February 4th 2019
The morning safari out into the forest before breakfast was
only short but it still managed to add several new species to the list
including buff barred warbler, Whistler’s warbler and a fine common green magpie. The Corbett part
of the trip wasn’t over as we lucked in on four otters fishing in the river on the edge of the camp. Another 2
species were added along with 2 golden jackal before we left the park for
Vanghat.
Two Asian barred
owlets were on the roadside as we headed over the hills towards Vanghat. We
met the Vanghat guides at the suspension bridge and walked into the camp with
Anil. There is no vehicle access into the camp so our bags had to be carried to
an old jeep which took them down to the river. From there they (along with us)
went across the river on a bamboo raft before being carried (the bags not us) the rest of the way
into the camp. We took the walk option which was good after having spent
several days birding from a vehicle. The walk added a few new species including
fire-tailed sunbird and red-billed blue magpie. We emptied our
bags into our room and had a late lunch while watching the camp feeding
station. There were plenty of birds about including grey treepie, red-billed leiothrix
and rusty-cheeked scimitar-babbler
amongst the hoardes of jungle babblers.
Asian barred owlet
After lunch we headed down to the river for a couple of
hours. Pretty much the first bird we saw was a wallcreeper that flew by and started feeding on the riverbed! I
then spotted a little forktail
standing on the rocks in the rapids on the edge of the river. Always great
birds to see and a strange combination of dipper and wagtail. We walked
upstream and Rachael spotted another forktail on the far bank, this time a spotted forktail! Good views were had
as a pair fed along the shoreline on the far side. All of a sudden two great hornbills flew over the canopy
and landed in the trees. They were very hard to see perched up but superbly
massive birds. A blue rock thrush on the riverbank was an unexpected bonus. Two
goral, a small goat-like mammal were
found by Anil on the hillside opposite the camp. In the late afternoon light
and against the vegetation they were pretty hard to see when they were not
moving. Although not rare, they are normally pretty elusive.
We ended the afternoon by adding small niltava and grey
headed woodpecker, both around the camp, to the list.
Little forktail
Spotted forktail
Great hornbill
Wallcreeper
February 5th 2019
We were up before it got light for our morning walking
safari. The walk started with an ‘interesting’ safety briefing on what to do if
we encountered big cats or elephants! If it was a big cat we had to make as
much noise as possible while waving our arms about in the hope we’d scare it
off but on no account run. On the other hand, if it was an elephant, run and
try and discard an item of clothing to draw its attention!!!!! This wasn’t
quite what we were expecting to hear and to be honest a little disconcerting as
we headed across the river and into the forest. It was rather unnerving then
when Anil said that the goats alarm calling in the steep river valley next to
us were probably doing that because there was a leopard in the area! To say is
was slightly distracted from the birding was an understatement and thankfully
we didn’t come across anything to warrant our new training although we did find
a couple of old tiger scats.
The walk was good if a little quiet. The birds were again in
mixed flocks and the trick was finding them. When we did they were big and had
a nice selection of species. The bulk were oriental
white-eye but the mixed flocks also included bar-tailed treecreeper, lemon-rumped
warbler, long-tailed minivet, black throated and black lored tits. No brown
fishowls were in the usual roost locations but we did see both forktail
species at the waterfall before we headed back to camp.
We had a couple of hours to relax and bird within the camp
fence. Great hornbills and griffon vultures were over the valley
and there was time to photograph the birds coming to feeding station.
Black bulbul
Blue whistling-thrush
Fulvous breasted woodpecker
Grey treepie
Grey winged blackbird
Afternoon walk behind the camp through some fields that were
really good. The plantation felt really birdy and held some quality species
including a male Himalayan bluetail,
rufous gorgeted flycatcher and a smart
male grey-winged blackbird. We
headed further up the hill to a flowering cotton tree that had been attracting
large numbers of birds but it was a bit late in the afternoon and there were no
birds. We did add black-chinned yhunia
to the list and I found some grey-headed woodpecker feathers for my collection.
The last couple of hours were spent sat by the river
attempting to photograph the two species of water-redstart. The light wasn’t
great but I managed a few shots.
Plumbeous water-redstart
February 6th 2019
A final pre-breakfast walk around the camp and down to the
river. A couple of female samba deer crossed the river before we spooked a male
that we hadn’t seen. His alarm calls echoed around the valley and it legged it
across the river into the forest. The little
forktail showed well again but it was still too dark for any photos. We
added great barbet to the list and
Anil saw his 400spp, a rather skulking aberrant
bush warbler.
Nice views of collared
falconet in the camp before we left sat in the top of the large cotton
tree. It was amazing how small they were and in flight they reminded me of a
weird cross between a beeeater and a martin…! Breakfast added greater yellownape to the list and then
white capped bunting (3) near the
bridge as we said goodbye to the excellent Vanghat team and met up again with
JP for the journey to Sat Tal.
A couple of stops on the way produced Nepal wren babbler and long
billed thrush but we dipped on ibisbill
for a 2nd time.
Rufous chinned laughingthrush
Small niltava
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