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BHUTAN TRIP 13 APRIL - 1 MAY 2001,

With Birdquest, Leader Dave Farrow.

General Comments: We were a day late starting the trip as Druk Air, who have a monopoly on flying into and out of Bhutan cancalled their flight on 12 May. More seriously, the Indian Army had mounted a major offensive against the rebel groups in the Northeast, who promptly faded across the border into Southern Bhutan. The Bhutanese Government closed the border in the southeast to foreigners, and in fact, we were not permitted to go further south than Wangdrung. This cost us some important birds, most notably Beautiful Nuthatch and Black-backed Forktail. It also denied the rest of the group some birds of the Assam plains that we would have picked up on our way to Gawuhati. As I had spent ten days in Assam before the Bhutan trip, this was not a loss to me. We might have had a chance of the Nuthatch at Shemgang, but this was also closed. We did get lucky, with some birds, and picked up, for example Red-headed Trogon at the bottom of the Limnethang Road on the return trip. We decided to go north from Tashigang to Trashi Yangtse, but this turned out to be disappointing. There is only about 8 km of good forest along this road, and we did not find anything really striking. We had hoped to find Brown-throated (aka Ludlow's) Fulvetta, but in fact we found one way south of its normal range on the Yonghu La. It was an early spring. This meant we missed some wintering birds, and it was noticeable with some species that we saw only females. The males had presumably gone up earlier to the breeding territories. On the other hand, we also benefited from finding some early summer breeding migrants.

Itinerary:

13/4 Flew Delhi to Paro. Birded first around Paro, then drove via Dochu La (3156m) to Punakha. Birded along road.
14/4 Punakha: birded up Mo Chu Valley. Travelled beyond Tashigang into early stages of Jigme Dorji Nat PK, where road was under construction.
15/4 early Punakha, drove short distance up Mo Chu Valley, then visited Dzong and drove to Tongsa via Pele La (3350m)
16/4 left Tongsa 5.30am and drove down Shemgang Road to Yellow-rumped Honeyguide site (Budja), and back for lunch in Tongsa.Then drove via Yutong La (3400m) to Jakar in Bumthang Valley.Rainy and cold.
17/4 Left Jakar 4.55. Drove to Ura, then to Thrumsing La (3700m), then to campsite 2 km past Sengor. early evening along upper Limnethang Road.
18/4 Camp at 2950m. Started 5.30 am down Limnethang Road to 2450m (Blue-fronted Robin site).Fine early morning but much rain pm and overnight.
19/4 start 5.15 am walked up hills above camp. at 8 am drove down to 2700m on upper section Limnethang Road. After lunch at 2450m, stopped at 2300m, 2000m, 1850m to second camp at 1500m.
20/4 Birding between 2300m and 1800m, overnight at Royal Campsite. Rain much of afternoon.
21/4 kicked out of Royal Camp. Birded 1700m to 2000m on Limnethang Road. Much rain in afternoon.
22/4 5.30 around camp (1700m) then down to 1000m.Then to Kuri River (650m), to Mongar and Kori La (2450m) then to Forestry Road and finally to Tashigang (1200m).
23/4 left 6 am to Kanglung: Sherubtse College Nature Reserve.The to Yonghu La (2600m), then to Karing La (2500m).
24/4 left Tashigang 6am via Chazam Bridge up river, then left at Duksam, and up valley to Trashi Yangtze and back to near Shali, where camped. Birded 1500-1800m.
25/4 left camp at 1400m and birded up valley towards Trashi Yangtse to 1500m. Very windy and cold. Then drove to Kori La and birded logging trail at 2050m.
largely wet.Overnight Mongar.
26/4 Left Mongar 4.55am. Lower Limnethang road until 6 am. Crossed Thrumsing La at 3.25 pm, then drove to Jakar (Mountain Lodge).
27/4 Left Jakar 5.30 am. Birded early outside Jakar. Then drove via Yutong La to Tongsa for lunch. Then over Pele La (3400m) to Wangde (1300m).
28/4 left Wangde for Dochu La and walked Ridge Trail (220-2300m. Reached Thimphu late afternoon. Late afternoon walk below Tango Monastery. Wet.
29/4 Left Thimphu 7.00am and up Paro Valley. Spent afternoon on Paro airport. Flight eventually cancelled.
30/4 Waited all day Paro airport.
1/5 Finally get out at 11.00 am.

My totals: 263 Birds Seen and 14 Birds Heard Only.

All told, a great trip to a magical (if almost vertical) country, with a fascinating culture and very friendly people. Dave Farrow did a great job as leader. A warning, however: the road (singular, because there is really just one road from west to east with a few side roads) is not in good condition. My lumbar spine took a lot of punishment as the bus's springs did not cope well with the endless potholes and bits of unmade road. This becomes a major problem if the southeast border remains closed and, like us, you have to drive all the way back to the only airport at Paro. If you are prone to back trouble, I suggest you pinch an airline pillow to put behind your back, and maybe something to sit on to cushion the shocks. Most of the beds also had the hardness of a board. I prefer a firm mattress, but these went beyond firm. It might be an idea to include an inflatable mattress as well.

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