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White-capped Water Redstart Phoenicurus
leucocephalus One bird was seen en-route near the Teesta river on
21/11 and two along the river on the way to
Lava from Gorumara on 23/11.
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Plumbeous Water Redstart Phoenicurus
fuliginosus Two along the river on the way to Lava from Gorumara on
23/11 were the only ones seen.
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White-tailed Robin Cinclidium leucurum
One pair and another male nearby were seen at Lava, in the area between
Km4 and Km6, on 26/11.
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Black-backed Forktail Enicurus
immaculatus One bird was seen, and photographed, by one observer
near a small stream on the Mahakal Trail.
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Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata
Two birds at Gorumara and one at Bamunpokhri.
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Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata One
seen en-route from Gorumara to Lava on 23/11 was the only sighting of
the trip.
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Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferrea A
pair at Lulagaon on 24/11 and one on the Sandakphu trek on 29/11 were
the only ones seen.
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Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnus
malabaricus Common at Gorumara where a maximum of about 60 was
recorded on 22/11.
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Asian Pied Starling Sturnus contra
Very common in lowland areas, including Gorumara, Mahakal Trail and
Phulbari Barrage.
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Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
Very common in lowland areas, with records from Gorumara and Mahakal
Trail, and also seen at Sandakphu.
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Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus Two
seen near Gorumara Jungle Camp on 21/11 and two en-route from there to
Lava on 23/11.
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Hill Myna Gracula religiosa First
seen were 12 at Gorumara Jungle Camp on 21/11 with sightings also from
Gorumara National Park and Chapramari the following day. A most
spectacular sighting was of a flock, estimated at about 600, betweenLava
and Lulagaon on 23/11. They were feeding in a heavily-forested valley
and were seen together in flight on a number of occasions, their calls
echoing against the hills. A flock of this size may be unprecedented in
India? Large numbers were also present there the following day. The only
other sighting was of one near Darjeeling Zoo. Note that Hill Myna G.
religiosa has been split from Southern Hill Myna G.indica. Those birds
seen would have been G. r. intermedia.
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Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch Sitta
castanea Two seen at Gorumara, two at Chapramari and two on the
Mahakal Trail. Two also seen at Sandakphu on 28/11.
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White-tailed Nuthatch Sitta
himalayensis Several at Lulagaon, with 10 estimated there on 24/11,
and smaller numbers at Neora Valley and Lava, with one also at Sandakphu.
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Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis
Only recorded from Gorumara with two there on 22/11.
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Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris
Two or three seen at various places on the Sandakphu trek, including in
trees at the summit, on both 27/11 and 28/11.
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Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
Seen or heard daily from 27/11 to 29/11 at various places on the
Sandakphu trek. Those birds seen were very dark all over, typical
of the nipalensis subspecies.
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Fire-capped Tit Cephalopyrus flammiceps
Brief views of one at Lulagaon on 23/11 and two at Neora Valley on
25/11.
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Rufous-vented Tit Parus rubidiventris
One on the Sandakphu trek on 28/11 showed a greyish belly typical of the
East Himalayan subspecies beavani.
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Coal Tit Parus ater Two or three
were seen in conifers at the summit of Sandakphu on 27/11, with two also
in deciduous trees nearby at Gairibans the following day.
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Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus
Small numbers seen regularly in the hills, with records from Lulagaon,
Rishyap, Lava and Sandakphu.
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Yellow-cheeked Tit Parus spilonotus
Two (of the nominate race) at Rishyap were the only ones seen.
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Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus
After four at Neora Valley and a few at Lava, a group of about 15 were
seen at Sandakphu. All were of the nominate subspecies.
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Sultan Tit Melanochlora sultanea
Probably the surprise sighting of the whole trip, a feeding flock of at
least 12 were seen at Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary on 22/11. They were
conspicuous as they fed for several minutes in the middle storey, before
we were warned back by forest guards since there had been a lone
elephant seen in the area a little earlier! None of the trip reports we
had seen mentioned Sultan Tit, although it’s such a striking bird that
it certainly could not be overlooked!
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Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus
Fast-moving flocks, typically of 30 birds or more, were seen at Neora
Valley, Lava and Sandakphu.
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Plain Martin Riparia paludicola
Seen near the river at Gorumara only.
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[Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica]
Three old nests were seen inside a shop doorway in Lava village.
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Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica
The only sightings were of birds seen en-route: at Kalimpong on 26/11
and in the hills below Mirik on 29/11. No attempt was made to assign a
subspecies.
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Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus
Seen at Kalimpong on 26/11.
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Nepal House Martin Delichon nipalensis
Four seen with Red-rumped Swallows in the hills below Mirik on 29/11.
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Striated Bulbul Pycnonotus striatus
Small flocks of 10 to 20 birds seen in the treetops at Lulagaon on both
23/11 and 24/11, plus at Neora Valley on 25/11.