Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected]1 A Tropical Birding custom tour LADADH (India): The Search for Snow Leopard 27 th January – 7 th February 2018 Tour Leaders: Sam Woods, Iain Campbell, and Pablo Cervantes Daza (Report by Sam Woods/Tropical Birding Tours, all photos by Sam Woods unless indicated otherwise) Snow Leopards were seen on three occasions, totaling eight individuals, a good showing that exceeded our expectations. And all of this was done without the hardship of camping in sub-zero temperatures. (Photo above, Pablo Cervantes Daza)
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Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
INTRODUCTIONWiththeopeningofanewlodgeinLadakh,fortheexpresspurposesofserving‘SnowLeopardTourists’,wethrewtogetheracustomtripwithsomeregularTropicalBirdingparticipantsandguides,totestthewatersofthisnewdevelopment,whichremovedtheneedtocamptosearchforthisHimalayanbeast.Thetourwasan unreserved success; wewatched three different groups of Snow Leopards for hours on end (twoseparate groups of amother and two old cubs, and another pair thatwere thought to bemature younganimalsnowindependentoftheirmother);immersedourselvesinthecolorfulcultureofTibetanBuddhismatThikseyMonastery inLeh, andalsoadded the enigmatic Ibisbill innearbyChoglamsar too, aswell asspendingalongtimewithaWallcreeperclosetothenewlyminted‘SnowLeopardLodge’.Ofcourse,inthismountainoussectionof India, theHimalayanlandscapeswereasmuchhighpointsasanythingavianormammalian,andwestoodinaweoftheLadakhisceneryonadailybasis.
Inaddition to this,manyenjoyedapre-tourday touringoneof theDelhi’s, (and indeed India’s), premierbirding and bird photography sites, Sultanpur National Park, where a trio of Indian Coursers, and avagrantDemoiselleCraneframedamongaflockofhundredsofBar-headedGeesewerenotablehighlights.Thisdayaloneaddeda94furtherbirdspeciestothetrip.Othersspentthisdaytouringsomeoftheseeminglyendlesscultural/historicalsitesofDelhi,visitingsuchtouristhoneypotsastheancientRedFort,datingbackto1639,aswellasothermonolithsofIndianculture,likeQutbMinar(1192)andHumayun’sTomb(onlyasold1570).
Thisgooseisthehighest-flyingbirdspecies,havingevenbeenrecordedmigratingoverthepeakofEverest!28thJanuary:Sultanpur(andOldDelhi)Pre-tourExtensionsWithsomerestlesspeoplearrivingwithadaysparetorecoverfromthelongjourneyeast;wemadealast-minute plan to visit Sultanpur National Park, a 45-minute drive from our luxurious Delhi hotel. Theobjective here was to see and photograph any birds we could at one of Delhi’s birding/photographyhotspots.SamwasalsodeadkeentoencounterIndianCourserthereinthehopeofphotographingtheminparticular.Weknewwell that January canbeanerratic timefor thisspecies though,as theycommutebetweenthereandtheBharatpurareainthisseason,althoughsuchlocalmovementsareyettobefullyunderstood.Havinghyped-upthebirdphotographypotentialofthedaytoMikeandSuewhotookpartinthisday,SamandIainwerealittledeflatedtoarriveatasiteshroudedinthick,near-impenetrablefog!However,the‘birdiness’oftheplacewasstillthereforalltosee,eveninsuchchallengingconditionstophotographthem.Evenduringthisperiodoflimitedvisibility,AshyandPlainPriniasflittedaroundthelakeedge,anIndianPeafowlwaftedpast,raucousRed-wattledLapwings(page31)regularlyannouncedtheirpresence, andducks covered the lake, including IndianSpot-billedDuck.A flockof thirtyor soGreaterFlamingoscircledthewetlandseveraltimes,asifunsureofitssafety.Wewaitedimpatientlyforphotoopportunitiestoarise.Then,finally,thedeadlockwasbrokenwhenthemistswiftlyliftedataround11am,andourpatiencewasrewardedwhenwewitnessedtheplentifulbirdsinfullTechnicolorforthefirsttime.OneofthefirstbirdstoputinaperformancewasaEurasianWryneck(nextpage)thatcame
