Saturday 6th March 1982: Ulleri to Ghoropani (6 miles), Jomson Trek, Nepal
We left the lodge at 08:00 after two excellent bowls of porridge. The weather is still poor - rain and low cloud. I'm wearing plastic bags between outer socks and shoes to keep feet dry. It seems to work although I failed to tuck my trouser bottoms in and they got very muddy. Few birds were seen but some good ones including a superb male White-browed Bush Robin and five excellent Red-browed Finches in the clearing at Thante (8000 ft). A little snow beside the trail to Ghoropani, although a few mule trains had made the track really muddy. We arrived at Poon Hill Lodge, Ghoropani (9300 ft) at 14:00 and lunched on more porridge and lemon/sugar pancakes. I dried my trousers out by fire (contributing to habitat destruction) and wandered around walking on snow in the clouds. The snow was 2-3 feet deep on the Ghandrung Ridge but the cloud presented more of a problem to birding.
Birds seen: Common Buzzard 1, Crimson-breasted Woodpecker 1, Mountain Minivet 5, Orange-bellied Leafbird 2, White-cheeked Bulbul 10, Wren 1, Rufous-breasted Accentor 2, Himalayan Accentor 20, Red-flanked Bluetail 8, White-browed Bush Robin 1 male, Blue-fronted Redstart 4, Stonechat 4, Grey Bushchat 2, River Chat 2, Blue Whistling Thrush 4, Grey-hooded Warbler 5, Ashy-throated Leaf Warbler 20, Orange-barred Leaf Warbler 5, Lemon-rumped Warbler 10, Chiffchaff 1, Small Niltava 1 male, Yellow-bellied Fantail 1, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler 2, Streaked Laughingthrush 1, Black-faced Laughingthrush 4, Green Shrike Babbler 1, Chestnut-tailed Minla 10, Black-capped Sibia 5, Whiskered Yuhina 2, White-browed Fulvetta 15, Red-headed Tit 1, Yellow-browed Tit 4, Grey-crested Tit 10, Black-crested Tit 10, White-tailed Nuthatch 2, Stoliczka’s Treecreeper 2, Large-billed Crow 8, Dark-breasted Rosefinch 10, Beautiful Rosefinch 30, Spot-winged Rosefinch 2, *Red-browed Finch 5.
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| leaving Ulleri, camera opened before film completely rewound |
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| female Red-flanked Bluetail near Ghoropani |
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| recently split as Himalayan but any bluetail is a stunning bird ... |
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| male Spot-winged Rosefinch near Ghoropani |
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| ... one of the smarter rosefinches |
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| Red-browed Finch near Ghoropani
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... a quickly seen target species
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| Dhulagari from the Gandrung Ridge before the clouds came in |
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