Friday 8 August 2014

Nepal - Poon Hill Trek Part II


The easiest/best birding was when I was walking downhill because I could see into the tops of the trees below me without having to strain my neck. I only saw 4 forktails and 1 White-throated Kingfisher on the hike - I had hoped for more considering that the majority of the trek follows rivers and streams:

Rufous-vented Tits were common:

Bar-throated Sivas/Chestnut-tailed Minlas were very common above 2000m elevation:

Many clouds throughout most of the trek obstructed views of the birds and mountains, but they offered their own form of scenery:

This dog followed me for 2 days of trekking...

I reached Poon Hill on my second day and stayed in the area for the morning of my third day:

Yellow-breasted Greenfinches were common: 

Clouds covered the nearby hills and mountains on my first ascent to Poon Hill:

There were many spectacular flowers along the route:

 Finally, on the third morning I got more-or-less unobstructed views of the mountains:

Here's a view of the Annapurna peaks: 
There was also a more distant series of peaks in the other direction.



Village below the mountains with many rice fields surrounding it:

Rufous Sibia was one of the many lifers of the hike:

 Stripe-throated Yuhinas were very common above 2000m:





Striated Prinias were common below 1500m: