Trip List - Ventures Birding & Natural History Tours

Bhutan - October 2003

Bhutan - An incredible Himalayan Mountain Kingdom

October 2003 found a small group of us flying north over India towards the small mountain kingdom of Bhutan. The scenery changed from brown, muddy rain-inundated lowlands to pine forested slopes, fluttering prayer flags and a seemingly endless vista of snow-capped peaks.

I had been invited to join a small group of folks on an introductory birding trip to Bhutan. Of course I had heard of this almost mythical spot, but never thought I could get there and here we were flying into the mountains and the thoughts of a great birding adventure ahead of us.

My first impressions were neat agricultural fields, tiled roofs carpeted with a red blanket of peppers drying in the sun and a quietness that welcomed us to this small mountainous land. A walk around the grounds of our hotel quickly produced our first birds, Gold-billed Magpie, Gray-backed Shrike and Hodgson's Redstart. An afternoon visit to a local rock-filled river rewarded us with outstanding views of one of my "most wanted" birds, the amazing Ibisbill - and there were even Brown Dippers in the same river. Wow!

This is how our 2 week exploratory trip to Bhutan went. There were cool days and clear skies with endless views; mixed species flocks of warblers, babblers and a host of other species moving through the forests; a valley dotted with wintering Black-necked Cranes; a stunning (and the first of 13!) Wallcreeper "butterflying" its way up the masonry of a large fortress; Blood Pheasants feeding along a quiet roadside; herd of yaks feeding in a frosty meadow; market stalls crowded with gorgeous colorful textiles; impressive hornbills, minivets and barbets feeding in a fruiting fig tree; silky golden langurs basking in the sunshine, but overall a sense of beauty, peacefulness and serenity - all mostly lacking in our busy western world.

We are running our first Venture to Bhutan in April 2006 and I am already looking forward to my next visit to this wonderful place. Maybe this can be an annual tradition - I hope so!

Welcome to Bhutan (airport)