ORNITHOLIDAYS’ TOUR TO BHUTAN

Birds & Buddhism

19 March – 02 April 2002

A Personal Diary by Simon Boyes

Brochure

Tuesday, 19 March

The ten of us gather in Heathrow's Terminal Four for the non-stop British Airways flight to Delhi. Thanks to a tail wind, we complete it in seven and a half hours, flying over the Black Sea and Tehran. The spinach kofta makes an excellent re-introduction to Oriental food: but is it lunch or dinner? As we hurtle east through the time zones, night soon falls. For me, the return to Delhi (and the opportunity of a first visit to Bhutan) is a special event. Through the late 70s and most of the 80s, the Delhi run was an annual event, and always cherished. Recently I've concentrated more on South America. So I hope I can switch off motmots and penguins for two weeks...

Wednesday, 20 March

We land in Delhi on time at 01.20, having skirted round the southern border of Afghanistan. We are now five and a half hours ahead of GMT. Immigration formalities are slow, but at least the Centaur Hotel is close at hand. We get to our beds around 03.30!

Many of the group decide to sleep through the optional breakfast, but Sue, Brigid and Colin join me, and stroll in the garden afterwards. There are drongos and a White-throated Kingfisher on the hotel roof; Green Bee-eater and Jungle Babblers beside the swimming pool; and Ashy Prinia creeping along a fence with a Tailorbird. A small, shallow pool that we discover as we turn left out of the Centaur gate has plenty of waders, such as stilts, Marsh and Wood Sandpipers, Temminck's Stints and a successful breeding colony of Little Ringed Plovers, judging from the number of juveniles. A Yellow-wattled Lapwing - much less common than the red version - is on the dry flat area straight outside the gate. There is much more too, but this brief account has to stop short of listing it all.

There is time to relax, swim or look at the Bhutan field-guides and guide books before lunch, which is a fine Chinese meal. Now we meet Neelam, who spends the afternoon guiding us round two of New Delhi's most beautiful historical monuments, Humayun's Tomb and the Qutab Minar. The tomb was the model for the Taj Mahal, but in red sandstone, not marble. Birds in the parkland round the tomb include Brown-headed Barbet, Pied Starling and Yellow-footed Green Pigeon. The other site contains Delhi's version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but ornately carved from bottom to top. Egyptian Vultures perch on it, while Alexandrine Parakeets show off scarlet shoulders and deep voices in nearby trees. The birding doesn't seem to distract Neelam from her explanations - in fact, she enjoys looking in the scope, and hearing about the co-operative nesting behaviour of Jungle Babblers.

Thursday, 21 March

An early start for Bhutan: the Druk Air flight takes off at 07.30, in a BAe 146 taking 66 passengers. Bhutan is the land of the Dragon, Druk in Bhutanese. Hence the dragon painted on the tailplane, and the two hotels named Druk in which we will stay. The Bhutanese national carrier is generous with it’s catering: there's a welcome hot breakfast between Delhi and Kathmandu, and more sandwiches and cake between Kathmandu and Paro. The Kathmandu Valley is hazy, as it often is in March, but as we fly east along the chain of the Himalayas, the Australian pilot points out Everest and Kanchenjunga looking stunningly clear on the left. We descend into the spectacular Paro Valley, with the airport alongside the river, and land at 11.00, after putting our watches on a further half-hour. So Bhutan is GMT+6. The airport terminal is a magnificent square structure in traditional Bhutanese architecture. Out on the tarmac is the entire national fleet, two BAe 146s, which serve Delhi, Kathmandu, Dhaka and Bangkok between them. These two planes are the only ones to use this unique airport.

Soon we are through the entry formalities, all administered by men wearing the national dress (kho) of one-piece, knee-length tunic and stockings. Kinley, our mentor-to-be, and Sangay, the driver, welcome us and take us the short distance to the Hotel Druk. Sue soon finds us a Long-legged Buzzard hovering above the valley floor, and we pass two Red-billed Choughs in a terraced paddyfield. Now, in the dry season, the paddies produce a crop of wheat, then rice in the monsoon.  Soon we arrive at the Druk Hotel, which commands a superb position overlooking the steep-sided Paro Valley. A wonderful lunch and a siesta follow.

