Days 7 & 8 – Eaglenest, Lama Camp – 1st & 2nd April

After our arrival last night, we dropped the gear into the tents and headed uphill to the “Dining Area” for some Rice, Dhal and mixed vegetables! In fact the food here was better than at the Hotel in Dirang. The altitude of the camp was 2,350m over 7,000ft and it was pleasant during the day, but it was cold at night! The views however were superb and I will never forget the memory of going to sleep with Grey Nightjars and Owls calling all night.

Eaglenest Dining Area

Our accommodation, ours is the fourth tent from the left

Tent entrance

The views from the tent “Balcony”

Sign at the pass

We met for coffee at 5.30am and headed downhill to an area that hold the rare Bugun Liocichla after half an hour and with the use of tapes one bird appeared which only a couple of the group saw well, 10 minutes later we all had rather silhouetted views as the birds moved through the trees with the sun behind them. Wasn’t happy with the views which left me with the dilemma of whether to count it or not, at that time I thought we might get onto the bird again – I thought wrong!

We then birded higher up on a forest trail which was enjoyable but again hard work, birds came thick and fast and included a Hill Partridge which we managed to pick up deep in the forest. We also caught up with Darjeeling Woodpecker a species that we had missed previously.

After lunch we birded downhill and Lakpa heard a Blyth’s Tragopan deep in the forest, he played the call and ten minutes later it called again, this time closer, eventually one of the group picked up the bird partially hidden at the bottom of the hill, then it came closer still and ran across on open area. Eventually Lakpa put the tape on the path a little up hill and as he was making his way back the bird burst from cover and disappeared, then eventually it flew across the track and melted away into the forest.

This was one of our target species and it was a good to get reasonable views. We birded the rest of the day seeing a good variety of species.

I think this is a Blue-winged Sibia

Black-chinned Yuhina

Black-faced Warbler