North Eastern India Trip Report

Month : December 2014.

By : Renate Radloff-Grass & Ralf Herene

Country : Germany

1st: I enjoyed refer you for a trip to Birding areas of Northeastern India!!

2nd: Our trip in December/January 2014/15 to Arunachal Pradesh and Kaziranga NP (Assam) was fantastic. Although sometimes very cold during the nights in the higher mountain-areas we felt very good! Days where sunny and we could make many sightings of beautiful birds and lots of other animals (including one Tiger at Kaziranga). The organisation of Gaurav Kataria was perfect. We always get any informations we needed, the recommended Tour-Plan was excellent and every Email was responded immediately!

Our Tour-Guide - Lobsang Tsering was very friendly and very competent. He has a good knowledge of the birds - especially the voices. And very special knowledge about the really difficult warblers!! So we got nearly every bird we wished to see! Only some birds, difficult to see in wintertime we didn't get.

Also we had a very good driver!

We started at Guwahati and then went to Nameri Eco Camp. The next destination was Lama Camp and Bomphu Camp (Eaglenest). What a fantastic area! It's a fortune, that's no mory military is there and nature can develop. And it's a fantastic place to visit!!

Then we went to Dirang. From there we visited Shangti Valley and Sela Pass before we went to Mandala. There we stayed for 3 nights!

After that we visited Kaziranga NP with its Rhinos and many other animals.

In total I could get 351 Species of birds - 131 of them where new for me!

Three weeks in total we've been in India and I'm shure I'll visit again that beautiful country.

That's we could see/hear:

Sun 21.12.2014 / Guwahati Dumping Ground + Nameri Eco Lodge

• Greater Adjutant
• Lesser Adjutant*
• Asian Openbill
• Cattle Egret
• Little Egret
• Black Drongo
• White-Throated Kingfisher
• Common Myna
• Asian Pied Starling
• Indian Roller
• House Crow
• Large-Billed Crow
• House Swift*
• Oriental Turtle-Dove
• Spotted Dove
• House Sparrow
• Indian Pond Heron
• Great Myna*

Mon 22.12.2014 / Nameri Morning

• Goosander
• Great Cormorant
• Peregrine Falcon
• Grey-Headed Fish Eagle
• Green Imperial Pigeon
• Crested Kingfisher
• Pied Kingfisher
• Green Bee-Eater
• Lineated Barbet
• Greater Flameback
• Large Woodshrike* (Flug-Foto)
• Long-Tailed Minivet
• Scarlett Minivet (Fotos)
• Grey-Backed Shrike
• Lesser Racket-Tailed Drongo
• Black-Hooded Oriole
• Barn Swallow
• Sand Lark*
• Black-Crested Bulbul
• Red-Whiskered Bulbul
• Red-Vented Bulbul
• White-Throated Bulbul*
• Striated Grasbird*
• Tickel's Leaf Warbler*
• Greenish Warbler
• Western Crowned Warbler*
• Yellow-Vented Warbler*
• Pin-Striped Tit Babbler
• Oriental White-Eye
• Velvet-Fronted Nuthatch
• Common Hill Myna
• Chestnut-Tailed Starling
• White-Tailed Robin
• Common Stonechat
• Little Pied Flycatcher
• Grey-Headed Canary-Flycatcher
• Asian Fairy Bluebird
• Crimson Sunbird
• White Wagtail
• Richard's Pipit*

Nameri Afternoon

• Ruddy Shelduck
• Mallard
• Common Teal
• Osprey
• Little Ringed Plover
• Green Sandpiper
• Pin-Tailed Green Pigeon
• Asian Barred Owlet*
• Savannah Nightjar
• Common Kingfisher
• Blue-Throated Barbet
• Fulvous-Breasted Woodpecker
• Grey-Headed Woodpecker
• Black-Winged Cuckooshrike*
• Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo
• Ashy Drongo
• Black-Naped Monarch
• Verditer Flycatcher
• Pale Blue Flycatcher