The afternoon is a gentle stroll down the quiet road from the hotel. Green-backed and Rufous-fronted Tits glean food in the blue pinewoods (which look green to us). The most abundant bird is the Oriental Turtle Dove, which we watch singing and display-flighting. Colin finds us a male Blue-fronted Redstart; Lilian puts us onto a Rufous-breasted Accentor feeding on the verge. Below us on the valley floor a flock of about 200 choughs is busy feeding. We turn round at a gully with thick cover, where we see parts of two laughing-thrushes without being able to see the whole picture. But as the light fades a pair of White-collared Blackbirds look very smart. A Peregrine hurtles past as we head back to base. The Bhutan adventure has begun!

Friday, 22 March

Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler and Hodgson's Redstarts are close to the hotel before breakfast, and Russet Sparrows are making themselves at home under the eaves. The dining room has panoramic views over the Paro Valley, which is filled with early morning sunlight. Cameras are a popular item at the breakfast table.

We stop at the first bridge over the river in the valley bottom. There, instantly, are a pair of Ibisbills feeding between the rocks only a few metres away, and below us, ideal for photography: crimson bills, lilac legs, and perfect dove-grey back to blend with the boulders. This unique wader is alone in its family. A third individual appears upstream, and a border dispute occurs, with whinnying calls and flight views. Plumbeous Water Redstarts are frequent along the river too.

Through the morning we take a leisurely drive up the Paro Valley, interspersed with short walks along the quiet road. Kinley tells us fascinating facts about life in Bhutan, and answers masses of questions. Shrikes, redstarts and choughs are regular sights, and here and there new species turn up, such as Little Bunting and Olive-backed Pipit. A grove of broad-leaved trees has a party of Rufous Sibias, but Paro is not one of Bhutan's birding hotspots. We stop to marvel at the construction of the Tiger's Nest Monastery, which clings to the edge of a massive, apparently sheer cliff. Here is a small group of Yellow-billed Blue Magpies, with long, elegant tails.

We head back for lunch in a restaurant in Paro town, and have time for looking around. Lionel emerges as our leading shopper, with several packages of Buddhist artefacts appearing in the bus. We spend much of the afternoon admiring the Paro Dzong, a huge fortress-monastery typical of Bhutan. In a courtyard outside, local girls are preparing for the imminent festival by rehearsing their folk dances and tuneful songs. Entering the dzong, we see plenty of the red-robed monks, some of them boys of eight or nine. The roofs tower above us, with clouds of choughs playing in the wind and landing on the huge ornamental garudas - the mythical birds that decorate the roof-corners. Kinley takes us into the prayer hall, and explains the significance of many of the intricate paintings of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. We cross the river on a beautiful old cantilever bridge, from which a Brown Dipper can be seen at the water's edge. We return to base for tea and a rest. Beautiful Bhutan stamps and post-cards are popular purchases in the hotel shop.

Saturday, 23 March 

New for us early this morning is Long-tailed Minivet flying over the pines, calling; and Chestnut-crowned Laughing-thrush, bouncing across the grass and disappearing into a gully.

As we leave Paro, the sun illuminates a fresh fall of snow on the huge peaks of the Tibet border. It's only a short drive to Thimpu, capital of Bhutan, where we stay tonight, but we make a morning of it, stopping frequently in the warm sunshine and superb mountain scenery. Before we even reach the airport, Colin picks out a White-capped Water Redstart by the Paro River, which gives lengthy views. The next stop is good for mammals, as monkey, marten and deer all appear. The langurs are feeding on rose hips by the river, with much longer fur than their lowland cousins. They should be called Maned Langur. The three martens climb up the barren hillside opposite us, always close together. We have a wonderful view of their dark cap and tail, and yellow throat. The two Muntjacs are also on the steep slope, a surprisingly dry habitat for them.

After the junction of the Paro and Thimpu rivers, Great Cormorants become common, perched on rocks in the water. A stop to watch schoolchildren at work in the school garden - a usual practice here on Saturday mornings - leads to birds: there are Long-tailed Minivets flycatching in the mixed oak and pine across the road. We arrive in Thimpu in good time for lunch at the Druk Hotel, in the middle of the city.

