Eaglenest a natures gift
Nameri national
park- Eaglenest wildlife sanctuary -Kaziranga national park
My father is an
avid bird photographer and I accompanied him on his trip to Eaglenest in
April 2013.
My father is an
avid bird photographer and I accompanied him on his trip to Eaglenest in
April 2013.
Day 1
Day 3
Day 2
We were all up by
dawn so that we could all head out before the first rays of the morning light
hit the surface of the earth. The Namerie wild life park is a short drive to
the river and a boat to the other side. We were in the park for 5 hours or so
and we nearly walked 20 km. We saw birds like Chestnut Headed Bee-Eater, Jungle
Fowl, Black Naped Oriole, white Naped Yuhina. After that we went to
the resort and freshened up. From Namerie we went to Lama camp which is
situated a few km away from Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary. The road to
Eaglenest is good almost throughout except for the parts under
construction . It's a few hours'
drive and we did some birding on the way. We reached Lama camp at about seven
pm, sadly it was as dark as a Puma's coat . We had lovely dinner at 7:30 pm as
we had to sleep early to wake up at 5 am to do some photography.
Day 3
That morning
we saw Verditer Flycatcher, Mrs. Gould's Sun Bird and Gold-Naped Finch.
After that we went back to the camp. We packed our luggage as we were heading
for another camp called Bompu. This camp is at 1930 meters but lower than the
Lama camp which was at 2400 meters . On the way to Bompu we saw many birds
like Parrot bill, a Short Billed Minivet, Mrs. Gould's Sun Bird. At
one point we reached a place that said Eaglenest pass. It was the highest point
and was 2780 meters high. The pass was 10 km away from Lama camp but took us
like two hours to get there because of the bad road. At the pass we went
looking for a rare bird called the Ward's Trogon. We could not find the bird at
all. We did not even hear its call so we got into the car and started
driving .We passed a camp call Sundarview which was not inhabited by any one.
We went a bit ahead to again search for the Ward's Trogon . When we could not
find anything o we gave up and had lunch. Then we hit the road again and
we stopped only when we reached Bompu. The time about then was 4:30
pm so we had tea and coffee and went to the highest spot in the camp to try and
catch the phone signal but sadly we could not. At about 7: 30 pm we ate dinner
and at 9 pm we went to sleep.
We slept at 9 as
next morning we had to get up early to go down the mountain to take photographs
of some very rare birds. We could not go a bit later as it would be to bright and
hot and therefore we would not be able to see birds .
Day 4
We woke up at about
5am, the light was good so we grabbed our gear and sat in the car. We started
heading down the mountain searching for the Beautiful Nuthatch. On the
way we saw the Beautiful Sibia, Rufous-Necked-hornbill, Chestnut Headed
Bee-Eater. There was no sign of the Beautiful Nuthatch so our guide Purpah
tried calling it with a recorded sound of it calling. It all failed. On our way
back to the camp most of the activity in the area had died down and we barely
spotted 9 birds. At the camp we enjoyed some nice hot coffee and we headed up a
narrow path in search for the Blyth's Tragopan. On the way the guide found a
feather of the Blyth's Tragopan. We started to get excited hoping we would find
the bird. But we returned to the camp disappointed and photo less of the
bird. We ate dinner before 8pm as after 8 pm there would be
no power. After eating dinner we went to bed to get an early start
tomorrow.
Day 6
We woke up at about
5am, the light was good so we grabbed our gear and sat in the car. We started
heading down the mountain searching for the Beautiful Nuthatch. On the
way we saw the Beautiful Sibia, Rufous-Necked-hornbill, Chestnut Headed
Bee-Eater. There was no sign of the Beautiful Nuthatch so our guide Purpah
tried calling it with a recorded sound of it calling. It all failed. On our way
back to the camp most of the activity in the area had died down and we barely
spotted 9 birds. At the camp we enjoyed some nice hot coffee and we headed up a
narrow path in search for the Blyth's Tragopan. On the way the guide found a
feather of the Blyth's Tragopan. We started to get excited hoping we would find
the bird. But we returned to the camp disappointed and photo less of the
bird. We ate dinner before 8pm as after 8 pm there would be
no power. After eating dinner we went to bed to get an early start
tomorrow.
Day 5
We woke up before
sunrise in the morning and started going down the same path as yesterday. We
saw very few birds this time. Today we went further then yesterday. We went all
the way to Khellong. We stopped there and then went to a narrow path
which lead to a river. We went down this path in search for a few rare types of
Kingfisher. The river was practically a stream currently but we were told by
our guide that after the monsoon that the river flows very fast. We slowly
started walking at the side of the river crossing to the other side when ever
required. We could not even see a single Kingfisher in the area. We
returned to the road and started heading up on the way we saw the Dark Sided
Flycatcher, the Rusty Fronted Barwing ,Small Niltava, Grey Hooded Warbler etc.
By the time we reached the camp it was 5 pm and the light had started to
fade so we rested till 7 pm. At 7:30 pm we ate dinner and went to bed.
Day 6
We woke up a bit
late (6 am )due to the cloudy weather and headed out. We went down the same
path and saw an Eagle nesting, a Short Billed Minivet, Grey Hooded Warbler. We
came back to camp at about lunch time and had lunch. After lunch we decided to
head to the road to Eaglenest pass. On the way we only saw the Small Minivet.
On the way down it started raining so we raced to the camp in the car and
quickly went into our tents. The rain started to die down after 15
minutes or so. We quickly ate dinner fearing the rain and headed back to the
tent .That night not many of us could sleep because of the sound the rain was
producing, apparently it had started to hail a bit at night.
