Page 36 - • waterfall_8_Jul2020.indd

Waterfall nature

Rufous-necked Hornbills (MA) Himalayan Brown Goral (MA) Golden-throated Barbet (DS)
towering walls surrounding a complex forest northwards into the foothills then moved on to rice or noodles,
of courtyards, temples, administrative of the Himalayas. Both Great and mixed vegetables, sometimes with
offices and monks’ accommodation). Oriental Pied Hornbills showed well at cheese, and shredded beef, pork
a fruiting ficus tree, as well as Black- or mutton (occasionally curried).
West of the Black Mountain range backed Forktail, gorgeous Scarlet By and large, the food prepared by
running from north to south, western Minivet, Crimson and Black-throated our chef was perfectly adequate in
Bhutan was only equipped for tourism Sunbirds, Black-naped Monarch and terms of both quality and quantity.
relatively recently. This included the a pair of Scarlet Finches. Climbing
provision of wide roads and luxurious out of the lowlands, it was not long Travelling further north towards the
accommodation, etc. At the time of my before we were adding mid-montane town of Trashigang, we climbed a
visit, eastern and central Bhutan were elevation birds to our list, including further 650m to our view-site camp
almost totally devoid of any tourist Rufous-bellied and Black Eagles, (2 350m) which was 100km south of
infrastructure and hotels (if any) in the Chestnut-tailed Minla, Crimson- the town and bitterly cold. Birding
widely-spaced towns catered only for browed and Gold-naped Finches, in the morning was washed out by
indigenous travellers. For this reason, as Green-tailed Sunbird, Black-eared heavy rain followed by a surprisingly
well as for birding logistics, we camped and Green Shrike-Babblers, secretive quiet (for birding) afternoon. A
for 11 of our 19-day tour, which Spotted Wren-Babbler, Brown Bullfinch, Mountain Scops Owl called all night.
necessitated that all of our food and Himalayan Swiftlet, and Streak-
camping equipment be transported breasted Scimitar-Babbler. We also Birding companions on these trips
in advance to the informal view sites secured brilliant views of the globally- are often ‘just a little odd’ and on
carefully chosen for our camps. threatened Rufous-necked Hornbill. this trip an eccentric German fellow
fitted this description perfectly. His
Having spent the previous day Our campsite at Morong (1 700m appearance could be described as
travelling through the Assam state above sea level) comprised of five having been slightly dishevelled,
of India, our group of eight arrived tents for the eight group members, a with relatively long, uncombed
at the Bhutan border an hour and a tiny loo tent and a dining tent. In the hair, old-fashioned spectacles and
half early, so our Bhutanese guides evenings we received a small bowl ragged and worn clothing. He was
(Tserin, Solaam and bus driver Oula), of water to bathe in (no shower) and obviously of high intellect, and
who we were relying on to arrange at dinner a hot-water bottle. A body- married to a financially-independent
our visas and guide us through the bag which was to be used inside our woman who hated travel of every
border formalities, were nowhere sleeping bag was so difficult to get conceivable type (because of motion
to be found. They finally arrived into that I abandoned mine for the sickness) and was accordingly more
and shortly thereafter we were duration of the camping. We were or less confined to the village in
stepping through a shallow trough also given a booklet listing the daily Germany where they lived. They
of disinfectant into Bhutan and menus for that part of the trip. Broadly had two grown-up children and
making our way to the border town speaking, breakfasts comprised of he was retired. Apparently, having
of Samdrup Jongkhar for the night. either corn flakes, muesli or porridge, secured a doctorate (PhD) in forestry
followed by eggs (to order) and science after leaving school, he
The next morning, we set off for our toast. Lunches usually included rice found his way into commerce,
first birding excursion, with the road and vegetables of various kinds and making a small fortune in trading
winding through patches of evergreen dinners always started with soup and derivatives, before being shut-down

34 Waterfall Issue 8 2020