Afternoon activities are many, varied and fascinating. First, Kinley takes us to the archery field, where practice is going on. This is the national sport, with imported compound bows now used over a 135m range. Some of the archers are friends of Kinley's, and their accuracy is wonderful to watch. Next we spend half an hour in the huge Saturday market, mostly for vegetables, but partly for arts and crafts. The atmosphere is so friendly and unthreatening.

On the way to the city viewpoint, we stop to photograph the government buildings, where the King has an office, and where the National Assembly meets. Next comes a visit to a nunnery, where nuns are chanting prayers in a hall filled with butter lamp offerings. We have a chance also to see the national animal of Bhutan, the Golden Takin, a strange beast described as a goat-antelope. Several are in an enclosure by the road. After photos of the panorama of the city, we visit a government handicrafts emporium, for the tour's main shopping opportunities. There is also an interesting bookshop near the hotel. The serious birding starts tomorrow...

Sunday, 24 March

Unseasonal rain falls in the night, but luckily it's dry for our departure from Thimpu, and up the winding road to the top of Dochu La Pass at 3115m. The sun shines, and there's a keen wind to flutter the hundreds of prayer-flags at the summit. From now on we have new catering arrangements for breakfast and lunch: our own staff and vehicle. Thus, set among the flags is a table laid with tablecloth, place settings, marmalade and peanut butter. As soon as we sit, we are served hot porridge, tea, coffee, omelette and sausage, toast and croissant. Wow! The hot meal is appreciated in these Himalayan winds.

Now we have the whole morning to walk down the first 3km of the old mule-track. The forest changes dramatically as soon as the pass is crossed. In place of the dreary plantations of blue pine is a magnificent mixed forest. Principal trees are oak, maple, fir, hemlock, rhododendron and magnolia. These last two are no garden shrubs, but magnificent flowering trees. The rhododendrons are mostly scarlet, but there are a few pink, white and yellow. The magnolia blossoms are huge, and cream-coloured. There is also a strongly and beautifully scented Daphne with little white flowers. The rhododendrons are especially attractive to birds, such as Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Hoary-throated Barwing, and two beautifully crested yuhinas, Stripe-throated and Rufous-vented. Dark-breasted Rosefinches also perch on the red blooms, forming a good camouflage.

The cloud rolls past from time to time, but usually the visibility is good, and during the quiet parts we enjoy the pristine habitat. The trees are draped in mosses, and the ground often pink with long-stemmed Primula denticulata. Ashy-throated Warblers flick wings and refuse to stay still for a moment. When we join the road, a large mixed flock keeps us rooted to the spot. Most obliging are the Chestnut-tailed Minlas, which perch at eye level and point-blank range, and show off every detail of their lovely, complex colours. With them are Rufous-capped Babbler, two fulvettas, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, and more Mrs Gould’s Sunbirds among others.

We drop down lower in the bus, passing Spotted Nutcracker, the familiar species from Europe, en route. The lunch, which our team has set up next to a stupa, is as impressive as breakfast. Stupas (or chortens) are everywhere in Bhutan: they are small, white monuments shaped like temples, but with no entry: they often house sacred relics or bones. Verditer Flycatcher and White-tailed Nuthatch appear during the feast, and Yellow-billed Blue Magpie and Ashy Drongo just afterwards. We press on to Punakha during the afternoon, making only one forest stop, where Assamese Macaques and Grey-hooded Warbler appear. Great Barbets fill the forest with their repeated mewing calls, and eight or so finally appear at the tops of tall trees above us.

The forest gives way to terraced fields, highland to mid-elevation. We arrive at the Meri Punsum Guest House at 16.00, with its panoramic views over the valley. They serve tea, and a few of us set forth again, seeing wintering Goosanders on the river, plus Black Bulbul and a pair of very dark Common Buzzards.

Monday, 25 March

A Chestnut-tailed Starling on a bamboo and a singing Magpie Robin greet us as we drink early morning tea at the hotel. Breakfast is a few miles away by the river, after we have stopped to watch typical Himalayan river species such as Ruddy Shelduck, River Lapwing and Ibisbill. We also pass the magnificent Punakha Dzong, the former seat of national government before the capital was moved to Thimpu. Breakfast of omelette and chips, with much else besides, is in a perfect riverside spot in warm sun. A short walk along the road reveals Crested Bunting, Long-tailed Shrike and a Black Eagle gliding across the valley.

