Birding in West Sikkim Khangchendzonga National Park October Entry gate to Khangchendzonga National Park

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1 Birding in West Sikkim Khangchendzonga National Park October 2015 Published by: DIBYENDU ASH ( dbndsh@gmail.com or dibyendu@goingwild.in ) Entry gate to Khangchendzonga National Park Birding trails at Dubdee Birding trail further up from Dubdee to Tsong

2 Date: 25th October to 30th October Avian Habitat: Montane Forest. Temperate Coniferous. Broadleaf. Wetland. Riverine. Alluvial. Alpine steppe. Sub Alpine Forest. Cold desert climate. Tundra Valley. High altitude marshes. Cultivation Land. Human Habitat. Temperature Range: 5 C ~ 20 C Coordinates: N, E Altitude Range: 5000' to 9000' (from MSL) Bird Checklist from Khangchendzonga National Park Yuksom Dubdee and adjacent area (As per Birds of Indian Subcontinent field guide by Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp, Tim Inskipp): 1. Hill Partridge (C) 2. Kalij Pheasant 3. Common Kestrel 4. Oriental Honey Buzzard 5. Black tailed Crake (C) 6. Common Pigeon 7. Oriental Turtle Dove 8. Wedge tailed Green Pigeon 9. Asian Barred Owlet 10. Great Barbet 11. Yellow rumped Honeyguide

3 12. Crimson breasted Woodpecker 13. Grey headed Woodpecker 14. Grey backed Shrike 15. Spangled Drongo 16. Ashy Drongo 17. Yellow bellied Fantail 18. White throated Fantail 19. Common Green Magpie 20. Grey Treepie 21. House Crow 22. Green backed Tit 23. Yellow cheeked Tit 24. Yellow browed Tit 25. Black throated Tit 26. Striated Bulbul 27. Himalayan Bulbul 28. Red vented Bulbul 29. Black Bulbul 30. Common Tailorbird 31. Aberrant Bush Warbler 32. Chestnut headed Tesia 33. Lemon rumped Warbler 34. Ashy throated Warbler 35. Greenish Warbler 36. White spectacled Warbler 37. Whistler's Warbler 38. Chestnut crowned Warbler 39. Rufous capped Babbler 40. White throated Laughingthrush 41. Striated Laughingthrush 42. Chestnut crowned Laughingthrush 43. Rusty fronted Barwing 44. Hoary throated Barwing

4 45. Red billed Leiothrix 46. Himalayan Cutia 47. Blue winged Siva 48. Bar throated Minla 49. Red tailed Minla 50. Black headed Shrike Babbler 51. White browed Shrike Babbler 52. Green Shrike Babbler 53. Yellow throated Fulvetta 54. Rufous winged Fulvetta 55. Rufous Sibia 56. White naped Yuhina 57. Whiskered Yuhina 58. Stripe throated Yuhina 59. Rufous vented Yuhina 60. Fire tailed Myzornis 61. Brown Dipper 62. White tailed Nuthatch 63. Rusty flanked Treecreeper 64. Common Myna 65. Blue Whistling Thrush 66. Grey winged Blackbird 67. White browed Shortwing 68. Hodgson's Redstart 69. Blue fronted Redstart 70. White capped Redstart 71. Plumbeous Water Redstart 72. Little Forktail 73. Slaty backed Forktail 74. Spotted Forktail 75. Common Stonechat 76. Chestnut bellied Rock Thrush 77. Verditer Flycatcher

5 78. Large Niltava 79. Rufous bellied Niltava 80. Fire breasted Flowerpecker 81. Black throated Sunbird 82. Green tailed Sunbird 83. Fire tailed Sunbird 84. Eurasian Tree Sparrow 85. White rumped Munia 86. Grey Wagtail 87. Olive backed Pipit 88. Dark breasted Rosefinch 89. Scarlet Finch 90. Spot winged Grosbeak Mammal checklist (as per the Indian Mammals A Field Guide by Vivek Menon): 1. Orange bellied Squirrel 2. Hoary bellied Squirrel 3. Himalayan Striped Squirrel Participants: 1. Dibyendu Ash (solo) Birding in West Sikkim in the month of October was very much productive as that of months of April and May; unlike that of month of April May the influx of species was not there, but some birding rarities we found during that birding trip. Cheers to birds of West Sikkim!

6 Flowerpeckers are smallest in size belonging to Dicaeidae family. Enjoy the beauty of Fire breasted Flowerpecker (Dicaeum ignipectus) from West Sikkim! Yellow rumped Honeyguide (Indicator xanthonotus) is a near threatened species according to IUCN red data. Birdlife.org says that such conservation status is due to its association with Apis dorsata laboriosa (Himalayan honey bee). Exploitation of giant bees' hives, rampant collection of wax and honey put both the species under threat.

7 On day 1, I spotted a bee hive hanging on the opposite side of the mountain; and spotted some Rufous gorgeted Flycatchers. Later on day 2 I saw something flying bigger than bees near the hive. It was evening and after taking a record shot I returned back to homestay. When I started reviewing the images, I found it as Yellow rumped Honeyguide. Next morning on I was set to take a better image than the previous day, but couldn't make any; since the distance was around yards separated by Prek Chu. Would try my luck next time! Orchids anchored on a tree, support variety of fauna as that of bamboo thickets and undergrowths of Eastern Himalayas. This single orchid hanging from a huge pine tree was foraging platform for variety of avian species like Little Pied Flycatcher, Red tailed Minla, Blue winged Siva, Hoary throated Barwing etc. Amidst them it was spectacular to spot a Himalayan Cutia (Cutia nipalensis). If not wrong, it is one of the rarest among yuhinas of oriental region! White naped Yuhina (Yuhina bakeri)

8 An Yuhina mostly endemic to north east Indian Himalayas; got it during my solo birding tour to Khangchendzonga National Park birding tour. It was foraging in a mixed flock accompanied by Yellow throated Fulvetta and Black headed Shrike Babbler. Have a look at a beautiful bird from Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in West Sikkim. When we were in search of Yellow rumped Honeyguide, we saw a flock of Collared Grosbeak and Scarlet Finch roosting on tree high above the ground. We were astounded seeing the vibrant red plumage of male. Later the entire flock of Grosbeak and scarlet finch moved into coniferous forest; when a crimson breasted woodpecker came. Scarlet Finch ( ) (Haematospiza sipahi) It is hard to see them in open; as they come out rarely; but this time we got this at eye level. Yellow throated Fulvetta (Pseudominla cinerea)

9 Another beauty from the famous Khangchendzonga National Park in West Sikkim. Have a look at this beauty from Eastern Himalayas! Photographing a Green Shrike Babbler (Pteruthius xanthochlorus) up close!

10 Orange bellied Squirrel (Dremomys lokriah) Happy Birding! Dibyendu Ash: / dibyendu@goingwild.in / dbndsh@gmail.com