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Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus Only
recorded from the Gorumara area.
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Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea
Flocks, of several birds each time, were seen at Lulagaon, Rishyap and on
the Sandakphu trek. The central and eastern Himalaya birds are of the
subspecies calipyga.
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Black-headed Shrike Babbler Pteruthius
rufiventer Superb views were had of two males and a female at Neora Valley.
Very quiet and unobtrusive, they showed the benefit of stopping to wait in a
promising looking area.
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White-browed Shrike Babbler Pteruthius
flaviscapis One briefly at Neora Valley and another, equally briefly, at
Gairibans on the Sandakphu trek.
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Black-eared Shrike Babbler Pteruthius
melanotis The only sighting was of one, seen by a single observer, on the
Sandakphu trek.
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Rusty-fronted Barwing Actinodura egertoni
At least three were present in an impressive flock together with many
Hoary-throated Barwings at Neora Valley on 25/11.
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Hoary-throated Barwing Actinodura
nipalensis A feeding flock containing about 20, together with three
Rusty-fronted Barwings, was an impressive sight at Neora Valley on 25/11.
Other than this, a few were recorded from the Sandakphu trek on 28/11.
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Chestnut-tailed Minla Minla strigula
Small flocks were recorded from Lulagaon on consecutive days and from Neora
Valley, Lava and Sandakphu.
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Red-tailed Minla Minla ignotincta The
only sighting was of about five at Neora Valley which moved quickly through
the forest and were only seen well by one or two observers.
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Golden-breasted Fulvetta Alcippe chrysotis One of the most stunningly
beautiful birds seen; we recorded them from Neora Valley and from Gairibans
on the
Sandakphu trek.
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Rufous-winged Fulvetta Alcippe castaneceps Common, and in quite large
numbers, in the middle hills. Sightings were from Lulagaon, Rishyap, Neora
Valley
and Lava.
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White-browed Fulvetta Alcippe vinipectus Quite common, but often
difficult
to get good views of, at Neora Valley and Sandakphu. The lightly streaked
throat of
these birds is indicative of the chumbiensis subspecies, and different from
the two
western subspecies.
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Rufous Sibia Heterophasia capistrata One of the most common birds in
places in the middle hills, where it was seen at Lulagaon, Rishyap and Neora
Valley.
A few also seen on 28/11 at Sandakphu. These birds would have been of one of
the
central and eastern Himalayan subspecies, either nigriceps or bayleyi,
although the
mantle colour was not noted sufficiently to distinguish between these.
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Whiskered Yuhina Yuhina flavicollis Very common in the hills. Seen at
Lulagaon on both days there and at Rishyap, Neora Valley, Lava and daily at
Sandakphu. The hindcollar of the birds seen had a rufous tinge which
suggests
flavicollis, although there did appear to be some variation.
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Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis First recorded from Neora Valley
and
thereafter seen at Lava and Sandakphu, although in smaller numbers than the
other
two common yuhinas.
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Rufous-vented Yuhina Yuhina occipitalis A common bird in the hills,
with
sightings from Lulagaon, Rishyap, Neora Valley, Lava and Sandakphu.
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Black-chinned Yuhina Yuhina nigrimenta Singles at Lulagaon on both
23/11 and 24/11, were only seen well by one observer on each occasion.
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Brown Parrotbill Paradoxornis unicolor One was seen briefly at
Gairibans,
Sandakphu, in a stand of bamboo, on 28/11.
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Fulvous Parrotbill Paradoxornis fulvifrons A flock of about 40 fed in
bamboo at Tunling, Sandakphu on the morning of the 29/11.
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Black-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis nipalensis Two large flocks,
totalling 80 birds altogether, were seen feeding actively in bamboo at Neora
Valley,
on 25/11. There is considerable variation between subspecies; these birds
showed
the brown crown and cheeks of humii.
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Yellow-vented Flowerpecker Dicaeum chrysorrheum One bird was seen
by one observer on 23/11 at Lulagaon. A scarce bird in the area, although
the
streaked underparts make identification relatively easy compared with the
other
flowerpeckers.
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Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum melanoxanthum A single bird was
seen at Lava on 26/11.
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Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus Three males were seen at
Lulagaon on 23/11 with sightings there also the following day. The only
other record
came from Rishyap.
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Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum Two males were seen
at Gorumara on 22/11 and another from the nearby Mahakal Trail the following
day.
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Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Anthreptes singalensis A pair at Gorumara on
22/11 was the only sighting.
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Purple Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica One bird at Gorumara on 23/11 was
the
only one of the trip.
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Mrs Gould's Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae A singing male and a female were
seen at Lava on the morning of the 26/11.
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Green-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga nipalensis Recorded on consecutive days
at Lulagaon, about eight were seen at Neora Valley, about six at Lava and
three at
Darjeeling Zoo.
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Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja We had fantastic views of a male at
close range at the Mahakal Trail on 23/11. Distinguishing features of the
two
Himalayan subspecies, seheriae and labecula, are apparently quite subtle.
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Fire-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga ignicauda Just the one brief sighting at
Lulagaon on 23/11.
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Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra One was seen briefly at
Lulagaon on 23/11.