Nepal RFI; spiny babblers, Phulchowki, Ghachowk vulture restaurant (2 Viewers)

[James Lowther]

Hello all,
I’m off to Nepal in April and struggling a bit with up-to-date information. If anyone has any recent experience/recommendations for the following would be much appreciated.

Any good sites (with exact directions) for spiny babbler either in Pokhara area (e.g. world peace pagoda or Sarangkot) or Kathmandu valley?

Advice on current road conditions at Phulchowki- how far up will a normal 2WD taxi get?

Any experience with the Ghachowk vulture restaurant near Pokhara?

Cheers
James

 

[Antik]

Hi James,

My info is from 2021-22.

- Saw spiny babblers in Pokhara on Sarangkot sunrise point towards the lake side, but not from Peace Pagoda or Kathmandu. eBird should be your friend here!

-Phulchowki rd was under construction then. No updated info from my part. It is, however, hikeable from bottom (bus stop near botanical gardens) to top and back in a single day if you leave early and are fit. There is a shortcut in the forest behind Phulchoki bhawani Naudhara Temple but the birding along a stream west of Godawari Marble Factory was also good so no clear choice here.

-I never got a reply from [email protected] about the vulture restaurant but was told that it was still functional around beginning of 2022. See the link for some older info:

https://www.orientalbirdclub.org/s/...MQFnoECAcQAg&usg=AOvVaw0-A5zMaBMDCw2wb1NJ6CYZ

Best,
Antti

 

[MiddleRiver]

Hello all,
I’m off to Nepal in April and struggling a bit with up-to-date information. If anyone has any recent experience/recommendations for the following would be much appreciated.

Any good sites (with exact directions) for spiny babbler either in Pokhara area (e.g. world peace pagoda or Sarangkot) or Kathmandu valley?

Advice on current road conditions at Phulchowki- how far up will a normal 2WD taxi get?

Any experience with the Ghachowk vulture restaurant near Pokhara?

Cheers
James

We visited Phulchaoki in 10/22 with a local guide - Vimal Thapa - who also provided driver and Landcruiser. Did not get a Spiny Babbler, but the birding was good and Vimal was very knowledgeable and pleasant company. Driver also excellent.

Vimal is also a BF member...

Local bird guide in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Does anyone have a guide they can recommend for chitwan national park in southern Nepal...

www.birdforum.net

The road was pretty rough in '22 (doubt a little taxi would have made it to top) but I would confirm current conditions.

 

[MiddleRiver]

Hello all,
I’m off to Nepal in April and struggling a bit with up-to-date information. If anyone has any recent experience/recommendations for the following would be much appreciated.

Any good sites (with exact directions) for spiny babbler either in Pokhara area (e.g. world peace pagoda or Sarangkot) or Kathmandu valley?

Advice on current road conditions at Phulchowki- how far up will a normal 2WD taxi get?

Any experience with the Ghachowk vulture restaurant near Pokhara?

Cheers
James

One other note: We've spent time in Katmandu twice now and love staying in a little boutique hotel in Patan. Unless you prefer the lux western hotel thing, ping me and I'll send contact info. It's right off historic square and fascinating to just hang out and soak it all in.

 

[James Lowther]

Hi James,

My info is from 2021-22.

- Saw spiny babblers in Pokhara on Sarangkot sunrise point towards the lake side, but not from Peace Pagoda or Kathmandu. eBird should be your friend here!

-Phulchowki rd was under construction then. No updated info from my part. It is, however, hikeable from bottom (bus stop near botanical gardens) to top and back in a single day if you leave early and are fit. There is a shortcut in the forest behind Phulchoki bhawani Naudhara Temple but the birding along a stream west of Godawari Marble Factory was also good so no clear choice here.

-I never got a reply from [email protected] about the vulture restaurant but was told that it was still functional around beginning of 2022. See the link for some older info:

https://www.orientalbirdclub.org/s/...MQFnoECAcQAg&usg=AOvVaw0-A5zMaBMDCw2wb1NJ6CYZ

Best,
Antti

Many thanks Antti,
I don’t suppose you have exact directions for the babblers at Sarangkot, I’ve seen this (and the world peace stupa) as good sites on eBird but both are rather large areas so detailed info will be helpful I think.
The link about the vulture restaurant doesn’t seem to work for me
Thanks
James

 

[James Lowther]

We visited Phulchaoki in 10/22 with a local guide - Vimal Thapa - who also provided driver and Landcruiser. Did not get a Spiny Babbler, but the birding was good and Vimal was very knowledgeable and pleasant company. Driver also excellent.

Vimal is also a BF member...

Local bird guide in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Does anyone have a guide they can recommend for chitwan national park in southern Nepal...

www.birdforum.net

The road was pretty rough in '22 (doubt a little taxi would have made it to top) but I would confirm current conditions.

Many thanks MR,
James

 

[Antik]

I was trying to look at my own eBird track but just couldn't make out the exact location as there was a lot of zigzagging involved, sorry. I would guess somewhere here. I know it was high up near the view tower along a road with some low bushes on both sides.

try this new link for the article about Ghachowk.

 

[Andy Adcock]

When going up to the Peace Pagoda from the road at the back, there is an obvious landslip on the right side of the road, we had the Babbler there, Wallcreeper too.

Doing Pulchowki was interesting back then, requiring a compulsory, armed, police escort, no cost involved surprisingly, must be one of the few places to reliably get Brown Bullfinch now?

 

[James Lowther]

I was trying to look at my own eBird track but just couldn't make out the exact location as there was a lot of zigzagging involved, sorry. I would guess somewhere here. I know it was high up near the view tower along a road with some low bushes on both sides.

try this new link for the article about Ghachowk.

Thanks a lot Antti,
The new link works fine now
James

 

[James Lowther]

When going up to the Peace Pagoda from the road at the back, there is an obvious landslip on the right side of the road, we had the Babbler there, Wallcreeper too.

Doing Pulchowki was interesting back then, requiring a compulsory, armed, police escort, no cost involved surprisingly, must be one of the few places to reliably get Brown Bullfinch now?

Thanks Andy,
There is no land slip apparent on google maps any more, but I have the feeling from what you say and some other reports that the area to the east of the pagoda around https://maps.app.goo.gl/Uwu87sNanZ4TBXSD8?g_st=ic was good in previous years
James