30 years ago: 5 March 1982, Jomson trek day 2, Chandrakot to Ulleri

Friday 5th March 1982:  Chandrakot to Ulleri (7 miles), Jomson Trek, Nepal

A sluggish start after a slow breakfast of porridge.  The weather was very dull and not conducive to photography.  The steep walk down to Birethanti (3500 ft) was poor for birds - sadly lots of forest there had been cleared in the last two years.  We crossed the Modi Khola, and after the village the smaller Bhurungdi Khola.  This was good for birds with 2 Wallcreepers and 2 Crested Kingfishers in the first two miles past Birethanti.  We got to Hille (4800 ft) for lunch with a few spots of rain on the way.  I took a short cut crossing the Bhurungdi Khola after Tirkhedhunge, a village about half way, to avoid a 2-300 foot climb.  The rain got heavier while we were eating but we decided to press on afterwards as it eased off.  The climb up to Ulleri (6800 ft) was nothing like as bad as I’d remembered, helped by having to keep well out of the way of only one pony train coming down.  The light rain made it quite refreshing too.  Kamal Lodge in Ulleri was quite good - I'm almost getting to like rice, daal and vegetables which is just as well as there is often no alternative available.

Birds seen:  Black Kite 8, Lammergeyer 2, Himalayan Griffon Vulture 1, Bonelli’s Eagle 1, Rufous Turtle Dove 3, Slaty-headed Parakeet 23, Common Kingfisher 2, Crested Kingfisher 2, Speckled Piculet 1, Olive-backed Pipit 10, White-cheeked Bulbul 10, Black Bulbul 2, Brown Dipper 7, Red-flanked Bluetail 5, Hodgson’s Redstart 1, Plumbeous Redstart 20, Grey Bushchat 4, River Chat 12, Little Forktail 4, Slaty-backed Forktail 2, Spotted Forktail 1, Blue Whistling Thrush 5, Chestnut-headed Tesia 2, Aberrant Bush Warbler 2, Rufous-capped Bush Warbler 1, Common Tailorbird 1, Golden-spectacled Warbler 10, Grey-hooded Warbler 6, Ashy-throated Leaf Warbler 4, Orange-barred Leaf Warbler 2, Lemon-rumped Warbler 15, Hume’s Leaf Warbler 2, Small Niltava 5, Beautiful Niltava 3, Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher 5, Grey-headed Flycatcher 6, Yellow-bellied Fantail 6, Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler 1, White-crested Laughingthrush 2, Streaked Laughingthrush 3, Red-billed Leothrix 4, Black-eared Shrike Babbler 1, Black-capped Sibia 4, White-bellied Yuhina 1, Great Tit 1, Green-backed Tit 4, Black-lored Tit 10, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch 1, White-tailed Nuthatch 1, Wallcreeper 2, Black-throated Sunbird 1, Fire-tailed Sunbird 3, Crimson Sunbird 1, Oriental White-eye 10, Green Magpie 2, Red-billed Blue Magpie 1, Grey Treepie 1, Large-billed Crow 20, White-rumped Munia 7, Dark-breasted Rosefinch 10.

blurry Red-billed Leothrix on the trail down to Birethanti, an area that had just two years before been reasonably well wooded

Crimson Sunbird near Birethanti

poor shot of Crested Kingfishers near Birethanti

impressive birds even in awful light

Common Kingfisher at Birethanti

Slaty-backed Forktail near Birethanti, if birders had invented wagtails they would be like this ...