Day 7
We woke up a bit
late (6 am )due to the cloudy weather and headed out. We went down the same
path and saw an Eagle nesting, a Short Billed Minivet, Grey Hooded Warbler. We
came back to camp at about lunch time and had lunch. After lunch we decided to
head to the road to Eaglenest pass. On the way we only saw the Small Minivet.
On the way down it started raining so we raced to the camp in the car and
quickly went into our tents. The rain started to die down after 15
minutes or so. We quickly ate dinner fearing the rain and headed back to the
tent .That night not many of us could sleep because of the sound the rain was
producing, apparently it had started to hail a bit at night.
Day 7
We woke up at 5:30
am so that we could reach Lama camp early. We ate our breakfast and loaded the
vehicle and left by 6:30 am to Lama camp. On our way we stopped at the pass to
search for the Wards Trogon. It was about 9:45 am at that time. When we came out
of the bushes we heard the call of it and hurried to the path we had just come
from. We spent an hour or so searching for the bird again. We went a little
ahead and stopped to take photograph of the Mrs. Gould's Sun Bird and the Brown
Parrot Bill. We all got some good photo's of the Brown Parrot Bill so we
sat in the jeep and started heading toward Lama camp till someone told us
to stop as there was a Common Hoopoe sitting 5 feet away. We quickly went and
took photographs of the hoopoe some of us got some brilliant photographs. We
quickly then raced to Lama camp. Our guide made the car stop about 5 meters
from the camp as he spotted the () . We quickly had lunch and rested till 3 pm.
Then we started to head down the mountain in search of the Bugun Liocichla. We
did not spot the Bugun Liocichla but spotted the Great Barbet and Mrs.
Gould's Sun Bird. We started to head back when it became dark. We ate dinner by
8 pm and slept by 9 pm.
Day 8
We woke up at 5:30
am so that we could reach Lama camp early. We ate our breakfast and loaded the
vehicle and left by 6:30 am to Lama camp. On our way we stopped at the pass to
search for the Wards Trogon. It was about 9:45 am at that time. When we came out
of the bushes we heard the call of it and hurried to the path we had just come
from. We spent an hour or so searching for the bird again. We went a little
ahead and stopped to take photograph of the Mrs. Gould's Sun Bird and the Brown
Parrot Bill. We all got some good photo's of the Brown Parrot Bill so we
sat in the jeep and started heading toward Lama camp till someone told us
to stop as there was a Common Hoopoe sitting 5 feet away. We quickly went and
took photographs of the hoopoe some of us got some brilliant photographs. We
quickly then raced to Lama camp. Our guide made the car stop about 5 meters
from the camp as he spotted the () . We quickly had lunch and rested till 3 pm.
Then we started to head down the mountain in search of the Bugun Liocichla. We
did not spot the Bugun Liocichla but spotted the Great Barbet and Mrs.
Gould's Sun Bird. We started to head back when it became dark. We ate dinner by
8 pm and slept by 9 pm.
Day 8
We got up by 5 am
and started to head down the mountain. We all were walking at our own
pace and due to that I missed seeing the Bugun Liocichla but I saw the
Verditer Flycatcher. Apart from that we saw some common birds and we headed up
at about lunch time. After lunch we went to the Eaglenest pass were saw the Red
Headed Bullfinch. That's about all we saw as it was very windy. We were back at
the camp by 5 pm. We ate an early dinner and were in our sleeping bag by 9 pm.
Day 9
We got up by 5 am
and started to head down the mountain. We all were walking at our own
pace and due to that I missed seeing the Bugun Liocichla but I saw the
Verditer Flycatcher. Apart from that we saw some common birds and we headed up
at about lunch time. After lunch we went to the Eaglenest pass were saw the Red
Headed Bullfinch. That's about all we saw as it was very windy. We were back at
the camp by 5 pm. We ate an early dinner and were in our sleeping bag by 9 pm.
Day 9
We woke up by 6am
as waking up early had taken a toll on us. We could pack and get ready to leave.
The driver had put our stuff on the top of the roof and we headed out. At Tenga
we stopped at a petrol bunk and then we again stopped latter on as it was
drizzling. We reached Tezpur by 2 pm and ate a hearty lunch at a place called
K.F till 3. Then we headed out to Kaziranga. On the way to the resort in
Kaziranga we saw the Long Billed Vulture. We reached the hotel by 4 and
we did a little photography. We then rested up and later we had the best dinner
we had in ages and we went to bed.
Day 10
We woke up by 6am
as waking up early had taken a toll on us. We could pack and get ready to leave.
The driver had put our stuff on the top of the roof and we headed out. At Tenga
we stopped at a petrol bunk and then we again stopped latter on as it was
drizzling. We reached Tezpur by 2 pm and ate a hearty lunch at a place called
K.F till 3. Then we headed out to Kaziranga. On the way to the resort in
Kaziranga we saw the Long Billed Vulture. We reached the hotel by 4 and
we did a little photography. We then rested up and later we had the best dinner
we had in ages and we went to bed.
Day 10
We woke at 5 am as
we were allowed to enter the jungle gate at 6 am. We reached the park
entrance in no time. In the lush green national park we saw Rhinoceros in
a large number, Swamp Deer, Dollar Bird, Red Jungle Fowl, Serpent Eagle . We
then went to the hotel and ate a extravagant breakfast . After breakfast we
completed packing and we headed out to Guwahati airport. It was a long drive
but we made it in good time even though the police had stopped the traffic to
let the chief minister pass. We said our goodbyes and we all headed our own
ways.
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