The birds next on my wish list were the Red Billed Leiothrix and the Black Partridge. I wanted to go searching them the next day but Sandeep advised me to finish Pangot first where chance of finding Cheer Pheasants was there. So next day we left for Pangot very early in the morning , a drive of about 38 km from where I was staying. We reached Pangot at about 5.30 in the morning and drove further for about 30 km beyond Vinayak point from where Cheer area is said to start. The topography there was amazing. On one side were the cliffs and the deep valleys on the other. We walked about 10 km searching for the Pheasants but luck didn't favour. However it was a very pleasant experience. Breathing pure air there was like an elixir to the lungs and the view of Himalayan range from Kosya Kutauli transformed the mood. The Himalyan range looks majestic from that point.
chat and a Black Headed Stonechat.
On the third day morning Sandeep took me to Hari Lama's hide at Birders Den where he said Black Partridge is found. Yes, it was there but only the female. The majestic male didn't oblige.
In the afternoon we drove to Chaffi where Pied Kingfishers are found by the side of river. However we found lot of human activity on the river banks due to which birds were not there. The jungle trail was occupied by a group of picnickers. It was sad to find lot of leftovers and garbage there - used plastic cups and plates, plastic bottles and empty beer- whisky bottles. Why we are so poor in our habits ? I wonder sometimes. However on the road side I found a Grey Bush
On the third day morning Sandeep took me to Hari Lama's hide at Birders Den where he said Black Partridge is found. Yes, it was there but only the female. The majestic male didn't oblige.
Now was the turn to find the last most wanted bird on my wish list - the Red Billed Leiothrix . Sandeep said that we will follow a trail in the woods by the side of a dry rivulet and also visit a private hide where these birds could be found and I was lucky finding one there.
A beautiful Grey-headed Woodpecker was also there .
That brought an end to my Uttarakhand birding trip. Needless to say I enjoyed it very much. Sandeep was a great company and his knowledge about local birds and their possible locations was amazing.
Sandeep can be contacted at 70882 25369.
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