North Eastern India Trip Report

[Sumit]

Hi,
I spent a week with the family in the middle hills of the Himalaya between 4th-10th November. Mornings were devoted to bird watching and afternoons, sensibly, to the family. I saw 110+ species and managed to get shots of the rarely photographed Crimson-breasted Woodpecker and Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler. But the star bird for me was the Cutia (Cutia nipalensis) at Loylegaon, Kalimpong. My last sighting of this species was some years ago.
Raptors were surprisingly numerous and an aerial (territorial ?) display by pairs of Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Oriental Honey Buzzards and a Pergrine was spellbindingly memorable.
Also checked out a new site at Tinchuly, Darjeeling which seems promising.
The full report is available at:
http://www.kolkatabirds.com/hillbirdsofind/nbtriprepnov2004.htm
just follow the "next" to run through the 5 pages. Many images, some of indifferent quality, but hopefully all serve a purpose.
Cheers!
Sumit

[Tim Allwood]

Hi Sumit

look forward to reading your report when i get home tonight

well done with the Cutia - I finally caught up with them at Lava this year...not far from the stone where British birders (Pete Morris I think) had scrawled Cutia 1989 on a rock by roadside!

I hope Tinchuly turns out to be a good site.

atb
Tim

[Jane Turner]

Hi Summit.. not meaning in any way to question your ID.. but your Peregrine looks ever so different to the birds we get here... I'm guessing a different race.... much less muscular looking, long tailed and with an incredible narrow moustachial mark and a pale underwing.

http://www.kolkatabirds.com/hillbirdsofind/peregrine8h.jpg

Great report by the way - I particularly like the Blyth's Leaf Warbler...

[Sumit]

Hi Summit.. not meaning in any way to question your ID.. but your Peregrine looks ever so different to the birds we get here... I'm guessing a different race.... much less muscular looking, long tailed and with an incredible narrow moustachial mark and a pale underwing.

http://www.kolkatabirds.com/hillbirdsofind/peregrine8h.jpg

Great report by the way - I particularly like the Blyth's Leaf Warbler...

Hi Jane,
Thanks for making your observation. Much appreciated.
To be honest, I am not sure about that ID. I did run most of the raptors through some raptor experts and this one was a poor image in any case. What do you think it is? I can go back with a suggestion. Bird was larger than a Sparrowhawk and by range could be a Lagger Falcon (Falco jugger) (my initial thoughts). In any case, I plan to change the caption to "unidentified" till this is sorted out.
By the way, had trouble with the Blyth's Leaf also - experts are convinced, I am not. I think it shows signs of an Eastern Crowned ( p. coronatus). The others should be fine, the Common Buzzard though does look like like an Upland in some of the shots, but raptors are not my strong point.
Thanks and regards!
Sumit
BTW, it is Sumit (have not reached the Summit as yet!!) ;)

[Tim Allwood]

HI Sumit

we had some trouble with the leaf warblers this spring and definitely saw Blyth's Leaf but we also thought we had some Eastern-crowned too... I need to look at my notebooks tonight as it was Phylloscopus heaven there!

[Sumit]

HI Sumit

we had some trouble with the leaf warblers this spring and definitely saw Blyth's Leaf but we also thought we had some Eastern-crowned too... I need to look at my notebooks tonight as it was Phylloscopus heaven there!
Thanks Tim, any help much appreciated.
Regards,
Sumit

[albatross02]

Hallo Summit,

very spectacular the pictures of Himalayas.

Best regards
Dieter