


1200: The Lhasa Range in the background,Poornima is enjoying the stream here(Others in our group: the botany and butterfly expert Shri Karma Wangdi from UWICE, Armin and Thrity): Photo by Ms. Meena Jinturkar.


1205: Wild strawberry
Check out:
http://downundertothetopoftheworld.blogspot.in/2013/05/strawberry-fields.html
The image from there:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AX7x48z6AMU/UZlv6J16pMI/AAAAAAAACSo/iyNSPfuUO_Y/s1600/membartsho17.jpg


1210; Himalayan Jester
Check out at :
http://betterphotography.in/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/HIMALAYAN-JESTER-14.jpg
The image there(Courtesy Isaac Kehimkar, who incidentally happened to be our BNHS Group Leader for the Bhutan trip here):




Azur Saphire
Check out at:
http://birdwatchingjapan.blogspot.in/2011/09/butterflies-in-bhutan-august-2011.html
Author: Eurylaimmus

The image at:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNB5poB6GR5xlBRArVqz7VuhSWpb01mkC-i1KOGecEQU-bt9h0sM43RoKhJGgGgAHsiM8EAmJxGLUtxLs8UmaybDgKwZSNTZZY95KGBEL-f8tPTR7bA1mlYgWMkML8KRchJJjm8MwLiE/s320/20110811-15+Thimphu+Dodina+207.jpg


1215: Helen
See all about Helen at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_helenus
The Image there:

Red Helen (Papilio helenus) at Samsing, Duars, WB W IMG 6219CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work

1220: Tiger beetle
Check out at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lophyra_sp_Tiger_beetle_edit1.jpg
The image there:

Description
English: Lophyra sp. Tiger beetle pictured in Kibaha, Tanzania.
Français : Lophyra sp., un carabidé carnassier. Photo prise à Kibaha, en Tanzanie.
Date
Source Own work
Author Muhammad Mahdi Karim (www.micro2macro.net) Facebook
GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 only as published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.

We know birds and butterflies. But the Tiger beetle?
See the video:
Watch one of the Tiger beetle videos at:
https://www.google.co.in/search?q=Tiger+Beetle&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb&gfe_rd=cr&ei=lNuNU_qJO8u5iAfA8ICIBw#channel=sb&q=Tiger+Beetle&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=vid


We saw the whiskered yuhina:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Whiskered_Yuhina.jpg
The image from there:

Description
English: Whiskered Yuhina (Yuhina flavicollis)
Date 2007 - 11 - 25
Source http://www.flickr.com/photos/yathin/2063603233/
Author http://www.flickr.com/photos/yathin/

Licensing

w:en:Creative Commons
attribution share alike
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

You are free:
  • to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work
  • to remix – to adapt the work
Under the following conditions:
  • attribution – You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).
  • share alike – If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one.

Checked copyright icon.svg This image was originally posted to Flickr by yathin at http://flickr.com/photos/36751725@N00/2063603233. It was reviewed on 12:16, 5 May 2010 (UTC) by FlickreviewR, who found it to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-sa-2.0, which is compatible with the Commons. It is, however, not the same license as specified on upload, which was the cc-by-2.0, and it is unknown whether that license ever was valid.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskered_yuhina
for some details.
See Ref 6, Plate 70,11 for concise details. Habitat: Broadleaved forest, second growth.Punakha: 1200 m amsl.
The Xeno Canto Records of the song at
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Yuhina-flavicollis

We saw the black-chinned Yuhina:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yuhina_nigrimenta.jpg
The image from there:

Description
English: Black-chinned Yuhina (Yuhina nigrimenta)
Date
Source http://www.flickr.com/photos/fisherbray/3404193955/
Author http://www.flickr.com/photos/fisherbray/
Licensing This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

The song at Xeno Canto recordings at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Yuhina-nigrimenta

We saw the White-bellied Yuhina in the Punakha area:
Check out the Wikipedia at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Erpornis_zantholeuca.jpg
The image from there:

Description
English: White-bellied Yuhina (Erpornis zantholeuca)
Date 2009 - 02 -07
Source http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotcool/3260393992/
Author http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotcool/

Licensing

w:en:Creative Commons
attribution share alike
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.



The Xeno Canto song records at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Erpornis-zantholeuca
My mp3 bird song site also has recording of the song of the White-bellied Yuhina.

We saw  the Black-throated Sunbird:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_Sunbird
The image from there:

Aethopyga saturata – Ang KhangCC BY-SA 3.0

We saw this bird in the Punakha area.
The Bird Song from Xeno Canto site:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Aethopyga-saturata

The Visit to the Punakha Monastery after lunch

300 IST: The aerial view of the Punakha Monastery:



308PM IST: Walking towards the Punakha Monastery:
329PM: We reach the front of the entrance to the Punakha Monastery:

 
We notice with awe the beehives at the top of the front of the Punakha Monastery(See the picture  above and the one below):

 
The Yellow-rumped Honeyguide (on behalf of BNHS-Bhutan Happiness) has guided us serenely to the Punakha Monastery. 
Being good in thought, word and deed includes:
Ahimsa satyamakrodhastyagaha shantirapaishunam II
Daya bhuteshvalolptvam mardavam hreerachapalam II 2 II

Non-injury, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, tranquility, absence of calumny, compassion to beings, uncovetousness, gentleness, absence of fickleness.

358: We spotted the Pallas Fish Eagle.


Inside the temple



Posing Inside the Temple(Photo by Ms Meena Jinturkar)




The Temple Fortress








 The Temple leading to the Sanctum Sactorum






4 to 445 PM: Standing in front of the mural depicting the life cycle, Tashy Namgay, the tour guide explained to us the Mahayana Buddhism and as we were taken round the temple,  he explained  its history regarding the Punakha temple and Bhutan.

Thereafter I posed with Sudhir Sapre for a photo:


We had a good dinner after we returned to our Hotel and rested for the night at Punakha.

Day 4: 21 April 2014

In the morning we departed from Punakha to Paro. The plan: On the way explore the Royal Botanical Park with about 50 species of butterfly- what diversity: via Dochula pass. Drive to Paro.

The google earth and map:


Another panoramic view of the setting of our tour:
Paste the link given in reference 4 to the address bar and click on the download for the kmz file entitled:
My PlacesParotoPunakha.kmz
You will see the site in relation to the Himalayan mountains.
The route on Google Earth Punakha to Paro via Royal Botanical Park, Dochula and Thimpu :


 555 hrs IST: Mountain top view of river to spot White-bellied Heron:
Pallas Fish Eagle flying, I saw!
600: We saw the barred cuckoo dove:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Barred_Cuckoo-dove.jpg
The image therein:


Barred Cuckoo-doveCC BY-SA 3.0
Geetanjalidhar - Own work


The song at: Xeno Canto
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Macropygia-unchall
600: Treepies, Kingfisher call.
610: Common merganser:
Check out at:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Mergus_merganser_-Sandwell_-England_-male-8.jpg
The image there(male):

Mergus merganser -Sandwell -England -male-8CC BY 2.0view terms
Tony Hisgett - originally posted to Flickr as Male Goosander

The female at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Female_Mergus_merganser_americanus_at_Las_Gallinas_Wildlife_Ponds.jpg
The image from there:


Female Mergus merganser americanus at Las Gallinas Wildlife PondsCC BY-SA 3.0
Frank Schulenburg - Own work


The song from Xeno Canto records:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Mergus-merganser
A pair of megansers in the Punakha Chu River:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26AS0ZlhzVU
At 610 hrs we also saw  Ruddy Shelducks,a barking deer and an Oriental Turtle Dove.