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
newlyarrivedsun.Gradually,weedgedourvehiclecloser,andused itasaproficientbirdblind,whichallowedusnotonlywonderfullooks,butstandoutphotographsofthisimpeccableIndianshorebird.AsfarasSamwasconcerned,thedaywasallbutdone,andobjectivesachieved,butSanjayhadplentymoretoshowus.Nextupwewentaftersomethingfarlessinspiringthanthecourser,butarareandlocalspeciesforwhichtheareaisaknownhotspot.Wescouredoneembankmentforit,butcameawaywithoutthetargetspecies,butdidenjoyaBluethroat(nextpage)hoppingaroundinthedirtbesideus,completelyintheopen.Eventhoughthiswaswearing its ‘winterdress’, thebirdwasstillstriking,boastingcolorsofroyal-blue and burnt-red in its trademark throat. The next bundwe tried, we hit the jackpot for ourintendedspecies,SindSparrow.Therewasfarlessreactiontothisthanthepreviousspecies,unsurprisingasitappearslikeaHouseSparrowwearingslightlyoddclothing,butitwasarareandwantedbirdallthesame.ThisfantasticdayclosedwithusstaringataflockofhundredsofBar-headedGeese,withanimposteramongthem.Justthenightbefore,Sanjayhadnoticedatallerbirdamongthegooseflock,whichwhenitraiseditslengthyneckrevealeditselftobenoneotherthanaDemoiselleCrane(photopage3),aspeciesnotfrequentlyfoundinthesepartsinrecentyears.Abrilliantendtoanaction-packed,‘bonusday’forourtour,whichwasfocusedmuchfarthertothenorth…
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
WhilemosttouredthebirdinghotspotofSultanpurfortheday,others,withlesstimeontheirhandseitherside of themain tour focusingon SnowLeopards, could not come toDelhiwithout seeing some of itsseeminglyendlesshistoricalstructures,liketheRedFortdatingbackto1639andtheMughalempire;QutbMinar, a 73m/240f-high spire said to be inspired fromQuranic, Afghani architecture and dating backfurther still, to 1192, and deservedly a World Heritage Site; and Humayun’s Tomb, another WorldHeritageSiteandtherestingplaceofMughalEmperorHumayun,datedto1570.Thisbarelyscratchedthesurfaceofthemultitudeofculturalandhistoricalsitethat‘Old’DelhihastoofferbutprovidedsomeverydifferentculturalexperiencestothosefoundinandaroundLehandUlleyonthemaintourinLadakh.
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
Thisculturalvisitwasutterlycompellingviewing,andanundisputedhighlightofthetrip,evenamongthehardiestbirdersinourcompany.ThiswasfollowedbysomeabriefbirdingstopinShey,duetoatip-offaboutIbisbillsintheareafromrecentdays.TheIbisbillswereabsent,andwehadlittletoshowforourspellthere,saveforaNorthernGoshawkseenbyjustsome,andplentifulmoreWhite-wingedRedstartsthatseemed to burst from every scrubby patch lining the scenic river. Our next stop should have been an
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
Itwasprettyclearwhenwehadreachedthespot,asalineofcarswerealreadypresentaccompaniedby‘scopes, cameras, and awave of excitable behavior running through their group and ours too. A localnaturalistquicklymadesureweallhadtheanimals,astheyrestedonthedistantrocks,amotherandtwonear adult sized cubs enjoying themorning sunshine. The cats, and us, remained there for the entireafternoon,andwewereevenbroughtafullcookedmealandteatoenjoy,whiletheleopardsloungedontheoppositesideofthevalley.Comelateafternoon,thedaycooledrathersuddenlyandtheleopardswereontheirfeetandheadingtothenearestridge,theirlongfull-bodiedtailstrailingbehind them.Lehhadpromisedlittleintermsofwildlife,exceptperhapsanIbisbill,butgaveussomuchmore;SnowLeopardsbeforewehadevenreachedSnowLeopardlodgeandthecoreareaforoursearchonthetour.ThegroupwereecstaticattheendofadaythathadprovidedarichblendofBuddhistculture,dramaticHimalayanscenery,andoneofthemostbeautifulandhighly-desiredcats.Ladakhhadgivenupitspremierwildlifeattractionswiftlyanddecisively.