Tue 23.12.2014 / Drive to Lama Camp

• Spangled Drongo (Camp)
• Oriental Turtle Dove
• Great Hornbill (Fahrt kurz vor Grenze)
• Grey Wagtail

Road to the Border of Arunachal Pradesh

Morning

• Pied Falconet*
• Black Bulbul
• Yellow-Bellied Warbler*
• Grey-Cheeked Warbler*
• Pygmy Wren Babbler*
• Gray-Throated Babbler
• Yellow-Throated Fulvetta*
• Nepal Fulvetta*
• Long-Tailed Sibia*
• Striated Yuhina
• White-Naped Yuhina*
• Black-Chinned Yuhina*
• Chestnut-Bellied Nuthatch
• Plumbeous Water Redstart
• Black-Backed Forktail*
• Small Niltava*
• Golden-Fronted Leafbird
• Fire-Breasted Flowerpecker
• Black-Throated Sunbird*

Afternoon

• Yellow-Breasted Greenfinch
• Speckled Wood Pigeon*
• Golden-Throated Barbet*
• Striated Bulbul*
• Buff-Barred Warbler*
• Blyth's Leaf Warbler
• Black-Faced Warbler*
• Rusty-Fronted Barwing*
• Beautiful Sibia*
• Blue-Fronted Redstart
• Orange-Bellied Leafbird

Wed 24.12.2014 / Lama Camp

• Hinalayan Vulture
• Crested Goshawk
• Crested Hawk-Eagle
• Great Barbet
• Crimson-Breasted Woodpecker*
• White-Throated Fantail
• Yellow-Browed Tit*
• Black-Throated Tit*
• Chestnut-Headed Tesia*
• Grey-Hooded Warbler
• Scaly-Breasted Wren Babbler*
• Rufous-Capped Babbler*
• Streak-Breasted Scimitar Babbler*
• Striated Laughingthrush*
• Grey-Sided Laughingthrush*v
• Streak-Throated Barwing*
• Bar-Throated Siva
• Red-Tailed Minla*
• Black-Eared Shrike-Babbler*
• Whiskered Yuhina*
• White-Tailed Nuthatch*
• Rufous-Gorgeted Flycatcher*
• Green-Tailed Sunbird*
• Rufous-Breasted Accentor*
• Maroon-Backed Accentor*
• Olive-Backed Pipit
• Golden-Naped Finch*

Thu 25.12.2014 / Going to Bomphu Camp

• Hill Partridge*
• Large Hawk Cuckoo*
• Ward's Trogon*
• Spotted Nutcracker
• Yellow-Cheeked Tit
• Rufous-Fronted Tit*
• Bar-Winged Wren Babbler*
• Grey-Sided Laughingthrush
• Bhutan Laughingthrush*
• Chestn.-Crowned Laughingthrush
• Hoary-Throated Barwing*
• Stripe-Throated Yuhina*
• Rufous-Vented Yuhina*
• Black-Throated Parrotbill*
• Fire-Tailed Myzornis*
• Yellow-Bellied Flowerpecker*
• Crimson-Browed Finch*
• Grey-Headed Bullfinch*
• Striated Laughingthrush

Fri 26.12.2014 / Eaglenest 1 - from Camp (1700 m) to 1200 m

• Rufous-Throated Partridge*
• Chestnut-Breasted Partridge*
• Black Eagle
• Rufous-Bellied Eagle*
• Mountain Imperial Pigeon
• Barred Cuckoo Dove
• Wedge-Tailed Green Pigeon
• Red-Headed Trogon*
• Rufous-Necked Hornbill*
• Bay Woodpecker*
• Bronzed Drongo
• Grey Treepie
• Nepal House Martin*
• Mountain Bulbul*
• Chestnut-Headed Tesia
• Slaty-Bellied Tesia*
• Red-Faced Liocichla*
• Himalayan Cutia*
• Blue-Winged Siva
• White-Browed Shrike-Babbler
• Rufous-Winged Fulvetta
• Greater Rufous-Headed Parrotbill*
• Brown-Throated Treecreeper
• Chestnut-Bellied Rock Thrush*