Oriental Turtle Dove: Check out at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Orientalturtledove.JPG
The Image there:

OrientalturtledoveCC BY 2.5
Ravi Vaidyanathan - Own work


The bird song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Streptopelia-orientalis

925: Verditer flycatcher
We saw the Rock Pigeon:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Pigeon
We saw about this time the Grey Hooded Warbler(Poornima spotted it at the White-bellied Heron spotting top point):
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey-hooded_Warbler
The image there:

Grey-hooded WarblerCC BY-SA 3.0
Munish Jauhar - Own work


The Xeno Canto songs for the Grey Hooded Warbler at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Phylloscopus-xanthoschistos
We also saw the Pale Blue Flycatcher, White-capped Water Redstart.

We saw the Grey Bushchat:
Check out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grey_Bushchat_%28male%29_I_IMG_6728.jpg
The image there(male):

Grey Bushchat (male) I IMG 6728CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work


The Image there(female):

Grey Bushchat (Female)- Himachal- I2 IMG 3246CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work


See Plate 83, Bird No. 17 in Ref 6.



We saw the fork-tailed swift:
Check out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_swift
The image there:

ApusPacificusCC BY-SA 3.0view terms
Robert Pudwill - Own work


The song is at my mp3 site, Reference 4, under Fork-tailed Swift.


We also saw the White-throated Kingfisher, Common Hoopoe.

We saw the Black winged Cuckooshrike for the first time during the tour:
Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Black-winged_Cuckooshrike.jpg
See the image there:

Black-winged CuckooshrikeCC BY 2.0view terms
Female:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Black-winged_Cuckooshrike_female_Nabarun_Sadhya.jpg
See the image there:

Black-winged Cuckooshrike female Nabarun SadhyaCC BY-SA 3.0
Nabarunsadhya - Own work

The xeno canto sound records are at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Coracina-melaschistos
Habitat: Summer <2200m; Winter: <1000m;
Open forest, groves, Secondary Jungle. Resident, Altitudinal migrant, migrates within the Indian subcontinent, that is, breeds in the Himalayas and and winters in Southern India  and or Sri Lanka(Ref 6).

We also saw the mountain bulbul:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ixos_mcclellandii_-_Kaeng_Krachan.jpg
The image there:

Ixos mcclellandii - Kaeng KrachanCC BY-SA 3.0
Mountain Bulbul(cf Ref 6)
23 cm from bill to tail tip. Bushy rusty brown crest, Habitat: Summer 900-2700m;Winter: >plains. Forest, second growth. Sometimes in bird waves. Altitudinal migrant,fairly common.
Xeno canto:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Ixos-mcclellandii

See the Table for the full list of birds at Table BBT.
One of the birding walks was an area near a school. The location is in the photo here:



We arrived in Paro at luchtime and  in the afternoon birding were greeted by rusted sparrows and Blue tailed Crake. We had a good dinner and rested overnight at Paro.

Plan for Day 5: 22 April 2014: 

Paro to Chelela Pass  for birding in the morning.
This is a good location for Himalayan Monal. Blood and Khalij Pheasant are also in. Other possibilities: Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Grey-crested and Rufous-fronted Tits, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Long-tailed Thrush, White-collared Blackbird, Collared Grosbeak, White-browed and Dark-rumped Rosefinch.
Afternoon Birding along Pa Chhu River.
We may see Ibisbill, River Lapwing, Brey-backed Shrike, Oriental Turtle Dove, Rufous-breasted Accentor, Hodgson's Redstart, and Black-tailed Crake.

The Route from Paro to Chele La Pass 22 April 2014


The point marked blood red is Chele La Pass.

The drive from Paro to Chele La Pass
1. Paro Location



At the begin of the drive to Chele La Pass, I saw an owl- frightened with large yellow bordered eyes with black circle at the centre:
I wonder whether it was this:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/short-eared-owl-asio-flammeus/close-adult-ground
The Image there:

Because simultaneously the group spotted the Khalij Pheasant and I wasn't sure what this creature was I let it go and mentioned Tashy only later. He told me I should have drawn attention at the time of the sighting.
The Xeno Canto Records at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Asio-flammeus?pg=1
Or it may have been the Brown Hawk Owl:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brown_Hawk-Owl_-_Ninox_scutulata.jpg
The Image there:



Brown Hawk-Owl - Ninox scutulataCC BY 2.0view terms


The Xeno Canto records are at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Ninox-scutulata?pg=1


The Khalij Pheasant:
 We saw the Khalij Pheasant definitely once but perhaps more than once on this trip Paro to Chele La pass.
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kalij-pheasant_Hawaii.jpg
The image:

Kalij-pheasant HawaiiPublic Domainview terms
Original uploader was Jsgladden at en.wikipedia - Originally from en.wikipedia; description page is/was here.


The Xeno Canto Record at:
 http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Lophura-leucomelanos

We sighted the Blood Pheasant a number of times and even in group and in flight.
Check out at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blood_Pheasant.jpg
The image there:




Our own photo(Poornima) at the sight:



The Xeno Canto song records are at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Ithaginis-cruentus

We saw the Himalayan Monal Pheasant(s) in grand action at two places below Chele La Pass, like the Kalij and the Blood.
The Himalayan Monal Pheasant
A picture is at:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayan_Monal
The Image there:

Lophophorus impejanus Zoo DU 2Public Domain
H005 - Own work

The female from there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Himalayan_Monal_Osaka.jpg
The image:


Himalayan Monal OsakaCC BY-SA 3.0
Kuribo - Own work
See also:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianrmc/5253025207/in/photostream/
A video stream is at:
http://www.arkive.org/himalayan-monal/lophophorus-impejanus/video-08.html
The mp3 audio file is at:
https://sites.google.com/site/bhutanbirdsongs/himalayan-monal-pheasant
The mp3 file was added to my blog with help from the following tip(Ref 7):
http://smartbloggertips.blogspot.in/2013/04/add-mp3-files-to-blogger-blog.html


We saw the hen harrier. Check out:
http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/naturelibrary/images/ic/credit/640x395/h/he/hen_harrier/hen_harrier_1.jpg
An account with an image is at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen_harrier
The image there(Female, American subspecies):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen_harrier#mediaviewer/File:Northern_%28Hen%29_Harrier.jpg


Northern (Hen) HarrierCC BY 2.0
Len Blumin from Mill Valley, California, United States - Northern Harrier

Check male Hen Harrier at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen_harrier#mediaviewer/File:Northern_%28Hen%29_Harrier.jpg
The image at kolkatabords.com:


The song of the Hen harrier:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Circus-cyaneus

We saw the Black-tailed Crake:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-tailed_crake#mediaviewer/File:Amaurornis_bicolor_-_Doi_Inthanon.jpg
The image there:

Amaurornis bicolor - Doi InthanonCC BY-SA 3.0


Poornima took this photo of the Black-tailed Crake on way from Paro to Chele La Pass:
22April2014 at 430 AM IST:


The Song of the Black-tailed Crake:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Porzana-bicolor


We also sighted the Rock Pigeon, the common hoopoe, the white wagtail, the white-browed wagtail,the long-tailed minivet, the Black Bulbul, Blue Whistling Thrush, the White Collared Blackbird, the Blue-fronted Redstart, the White-throated Laughingthrush, the Orange-flanked Bush Robin, the White-browed Fulvetta, the Rufous-vented Tit, the Grey-crested Tit, Green-tailed Sunbird, the Grey-backed Shrike, the Red-billed Chough, the Large-billed Crow, the White-browed Rosefinch, the Collared Grosbeak and the Russet Sparrow. 