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
AftersettlingintothelodgeinUlley,andmeetingwithourwell-armed(intermsofopticalequipment),teamofspottersandtrackers,wespenttheafternoonscanningthesurroundinghillsidesforanimals,butonly found birdlife in the form our first ‘bone-breakers’, or Lammergeiers (Bearded Vulture), andGoldenEagles,twoconspicuousaerialpredatorsinthissectionofLadakh.
1st–5thFebruary:SNOWLEOPARDSEARCH-UlleyandsurroundsThesedaysformedthecoreofthetrip,whenwewerebasedatthetinyBuddhistvillageofUlley,atthenewly-constructedSnowLeopardLodge,fortheexpresspurposesoftrackingthatanimaldown.Ofcourse,pressureswereeasedsomewhatamongthegroup,aswehadalreadyseenthespecieswellbeforetime,due to an extremely fortunate and unforeseen turn of events,which displayedwell the importance ofconnectingwith the local network of guides, naturalists, trackers and spotters, when looking for thiselusiveanimal.However, thatdidnotmean anyonewaskeen tomoveon from the ‘GrayGhost’ at all.Naturally,ourfocusremainedthesame,toworkintimatelywiththenetworkoflocalguidesinUlley,toseeif we could find further leopards. While the head tracker, Norbo, and his well-honed team oftrackers/spottersarebasedinUlley,theirpresenceandusefulnessonsuchatourwasfurtherenhancedbythefacttheyhavefamilyandprofessionalconnectionstootherlocaltrackersinneighboringvalleys.Thus,givingusawiderareatocoverifneeded.
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
Thegeneralpatternofeventswas,followinganoptionalearlymorningsessionofscanningtheimmediatehillsides,theschedulewastowaitforthe9amphoneinafterbreakfastatthelodge,bywhichtime,allofthevalleyscheckinwitheachothertoreportanysignificantanimalsightings.Afterthatrime,theusualritualofthesedayswastoreacttothenewsaccordingly.Our firstday on sitewas rather inauspicious, the early risers braving the considerable chill (around -13C/8.5F), were rewarded with a pair of Siberian Ibex calmly climbing the precipitous slopes. LatersearchesdeeperwithinthesamevalleyproducednothingmuchasidefromourfirstBrownDipper,andthe firstofmany sightingsof the ever-popularLammergeier (BeardedVulture) photo below (PabloCervantesDaza),andGoldenEagle,thecoreavianpredatorsattheseextremealtitudes.However,thedayendedwithpromise,agrouparrivedat the lodgeasweweretakingawelcome,andwell-deservedhotdinner,withnewsthattheyhadflushedaSnowLeopardonthewaytothelodge.Withthis,trackerswerescheduled to dispatch the next morning for the immediate area – Saspotse (confusingly also speltSaspocha),whilewewaitedatthelodgeanxiouslyfornews.
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
FollowinglunchsurroundedbytoweringHimalayanslopesbathedinsunshineandnotsnow,(aswouldnormallybeexpectedinthisnormallyfrigidseason),theteamoftrackerswerestartingtofeelsomethingwaswrong,andsotheysetoff inoneof thecars torechecktheearlierseenpugmarks,andsee if theiroriginalinterpretationswerecorrect.Nosoonerhadtheygone,thanaradiocrackledtolifebesideus.Afterchaoticscenes,weallbundledintothenearestcarsandspedoffinthedirectionoftheradiosignal.Onarrival,ourhastewashumbledsomewhat,whenwefoundthatoneofthedrivershadspottedthreeSnowLeopards loungingnonchalantlyontheslopesaboveus,wheretheyremainedfortheentireafternoon,occasionally changing their positions and causing awave of excitement through the group,whichhadswelledwellbeyondus,asnewshadspreadtogroupsstayinginothernearbylocations,whowerealsoconnectedtothe‘LeopardNetwork’.Twoverylengthysightings,greatlyenhancedbythequalityofourSwarovskispotting‘scopeinthreedaysofthetripwasmorethanwecouldhavehopedfor,andthegroupwerecheerfulfollowingthishighsuccessrate.
