Tuesday 27th April 1982: Periche to Khumjung and Dulay (11 miles)
After a late start from Periche (07:30) I made good time to Pangboche and Thyangboche. An attempted short cut to Phortse, which would have avoided Thyangboche, proved abortive and I turned back after a short distance as a cliff slide had taken away the path and I didn’t feel confident of clambering around it. It was a nice morning for walking and I had excellent views of Blood Pheasant in the woods just before arriving at Thyangboche at 11:00. Superb as Thyangboche was I decided not to stay and left after an enjoyable plate of boiled potatoes. I got to Khumjung (12,400 ft) by 14:20, after climbing down to cross the Dudh Kosi. Having arrived I didn’t feel like staying here either so returned to the turning to Gokyo (I’d not come far out of the way), past Trashinga and over a ridge at 13,000 ft intending to reach Phorste for the night. Once over the ridge it was raining and I was in the clouds until I’d dropped much lower to a different (higher) part of the Dudh Kosi. Phortse was across the river and 500 ft up a hillside in the wrong direction, which I hadn’t fully appreciated when considering staying there, so as it was only 16:00 I decided to press on to Dulay (13,400 ft). The trail went up into good looking forest again but I was soon back into the clouds. I saw more pheasants, including male Impayan and Blood in the same field, and several bluetails. I reached the lodge in Dulay at 17:40 by which time I was very pleased to arrive. It was a long day, even with the late start, but despite my exertions I didn’t sleep too well.
Birds seen: Black Kite 7, Blood Pheasant 5 males and 4 females, Impeyan Pheasant 9 males and 2 females, Snow Pigeon 250, Rufous Turtle Dove 3, Olive-backed Pipit 3, Rosy Pipit 1, Black-backed Wagtail 1, Brown Dipper 2, Rufous-breasted Accentor 4, Robin Accentor 1, Red-flanked Bluetail 15, Blue-fronted Redstart 20, River Chat 1, Blue Whistling Thrush 6, Rufous-capped Bush Warbler 1, Golden-spectacled Warbler 1, Orange-barred Leaf Warbler 2, Lemon-rumped Warbler 15, Tickell’s Warbler 4, Slaty-blue Flycatcher 1, Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher 1, Black-faced Laughingthrush 1, White-browed Fulvetta 2, Grey-crested Tit 6, Black-crested Tit 4, Grey-backed Shrike 1, Chough 10, Large-billed Crow 10, Beautiful Rosefinch 25, White-winged Grosbeak 10.
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| looking south from Orsho towards Pangboche |
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| Chorten and prayer stones by the trail south of Pangboche, Thyangboche ridge in middle distance |
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| Blood Pheasant near Thyangboche |
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| male Himalayan Red-flanked Bluetail near Thyangboche |
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| Punkl with many more Rhodedendrons in bloom than there had been five days earlier |
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