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A Birding trip report on East & South Sikkim Sanctuaries
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Author:Miss Soma Jha
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Red-billed Leiothrix |
Scaly Laughing thrush |
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This was my first trip to Sikkim and it will certainly not be my last. If you want your fill of the generally not-so-often-seen birds like the Red-Billed Leothrix, Red-Tailed and Blue-tailed Minlas – Sikkim is the place for you.
A four hour drive from New Jalpiguri station brought me to Gangtok. Getting permits from the Forest Dept (located in Deorali, Gangtok ) for Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary , Fambong Lo Sanctuary and Maenam Sanctuary (Rabangla) was a time-consuming affair. Government offices are the same all over-umpteen signatures, long tea breaks... With permits in hand finally, I was ready for all the Sikkim birds who might choose to honour me by coming within my eye-sight!
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A very bird rich area in Gangtok is the road to the zoo in an area called Bulbuley about 7 km from town. Going inside the zoo is also a good idea. After you enter the main gate, there is a drive of a kilometer or so with good chances of spotting birds. Besides birds, I was also very excited to see in the zoo, the Snow Leopard, Red Panda and the Great Indian Civet . city.
The birds seen in Gangtok were - Rufous-Winged Fulvetta, Brown Bulfinch, Oranged-Bellied Flowerpecker, Rufous-Capped Babbler, Streaked Laughingthrush, Orange-Flanked Bush Robin, the two types of Minlas, Leothrix , Fire-Tailed Sunbird, Whiskered Yuhina, Rufous Sibia, Grey-Headed Canary Flycatcher, Nepal Martin, Black Eagle. Rich pickings indeed.
My visit to Kyongnosla Sanctuary was not that exciting. Two good birds and lifers for me were Scaly Laughingthrush –not very easily seen and a Pygmy Wren Babbler. Other birds were White and Grey Wagtail, Plumbeous Redstart, White-capped Redstart, Oriental Turtle Dove. A trip to the Rumtek Monastery gave me Crested Kingfisher, Red-Rumped Swallow, WhistlingThrush.
The next three days were spent in a heavenly place called Rabangla , 65 km west of Gangtok. On the way to Rabangla , a group of White-Crested Laughingthrush jumped from tree to tree making its characteristic laughing sounds. Grey Treepies showed up too and I wondered what else my new destination had in store for me.
The Maenam Sanctuary is just two km from Rabangla town. Three hours of birding there yielded Green-Tailed Sunbird, Blue-Fronted Redstart, Snowy-Browed Flycatcher, Yellow-Bellied Fantail, Striated Bulbul,Great Barbet, Whistler’s Warbler, Upland Buzzard and White-Browed Scimiter Babbler.
Keylang and Borong are 11 and 16 km beyond the the Maenam Sanctuary and the next morning I drove to these places. The first rays of the morning deepened the blue of the Rufous-Bellied Niltava Two Pipits – Rosy and Olive-Backed were seen aplenty. The Dark-sided, Grey-Headed and Verditer came in form of Flycatchers and a flock of Common Rosefinch reddened a bare tree they sat on. Suddenly two doves emerged from the bushes on to the road. I was happy to note that one was the lovely Barred Cuckoo Dove and the other the Oriental Turtle Dove. A pair of Chestnut-Bellied Rock Thrush and a Darjeeling Woodpecker completed a most satisfying session of birdwatching.
On the last day I visited a forested area called Demthang just about 3km from town. Flocks of Red-Billed Leothrix, Red-Tailed Minlas and White-Tailed Nuthatch gladdened the heart. The whole place was filled with bird sound and activity. Plenty of Black Bulbuls and a few Striated Bulbuls fed on berries but what stole the show were 3-4 biggish birds that descended upon a tree nearby. Binoculars confirmed them to be Mountain Bulbuls - lovely bird. On my return to my hotel – Mt Narsing, I saw two Laughingthrushes -Black-Faced and Chestnut-Crowned.
On the way back from Rabangla to New Jalpaiguri one drives through the Kitam Sanctuary before reaching the plains. It held great potential but two in the afternoon is not the best of time for birds. Still, it was not a complete washout as a Green-Billed Malkoha and two Greater Yellownapes came to bid me goodbye. 67 birds of which 14 were lifers – not bad at all but Sikkim has much much more to offer.
P.S. Hiring cars is quite expensive in Sikkim. So travelling in a group of 3-4 or more is a good idea. I happened to be there during the Pujas and 120 km ride from Rabangla to NJP station cost me two and a half grand.
Written By Soma Jha
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| Yak at Changu |
Himalayan Zoo, Gangtok |
Ravangla |
* The photos are contributed by Ms. Soma Jha Copyright reserved. |
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