Monday 3rd May 1982: Khinza to Those Bazar (9 miles)
Up at 06:00 but not on the road until 06:55. I had just crossed the Likhu Khola when the fourth bird seen was a brilliant male Pied Ground Thrush, the bird I’d most hoped to see on the walk out! It gave really good views, even allowing what turned out to be a recognisable photograph to be taken. In very high spirits I continued for an hour then after a steep hour’s climb the trail levelled off a bit before I arrived at Changma (7200 ft) at 10:35. Here I stopped for an hour for food - omelet, chapati, tea and biscuits – before the long climb to the pass at Deorali (9000 ft). Tamding, who had left Those much later, caught up with me on the climb to the pass and I just about managed to keep up with him. It was very steep going down the other side of the pass - hard on my knees again. It started spotting with rain at the bottom which became light then moderate rain as we approached Those (5700 ft). We hurried the last part, almost running at times, arriving in a heavy shower. Once inside a Sherpa house at 17:30 it really started raining hard. Bread and fried eggs for dinner was a pleasant change.
Birds recorded: *Red-headed Merlin 1, Black Francolin h, Rufous Turtle Dove 8, Common Hawk Cuckoo h, Indian Cuckoo h, Common Cuckoo 1, Oriental Cuckoo h, Collared Pigmy Owl h, Barred Owlet 1, Red-rumped Swallow 15, Olive-backed Pipit 1, Grey Wagtail 4, Black-backed Wagtail 1, Red-vented Bulbul 6, White-cheeked Bulbul 2, Black Bulbul 12, Plumbeous Redstart 4, Stonechat 1, Grey Bushchat h, River Chat 1, Blue-headed Rock Thrush 2, Blue Whistling Thrush 2, *Pied Ground Thrush 1 male, Tickell’s Thrush 1, Grey-winged Blackbird 1, Striated Prinia h, Lemon-rumped Warbler 2, Verditer Flycatcher 1, Ferruginous Flycatcher 1, Ultramarine Flycatcher 2, Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher 2, Grey-headed Flycatcher 2, Red-headed Laughingthrush 1, Black-capped Sibia 4, Green-backed Tit 1, White-tailed Nuthatch 2, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker 2, Oriental White-eye 1, Brown Shrike 1, Black Drongo 3, Bronzed Drongo 2, Gold-billed Blue Magpie 1, Large-billed Crow 5, Common Myna 1, Tree Sparrow 2.
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| Pied Ground Thrush west of Khinza, a real treat! |
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| near Changma, scratch on film still evident |
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| Black Bulbuls near Changma |
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| impressive terracing on the way to Those Bazar |
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| Those Bazar's main street |
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