HOTEL EAGLES NEST RESORT: A TRANQUIL HIDEAWAY

Eagles Nest is listed as “Favorite Himachal Hideaway” in the 2010 Frommers Travel Guidebook (US).

Bird Watching in the foot Hills of Himalayas

This is an original article written by Arvind Sharma, an expert on the many birds to be discovered in N. E. India’s Himalayan foothills. Arvind, 32, has lived in this area all his life. He became interested in local birds, animals and the natural environment from an early age – and has since dedicated his life to help in the preservation and care of these things.

Arvind’s Trust foundation, the Himalayan Nature Society can be viewed online at: www.hnsindia.com. He maintains 2 animal welfare clinics (with help from the government and donations. We are also members and give donations regularly, including from each trip.

‘Living in this spectacular part of India , where the precipitous Himalayan mountain slopes descend to meet the plains, I am fortunate to be able to observe literally hundreds of species of birds. Additionally, another well-known and respected enthusiast, the author Jan Willem den Besten from Holland , became a good friend and we made many bird watching trips together. With his tremendous knowledge he was a great mentor.

(Book by Jan Willem den Besten, Birds of Kangra, pub. 2004, Moonpeak, Dharamsala).

Also, the work of Salim Ali was a wonderful source, and his charmingly illustrated books an inspiration. (Hill Birds of India by Salim Ali, pub.1962).

We refer to this bird watching area as Kangra Valley and the Dhauladhar Hills (a range of Himalayan foothills in Himachal Pradesh state). It is a rural area with few towns and many small villages, a few roads and many jeep tracks and hiking trails. Himachal land is fertile and green with forests and rivers so it is mainly used for farming, tourism (especially as the Dalai Lama in exile from Tibet resides in Dharamsala), and trekking up into the mountains.

There are five zones for the 556 bird species recorded here.

Bird Watching in Kangra Valley and Dhauladhar Hills:

Kangra Valley is divided for Bird watching into five zones and three seasons according to altitude and weather conditions. In this valley 556 species of birds are recorded which is more than half of the total of India 's birds species. Kangra Valley is one of the richest Birding areas in South Asia .

The five zones are:

1.Pong Wetland (Altitude 324 Mts): One of the largest (403 Sq.km) internationally recognized (RMASAR) lakes in Northern India , with protected wetland areas, open water and forested shores. A winter home for large numbers (1,000,000 to 1,400,000) of migratory water birds coming from Trans Himalayan Zones. The total number of migratory bird species has been recorded as 240 species and resident birds as 210 species.

Wintering Migratory Birds of Pong wetland (Areas are Sansarpur- Terrese, Haripur, Katiyar, Jawali, Ransar, Shahne r- Barrage, Dehra, Nagrota Surian, Guler, Bangoli) : Painted Stork, Black-necked Stork, Eurasion Spoonbill, Black-headed Ibis, Asian Openbill, Lesser Adjutant, Woolly-necked Stork, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Greyleg Goose, Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Pintail, Common Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Shoveller, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Merganser, Duck Spec, Ruddy-breasted Crake, White-breasted Crake, Eurasian Curlew, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Jack Snipe, Temminck's Stilt, Dunlin, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Eurasian Thick-Knee. Great thick-Knee, Small Pratincole, Yellow-legged Gull, Pallas's Gull, Brown-headed Gull, Black-headed Gull, and Whiskered Tern are some of the main attractions among 240 species of migratory birds.

2. Shivalik Hills (Areas are Lunj, Sakoh, Sarah Tea Garden): The beautiful region of Sarah village is surrounded by the famous Organic Tea Gardens of Kangra Valley, and is home to summer visitor birds from the plains of India who breed here.

Spring-Summer visitor and resident birds of Shivalik Hills: The beautiful blue and white Himalayan Magpie, Emerald Dove, Paradise Flycatcher, Red Jungle Fowl, Spangled Drongo, Asian Koel, Common Hoopoe, Common Iora, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Northen House Martin, Barn Swallow, Common Woodshrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Brown Shrike, Rufous-tailed Shrike, Brown Dipper,

3. Dhauladhar Hills (Altitude 2827 Mts. Areas are Galu Temple, Dharamkot, Guna Temple, Satowari, Letta, Indru Nag Tea Garden, Triund, Rehri, Kareri Village):

Summer: (15th of March to 15th of June): The grand backdrop of the mighty Himalayas provides spectacular views for walkers trekking along the many well defined paths through the forests of Deodar Cedar and Rhododendron – natives of the area.

Himalayan Monal (National bird of Nepal ), can be seen in all its fabulous colours at this time of year, the breeding season, and makes sighting easy.

The Western Tragopan, now State Bird of Himachal Pradesh, is currently of interest to bird watchers, conservationists and ornithologists worldwide. The Tragopan is on the Red list of endangered species, and is unfortunately seen very rarely now – usually requiring a camp set up for watching. The Cheer Pheasant is another bird from the region which is also on the Red list of IUCN.

A major attraction of this mountainous area is the number of large birds of prey, including the huge Himalayan Griffon Vulture, the Golden Eagle, and the Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture – known for its enormous wingspan (up to 3m) and habit of dropping bones onto rocks from a height to split them for the marrow inside.

Other birds include: Kalij Pheasant, Oriental Turtle Dove, Snow Pigeon, Barn Owl, Collared Owlet, Great Barbet, Coppersmith Barbet, Himalayan Woodpecker, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Asian House Martin, White-cheeked Nuthatch, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush, Tawny Owl, Dark-sided Flycatcher, Common Raven, Slaty-headed Parakeet, Eurasian Cuckoo, Alpine Swift, Yellow Grosbeak, Brambling, Booted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Hume's Warbler, Chestnut-tailed Minla, Wood Pigeon, Himalayan Swiftlet, Grey Nightjar, Eurasian Hobby, Large Hawk Cuckoo, Mountain Finch, Rosefinch, Green Shrike Babbler, Rufous-vented Tit and others.

4. High Altitude Dhauladhar around Ilaqua and beyond Indrahar Pass (Altitude 4300 Mts): Trekking up to the high passes could attract the adventurous birdwatcher – and many good local guides and organizers are available to make these trips both comfortable and fun.

Summer (15th May to 30th of September): Snow Partridge, Hill Partridge, Altai Accentor, Alpine Accentor, Himalayan Snow Cock, Koklass Pheasant, Grey-creasted Tit, amongst others are the main features of Ilaqua and Indrahar Pass.

5. Kangra Valley 's Paddy Fields (Altitude 300 Mts):

Monsoon (15 June to 30 August): Displays of Sarus Crane with its juveniles and nests of Cattle Egret in colonies can be seen in the paddy fields of the Valley and surrounding forests of this lush rural area.

Indian Peafowl, the National Bird of India, can be seen in forests around the valley where it breeds. White–rumped Vulture (Red list Bird), Green Bee-eater, Spotted Forktail, Rock Bunting, Purple Sunbird, Rufous Treepie, Black Francolin, Shikra.

All in all, this region holds a wealth of sightings for any bird enthusiast – in an area of extraordinary natural variety and beauty.

Kind acknowledgements for pictures to Jan Willem den Besten, Birds of Kangra and to Salim Ali estate, Hill Birds of India.

For further information please contact:

Arvind Sharma, Himalayan Nature Society
www.hnsindia.org / email : saruscrane@gmail.com tel: +91 (0)9816 220841.
OR: Bo O'Hara and Sheila Sedgwick, Tel: +91 (0)1892 221920 / em: info@hoteleaglesnest.com