Before making and hearing the  notes of all these birds, let us take a look at the surroundings as we reached for the highest point a la Chele La pass.

22 April 2014 313 AM : A flower bed in the resort at Paro where we stayed:




530 AM: Mom and Baby Near the Resort.




539 AM: Jhomulari and the Conifers landscape: Jhomulari just peeking up: good Moooorning!



540 AM: View of Jhomulari as we climbed to Chele La Pass


543 AM: Jhomulari from below Chele La Pass:



 652 AM A yak below Chele La pass:






7: 08 A Baby Yak On the way Punakha to Chele La Pass :


7: 08 A Yak On the way Punakha to Chele La Pass :


Jhomulari View(Ashok in foreground with Monkey Cap) on the way to the Top Most Point on the Chele La Pass which is Motorable:



 The glows of Happiness at Chele La






We had a great and delicious breakfast at the highest motorable point of Chele La Pass(730 AM) and left back to Paro for more sightings in salubrious weather.


The Landscape below Chele La:

954 AM :  View of the Conifers below Chele La:


957 AM:  The treescape below Chele La:


959 AM:  Rhododendron!



10:04 AM:


1022 AM: Purple Primula below Chelle La:

We saw Irises

 

We thoroughly enjoyed the Azure Sapphire Butterfly:



Another view of the Azure Sapphire:



Compare this with the illustrations of Indian butterflies(Azure Sapphire) at:
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/193-heliophorus/heliophorus-moorei


Did we see the white browed wagtail?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-browed_wagtail#mediaviewer/File:Motacilla_maderaspatensis_-Pashan_Lake,_Pune,_Maharashtra,_India-8.jpg
The image there:


Motacilla maderaspatensis -Pashan Lake, Pune, Maharashtra, India-8CC BY 2.0


Xeno Canto Records of the song of the white-browed wagtail:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Motacilla-maderaspatensis

We saw the long-tailed Minivet:
Check-out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-tailed_minivet#mediaviewer/File:Long-tailed_Minivet_%28Male%29_I_IMG_7332.jpg
The image there:

Long-tailed Minivet (Male) I IMG 7332CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work
The Xeno Canto songs at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Pericrocotus-ethologus
The Long-tailed Minivet is larger(18cm) than a House Sparrow(15cm). The male has an inverted red U on wing which is blackish and has orange breast. Female has pale yellow breast.
Female long-tailed minivet:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-tailed_minivet#mediaviewer/File:Long-tailed_Minivet_%28Female%29_I_IMG_7335.jpg
The image there:

Long-tailed Minivet (Female) I IMG 7335CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work

We saw the orange-flanked bush robin:
Information at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-flanked_Bluetail
And at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-flanked_Bush-Robin
The image male  at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-flanked_Bush-Robin#mediaviewer/File:Tarsiger_cyanurus.jpg

Tarsiger cyanurusCC BY-SA 3.0view terms
M.Nishimura - Own work

The female at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-flanked_Bush-Robin#mediaviewer/File:Ruribitakif1.JPG

Ruribitakif1CC BY-SA 3.0view terms
Materialscientist (talk). Original uploader was Materialscientist at en.wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia; transfer was stated to be made by User:Materials
Check out also for both male and female adults at
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2587&Bird_Image_ID=90256&p=4

The Xeno Canto songs at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Tarsiger-cyanurus
Also from my bird song site for Bhutan Birds at Ref 4.

We saw the Rufous-vented Tit:
See information at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous-vented_tit
The image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous-vented_tit#mediaviewer/File:Rufous-vented_Tit.jpg


Rufous-vented TitCC BY 2.0view terms


The Xeno Canto song record at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Periparus-rubidiventris

We  sighted the Grey-crested Tit:
Some information at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_crested_tit
The image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_crested_tit#mediaviewer/File:Grey-crested_Tit_I_IMG_7285.jpg


Grey-crested Tit I IMG 7285CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work

Inhabits a variety of forest types, not only that dominated by pine.
The Xeno Canto Song Records at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Lophophanes-dichrous
Also at Ref 4.

We saw the Red-billed Chough:
Information at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-billed_chough
The image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-billed_chough#mediaviewer/File:Red-billed_Chough_Sikkim_India.jpg


Red-billed Chough Sikkim IndiaCC BY-SA 3.0
Dibyendu Ash - This species Red-billed Chough has been photographed from Sikkim, India in the month of May '14. Previously published: Yes, this image has

Listen to its loud ringing call:
Xeno Canto song records at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Pyrrhocorax-pyrrhocorax
45 cm long. Distinguished from all other crows by long decurved red bill and and from all but 3 by red legs.

We saw the large billed crow:
The image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large-billed_Crow#mediaviewer/File:Large_billed_Crow_I_IMG_0965.jpg




Large billed Crow I IMG 0965CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work


The song record at:
Xeno Canto recordings:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Corvus-macrorhynchos?pg=2

We sighted the White-browed Rosefinch:
Drawings at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayan_white-browed_rosefinch#mediaviewer/File:PropasserBlythiKeulemans.jpg
The drawing:

PropasserBlythiKeulemansPublic Domain
J G Keulemans - Ibis 1882


Video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjNZEs6-nW8

The Xeno Canto Records at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Carpodacus-thura

We saw the collared grosbeak:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collared_Grosbeak#mediaviewer/File:BirdsAsiaJohnGoVGoul_0100.jpg



BirdsAsiaJohnGoVGoul 0100Public Domain
John Gould - Gould, John, 1804-1881; Sharpe, Richard Bowdler, 1847-1909: Birds of Asia., Volume V, London, [2]

Another image set at:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?action=searchresult&Bird_ID=1952&Bird_Image_ID=91777

The song is at:
Xeno Canto records at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Mycerobas-affinis

We had an excellent dinner at the Paro Resort and had a good night's rest.

Day 6: 23 April 2014

Start early morning and drive to Phuntsholing(10 hrs). With various stops for birding and butterflying.
550 AM: Hoopoe, Grey-winged Blackbird
720: Black Bulbul
725: Long-tailed Minivet

810: Chestnut-tailed Minla

See the image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar-throated_minla#mediaviewer/File:Minla_strigula_-_Doi_Inthanon.jpg


Minla strigula - Doi InthanonCC BY-SA 3.0


Chestnut-tailed Minla, Minla strigula, 14 cm long, Summer visitor, 1800-3750m, habitat: Oak and Rhododendron, Winter 1030m(Range 1300-2750,also sometimes 3700, forest low bushes and scrub, Song: pseep;tsee-tsi-tsay-tsee; mellow peera-tzip; pe-oo; Altitudinal migrant, common bird: Ref 6, p222 bird no 14, plate 69.
Xeno Canto bird song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Minla-strigula
Also hear this at my mp3 site at Ref 4 for bird songs.

