Page 30 - Fourways Gardens September 2020

Nature

Rufous-necked Hornbills (MA) Himalayan Brown Goral (MA) Golden-throated Barbet (DS)

hospitable and friendly, but greatly any) in the widely-spaced towns catered Babbler. We also secured brilliant views of
influenced by religion – Vajrayana only for indigenous travellers. For this the globally-threatened Rufous-necked
Buddhism (75%) and Hinduism. Small in reason, as well as for birding logistics, Hornbill.
stature, they are thin but tough (only one we camped for 11 of our 19-day tour,
person overweight, a priest, observed which necessitated that all of our food Our campsite at Morong (1 700m above
during my travels). Attire consists of a and camping equipment be transported sea level) comprised of five tents for the
gho for the men (a long, knee-length in advance to the informal view sites eight group members, a tiny loo tent
robe tied around the waist with a cloth- carefully chosen for our camps. and a dining tent. In the evenings we
belt known as a kera) and a kira for the received a small bowl of water to bathe
women (an ankle-length dress made of Having spent the previous day travelling in (no shower) and at dinner a hot-water
a brightly-coloured finely-woven fabric through the Assam state of India, our bottle. A body-bag which was to be used
with traditional patterns). The National group of eight arrived at the Bhutan inside our sleeping bag was so difficult
sport is archery although shotput, darts border an hour and a half early, so our to get into that I abandoned mine for
and wrestling are also popular, and the Bhutanese guides (Tserin, Solaam and the duration of the camping. We were
staple diet consists largely of red rice, bus driver Oula), who we were relying on also given a booklet listing the daily
wheat, maize, meat (pork, chicken, beef to arrange our visas and guide us through menus for that part of the trip. Broadly
or yak), cheese and chillies (used as a the border formalities, were nowhere to speaking, breakfasts comprised of either
vegetable, not a spice). be found. They finally arrived and shortly corn flakes, muesli or porridge, followed
thereafter we were stepping through by eggs (to order) and toast. Lunches
Our 850km journey commenced in the a shallow trough of disinfectant into usually included rice and vegetables of
warm south-east and we travelled west Bhutan and making our way to the border various kinds and dinners always started
across the breadth of this remarkable town of Samdrup Jongkhar for the night. with soup and then moved on to rice or
country on a single-lane paved road noodles, mixed vegetables, sometimes
which followed the contours of the land, The next morning, we set off for our with cheese, and shredded beef, pork
regularly crossing dramatic mountain first birding excursion, with the road or mutton (occasionally curried). By and
passes – like the famed Dochu La winding through patches of evergreen large, the food prepared by our chef
(pass), littered with prayer flags and forest northwards into the foothills of the was perfectly adequate in terms of both
chortens (shrines) – and passing through Himalayas. Both Great and Oriental Pied quality and quantity.
magnificent forested landscapes often Hornbills showed well at a fruiting ficus
dominated by imposing and impressive tree, as well as Black-backed Forktail, Travelling further north towards the
dzongs (fortresses of towering walls gorgeous Scarlet Minivet, Crimson and town of Trashigang, we climbed a further
surrounding a complex of courtyards, Black-throated Sunbirds, Black-naped 650m to our view-site camp (2 350m)
temples, administrative offices and Monarch and a pair of Scarlet Finches. which was 100km south of the town and
monks’ accommodation). Climbing out of the lowlands, it was bitterly cold. Birding in the morning was
not long before we were adding mid- washed out by heavy rain followed by a
West of the Black Mountain range running montane elevation birds to our list, surprisingly quiet (for birding) afternoon.
from north to south, western Bhutan including Rufous-bellied and Black A Mountain Scops Owl called all night.
was only equipped for tourism relatively Eagles, Chestnut-tailed Minla, Crimson-
recently. This included the provision of browed and Gold-naped Finches, Green- Birding companions on these trips are
wide roads and luxurious accommodation, tailed Sunbird, Black-eared and Green often ‘just a little odd’ and on this trip
etc. At the time of my visit, eastern and Shrike-Babblers, secretive Spotted Wren- an eccentric German fellow fitted this
central Bhutan were almost totally devoid Babbler, Brown Bullfinch, Himalayan description perfectly. His appearance
of any tourist infrastructure and hotels (if Swiftlet, and Streak-breasted Scimitar- could be described as having been

Fourways Gardens • 28 • September 2020