Mountain Hawk Eagle appears in mid morning, above the woodland. Grey-hooded Warblers sing at regular intervals as we drive and walk further north. The landscape changes, passing from terraced cultivation into forest as we enter the Jigme Dorji National Park. The valley narrows, and is dominated by the river. At a waterfall we spend many minutes watching a pair of Little Forktails, which Keith finds for us. They spend some time feeding in the pool at the bottom, but even more time disputing perches with the resident pair of Plumbeous Water Redstarts. With White-crowned Water Redstart also present, the small pool is crowded. Both forktail and redstart constantly agitate their tails in identical fashion, pulsing rather than wagging. Across the road is the campsite where our team has set up lunch. While it is being prepared, a pair of Slaty-backed Forktails appear across the river. A Whiskered Yuhina in the bushes alongside interrupts the fine meal.

A Brown Dipper feeds three recently fledged spotted juveniles. Most species seem not even to have begun breeding: but dippers are early nesters. During the afternoon, we make our way back to base. A Crested Kingfisher perches on a log below us. We enjoy close-ups of an Ibisbill feeding: finding plenty of food among the stones on the riverbed. Himalayan Swiftlets and Asian House Martins fly low above us as rain threatens. This has been another good day in spectacular scenery and good habitat.

Tuesday, 26 March

Over our early cups of tea and coffee, we watch the local Kestrels mating repeatedly as they balance on top of a flagpole. We return to the Jigme Dorji National Park and the road to Tashitang. On our way to breakfast, a flock of 75 or so White-throated Laughing-thrushes seem to surround us, appearing from behind and covering the trees ahead of us, from ground to treetop height. We arrive at the breakfast site at 08.00, to discover that our team who camped overnight here had rain during the night. Before we sit down to eat, Striated Laughing-thrushes cross the waterfall and perch in view; a male Black-throated Sunbird inspects yellow Mahonia flowers; and a hepatic female Oriental Cuckoo perches in view of our table. Never have porridge and cheese omelette tasted better!

The morning is spent in relaxing strolls in the warm sunshine along the track that runs past the campsite. It is wonderful that our agents provide unlimited free bottled water for us. Yellow-vented Warblers are numerous, as are Verditer Flycatcher, Green-backed Tit and Black Bulbul. A Small Niltava sings, in company with a Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher and a Blue-throated Flycatcher (with orange throat wedge, just to be difficult). We often hear the garbled song of the Slaty-bellied Tesia, a tiny tailless warbler, but cannot tempt it out of its shrubby home. Gold-bellied Leafbirds feed at mistletoe clumps, and a Maroon Oriole calls like a cat up a tree. Both look superb in the scopes. Butterflies massed over the track are a memorable sight.

Lunch is our final meal at the now familiar campsite. Keith and I bid a fond farewell to this magic spot by paddling in the icy waters of the river. Two distant Black Eagles soar over the snowy peaks that separate us from Tibet. We head back to Punakha, stopping for Grey-headed Woodpecker on the way. A Besra, one of the Indian forest sparrowhawks, crosses the track in front of the bus. Kinley is back in his formal dress to show us Punakha Dzong, the most historic of all in Bhutan. This vast edifice is under renovation, after fire destroyed part of it in 1986, the latest of several fires. It is 180 by 72m, and six stories high: almost a village, with a community of monks, and a magnificent prayer hall, in the process of being re-created. It has vast statues, galleries, alcoves filled with carved figures, all intricately painted. The effect when finished will be amazing. All of us are glad to have seen this most impressive edifice, but wish we were allowed our cameras inside.

Most of the group return to base, but some of us walk back some of the way along the road, in the company of shy but intrigued schoolgirls wearing their long dresses. There is Grey Wagtail and even Mallard along the river, and finally, good looks at Chestnut-tailed Starling. A gale suddenly blows up when we are back in our rooms, causing a power-cut. Luckily it is restored after a romantic candle-lit dinner. A Grey Nightjar calls, but fails to respond to the tape.