We saw the Blue-capped Rock Thrush whose habitat is open, dry forest:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-capped_Rock_Thrush#mediaviewer/File:Monticola_cinclorhynchus.jpg
The image there:


Monticola cinclorhynchusCC BY 2.5



The following three video URLs give a glimpse of the behaviour of the Blue-capped Rock Thrush:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/blue-capped-rock-thrush-monticola-cinclorhynchus/close-view-perched-male
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/blue-capped-rock-thrush-monticola-cinclorhynchus/dorsal-front-view-male-perched
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/blue-capped-rock-thrush-monticola-cinclorhynchus/male-looking-down-branch
The female:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/blue-capped-rock-thrush-monticola-cinclorhynchus/female-bird
The song  is in the mp3 site above(Ref 4) .

1025: I spotted Mrs Gould's Sunbird(male):
See the image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Gould%27s_sunbird#mediaviewer/File:Aethopyga_gouldiae.jpg

Aethopyga gouldiaeCC BY 2.0view terms

The English ornithologist and artist John Gould named the bird after his wife.
Races: nominate and dabryii. Habitat: Seasonally foothills-3650m, forest, scrub.

The female Mrs Gould's Sunbird:
Grey crown throat and breast,yellow rump and belly
http://orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=2131&Bird_Image_ID=79975&Bird_Family_ID=
The song records at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Aethopyga-gouldiae
Song tzit-( tzit). Resident,altitudinal migrant, uncommon.
Male 15 cm, female 10 cm length.
See Ref 6.
1100 Green-tailed Sunbird.
1110 Azure Sapphire Butterfly.
1110 Common Windmill
1110: We spotted Daphne:
Check out even for information on uses:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_bholua
See image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_bholua#mediaviewer/File:Daphne_bholua_%27Jacqueline_Postill%27_%28Thymelaeaceae%29_plant_1.jpg


Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill' (Thymelaeaceae) plant 1CC BY-SA 3.0
Magnus Manske - Own work


Karmaji informs that from bark of this plant paper is made.

Edgeworthia gardneri Daphne gardneriThymelaeaceae Nepalese Paper Bush




See below for link. 


1115: We saw the tree Engelhardia spicata with maroon coloured leaves:
Check out:
Botanical Names to Common Names: Flowers of India for the common name:
http://www.flowersofindia.net/botanical.html
Engelhardtia spicata Engelhardtia aceriflora, Gyrocarpus pendulusJuglandaceae Mauwa
There are great pictures of the plants there, trees which we saw  in Bhutan.Example this:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelhardia
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Engelhardia_spicata#mediaviewer/File:Engelhardtia_spicata_Blanco2.387-cropped.jpg


Engelhardtia spicata Blanco2.387-croppedGemeinfreiBedingungen ansehen
Francisco Manuel Blanco (O.S.A.) - Flora de Filipinas [...] Gran edicion [...] [Atlas II].[1]



Check out:
http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/Engelhardtia_spicata.htm



Check out the image of engelhardtia spicata at:
http://www.panglobalplants.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IMG_5486av1.jpg

1100: We sighted the fairly common Streak-breasted Smitar Babbler:
19 cm long, habitat 700-3300 m, forest and scrubby hill sides, altitudinal migrant.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streak-breasted_scimitar_babbler
The image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streak-breasted_scimitar_babbler#mediaviewer/File:Lesser_Scimitar_0033.jpg


Lesser Scimitar 0033CC BY-SA 3.0
Alnus - Own work


The song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Pomatorhinus-ruficollis 

1100: We sighted the Greenish Warbler:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenish_warbler#mediaviewer/File:Greenish_Warbler_I_IMG_0565.jpg

Greenish Warbler I IMG 0565CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work


The song at Xeno Canto:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/uploaded/RNVWOVLEUN/greenishwarblersongbhutanFarrow.mp3

11 cm long, Habitat: Summer: 1800 m, 2700-4000, Conifers, mixed fir, rhododendron and birch forest. Winter: less than 2600 m. All kinds of wooded areas. Largely arboreal, canopy. Solitary. cf Ref 6. 

1105:  Sighted the Large-billed Leaf Warbler:
Check out at 
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=1799&Bird_Image_ID=61845&p=7
Also see Ref 6.

12.5 cm long, Summer: Himalayan streamside trees and bushes,1800m, 2100-3600m, Winter: less than 1200, 2750. Evergreen and riverine forest, mid-story, solitary, migrates within subcontinent, breeds in the Himalaya and winters in South India, Sri Lanka.
Song from Xeno Canto:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Phylloscopus-magnirostris 

1215: Dam on the way to Pheuntsholing from Paro. A restaurant with fabulous mountain view. We all lunched. A eyeful of the mountain ranges and the valleys. The mountains are densely forested.
1400: Out of the bus for some enjoyable views. Saw plumbous water redstart.
1407: Back into the bus.
1600: Saw the Bay Woodpecker:
Check out for the image for both sexes at:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=259&Bird_Image_ID=90505&Bird_Family_ID=
The song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Blythipicus-pyrrhotis

We also saw a mongoose.

We saw the Rusty-fronted Barwing:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty-fronted_barwing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty-fronted_barwing#mediaviewer/File:Rusty-fronted_Barwing_Fambong_Lho_Wildlife_Sanctuary_Sikkim_India_29.03.2014.jpg


Rusty-fronted Barwing Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary Sikkim India 29.03.2014CC BY-SA 3.0
Dibyendu Ash - This is an image of Rusty-fronted barwing, Photographed at Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary of East District of Sikkim, India on 29th March 2014.

The song of the Rusty-fronted Barwing at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Actinodura-egertoni?view=0

1600: We also saw the green-backed tit.

Sighted the Crested Serpent Eagle:
Check out at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crested_Serpent_Eagle#mediaviewer/File:Spilornis_cheela_%28Bandipur,_2008%29.jpg


Spilornis cheela (Bandipur, 2008)CC BY-SA 3.0


The song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Spilornis-cheela?pg=1

We saw the Black Eagle, 75 cm length average:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Eagle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Eagle#mediaviewer/File:Black_eagle.jpg

Black eaglePublic Domainview terms


The song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Ictinaetus-malaiensis

1630: We sighted the Oriental Cuckoo.
Also, the Yellow-throated Fulvetta:
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-throated_fulvetta
The photo at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-throated_fulvetta#mediaviewer/File:Alcippe_cinerea.jpg

Alcippe cinereaCC BY-SA 3.0
Umeshsrinivasan - Own work

The song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Alcippe-cinerea

Habitat: 900-2100 m. Undergrowth in evergreen forest; bamboo, roadside scrub. 10 cm length. Resident, uncommon.

And the Rufous-throated Fulvetta:
See
http://avis.indianbiodiversity.org/images/albums/Passeriformes/Timaliidae/Alcippe_rufogularis/Alcippe_rufogularis_36131729.jpg
And:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/rufous-throated-fulvetta-schoeniparus-rufogularis/bird-perched-branch
The bird song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Alcippe-rufogularis
A 12 cm long bird, habitat < 900m, evergreen and secondary forest undergrowth, bamboo, scrub. Usually in pairs or small groups. Resident, fairly common. Near threatened and or globally so cf Ref 6.plate 69, bird no. 6. IUCN: Least concern. As on 8 June 2014.

