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followed by a surprisingly quiet (for birding) ago, and we were given a guided tour of the
afternoon. A Mountain Scops Owl called all establishment by Salaam. It was interesting to
night. see how monks as young as four years old live
their lives of dedicated Buddhism every day.
Birding companions on these trips are often
‘just a little odd’ and on this trip an eccentric In the town, we were also treated to a visit to a
German fellow fitted this description true oriental bazaar market replete with a great
perfectly. His appearance could be described variety of grains, garlands of chillies, silk, hand-
as having been slightly dishevelled, with woven bamboo crafts, hocks of yak meat,
relatively long, uncombed hair, old-fashioned fermented cheese balls and colourful textiles.
spectacles and ragged and worn clothing. Nearby, Blue-capped and Blue Rock-thrushes,
He was obviously of high intellect, and noisy White-crested Laughingthrush, Grey-
married to a financially-independent woman winged Blackbird and Black-throated Parrotbill
who hated travel of every conceivable were spotted, whilst in drier scrub, encounters
Above: Terraced type (because of motion sickness) and was with Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler, Striated
Valley Rice Paddies accordingly more or less confined to the Prinia, Himalayan Bulbul and Three-banded
(RS) village in Germany where they lived. They had Rosefinch, were made.
Below: Great two grown-up children and he was retired.
Hornbill (MA) Apparently, having secured a doctorate Departing from Trashigang, we travelled
(PhD) in forestry science after leaving school, through Chir Pine forest to our next campsite
he found his way into commerce, making a located in broad-leaved forest 20km east of
small fortune in trading derivatives, before Mongar (largest town of eastern Bhutan).
being shut-down by legislation introduced Crossing the Kulong Chu, we passed a hillside
by the German authorities. Then, aged 55, studded with Royal euphorbias, a very African
he devoted all his time and a good deal of scene, before making a surprising discovery -
his resources to birding, producing his own on a rocky hillside, we saw a pair of Himalayan
bird field guides for every trip undertaken. Brown Goral (type of goat). Following the
But what was, in my view, remarkable about contour, the road took us through subsistence
him was his diet whilst on birding trips, farms, which were mainly terraced lands
which consisted exclusively of cheese and of rice paddies and fields ploughed (two
chips/crisps (if available) for breakfast, and oxen and a wooden plough) for potatoes
as well as Black-backed Forktail, gorgeous three 750ml bottles of the local beer for both and beans, largely on the lower slopes of
Scarlet Minivet, Crimson and Black-throated lunch and dinner, supplemented again by the valleys. Birding stops along the way
Sunbirds, Black-naped Monarch and a pair cheese and chips/crisps. He collected the produced Darjeeling Woodpecker, Smoky
of Scarlet Finches. Climbing out of the labels of the beers he drank, pasting Warbler, White-browed Shrike-
lowlands, it was not long before we were them into a scrapbook of sorts, Babbler, Red-tailed Minla and
adding mid-montane elevation birds to our had a lovely dry sense of Nepal Fulvetta.
list, including Rufous-bellied and Black Eagles, humour, was very bright
Chestnut-tailed Minla, Crimson-browed and and knowledgeable, Onwards further
Gold-naped Finches, Green-tailed Sunbird, surprisingly west to Yongkhola
Black-eared and Green Shrike-Babblers, physically fit (1 800m), we
secretive Spotted Wren-Babbler, Brown despite his reached our next
Bullfinch, Himalayan Swiftlet, and Streak- unusual trip campsite for two
breasted Scimitar-Babbler. We also secured diet, and nights. Birds
brilliant views of the globally-threatened never suffered seen during the
Rufous-necked Hornbill. any stomach day included
upsets. Totally Golden-
Our campsite at Morong (1 700m above sea contrarian throated
level) comprised of five tents for the eight in almost Barbet, Large
group members, a tiny loo tent and a dining everything he Hawk-Cuckoo,
tent. In the evenings we received a small did, he was a very Common Green
bowl of water to bathe in (no shower) and interesting character! Golden-throated Magpie, Rufescent
at dinner a hot-water bottle. A body-bag Barbet (DS) Prinia, Grey-bellied
which was to be used inside our sleeping bag Commencing the 100km Tesia, Yellow-vented
was so difficult to get into that I abandoned journey to Trashigang, we Warbler, Steaked Yuhina and
mine for the duration of the camping. We stopped alongside a cliff-face Large Niltava. Rain accompanied
were also given a booklet listing the daily where Giant Rock Bees had constructed by strong winds right through the night
menus for that part of the trip. Broadly massive combs clinging to overhanging resulted in the collapse of four of the five
speaking, breakfasts comprised of either ledges. These were attended by a single accommodation tents, most of my companions
corn flakes, muesli or porridge, followed by Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, (one of the only emerging in the morning wet and cold.
eggs (to order) and toast. Lunches usually two Asian representatives of this African bird
included rice and vegetables of various kinds family), which was intent on helping itself to Continuing on to the fabled Limnethang
and dinners always started with soup and bee grubs in the combs. Road, a birding hotspot which can produce
then moved on to rice or noodles, mixed some of the most awesome birds on the
vegetables, sometimes with cheese, and After passing through forests of flowering planet, we encountered even more rain and
shredded beef, pork or mutton (occasionally magnolias and colourful rhododendrons mist, resulting in very few new birds for the
curried). By and large, the food prepared by on the slopes of the Yongphu La en route, day, other than Golden-spectacled Warbler,
our chef was perfectly adequate in terms of we eventually reached the settlement Collared grosbeak and Golden-breasted
both quality and quantity. of Trashigang located at the foot of a Fulvetta which braved the weather.
steep wooded valley at midday. During
Travelling further north towards the town of the afternoon, we indulged in a bit of Having now dealt with almost half of the
Trashigang, we climbed a further 650m to our local culture, visiting the very impressive new bird species (lifers) I was hoping for
view-site camp (2 350m) which was 100km Trashigang Dzong overlooking the during the trip, this concludes the first
south of the town and bitterly cold. Birding in confluence of the Drangme and Gamri Chu part of my chronicle about my Bhutan
the morning was washed out by heavy rain (rivers). It was constructed over 100 years adventure.

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DPL