Sat 27.12.2014 / Eaglenest 2 from 1200 m to 800 m

• Kalij Pheasant
• (Pied Falconet)
• Jerdon's Baza
• (Rufus-Bellied Eagle)
• Emerald Dove
• Collared Owlet
• Blue-Bearded Bee-Eater
• Bay Woodpecker
• Grey-Chinned Minivet*
• Yellow-Bellied Fantail
• Sultan Tit*
• Plain Martin
• White-Spectacled Warbler*
• Eyebrowed Wren Babbler*
• Golden Babbler
• Rufous-Backed Sibia*
• Lesser Rufous-Headed Parrotbill*
• Beautiful Nuthatch*
• Slaty-Backed Forktail
• Spotted Forktail

Sun 28.12.2014 / Eaglenest 3 - 1200 m - 1700 m

• (Black Eagle - Foto)
• Greater Yellownape
• Maroon Oriole
• White-Crested Laughingthrush
• Scarlet Finch*

Eaglenest 3 - 2000 m - 1700 m

• Hill Partridge
• Rufous-Bellied Woodpecker*
• Darjeeling Woodpecker*
• Golden-Breasted Fulvetta*
• Blue Whistling Thrush
• Rufous-Bellied Niltava

Mon 29.12.2014 (9a - Eaglenest Pass / 9b - Lama Camp / 9c - Shangti Valley)

• Himalayan Buzzard* 9c
• Black-Necked Crane* 9c
• Ibisbill 9c
• Red-Wattled Lapwing 9c
• Long-Billed Plover 9c
• Long-Tailed Shrike 9c
• Spotted Laughingthrush* 9a
• Blue-Winged Laughingthrush* 9b
• Scaly Laughingthrush* 9b
• Brown Dipper 9c
• Wallcreeper 9c
• Hodgson's Redstart* 9c
• Dark-Breasted Rosefinch* 9a

Tue 30.12.2014 (10a - Sela Pass / 10b - Mandala)

• Snow Partridge* 10a
• Snow Pigeon* 10a
• Red-Billed Chough 10a
• Coal Tit* 10a
• Russet Bush Warbler* 10b
• Black-Faced Laughingthrush* 10b
• Green Shrike-Babbler* 10a
• Brown Parrotbill* 10b
• Goldcrest 10a
• White-Throated Redstart* 10a
• Alpine Accentor 10a
• White-Browed Rosefinch* 10a
• Little Bunting 10a

Wed 31.12.2014 / Mandala

• Yellow-Billed Blue Magpie*
• Green-Backed Tit
• Grey-Crested Tit*
• Brown-Throated Fulvetta* Ralf Foto
• Winter Wren
• Rusty-Flanked Treecreeper*
• White-Collared Blackbird*
• Eyebrowed Thrush*
• Red-Throated Thrush*
• Black-Throated Thrush
• White-Browed Bush Robin*
• Russet Sparrow*

Thu 01.01.2015 (12a - Road to Kaziranga / 12b - Kaziranga)

• Bar Headed Goose 12b
• Mountain Tailorbird 12a
• Grey-Headed Warbler
• White-Capped Redstart

Fri 02.01.2015 (13a - Central Range / 13b - Western Range)

• Red Junglefowl 13a
• Greyleg Goose 13a
• Indian Spot-Billed Duck 13a
• Northern Pintail 13a
• Common Pochard 13a
• Woolly-Necked Stork 13a
• Black-Necked Stork 13a
• Black-Headed Ibis 13a
• Grey Heron 13a
• Purple Heron 13a
• Great Egret 13a
• Pallas's Fish Eagle 13a
• Lesser Fish Eagle 13a
• Crested Serpent Eagle 13a
• White-Breasted Waterhen 13a
• River Lapwing 13b
• Grey-Headed Lapwing* 13a
• Spotted Redshank 13a
• Common Sandpiper 13a
• Yellow-Footed Green Pigeon 13b
• Vernal Hanging Parrot 13b
• Alexandrine Parakeet 13a
• Rose-Ringed Parakeet 13a
• Red Breasted Parakeet 13b
• Greater Coucal 13a
• Common Hoopoe 13a
• Coppersmith Barbet 13b
• Grey-Capped Pygmy Woodp. 13a
• Common Iora 13a
• Orange Minivet* 13a
• Rufous Treepie 13a
• Eastern Jungle Crow* 13a
• Rufous-Fronted Babbler 13a
• Striated Babbler* 13a
• Jungle Myna 13a
• Oriental Magpie Robin 13a
• White-Rumped Shama 13a
• White-Tailed Stonechat 13a
• Baya Weaver 13a
• Citrine Wagtail 13a