We saw the Blue-winged Minla(15 cm long):
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-winged_minla
Habitat forest, summer visitor 1400-2500m, winter 200, 1000-1830, ,2290m.
See video of Wildfilms India:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uN7ZaUztAk
The image at:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=1583&Bird_Image_ID=74051&Bird_Family_ID=
The bird song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Minla-cyanouroptera



We saw the Chestnut-tailed Minla:
14 cm long,habitat: summer 1800-3750, oak and rhododendron niches, winter: 1030, 1300-2750, 3700, forest,low bushes and scrub.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar-throated_minla
Image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar-throated_minla#mediaviewer/File:Chestnut-tailed_Minla_I_IMG_7044.jpg

Minla strigula - Doi InthanonCC BY-SA 3.0



The song at Ref 4. And at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/genus/Minla?dir=0&order=loc

We saw the Red-tailed Minla:

The image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-tailed_minla#mediaviewer/File:RED-tailed_Minla.jpg


RED-tailed MinlaCC BY-SA 3.0
Sp.herp - during my Birding at Sikkim .


The song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/genus/Minla?dir=0&order=loc

We saw Rufous Sibia, the Whiskered Yuhina.

We saw the Rufous-vented Yuhina:
13 cm long, rufous vent and rusty orange nape above grey nuchal collar is the indentity. Habitat in summer 2400-3900 m, winter 1500-2750+. Evergreen forest. altitudinal migrant and is a very common bird(cf Ref 6).
See also
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous-vented_yuhina
See the image and terms of use to which I subscribe(image copy) at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous-vented_yuhina#mediaviewer/File:Rufous-vented_Yuhina_Fambong_Lho_Wildlife_Sanctuary_Sikkim_28.03.2014.jpg



Rufous-vented Yuhina Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary Sikkim 28.03.2014CC BY-SA 3.0
Dibyendu Ash - This image of Rufous-vented Yuhina has been photographed at Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary in Sikkim on 28.03.2014 by Dibyendu Ash The song record is at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Yuhina-occipitalis

We saw the Red-rumped Swallow:
Check out at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-rumped_swallow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-rumped_swallow#mediaviewer/File:Golondrina_d%C3%A1urica_Cecropis_daurica_1.jpg


Golondrina dáurica Cecropis daurica 1CC BY 2.0
Agustín Povedano from El Puerto de Santa María, Extremadura y Andalucía - Golondrina dáurica Cecropis daurica

309 PM: On the roadside along the route to Pheuntsholing from Paro on a bridge across a stream, sitting on a boulder was the Tortoise Shell butterfly:


 Ferns!




 Wild Begunia:











What splashes of living diversity, gross natural happiness:






A Common Sailer
Wingspan fiftyfive millis
Of meters graceful

Photo Poornima







Chocolate Pansy!
Junonia Iphita
Paro Pheuntsholing




Whats this below? A day flying moth?



Is the next two photos of the Veined Jay?(cf  Ref 5 ,Swallowtails,p 120,No.17, &  p 147,Plate 3,  17 UN, 17 UP)



Dragonfly:




The white cabbage, the common windmill, the common brimstone, the day flying moth (associated with the snail Pila?), a mongoose, Assam Macaque, a grey/common langur and a Yak were sighted.

The Common Brimstone:

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonepteryx_rhamni
The Image there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonepteryx_rhamni#mediaviewer/File:Common_Brimstone_butterfly_%28Gonepteryx_rhamni%29.JPG


Common Brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni)CC BY-SA 3.0
Charlesjsharp - Own work


The route we took for the ten hour journey from Paro to Pheuntsholing:


Some Google Earth views of our birding and butterflying between Paro and Pheuntsholing:


Beyond Chukka on the Paro Pheuntsholing Route on 23 April 2014:


Beyond Chukka but nearer to Chukka:



23 April 2014: Bunakha en route to Pheuntsholing (from Paro), where a 180 MW hydroplant has or is coming up:



23 April 2014: Chukka Restaurant with the Dam View:




23April 2014: Gedu on way from Paro to Pheuntsholing:



23 April 2014: Paro to Pheuntsholing: Fully forested heavens: The steep hill-sides where the old forests still stand:


23 April 2014: Paro to Pheuntsholing: Pheuntsholing in view.


23 April 2014: Chukka Restaurent Dam View: Drive from Paro to Pheuntsholing.




23 April 2014:  Valley of Wang Chhu drive from Paro to Pheuntsholing:




23 April 2014: Torsha River and Pheuntsholing



23April 2014: Torsha River and Pheuntsholing Town:



24April2014: Pheuntsholing to Sorchen: Note we see only G for Gedu at the extreme top right. A little below at the cluster of hairpin bends is Sorchen.




25April 2014: Pheuntsholing to Sorchen and on to Gedu:


25 april 2014; Traffic at Sorchen is heavy on the hairpin above Pheuntsholing:


Day 7: 24 April 2014.

Plan: Torsha(Phuentsholing): Explore the Torsha riverside and bypasses all day. Approximately 50 species(out  of 850 for all Bhutan) of butterfly can be found in these areas.

Birds actually sighted on 24 April 2014 (Birds in italics for the first time during the tour)

Little Cormorant, Indian Pond heron, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Black Kite, River Lapwing, Rock Pigeon, Oriental Turtle Dove, Spotted Dove, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Oriental Cuckoo, Fork-tailed Swift, Common Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Common Hoopoe, Blue-throated Barbet, Sand Lark, Oriental Skylark, Black-winged cuckoo-shrike, Rosy Minivet, Scarlet Minivet, Black-crested Bulbul, Red-vented Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Greenish Warbler, Verditer Flycatcher, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Maroon Oriole, Black Drongo, Ashy Drongo, House Crow and Common Myna.

Observations
I have never seen so many Cormorants taking to flight anywhere before!


Black Kite
See 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_kite
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_kite#mediaviewer/File:2007-black-kite.jpg





2007-black-kiteCC BY-SA 3.0


Black kite Song:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Milvus-migrans

Common Kingfisher
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_kingfisher
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_kingfisher#mediaviewer/File:Common_Kingfisher_Alcedo_atthis.jpg


Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthisCC BY-SA 2.5view terms
Andreas Trepte - Own work


This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptions to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank.

Song:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Alcedo-atthis

The Sand Lark
Calandrella raytal
Check out at:
http://eol.org/data_objects/13286396
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Sand_Lark.jpg

Description The Sand Lark, also known as India Short-toed Lark or Indian Sand Lark [3] (Calandrella raytal), is a small passerine bird in the lark (Alaudidae) family.
Date , 11:08:44
Source Flickr: Sand Lark
Author Raj
Permission
(Reusing this file)
Checked copyright icon.svg This image, which was originally posted to Flickr.com, was uploaded to Commons using Flickr upload bot on 20:41, 28 April 2011 (UTC) by Kersti Nebelsiek (talk). On that date it was licensed under the license below.
w:en:Creative Commons
attribution
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.


13 cm long, habitat: lowlands, sandbanks by water, saltpans, dry fields, coastal dunes, mudflats; small flocks in winter, resident,common. 

