Katmandu I will be soon landing you.

Planning a trip to Nepal by mid Feb (dates yet to be finalized). I have already visited Nepal for two days. I didn’t do much birding. This time its nothing but pure birding.

I would be happy I can photograph around 180 new species in 10 days time. I am strictly planning the trip and going through a lot websites to find the right places. I am also speaking to people from Nepal and people from around the world who has visited Nepal for birding. So far the my itinerary includes the following locations.

Places to visit

Koshi Tappu National Park

Located roughly 200 km from Katmandu, Koshi Tappu National Park is one the best places in Nepal for bird watching. Koshi Tappu National Park has so far recorded around 400 species of birds.

I am planning to stay for three days in Koshi Tappu and expects addition of around 100 species to my list during this stay.  I need to find a local guide and also need to make the
target list for this site.

Chitwan National Park

Located roughly 100km from Kathmandu, Chitwan National Park boasts of having around 450 species of birds.

Again planning a three day stay at Chitwan and expects another 50 or so species from Chitwan.  Need to find a local guide and also make the target list for Chitwan.

Phulchowki

Phulchowki is located around 18km from Kathmandu and is 2800m high from Sea level. Regular species recorded are:-

1. Besra
2. Black Eagle
3. Mountain Hawk-Eagle
4. Kalij Pheasant
5. Common Hill Partridge
6. Ashy Woodpigeon
7. Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon
8. Mountain Scops Owl
9. Collared Owlet
10. Golden-throated Barbet
11. Speckled Piculet
12. Crimson-breasted Pied Woodpecker
13. Rufous-bellied Pied Woodpecker
14. Grey-chinned Minivet
15. Striated Bulbul
16. Orange-bellied Leafbird
17. Spotted Forktail
18. Chestnut-headed Tesia
19. Grey-bellied Tesia
20. Chestnut-crowned Warbler
21. Black faced Warblers
22. Rufous-bellied Niltava
23. Lesser Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler
24. Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler
25. Grey-throated Babbler
26. Spiny Babblers
27. White-crested Laughing thrush
28. Striated Laughing thrush
29. Rufous-chinned Laughing thrush
30. Grey-sided Laughing Thrush
31. Red-billed Leiothrix
32. Cuttia
33. White-browed Green Shrike-Babbler
34. Black-eared Shrike-Babbler
35. Hoary Barwing
36. Blue-winged Minla
37. Nepal Fulvetta
38. Yellow-browed Tit
39. Brown-throated Treecreeper
40. Black-throated Sunbird
41. Maroon Oriole
42. Eurasian Jay
43. Lancelated Jay
44. Red-billed Blue Magpie
45. BBrown Bullfinch

Pokhara

1. Besra
2. Red-thighed Falconet  
3. Pied Harrier  
4. Eurasian Griffon Vulture  
5. Red-headed Vulture  
6. Eurasian Black Vulture  
7. Kalij Pheasant  
8. Black-backed Forktail  
9. Puff-throated Babbler  
10. White-crested Laughing Thrush  
11. Lesser Necklaced Laughing Thrush  
12. Rufous-chinned Laughing Thrush  
13. Red-billed Leiothrix  
14. Crimson Sunbird  
15. Maroon Oriole  
16. Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo  
17. Red-billed and Green Magpie 
18. Long-tailed Mountain Thrush
19. Chestnut-headed Tesia 
20. Grey-bellied Tesia 
21. Chestnut-crowned Warbler
22. Small Niltava 
23. Rufous-bellied Niltava 
24. Snowy-brown Flycatcher 
25. Long-tailed Broadbill 
26. Pale Blue Flycatcher 
27. White-tailed Robin 
28. Spiny Babbler 
29. White-browed Scimitar-Babbler
30. Striated Munia 
31. Lesser Whitethroat  
32. Thick-billed Warbler 

2011 Birding Trips (Plan)

In 2011 I need to meet my 2010 target which I missed due to some personal issues. But I have changes to my plan. I am not going to India this year. Instead, I am planning to visit the following countries:

1. Malaysia

2. Thailand

3. Sri Lanka

4. Nepal

5. Butan

I am planning a week in each country except Nepal where I am planning 10 days. I am still doing the investiagation about the the places to go in each country and I think I will start with Nepal first. I am expecting around 500 species of birds from these trips which will make my total number of species photographed into four digits.

I started collecting information about Nepal and looks to be a very good especially Chitwan National Park. There has been a report where 200+ species were recorded in a two week trip at Chitwan. I am planning to stay there for three days and expecting around 100 species. Phulchowki near Katmandu is also a good place where another 50 or more can be seen on 3 to 4 days time. A total of 200 new species are expected in 10 days during my trip to Nepal.

The main object of the trip to Nepal is to record the Partridges, Snowcocks, Francolins and Pheasants. They are one of the most beautiful birds in the world.

Some of the above birds are not easy to see. And some of them are rare in Nepal. Further studies on the habitat and locations in Nepal is required before I can finalize my trip.

The required list for Nepal can grow dramatically as I am just getting used to the birds of Nepal.

