With birding at Sela Pass and Sangti Valley done, it was now time to explore areas around Mandala. We did one full day of birding and then another half a day as we made our way back towards Guwahati. The first trip involved driving from the hotel in Dirang Valley to Mandala Top (the topmost spot), explore the other side for some distance and then drive back to the hotel. The second trip was covering the same section except that we continued onwards to the Tenga Valley. The weather did not favour us for most parts; it rained and there was plenty of mist when it did not rain 😦 . However we still managed to get good views of some of the species that we had hoped to get there. In this post I will cover a part of the sightings only.
Our first sighting as we went drove up was of an Indian Cuckoo.
It gave us quite a bit a time as it moved around on a tree branch periodically eating a caterpillar it had caught.
Nearby somewhere the Large Hawk Cuckoo was doing its thing as usual; singing away and staying hidden 😦 . We prayed once again that we would get to see it atleast once in this trip. And our prayers were finally granted at Mandala. We got to see three of them in open perches and that too singing. Here are a few of their pictures:
As we drove further up we pulled over abruptly as we a saw flock of birds fly across. They finally perched on a roadside tree. They turned out to be Tibetan Serins. Here are some photos of them:
Another bird that we hoped to see was the Golden-breasted Fulvetta. We had dipped on it around Bompu Camp. So we hoped our luck would be better this time. And it was. We saw a small flock going through the bamboo patch are we drove up. But they were not cooperative for taking photos. We were still happy to have seen them. Here is a picture of one as it was moving through the bamboo thicket:
A little further away we got excellent views of a Buff-throated Warbler. It even sang for us 🙂 .
Mid way we stopped at a place for a break. The surrounding areas looked like the below:
Sadly many of the trees looked burnt and many had fallen down. We got to know that there had been a fire not too long ago at this place. We hoped that it would recover soon. We got to see that there was even a birding lodge at the edge of a cliff and overlooking the valley. I am sure they got great views of the surroundings including snow covered peaks when there was no mist.
There were birds around though. We got to see the Tibetan Blackbird, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and a singing Grey-sided Bush Warbler. the song of the warbler was pretty unique. Check it out in the video later in the post.
Our drive further on had us a seeing a White-collared Blackbird perched on a stump and a Eurasian Nutcracker sitting on an open perch.
At another patch, we got excellent views of the Ashy-throated Warbler, a Lemon-rumped Warbler and a couple of Grey-crested Tits.
A couple of Himalayan Black Bulbuls enthralled us from an open branch of a dried tree.
At the Mandala Top we took a break to have breakfast and have some hot tea. We also had lunch here later in the day. But it was cold along with rain. Shankar immediately took steps to start a fire going in the fireplace at both times.
I stepped out to take a look around even though it was still drizzling. Here is view of the top.
I could see the 108 chortens at the top, but I did not walk till there given the rain. I headed back in as the rain got stronger. We had to stay in the eatery for a quite a bit to wait out the rain. Once it reduced we decided to move out as we were losing precious time. It was still very misty.
The section after the Mandala Top had us getting a flock of Himalayan White-browed Rosefinch and then Crimson-browed Finch.
The star sighting in this section was the Bar-winged Wren-Babbler. It sang and gave us excellent views. You must check out the video later in the post to see it in action.
As we walked on the road, we heard the calls of a Temminck’s Tragopan from nearby. We stayed put at the road bend hoping to see it cross over. It was not to be so. Thick mist rolled in 😦 .
The other excellent sightings the second day was first a Brown Parrotbill.
It was first an individual and then came a flock 🙂 . They were closely followed by a flock of Slender-billed Scimitar-Babblers. This is one different looking bird for sure. I just loved to see them in action :-). Check out the video.
Another lifer that I got in the second day was the Streak-throated Barwing.
Video
Make sure you watch the video. It contains plenty of clips of the birds in action including some feeding and calling.
Summary
Birding around Mandala was different from the other places including Sela Pass. The drive up was much for wooded. Had it not been for the weather I am sure we would have seen much more birding activity. Here are some things to keep in mind though if you are planning a trip there:
- Even though it is not as high as Sela Pass, it is still at a high altitude (around 10000 feet). So take adequate precautions and preparations. This could include drinking water periodically, going up the path slowly giving time to your body to adapt, walking slowly, munching something in between and not staying at the top for too long if you are feeling uneasy
- The weather can change pretty fast in the pass. So be mentally prepared for that. Wear clothes in layers. This way you can remove layers as it gets warmer
- Some of the target birds are probably masters of camouflage and are seen on mountain slopes. So be prepared to check such places out. Be very careful though. Always wear footwear with good grip
- Knowing the birds by their calls is very important. Their calls is usually the first indicator of the bird’s presence. So getting a guide, if you are not familiar with it, with this knowledge will be very useful
- Understanding the altitudes and habitats that the target birds prefer is also very important. So you may want to read up on that information
- Days start early and finish early in this part of the country. So be mentally and physically ready for it
Mad about Birding and Travel 
wow great captures of beautiful birds
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Thanks 🙂
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