Song:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Calandrella-raytal

Oriental Skylark
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_skylark
Like other skylarks, it is found in open grassland - often near waterbodies - where it feeds on seeds and insects.
These skylarks frequently rocket up into the sky, fluttering and singing before descending down to earth. Male Oriental Skylarks may also hover in the air and sing, in order to attract a mate.
Oriental Skylarks are about 16 cm long.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_skylark#mediaviewer/File:Oriental_Skylark_I_IMG_0571.jpg 



Oriental Skylark I IMG 0571CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work

Song at 
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Alauda-gulgula

We saw the Rosy Minivet:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosy_minivet#mediaviewer/File:PericrocotusRoseusGould.jpg



PericrocotusRoseusGouldPublic Domainview terms
John Gould, HC Richter - The Birds of Asia. Volume 2


18 cm long, habitat < 1800 m altitude amsl, lightly wooded areas, gardens.

The song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Pericrocotus-roseus



We sighted the Scarlet Minivet:
Check out the image:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_minivet#mediaviewer/File:Scarlet_Minivet_%28Pericrocotus_flammeus%29_at_Jayanti,_Duars,_West_Bengal_W_Picture_395.jpg


Scarlet Minivet (Pericrocotus flammeus) at Jayanti, Duars, West Bengal W Picture 395CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work


Song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Pericrocotus-speciosus

1025: I spotted the Golden-fronted Leafbird(Chloropsis!)
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden-fronted_Leafbird#mediaviewer/File:Golden-fronted_Leafbird_%28Chloropsis_aurifrons%29_at_Jayanti,_Duars,_West_Bengal_W_Picture_308.jpg

Golden Fronted Leafbird MukulhingeCC BY 3.0
Mukul Hinge - Own work

Its song is at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Chloropsis-aurifrons
Imitates other species!
19 cm long, Habitat: <1200, 1800, Forest, preferring lighter growth in larger part of range. resident, dark morph, fairly common bird. cf Ref 6.

1045: Black-crested Bulbul(near school)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-crested_bulbul#mediaviewer/File:Black-crested_Bulbul_%28Pycnonotus_melanicterus%29_at_Jayanti,_Duars,_WB_W_Picture_333.jpg

Black-crested Bulbul (Pycnonotus melanicterus) at Jayanti, Duars, WB W Picture 333CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work
 

Its song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Pycnonotus-flaviventris

945 AM: We saw a splash of butterflies:
Common Mormon, Lemon Pansy, Chocolate Pansy, Mottled immigrant, Common Mime(Yellow border), Cabbage, Striped Tiger, Cabbage White, Grape Glory, Female Chocolate Albatross, Great Orange Tip, Female Mormon, Common Jay, Psyche.
The Psyche:
Check out: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptosia_nina

The Haiku on Psyche

Body bobs up down
As Leptosia beats wings
Flies low over grass 

Rarely leaves the ground
The Psyche of Pieridae
Weak, erratic flight!

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptosia_nina#mediaviewer/File:Psyche%28Leptosia_nina%29.jpg




Psyche(Leptosia nina)CC BY-SA 3.0
Vengolis - Own work


1005: Female of Yellow Orange Tip, Common Rose.

Check out:

Male Mormon at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_polytes#mediaviewer/File:Male_mormon_cyrus.jpg

Male mormon cyrusCC BY-SA 3.0
AnilaManalil - Own work


Female Common Mormon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_polytes#mediaviewer/File:Papilio_polytes_Female.jpg


Papilio polytes FemaleGFDL 1.2view terms
Female Papilio polytes, Romulus form



Mormons
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_butterflies_of_India_%28Papilionidae%29#mediaviewer/File:Mud_puddling_Indian_swallowtails.jpg

Mud puddling Indian swallowtailsCC BY-SA 3.0view terms
Rahul Natu <gogreenfull@gmail.com> - ButterflyIndia yahoogroup
Three Indian swallowtails mudpuddling - Blue Mormon Papilio polymnestor, Common Mormon Papilio polytes and Common Bluebottle Graphium sarpedon(L to R anticlockwise,).


Lemon Pansy
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junonia_lemonias#mediaviewer/File:Junonia_lemonias_WSF_upper_by_Kadavoor.JPG

Junonia lemonias WSF upper by KadavoorCC BY-SA 3.0view terms
Mottled Immigrant:
Image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catopsilia_pyranthe#mediaviewer/File:Catopsilia_pyranthe_male,_Burdwan,_West_Bengal,_India_14_09_2012.jpg

Catopsilia pyranthe male, Burdwan, West Bengal, India 14 09 2012CC BY-SA 3.0view terms
Joydeep - Own work
Common Mime(Yellow border)

Common Mime - Papilio clytia (dissimilis form) on Jatropha panduraefolia in Kolkata Iws IMG 0217CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work
Striped Tiger
Check out the image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danaus_genutia#mediaviewer/File:Striped_Tiger_1.jpg

Striped Tiger 1CC BY-SA 3.0
Vengolis - Own work


Chocolate Albatross
Ventral view Image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appias_lyncida#mediaviewer/File:Appias_lyncida_vasava_-_Chocolate_Albatross.jpg
Also see another view at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appias_lyncida#mediaviewer/File:Chocolate_albatross.jpg


Chocolate albatrossCC BY-SA 3.0
Dr. P R ArunPrarun - Own work


See the Chocolate Alabatross video at WildFilmsIndia.com:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZY2X_RPe_M

Great Orange Tip:
The Image from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebomoia_glaucippe#mediaviewer/File:Nymphalidae_-_Hebomoia_glaucippe.jpg

Nymphalidae - Hebomoia glaucippeCC BY-SA 3.0
Hectonichus - Own work

Yellow Orange Tip
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixias_pyrene
Image from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixias_pyrene#mediaviewer/File:Ixias_pyrene.jpg

Ixias pyreneCC BY 2.5


The Common Rose
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachliopta_aristolochiae
The Image from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachliopta_aristolochiae#mediaviewer/File:2005-common-rose.jpg

2005-common-roseCC BY-SA 3.0

We saw Grape Glory: Is it Grape vine Glory?
The image from:
http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/26500/26511/butterfly_26511.htm

A butterfly that feeds on the grape vines.
Lepidoptera: Moths and Butterflies
Source: William Dwight Whitney The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: An encyclopedic Lexicon of the English Language (New York, NY: The Century Co., 1889)
Courtesy the private collection of Roy Winkelman
http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/info/license



We saw a Bitter Gourd(Karela plant). we spotted a Ficus tree, a Bombax ceiba tree,
Among others we spotted a Taber montana(rubiaceae) tree, which is a food plant of a day flying Hawk moth. 
Cf Ref 9:
Which one of these did we spot?
Tabernaemontana alternifolia Ervatamia heyneana, Tabernaemontana heyneanaApocynaceae Nag Kuda
Tabernaemontana divaricata 'Flore Pleno'
Apocynaceae Crape Jasmine Flore Pleno
Tabernaemontana divaricata Tabernaemontana citrifolia, Tabernaemontana coronaria, Nerium coronariumApocynaceae Crape Jasmine
Tabernaemontana rostrata Tabernaemontana crispaApocynaceae Orange Dutchman's Shoes

Check out:
http://mygreenspace.nparks.gov.sg/the-moths-that-make-eyes-at-you/
http://mygreenspace.nparks.gov.sg/wp-content/uploads/Daphnis-nerii-horizontal1.jpg




1010: We saw Handmaiden moth, a day flying moth. 
Check out:
http://rahulalvares.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/IMG_5937-2.jpg


The actual Handmaiden was captured in a haze near the school under the leaf of a plant:


Poornima allowed the Handmaiden to come on her hand and Armin snapped it up. 




