Day 1 (May 12th 2014): drive from Jaipur, Rajasthan to Naitwar, Uttarakhand. 15 hours.
The drive is enlivened by music and conversation. My birding companions for this 9-day trip to the Garhwal himalayas are Somendra(SS) and Harkirat(HSS). Amongst their many talents they are also history buffs. I listen to tales of Rajput chivalry and Sikh history. We make excellent time on the highway.
My memories are stoked when we cross the Yamuna at Paonta Sahib. I remember the days, decades ago, when we lived in Dehra Dun, to cross the river my father would have to drive his jeep up a ramp onto a wooden ferry. A steel cable strung across the two banks and clipped to the ferry would prevent us being swept downstream with the current. That crossing itself was as much fun for a boy as was catching mahseer in the rivers around here.
We purchase supplies at Herbetpur - soup, instant noodles, mineral water, chocolates, and an inspired choice: fresh-baked biscuits from a local bakery.
In the pouring rain, as darkness descends, we finally pull into Naitwar and get settled into the Forest Rest House (FRH). The chowkidar serves us the first of the ubiquitous rajma-chawal meals of this trip. Thunder rumbles intermittently at night, and so it is no surprise to wake up to an overcast morning.
Day 2: Naitwar - Dhaula - along the Rupin river, then trek partway up Istragad from confluence with Rupin
I am up at dawn a little past 5 am. The FRH is surrounded by excellent forest. Bird calls are muted this morning, but many common species are nesting nearby. Busy parents carry feed for nestlings. Amongst them - Russet Sparrows, Grey Tits, Himalayan Bulbuls, Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers. Quite surprisingly, the commonest flycatcher is the Dark-sided Flycatcher. Juvenile Spotted Doves hide in the foliage, much smaller in size compared to Rufous-turtle Doves. A pair of noisy Black Bulbuls frolics in the canopy of broad-leaved trees.
Later, fortified by a hearty breakfast of eggs and paranthas, we are off to explore the valleys of the Rupin.
Rupin river
The Rupin is a tributary of the Tons(which in turn flows into the Yamuna). Coniferous and mixed broad-leaved forest clothes the narrow valley.
A light drizzle persists through the day. Rain ponchos keep us dry when we stop the vehicle and step out to check out any promising birding area. One has to be careful not to get the camera and the binoculars wet.
Plumbeous Redstarts perch on boulders in the river, the males fanning and dipping their rufous tails. Then the first of the White-capped Water Redstarts, their contrasting colours attractive even in the poor light. Soon enough the Brown Dippers start appearing. There are several spotted juveniles begging food from their uniformly dark brown parents.
Spot-winged Grosbeak
These grosbeaks are relatively higher altitudinal birds. Hence it is a real surprise to find this group of 7 individuals here. The females are darkly streaked, and the males sport the tell-tale white spots on the wings. HSS conjectures that the weather system is still probably depositing snow in the higher reaches, thus driving the birds down.
Temple at Dhaula
SS has traveled extensively in Uttarakhand the past couple of years, photographing the Forest Rest Houses. These have been recently published in a coffee table book. He tells us that the deities which reside in such temples are often worshipped by the villagers just as ordinary human beings. Neighbouring village deities could be related to each other (father-son or suchlike) and would be taken in procession to meet their 'relatives' during festive occasions. Another may even be holding a grudge against a particular deity!
Dhaula village
Most of the houses are built in the traditional architecture of this area with roofs constructed from slate tiles (though increasingly these are being replaced by corrugated steel in newer construction). Houses are two-storied, with the livestock corralled on the ground floor, and the family living on the upper floor. Agriculture is subsistence.
Blue-capped Rock Thrush
Our first pair of minivets forces us to pull out the guidebooks - clearly they are Long-tailed Minivets from the distinctive calls and plumage. Other common birds keep the bins busy: Red-billed Blue Magpies, Bushchats(Grey and Pied), Tits (Black-lored and Black-throated), Slaty-headed Parakeets, Great Barbets, skulking Streaked Laughing-Thrushes, Grey-hooded Warblers, Himalayan Swiftlets
A quick lunch at a local dhaba: yes, rajma-chawal again! But served this time with a fiery chutney.
We commence our hike up the Istragad ravine. There is a FRH at Istragad but we do not expect to get very far in this weather.
Istragad from Dhaula
The track is not difficult but some patches are slippery. A forktail jumps off the path only yards from me. It is a Black-backed Forktail. As we wait patiently for it to show itself in the vegetation choked rivulet, the others spot a Small Niltava. A quite wonderful little dark blue flycatcher.
Driving back to Naitwar from Dhaula - weather clearing by evening
View of Kedarkantha (?) en route
Naitwar Forest Rest House bathed in evening sunlight
Birds actively chase insects before the light fades. A tiny babbler causes me some confusion before HSS identifies it as the Black-chinned Babbler. A pair of Grey Treepies are being amorous in the pines. A Kaleej Pheasant couple feeds in the courtyard outside the chowkidar's hut, tolerated by the domestic fowl, and occasionally chased (unsuccessfully) by a small dog.
Day 3: Naitwar - Jakhol - along the Supin river, then trek partway up Obragad from confluence with Supin
A bright sunny morning springs two new species for us at the FRH. A shy Eurasian Blackbird and a group of Wedge-tailed Green Pigeons. A night-calling Mountain Scops Owl has gone silent.
The drive to Jakhol is quite scenic through patches of dense forest. The rising thermals have thrust aloft many Himalayan Griffons. The vultures circle high above the snow-covered alps or glide lower hugging the steep hillsides. We stop on a rocky cliff face where swifts twitter past with astonishing bursts of speed. While the others try and get photographs of these Fork-tailed Swifts with their sophisticated lenses, I am happy to photograph the plentiful butterflies basking in the sun. En route our raptor count is augmented by a Crested Serpent Eagle and a Common Kestrel.
From Jakhol the track has been blocked by a landslide so we have to walk down a few kms to the Supin.
Upper reaches of Supin
Flood-damaged suspension bridge on Supin
Crossing the Supin - this was one of the safer bridges
Obragad is a ravine debouching the obra-'gad' (gad means a river or stream) into the Supin. We have to negotiate a couple of tricky crossings on rickety wooden planks to enter the ravine.
Obragad just above confluence with Supin
Hiking up the Obragad ravine
The best birds are a pair of Little Forktails frolicking on boulders sprayed with the gushing waters. Farther up the ravine, in a grassy glade with sparse tree cover, we struggle with some shy birds. Whiskered Yuhinas are distinctive but a couple of warblers less so.
Rufous-bellied Niltava
A pair of these niltavas delight us with their sunlight-fired brilliant blue plumage(blue on the back and head). The underparts are more yellow/orange than rufous.
Back at the FRH the evening sunlight has flushed many insects. Many birds are hunting on the wing like flycatchers. These include a Lesser Yellownape and a Brown-fronted Woodpecker! A Plain-backed Thrush perches briefly on a post before diving back into cover. I try and locate a calling Greater Yellownape but without success.
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