Wednesday, 27 March

A Wallcreeper singing on a rock face is our first delight as we leave the Meri Punsum Hotel. Stopping in the picturesque town of Wangdue Phodrang to refuel, we have a few minutes to photograph the rows of wooden shops, often signposted ‘shop-cum-bar.’ Among the vegetables bundled for sale are ferns, like those, which our cook served in a curry yesterday, handpicked in the Punakha forests.

Soon after Wangdue, we come across our breakfast set out by the road in a beautiful bird-filled valley. Great Barbets are at eye-level in the trees next to us, and several Fire-breasted Flowerpeckers appear. A pair of Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrikes perch in a tree below us, and a male Blue-capped Rock Thrush sits up in a bare tree for all to see. As we ascend the long, winding road towards the next pass, Pele La, we come across a flock of Altai Accentors. Such is the quietness of this road that we can stop in the middle of its single track and watch the accentors at leisure, without worrying about other traffic. Higher up, a Spotted Forktail gives brief views before disappearing up a waterfall.

There follows a long section of roadworks. This is a huge project to widen the main east-west road in Bhutan, since Assam’s instability makes it harder to travel from east to west Bhutan via India. The result is major disruption to the roadside vegetation and therefore the birdlife. A pity, as the rhododendrons and magnolias are magnificent. We detour to the high-level (3100m) Phobjikha Valley and locate five wintering Black-necked Cranes, thanks to Colin’s sharp eyes. This is a habitat we have not seen before, with a huge mire in the valley-bottom, and potatoes cultivated on the slopes, reminding Keith and Lilian of Donegal. In a few days these last cranes will migrate north to breeding grounds in China: so we are lucky to have caught them.

We cross the pass of Pele La at 3200m, and soon discover our lunch set out among the dwarf bamboo, with an archery contest going on noisily up the hill, sounding like football chants. Lunch features Lionel’s birthday cake, and we show the archers that we can sing too. The spot is good for raptors: four Himalayan Griffons, a Northern Sparrowhawk and a migrating Hen Harrier pass by. Next stop is at a photogenic stupa in the Nepali style, with painted eyes facing all four directions. The compound is surrounded by a superb display of scarlet and white rhododendrons.

Between here and Trongsa, we stop where we see or hear signs of mixed flocks. Two groups of White-throated Laughing-thrushes cross the road; another flock is dominated by the unremarkable Yellow-browed Tit, but also contains Rufous-winged Fulvetta, a White-throated Fantail and a bright yellow Blyth’s Leaf Warbler. Another flock is made up of White-browed Fulvettas and Stripe-throated Yuhinas. The last stop is to admire the views of Trongsa Dzong and town. Our hotel the Puenzhi is set above the dzong, and is a welcome relief after our longest journey. Lionel kindly buys a round of drinks and we help him celebrate another year.

Thursday, 28 March

Those who miss the early walk round the hotel surely regret dipping on two highly skulking bush warblers with plumages as inspiring as their names: Brown (a Bradypterus) and Brownish-flanked (a Cettia), which both wilfully hide at every opportunity. As befits a close relative of Cetti’s, the latter has an explosive song.

After tea and coffee, we set off down the Zhemgang road to find our breakfast. A troop of handsome cream-coloured Langurs, have several babies among them. Breakfast has been set out for us in a pavilion (or is it a gazebo?) with stunning views in all directions over forest and terraced paddies, many now growing wheat. Eurasian Crag Martins fly around, as the porridge, toast and omelettes hit the spot again. Why do open-air meals taste so good? Close by is a Mountain Hawk Eagle in a tree, calling, its long crest blowing in the wind. Next is a cliff, with huge hanging nests of rock bees. Kinley has brought us here to show us the best Bhutan site for Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Asia’s only member of the family. After two minutes watching the bees, a Chaffinch-sized bird flies up to a honeycomb and feeds on wax or larvae. It then returns to its favourite perch among the nests. It is a male, defending its bee colony, and ready to mate with any female that comes to feed. We watch it for ten minutes in the scopes, noticing that yellow face is much easier to see than yellow rump.