1050: Two sailers mating.
1102: We saw a tree called Doabanga grandiflora. 
Cf Ref 9:
Duabanga grandiflora Duabanga sonneratioidesLythraceae Duabanga








1115: Blue Tiger. 
1120: Sailer.
1210: Bush Brown butterfly.
Also spotted a (Lesser)Racket-tailed Drongo.
 Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_racket-tailed_drongo#mediaviewer/File:Lesser_Racket-tailed_Drongo.jpg


Lesser Racket-tailed DrongoCC BY-SA 2.0
Jamieson Teo from Singapore, Singapore - Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo

The song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Dicrurus-remifer

1300: Good Lunch. Lemon Juice, Tomato Spaghetti, Paneer malai, potato Bhurjia, Rice and nice dal. Strawberry-chocolate ice cream.
At 330 on the lawns overlooking the river, Coffee.
1700: Trail.
1715: Pandaus Kevela.
1720: Bule throated barbet.
See the image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-throated_barbet#mediaviewer/File:Blue-throated_Barbet_%28Megalaima_asiatica%29_in_Kolkata_I_IMG_7592.jpg

Blue-throated Barbet (Megalaima asiatica) in Kolkata I IMG 7592CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work

The song of the Blue-throated Barbet at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Megalaima-asiatica

The Blue-throated Barbet was seen on the Melina arborea tree. 

1725: Mating Common Rose. And a Psyche Butterfly.
1810: Blue-throated Barbet.
After a good dinner a good night's sleep at Pheutsholing.


Day 8: 25 April 2014. Plan

Drive towards Gedu.  
Explore butterfly diversity on the way to Gedu. %0 species expected to be encountered.
Elevation 750-2000m amsl. Some rare species like Bhutan Sargeant, Panther etc. can be found in this area. Overnight at Pheuntsholing.

636: Maroon Oriole.
640: Black Bulbul. 
Also observed a tree with violet flowers: arborea. Eat bark with pan. Soft  material from Thysnolia.?
Holarrhena anti-dysentrica.
Cf Ref 9:
Holarrhena pubescens Holarrhena antidysentericaApocynaceae Indrajao




705: Indian Tortoise Shell.
710: Similar to Aberrant Bush Warbler on tree branch.
715: Black Bulbul.
725: Atisme Aromatic Plant ?
730: Long-tailed Minivet.
731: Kelt Kalpa Arboriensis ?
750: Scarlet Minivet.
751: Pale Blue Butterfly ?.
Pale Blue Butterfly:
The image from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudozizeeria_maha#mediaviewer/File:Pseudozizeeria_maha_couple.jpg




810: White-spotted Fantail flycatcher.
858: Verditer flycatcher.
925: Bird Dropping Moth.
http://www.immortalmuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/bird-dropping-moth.jpg



Moth shaped like a bird dropping: to deter predators.
This moth would probably taste just fine to most birds, but it avoids being eaten by resembling their feces: ‘A dried bird-dropping spreads its mottled wings!’
Check out:
http://nationalmothweek.org/2013/02/20/dont-eat-me/
https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/15144043

"The moth features two symmetrical patterns strikingly resembling flies that seem to feed on bird dropping. The moth even smells of bird droppings" - Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrocilix_maia


927: Osbekia Violet Flower.
Which one was it? cf Ref 9.
Osbeckia cupularis Osbeckia virgataMelastomataceae Cup Osbeckia
Osbeckia leschenaultiana Osbeckia truncata, Osbeckia coronataMelastomataceae Leschenault's Osbeckia
Osbeckia muralis Osbeckia truncata var. kurzii, Osbeckia zeylanicaMelastomataceae Wall Osbeckia
Osbeckia nepalensis Osbeckia speciosaMelastomataceae Nepal Osbeckia
Osbeckia octandra Melastoma octandrum, Asterostoma octandraMelastomataceae Eight Stamen Osbeckia
Osbeckia parvifolia
Melastomataceae Small-Leaf Osbeckia
Osbeckia reticulata
Melastomataceae Giant Osbeckia
Osbeckia stellata
Melastomataceae Starry Osbeckia

928: Common mormon, Common Tiger, Common Mime.
929: Chestnut Tiger.
930 and 935: Scarlet Minivet.
936: Chestnut-billed Nuthatch(13 cm long)
See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chestnut-bellied_nuthatch#mediaviewer/File:SittaCinnamoventrisGould.jpg



SittaCinnamoventrisGouldPublic Domainview terms
John Gould and HC Richter - The Birds of Asia. Volume 2
Check out:
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2625&Bird_Image_ID=74162&p=10
Bird song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Sitta-cinnamoventris


937: Large-billed Leaf Warbler.
938: Scarlet Minivet.
1035: Red-throated Flycatcher.
Check out image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiga_flycatcher#mediaviewer/File:Ficedula_parva.jpg


Ficedula parvaCC BY 2.5
  13 cm long, open forest, groves.
Bird song at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Ficedula-parva?view=3

1040: Black Bulbul.
1055: Pink Orchids. Chestnut Tiger.
1645 At the Royal University:
  Sterculia tree.
Tortoise Shell Butterfly.

1655: Green-billed Malkoha.
Information at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-billed_Malkoha
Image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-billed_Malkoha#mediaviewer/File:Green-billed_Malkoha.jpg


Green-billed MalkohaCC BY 2.5view terms
Original uploader was M.a.a.Diyan at en.wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sreejithk2000 using C
Check out photos and song at:
http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=147BEFCDB2CBAC43
Xeno Canto records at:
http://xeno-dns.org/browse.php?query=Green-billed+Malkoha&species_nr=

51 cm long, habitat: < 700m, 1800m. Tangled undergrowth.

1705: Spangled Drongo.
Check out at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spangled_drongo
Image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spangled_drongo#mediaviewer/File:Dicrurus_bracteatus_-_Wonga.jpg

Dicrurus bracteatus - WongaCC BY 3.0

Song record at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Dicrurus-bracteatus?pg=1
31 cm long, habitat <1400,2000. Associated with flowering forest trees. 


1710: Greater Racket-tailed Drongo.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Racket-tailed_Drongo
The Image at:


Dicrurus paradiseus -Kerala -India-6-3cCC BY-SA 2.0
derivative work: Snowmanradio (talk) Dicrurus_paradiseus_-Kerala_-India-6.jpg: Nimesh Madhavan - originally posted to Flickr as Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

Song recorded at:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Dicrurus-paradiseus
33 cm long bird, habitat <1700m , forest and secondary jungle.  Excellent mimic. Normally singly or in pairs, often in mixed flocks, cf Ref 6.