ChukarswereabundantaroundUlley
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
Birds on this part of the tourwere few and far between, aswintertime in the Himalayas at the loftyelevationofUlleyandsurrounds(around4000m/13,125ft)isnotthemostwelcomingenvironmentforbirdstoekeoutaliving.However,theimmediatesurroundsofthelodgewerehometoRobinandBrownAccentors,whichformedhyper-activefeedingflocksinthearea.Red-frontedSerin,andChukars(pagebefore)inparticularwerealsoaregularpresenceinthevicinityoftheSnowLeopardLodge.
Wealsowalkedfromthelodgetoaboulderfieldtocheckforpikas,arodentthatwashighonthehotlistfor some of the group. Both Large-eared and Royle’s are said to be in the area (although their exactdistributionsremainpoorlyknown),andoursecondattemptyieldedasingleconfidingLarge-earedPika,identifiedafterthequickformationofa‘PikaTaskForce’,whichwasneededtoreviewtheliteratureandaidintheidentificationoftheseconfusingmammals.TimewasalsospentinandaroundtheSpangoValley,where a small herd ofSiberian Ibex (above) grazed in several days, andwere thought tobe a likelyattractantforthelocalSnowLeopards.Whilebirdingthevalley,wemanagedtoflushupaSolitarySnipetwice,andaddthattothelimitedbirdlistavailableinthesepartsinthisseason.
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
Thetrackersspentconsiderabletimeinthisarea,andthispaidoff,again,whenaSnow Leopardcausedarapidreorganizationofourplans,andwedriveashortdistancefromthelodgetocatchupwithtwoanimalsrestingonaridgeline.Theseweretwonewanimals,bringingourtotaltoeightdifferentindividualleopardswithinthethreesightings.Onceagain,theanimalsremainedintheareaforsometime,restingoutthe‘hottest’partofthedaysthatbegunatatemperaturebelowzeroCentigrade.Whilewatchingtheseanimalsinthemorning,abirdtooktotheairclosebyonbroadwings,withalazyflightreminiscentofahoopoe.Itbouncedinandlandedjustout of sight. Sam went to check out if his thoughts were valid, and quickly confirmed them when aWallcreeperwasfoundprobingroadsiderocks.Highlightthatday,cameintheafternoon,onceoneoftheleopardsbecamemoreactive,andwasseenmarking/urinatingonanearbybyboulder,andthengentlycalling to the other individual, thought to be a sibling, both of which were now old enough to beindependentoftheirmother(fouryearsormore).
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018
Wealsointermittentlystoppedatboulderfields,hopingforthesecondandfinalpossiblepikaofthetrip,somethingthatSueandJohnwereparticularlykeenon.Onefieldlookedfantasticbutproducednothing,and thenwestopped at another, noting the chill caused by the higherwind strength and total lackofsunshineforthefirsttimeduringourtimeinLadakh,makingitthesinglecoldestperiodofthetour.Aswestoodthere,Johnquietlyannouncedhehadapika.KnowingthatRoyle’sPika(above)isgenerallyfoundatlowerelevationsthantheLarge-earedthatwehadalreadyseenmuchhigherup,weweremorethanalittleintrigued.Alltoosoon,Johngotusontoasmallballoffurhuddledonaboulder,whichseemedtobebracedagainstthecold.TheresataclearcutRoyle’sPika,providingagreatfinishtothetour,asidefromsomephotogenicRed-billedChoughs(nextpage)betweenthepikaandthecityofLeh,andseverallargeflocksofMongolianFinches.
Tropical Birding Trip Report LADAKH (India) The Search for SNOW LEOPARD custom tour Jan-Feb 2018