Through the rest of the morning we alternate walking with riding back up towards Trongsa. Crested Serpent Eagles display-flight above us, calling loudly, and there is a brief view of an adult Rufous-bellied Eagle, also noisy and thus presumably at its breeding grounds. Other species to appear include a colourful male Grey-chinned Minivet and a Striated Prinia, with extremely long tail. Lunch is set out for us on a wide grassy verge where the almost traffic-free road bends. Fork-tailed Swifts pass over us as we enjoy another mushroom dish. Mushrooms and asparagus are two often-served dishes that we had not been expecting.

Continuing towards Trongsa, we see a chattering group of Mrs Gould’s Sunbirds, mostly males, and watch the Nepal House Martins, much faster and more aerobatic than ours. We pass a road-gang, consisting of three Nepali women breaking big stones into smaller ones with a variety of sledgehammers and mallets. Ellis joins in with the heaviest sledgehammer, to the joy of the Nepalis. In Trongsa, Sue buys honey to take home, and the monks and the huge dzong make colourful photos. We head back early for tea at the hotel.

A few venture out one more time with Sangay, who has become a keen spotter. Close to the hotel, we see Chestnut-crowned Laughing-thrushes and Rufous-winged Fulvettas, before a persistent drizzle stops play for the day. The rain becomes an impressive thunderstorm during the evening, but luckily the power stays on.

Friday, 29 March

Fresh snow is on the mountains round Trongsa, and a Lemon-rumped Warbler is singing a lively, high-pitched song outside the hotel. We take our leave of the friendly staff at the hotel, and begin the journey back west. On the way to breakfast, a pair of Greater Yellownapes are climbing a gnarled old trunk, while on the ground below, White-throated and Striated Laughing-thrushes are tossing leaves aside.

Our last al fresco breakfast is laid out for us at the Trongsa viewpoint, such that we can photograph the laden table with the impressive dzong behind. The forests here are a beautiful mix of mostly broad-leaved species, including a birch and an alder quite different from European ones. As we head for Pele La, a male Chestnut-breasted Rock Thrush perches on top of a stump, and a suite of Nutcrackers pose in a nearby tree with a Hoopoe. Streaked Laughing-thrushes, a smaller cousin of the Striated, come next, perching on the verges and bushes.

Through the middle of the day, rain hinders our birding; and it turns to snow at the top of Pele La. When we meet the catering crew, they have laid out lunch in their tent, pitched just for us: bless them! Here we bid our trusty crew farewell, and meet the French author and photographer of the finest of the Bhutan coffee-table books. The rain clears just before we reach Wangdue Phodrang, our destination. Luckily we can stop in good habitat by a rushing river as the sun comes out. We have a chance to warm up, and to watch a fine array of bird activity. Three species of bulbuls are here, including Mountain for the first time. A mixed flock contains Blue-winged and Red-tailed Minlas and Whiskered Yuhina, passing slowly below us in good light. This gives us a full house of the three beautiful minlas. Sue skilfully picks out a pair of Speckled Piculets with them, which never come into the open, but give views or part-views to most. The common sunbird at this lower altitude is Black-throated, replacing Mrs Gould’s. A Blue Rock Thrush in winter quarters is nearby, but finally we tear ourselves away, and travel the short distance to the Dragon’s Nest Resort, set on the banks of the same river we got to know at Punakha. The hotel is very well appointed, with beautiful gardens, baths, big rooms and plenty of smiling staff.

Saturday, 30 March

Early birds include Little Bunting, River Lapwing and White-throated Kingfisher. After our first indoor breakfast for six days, we leave Wangdue, and begin the long climb up Dochu La. We make several stops as we gain altitude, but the first and last are the best. At the first, an Ultramarine Flycatcher starts us off, and is quickly followed by Nepal Fulvetta in the undergrowth, Chestnut-crowned Warbler singing and hovering, and a small group of Black-throated Tits with their striking head pattern. Our fifth new species of the trip at this stop is a pair of Short-billed Minivets nest building. We have seen few instances of breeding behaviour, but one highlight is this pair beginning to weave the first threads into a tree-fork. Calling here are Oriental and Large Hawk Cuckoos, and a distant Golden-throated Barbet.

