July 26, 2016 Titash Chakrabarti

Mandani Valley Trek, Uttarakhand – Garhwal Himalayas – Bird Checklist

A Grey-sided Bush Warbler, a tiny shouter calling away from its perch on a Juniper. Taken on a beautiful morning at Mandani Valley on Day 6.

RockyFeet decided to explore a new trail in the Garhwal Himalayas; Mandani Valley, starting from Ransi (30 kms from Ukhimath) and ending at Gaurikund via Kedarnath. It was a 9-day long expedition that involved steep hikes over narrow ridges through forests of Rhododendron, Pines and Oaks, over gentle ‘Bugyals’ (Himalayan grasslands) at altitudes of 3400-3600 metres and above 3 high altitude Cols viz. the Yeoungbuk Col, Bisali Col and Mahapanth Col.

The trail passes through the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary aka the Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary named so for its primary purpose of protecting the endangered White-bellied Musk Deer.

At the end of it all were 16 tired feet and 8 satisfied souls.

The 8 satisfied souls were;

  1. Arnab Ghosh – Trek/Exploration leader
  2. Etosha Chatterjee
  3. Kabya Bandyopadhyay
  4. Anandarup Bhadra
  5. Amit Bikram Jana
  6. Khushpreet Kaur
  7. Anon Ray
  8. Titash Chakrabarti

We documented the trail thoroughly through photos and data records.The records include a multitude of flowers of different shapes and sizes that the pre-monsoon season had to offer, fascinating peaks of the Greater Himalayas that can be viewed from the trail and of course the Wildlife.

This report only features the variety of birds we could see on the trail and some good photographs we could capture.

Mandani Valley trek Bird Checklist :

  1. House Sparrow
  2. Russet Sparrow
  3. Rosy Pipit
  4. Pink-browed Rosefinch
  5. Dark-breasted Rosefinch
  6. Yellow-breasted Greenfinch

  7. Rufous-breasted Accentor
  8. Unidentified Accentor or Finch (on the way to Mandani Valley)
  9. Unidentified Accentor or Finch (at Thouli Top)
  10. Common Myna
  11. Large-billed Crow
  12. Red-billed Blue Magpie
  13. Red-billed Chough
  14. Alpine Chough
  15. Spotted Nutcracker
  16. Common Hawk Cuckoo
  17. Eurasian Cuckoo
  18. Plum-headed Parakeet
  19. Great Barbet
  20. Great Tit
  21. Green-backed Tit
  22. Black-throated Tit
  23. Rufous-naped Tit
  24. Himalayan Bulbul
  25. Black Bulbul

  26. Red-vented Bulbul
  27. Verditer Flycatcher
  28. Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher
  29. Ultramarine Flycatcher
  30. Dark-sided Flycatcher
  31. Grey-hooded Warbler
  32. Grey-sided Bush Warbler
  33. Unidentified Warbler (Mandani Valley)
  34. Oriental White-eye
  35. Fire-tailed Sunbird

  36. Himalayan Woodpecker
  37. Grey-headed Woodpecker
  38. Yellow-crowned Woodpecker
  39. White-tailed Nuthatch
  40. Unidentified Treecreeper (probably Bar-tailed Treecreeper)
  41. Grey Wagtail
  42. Grandala
  43. Himalayan Bluetail
  44. White-capped water Redstart
  45. Plumbeous Water Redstart
  46. Blue-fronted Redstart
  47. Grey Bushchat

  48. Siberian Stonechat
  49. Rock Pigeon
  50. Oriental Turtle Dove
  51. Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon
  52. Snow Pigeon
  53. Himalayan Griffon Vulture
  54. Red-headed Vulture
  55. Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture

  56. Crested Serpent Eagle
  57. Unidentified Eagle
  58. Unidentified Harrier
  59. Peregrine Falcon
  60. Asian Barred Owlet
  61. Unidentified Nightjar
  62. White-collared Blackbird
  63. Grey-winged Blackbird
  64. Long-tailed Thrush? (at Yeounbuk Col Base camp)
  65. Mistle Thrush? (at Saniyara Base camp)
  66. Unidentified Thrush (at Saniyara Base camp)
  67. Blue Whistling Thrush
  68. Streaked Laughingthrush
  69. Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush

  70. Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush
  71. Rufous Sibia
  72. Stripe-throated Yuhina
  73. Whiskered Yuhina
  74. Bar-throated Siva
  75. Unidentified Shrike-babbler? (at Paturi)
  76. Scarlet Minivet
  77. Himalayan Monal

  78. Tibetan or Himalayan Snowcock
  79. Red-rumped Swallow
  80. Unidentified Swift

 

Thanks and cheers for patient reading and viewing!!

Pilgrim on the mountain: Stok Kangri
Pin Parvati Pass The Itinerary
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About the Author

Titash Chakrabarti
Titash Chakrabarti Musician.Birdwatcher.Traveler.Dreamer.

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