Sat 03.01.2014 (14a - Eastern Zone / 14b - Central Zone / 14c - Lodge)

• Gadwall 14a
• Eurasian Wigeon 14a
• Red-Crested Pochard 14a
• Intermediate Egret 14a
• Great White Pelican 14a
• Common Kestrel 14a
• Common Moorhen 14a
• Bronze-Winged Jacana 14a
• Northern Lapwing 14a
• Pin-Tailed Snipe* 14b
• Common Redshank 14b
• Common Greenshank 14a
• Spotted Owlet 14a
• Oriental Pied Hornbill 14a
• Streak-Throated Woodpecker 14 a
• Great Tit 14a
• Blunt-Winged* Warbler 14c
• Taiga Flycatcher* 14c
• Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker 14a
• Little Spiderhunter 14c
• White-Rumped Munia 14c
• Yellow Wagtail 14b
• Rosy Pipit 14b

Sun 04.01.2015 (15a - Kaziranga - Western Zone / 15b - Tea-Garden)

• River Tern 15a
• Rufous-Faced Warbler* 15a
• Ruby-Cheeked Sunbird 15a
• (Crimson Sunbird: F)
• Blue-Naped Pitta* 15b
• Large Cuckooshrike 15b
• White-Browed Scimitar Babbler 15b
• Jungle Babbler 15b
• Lesser Necklaced Laughingthr. 15b
• Pygmy Blue Flycatcher* 15a

Mon 05.01.2015 (16a - Jorhat - Swamp / 16b - Gibbon Sanctuary / 16c - Kaziranga - Eastern Zone)

• Swamp Francolin* 16c
• Fulvous Whistling-Duck* 16a
• Northern Shoveler 16c
• Purple Swamphen 16a
• Eurasian Coot 16a
• Stork-Billed Kingfisher 16c
• Small Minivet
• Brown Shrike 16a
• Ashy Bulbul 16b
• Buff-Breasted Babbler* 16b
• Abbott's Babbler 16b
• Blue-Winged Leafbird

Tue 06.01.2015 (17a - Tea - Garden / 17b - Central Zone / 17c - Tea - Garden)

• Marsh Sandpiper 17b
• Wood Sandpiper 17b
• Green-Billed Malloa 17b
• Grey Bushchat 17a

Wed 07.01.2015 (18a - Lodge / 18b - Deepor Beel)

• Puff-Throated Babbler 18a
• Rufous-Necked Laughingthrush* 18a
• Lesser Yellownape 18a
• Common Tailorbird 18a
• Black-Winged Kite 18b
• Bank Swallow 18b
• Lesser Whistling-Duck 18b

When I was back at home and checked my pictures from Deepor Beel I noticed two flying ducks! And That where two Falcated Ducks! An absolutely Highlight for me!!!!!!!

Mammals and other animals we have seen:

• Barking Deer
• Rhesus Makaks
• Black Hooded Langur
• Giant Gecko
• Malaian Giant Squirrel
• Three Striped Squirrel
• Five Striped Squirrel
• Hoary Squirrel

• Capped Langur (Eaglenest)

Kaziranga

• Rhinos
• Buffaloes
• Elephants
• Hogdear
• Richard's Makaken
• Otter
• Tiger
• Waran

Lodge

• Yellow-Throated Marten
• Gibbon Sanctuary
• Holloge Gibbon