Further on, we hear the four-note whistle of the Collared Owlet, which is easy to reply to. Within a few whistles, a mass of tits, sunbirds and nuthatches have gathered above our heads, wing flicking and scolding. Having checked that the real owl is not in view, we move onwards and up. Close to the summit, another purple patch includes Rufous-vented and Rufous-fronted Tits, our very own Winter Wren (looking dark but sounding familiar), and a confiding Green Shrike-Babbler, which perches alongside us calling. Sue finds a Rusty-flanked Treecreeper, and a pair of Rufous-gorgeted Flycatchers give Keith the opportunity of a close-up photograph, instantly viewable with new digital technology. Dochu-la has given us an excellent morning among the rhododendrons and magnolias.

Lunch is in a restaurant in Thimpu, with time for a last look round the shops. The rest of the journey back to Paro is easily accomplished, with a dipper here and a troop of langurs there. We arrive at the excellent Hotel Druk in time for afternoon tea and a rest. Over drinks provided by Ornitholidays, Brigid treats us to her poetic impressions of Bhutan, ‘Prayer Flags,’ which we have reprinted below. We have to say fond farewells to Ellis tonight, as she is continuing her travels in Bhutan. We head to an early bed, in anticipation of a rude awakening at 05.00 tomorrow.

Easter Sunday, 31 March

A Grey Nightjar is calling a slow tuk..tuk..tuk as we leave the Druk Hotel before daybreak. A few minutes later we are saying goodbye to our excellent mentor Kinley and to Sangay who has driven us so safely. Brigid has Easter mini-eggs to offer us all in the departure lounge. The Druk Air flight departs at 07.30 and the views of all the peaks from Kanchenjunga to Everest and beyond are perfect. This time we have a Bhutanese pilot, who points each one out, with its altitude. Kathmandu is misty as it was last week. As we enjoy breakfast, we fly over the hot, parched landscape of the Ganges plain. We land in Delhi at 10.25.

Immigration formalities are much quicker and easier than when we arrived here in the night - what seems like an age ago. This time Vinod from Exotic Journeys has come to meet us. At the Vasant Continental we have our rooms allocated, and meet Karan, the young birder from Corbett National Park who is to accompany us this afternoon and tomorrow. Lunch in the coffee shop gives us a great variety of dishes, since it is an Easter Sunday buffet. A siesta is definitely appropriate afterwards.

At 16.00 we set out for a pleasant ramble in the Lodhi Gardens as the sun goes down. The place, full of mature trees, irrigated lawns and fine old Moghul ruins, is also popular with Delhi folk; the women in particular look wonderful in colourful saris. Coppersmith and Brown-headed Barbets are vocal and conspicuous, with prospecting of nest-holes in progress. Judging from activity in the shrubberies, the locals are thinking about breeding too. Koels are noisy too, no doubt looking for unguarded House Crow nests to slip an egg into. Asian Pied Starlings bathe in puddles, while Rufous Treepie and Grey Hornbill can be seen in the canopy.

Monday, 1 April

Sultanpur Lake is our destination this morning, an hour's drive to the southwest. We opt for an early breakfast, so that we are there soon after 07.00, while it is still cool. The lake is mostly dry, but there are enough wetlands left for large flocks of duck, mostly Shoveler and Teal. Garganey, Spotbill, and Comb Duck are among the other ducks here. Waders are numerous and varied, including Spotted Redshanks feeding in deep water, and masses of Wood Sandpipers and Ruff. One Pheasant-tailed Jacana in full breeding plumage is a beautiful sight. Raptors are represented by an Oriental Honey Buzzard, a Tawny Eagle perfectly seen perched and in flight, and a Shikra. The duck take flight and mill round in confusion as the eagle flies over: a spectacular sight. The acacia scrub round the edge of the lake attracts interesting species such as Asian Paradise Flycatcher (a white bird, with endless tail), Black-rumped Flameback and Red-throated Flycatcher. Large Grey Babbler and Bay-backed Shrike are two others seen for the first time. There is plenty more too (such as the Red Collared Doves perched on dead trees); but in mid-morning we head back to base.