I am also planning a week in Bhutan and would like to go there directly from Nepal. Very little is known when it comes to Birds of Bhutan or Birding in Bhutan. Most of the tour operators in Bhutan are either Indian based companies or Nepal based companies. Local birders are very less or they details on the internet is very rare.

Regarding Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand needs a lot of studies. I have already ordered the field guides for these countries and are expecting them very soon. Once the field guides are received, I can start my study on the list of birds that I expect in each country and then find the right places for them. I am expecting around 300+ species in three weeks from this three countries.

One another place I want to visit is the Bharatpur in India. But it depends on my anual leave days left after these trips. I have already planned 30 out of my 42 days anual leave.

The total target of 500+ species (to make my World list into four digits) can be achieved quite easily, Insha Allah, if I can make the above trips.

Another major target for this year is the 300 species in UAE. I have already photographed around 250 species in UAE. Hope this year bring the rest 50 species.

(This post needs further modifciations)

"Happy New Year" Says Three Barn Owls

Day Out: 1st Jan, 2011

Yes, we were greeted by three Barn Owls today at Watbah around 12:30AM (That is just after the New Year break!  Midnight).  Myself and Salam (Mama) joined Khalifa to look for a Barn Owl at Al Watbah Camel Racetrack.  The result was overwhelming.  Three Barn Owls. Probably one juvenile and two adults.

I also tried Khalifa's flash unit. Its amazing. He has got some awesome shots using his flash unit. Even I got one shot but it has red-eye. But who can complain?  Just watching them itself is a amazing.

Its a great way to celebrate new year.  Simply amazing.

Barn Owl

 Happy New Year 2011.

All photos in this blog is copyrighted to Shah Jahan. Please do not use it without written permission. For more information please contact sjahanmi@gmail.com.

The Year 2010

Year 2000 was not a bad year at all. I had a lot of lifers. I was away from birding for almost three to four months due to personal issues.  At the end, it looks good.  A good year.

I missed one major trip for the year 2010.  It was Brazil, Peru and Spain.  Everything was ready. But due to some personal issues, I couldn't make it.  The target for 2010 was 1000 species photographed from around the world and 300 from UAE.  Since I missed my trip and four months out of birding while I was in UAE, I didn't make it. No worries.  Will try to achieve that goal in 2011.

October, November and December showed some great results. I got around 20 lifers. Now it stands around 250 birds in UAE and 550 as the World Count.

The Last Day of 2010

Day Out: 31st Dec, 2010

As today is the last day of 2010, I wanted to do some birding and see what happens.  I am totally sick and not feeling well at all.  At the end, by 4:00PM, I decided to visit my local patch Mussafah for an hour or so.

Went to Mussafah with Mariam, we were greeted by a Western Marsh Harrier trying to catch a laughing dove from nearly a thousand of them.  I took some shots.  The bird in between me and the sun and the photos were not good at all.

The place was over crowded with people who were fishing.  So not much luck.  Somehow I managed some average shots of Caspian Tern, Slender-billed Gull and Eurasian Curlew.

Caspian Tern

Eurasian Curlew

Slender-billed Gull

And thats all for 2010.

Thank you & Good bye 2010 and we will never meet again!!!

All photos in this blog is copyrighted to Shah Jahan. Please do not use it without written permission. For more information please contact sjahanmi@gmail.com.

The Cold Day

Today is very cold and we started early in the morning (5:30) to Al Ain.  I was accompanied by Sunny and his two friends. Mainly visited Green Mubazarah, Jebel Hafeet, Ain Al Faidah, Zaker Pools & Al Jimmi Oaisis. Nothing much apart from the two Pallid Scops Owl.



Sightings:

Green Mubazarah

Desert Wheatear

Black Redstart

Red-tailed Wheatear

Menetries Warbler

Grey Heron

Blue Rock Thrush

Sand Patridge

Jebel Hafeet (Mercure Hotel)

Egyptian Vulture

Eversmann's Redstart

White-spectacled Bulbul

Black Restart

Black Ouzel

Blue Rock Thrush

Sand Patridge

Ain Al Faidah

White-fronted Goose

Masked Shrike

Desert Wheatear

Zaker Pools

Squacco Heron

Little Grebe

Little Egrets

Black-winged Stilt

Al Jimmi Oasis

Pallid Scops Owl x 2

Al Watbah Camel Racetrack 

Western Marsh Harrier

Common Kestrel

Desert Wheatear

Egyptian Nightjar

Barn Owl

All photos in this blog is copyrighted to Shah Jahan. Please do not use it without written permission. For more information please contact sjahanmi@gmail.com.

Kids Night Out!

Day Out: 22nd Dec, 2010

Barnie... The Kids wants to see the Barn Owl and they were very keen on it. So decided to go to the Watbah in the night around 10:00PM to search for the Barn Owl. Spent almost two hours searching for it. And when we found it, the kids were in deep sleep!!! Called them and showed. They just saw it for a minute and went back to sleep.

The good thing is that I saw a Jack Snipe today. It was the first time seeing a Jack Snipe.  But I could not get any photos.