1715: Red-breasted Parakeet.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-breasted_parakeet
See also http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=517&Bird_Image_ID=89902&p=3
Near threatened. We captured the sight of the two parakeets kissing. BNHS members who were in our group have photographed the kiss.
The image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-breasted_parakeet#mediaviewer/File:Psittacula_alexandri_-Changi_Village-6.jpg

Psittacula alexandri -Changi Village-6CC BY-SA 2.0view terms
Lip Kee Yap - originally posted to Flickr as Hoi! Go do your own thing


Bird Song at:

http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Psittacula-alexandri

38 cm long, unique, habitat <1500, open deciduous forest, orchards and cultivation. Resident, dark morph, abundant.

1715: We also were blessed by the sight of the Greater Yellow Naped Woodpecker.
See the image at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_yellownape#mediaviewer/File:Picus_flavinucha_585.jpg

Picus flavinucha 585CC BY-SA 3.0view terms
Matěj Baťha - Own work This photograph was taken with a DSLR from WMCZ's Camera grant. Čeština | Deutsch | English | Magyar | Македонски | Русский | Slovenčina | Српски / sr


Female, 33cm long, chin and throat yellow on male, chestnut on female. habitat: 300-1500,0-2750,mixed evergreen, deciduous, pine, sal, teak and secondary forest. cf Ref 6.
The song is at:
Ref 4.
 

1740: Hill Myna. Peeking out of a hole in the bark.

1805: Chestnut-tailed Starling.
Essential information is at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chestnut-tailed_starling
The image is at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chestnut-tailed_starling#mediaviewer/File:Chestnut-tailed_Starling_I_IMG_2508.jpg


Chestnut-tailed Starling I IMG 2508CC BY-SA 3.0
J.M.Garg - Own work


Butterflies galore:

Red Spotted Jezebel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delias_aganippe#mediaviewer/File:Delias_aganippe.jpg

Delias aganippeCC BY 2.0view terms


Common Mormon.
Common Windmills.

Mouse Hare.

The following birds were confirmed to be seen on 25 April 2014 at Pheuntsholing to Gedu area:
The birds in italics were seen for the first time during the tour.
Black Kite, Rock Pigeon, Oriental Turtle Dove, Spotted Dove, Red-breasted Parakeet, Green-billed Malkoha, Greater Yellownape Woodpecker, Scarlet Minivet, Red-vented Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush, Blue Whistling Thrush, Large-billed Leaf-Warbler, Grey Hooded Warbler, Broad-billed Warbler, Verditer Flycatcher, Pale-blue Flycatcher, Oriental Magpie-Robin, White-throated Fantail Flycatcher, Red-throated flycatcher, Jungle Babbler, Green-backed Tit, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Green-tailed Sunbird, Streaked Spiderhunter, Maroon Oriole, Black Drongo, Ashy Drongo, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Spangled Drongo, Grey Treepie, House Crow, Hill Myna,  Common Myna, Chestnut-tailed Starling.

Ms Armin Wandrewala has kindly sent this list of Butterflies observed on the trip as compiled by her :

List of Butterflies
Bhutan Trip, 18 – 26 April 2014 with BNHS, 
Isaac Kehimkar, Sudhir Sapre, Tashi Namgay, Karma Wangdi.

1.     Paris Peacock
2.     Common Emigrant
3.     Lascar
4.     Circe
5.     Red Admiral
6.     Bi-Spot Royal
7.     Indian Cabbage (white)
8.     Dragonfly
9.     Purple Emperor
10. Tailed Punch
11. Common Map
12. Chocolate Pansy
13. Common Peacock
14. Punchinello
15. Dark Judy
16. Tailed Judy
17. Sargeant (?)
18. Sailor
19. Plain Puffin
20. Pea-Blue
21. Himalayan Jester
22. 6-Bar Swordtail
23. Freak
24. Blue Tit
25. Straight Line Blue
26. Azure Sapphire
27. Black Prince
28. Red Helen
29. Chestnut Tiger
30. Dark Clouded Yellow
31. Peacock Pansy
32. Painted Lady
33. Indian Tortoiseshell
34. Sapphire
35. Labyrinth
36. Common Brimstone
37. Common Windmill
38. Day-flying Moth
39. Common Jester
40. Straight Banded Tree Brown
41. 5-Ring (?)
42. Lemon Pansy
43. Common Mormon – male & female
44. Common Rose
45. Common Line Blue
46. Chocolate Albatross – female
47. Psyche
48. Common Grass Yellow
49. Plain Earl
50. Sailor
51. Blue Tiger
52. Plain Tiger
53. Striped Tiger
54. Common Mime
55. Bird-dropping Moth (?)
56. Yellow Orange Tip
57. White Orange Tip (great ?)
58. Lesser Gull
59. Pale Grass Blue
60. Common Crow
61. Red-spot Jezebel
62. Common Windmill.
63. Gull.

2000: after a good dinner at the Hotel Lhaki where were put up at Pheuntsholing, we retired for a restful sleep. 

26 April 2014:
After a good morning tea we left for Bagdogra Airport to catch a flight to Delhi.

It was a momentous deeply memorable visit to Bhutan. Thank You Mr. Tashy Namgay, of Yeshy Dema Namgay Tours and Treks, Thimpu, Bhutan, Mr. Karma Wangdi of UWICE, all members of the BNHS troupe, to Mr Isaac Kehimkar our Group Leader from BNHS and to Mr Sudhir Sapre of Leo Safari. I am especially grateful to Mr Karma Wangdi who recorded bird sounds of Bhutan on my pendrive  which he so kindly did urgently and handed over. Hope the new June 2014 version of bird songs will be available soon.
Thank You BNHS! We experienced Bhutan Happiness.
All the naturalists of the group pose at chilly Dochu La on 19th April 2014:


From Right to Left:
Ms Meena Jinturkar Ms Nishat Saleri Ms Thrity Badami  R. Ashok Kumar Poornima Kumar
Shri Sudhir Sapre Shri Tashy Namgyal Shri Isaac Kehimkar Shri Karma Wangdi.
Shri Edi Alva and Smt.Armin Wandrewala not in this photo but in those in the body of the report.

References
1. http://www.visitbhutan.com/birdwatching_tours_bhutan.html
2. Royal Botanical Park, Dochu La:
http://www.bhutantrustfund.bt/parks-of-bhutan/rbp
3.Lamperi Royal Botanical Park,Bhutan
http://www.bbs.com.bt/The%20new%20botanical%20park%20located%20at%20Lamperi%20inaugurated.html
4. Bird song recording
https://sites.google.com/site/bhutanbirdsongs/himalayan-monal-pheasant
5. Kehimkar, I. 2013. THE BOOK OF INDIAN BUTTERFLIES. BNHS. Mumbai.
6. Krys Kazmierczak. 2000. A Field Guide to the Birds of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the Maldives. Om Book Service,New Delhi.
7.
http://smartbloggertips.blogspot.in/2013/04/add-mp3-files-to-blogger-blog.html

8. van der Poel, P. and T. Wangchuk. 2007. Butterflies of
Bhutan. Mountains, hills and valleys between 800 and
3000m. Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN).
Thimphu, Bhutan.
Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN)
Post Box 325
Thimphu, Bhutan
Tel: 975-2-326130/322056
Fax: 9075-2-323189
Email: rspn@druknet.bt
rspn@rspn-bhutan.org
Web: www.rspn-bhutan.org 


9. Botanical Names to Common Names: Flowers of India
http://www.flowersofindia.net/botanical.html


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