At lunch we hear from Keith and Lilian about their tour of Old Delhi, which they had arranged instead of Sultanpur. Crowded is their verdict: one thing Sultanpur isn't (except with birds). After a siesta, we set off for the Yamuna River at Okhla, a Muslim area of the city where at first we walk on a grassy area. Whiskered Terns, attaining breeding plumage, patrol the murky waters, and large numbers of Citrine Wagtails find food in the ponds by the track. Hawk-eye Sue puts us onto a Black Ibis flying along the far shore. By the track is a Rosy Pipit, in winter quarters; and a fine male Bluethroat of the red-spotted subspecies, finding plenty of insects among the stacks of cow-dung.

Moving the coach a mile down the riverside, we spend the rest of the afternoon at the end of an embankment that offers an amazing panorama of the prolific birdlife of Okhla. For size, the prize would go to the Black-necked Stork, but not far behind would be the Greater Flamingos, contentedly feeding with egrets and Painted Storks for company. There is one Bar-headed Goose, keeping company with Ruddy Shelduck: both species will fly across the Himalayas to nest on the Tibetan plateau. Across the river the scopes pick out a pair of Bronze-winged Jacanas. There are several Marsh Harriers quartering the area, causing havoc to the flocks of duck and waders: even more than the eagle did at Sultanpur. They put up Shoveler and Garganey, godwits and stints, flocks of yelping stilts and even four enormous Pallas's Gulls, which lumber off, showing startling black and white wing tips. There is plenty more here too, but at the sun dips behind the buildings we head back to Vasant. The last day has given us an amazing bird-list, mostly of large and easily seen species...what a different experience from Bhutan!

We shower and re-pack; and enjoy an Indian meal, which is partly a barbecue, on the terrace of the hotel's Indian restaurant. They even serve draught beer. Then it's off to the airport, where Vinod does a great job easing our way towards the front of the British Airways queue.

Tuesday, 2 April

Finally we board, and take off at 02.00. The routing is similar to our eastward flight: over Iran, Turkey and Romania. We land at a cloudy Heathrow on time at 07.50, and say our farewells in the baggage hall, before dispersing round the country.                         

Simon Boyes
Ornitholidays
29, Straight Mile
Romsey, Hampshire
SO51 9BB
Tel: 01794-519445
E-mail: Ornitholidays@compuserve.com
April, 2002

Our next tour to Bhutan will be from the 16 March to 29 March 2004 and will be led by Richard Coomber.  The cost per person in a twin/double-bedded room is £3,899.00 and £4,049 per person  in  a single room.

Itinerary, Weather and Altitudes (max)  

Prayer Flags

At every bend the clustered flagpoles stand
And offer narrow banners to the breeze,
Disseminating prayers across the trees
That clothe the Dragon’s wild, archaic land;

And in their five-fold hues the flags display
The spectrum of what met us on our way.
Yellow’s for earth, for female minivets,
Canary Flycatchers and warblers’ bums

For spikes of Cassia and sunbirds’ tums
And breakfast mango juice and omelettes;
The painted roofs of Trongsa’s splendid Dzong,
Bananas that are very far from long.

Blue is for water tumbling down the hills,
For minlas’ wings, for sunny morning skies,
The breakfast tent, the long-tailed noisy pies
And Whistling Thrushes – both with yellow bills;

And flycatchers: the pure Ultramarine
And Verditer, with just a hint of green.
White is the air, the towering thunder-head,
Sweet-scented Daphne, water redstart’s crown

A laughing-thrush’s throat against the brown,
Magnolias, clean sheets on welcome bed;
Tibetan stupas capped with golden cones
And helpful splashes on the roadside stones.

Red fire burns bright in rhododendron flowers,
The robes and matching fleece of monk and nun,
The chillies in cheese sauce, hot as the sun,
The band that girdles monastery towers;

Flamboyant minivets, this time the males,
The flash of redstarts’ and of minlas’ tails.
The last of all is quintessential green
For field and forest in their hundred hues,

For bushes acting as impromptu loos,
Asparagus and fern, spinach and bean;
For bulbuls, warblers (most perplexing topic)
And woodpeckers, both large and microscopic.

With souvenirs and sighs we pack our bags
Our hearts full of the colours of the flags.

© Ornitholidays

Full trip list and commentary (pdf)

Brochure