Holi 2021 was a special affair for us since it involved the most beautiful and 'safe' colors to play with friends and family. The plan was indeed a sudden one and it was an indirect result of a cancelled trip to Pakke Tiger Reserve which was scheduled way back in April 2020 (due to the looming pandemic).
While we were weighing our options for a short Holi getaway, we had to factor in two constraints. With the sudden surge in number of cases across states, we didn't want to cross any state borders and we only had 3 days in hand since there was no holiday for me on Friday. Needless to say this was going to be a birding trip and Neora Valley near Kalimpong in West Bengal seemed like a perfect fit. Due to the paucity of time, we took to the skies for a short 45 minutes flight to Bagdogra (Siliguri) airport from Kolkata. I'm pretty sure I heard a sigh of despair from our trusted 2.2L mHawk 140 powerplant as 'Silver Surfer' looked somberly at the Uber which had come to pick us up for the airport drop.
The final plan looked something like this :
26th March 2021 -
Late afternoon flight from Kolkata to Bagdogra and transfer to Neora valley Jungle Camp (NVCJ)
27th March 2021 -
Full day birding near the camp and nearby hotspots
28th March 2021 -
Full day birding inside Neora valley National Park & Lava outskirts
29th March 2021 -
Morning session near Kolakham village and late evening flight from Bagdogra to Kolkata
Day 1
We were flying exactly after one year and the whole experience seemed strange. Security clearance was completed without even having to remove our hiking shoes. They didn’t ask me to open my camera backpack which contained a particularly ‘sinister’ looking lens. During 99% of normal flights, they make me open the backpack and then examine the lens closely. Thankfully our flight was on time and very soon we heard the captain’s voice echo through the cabin - ‘We are preparing for descent’. It was a very short flight of about 45-50 minutes and just like that our regular 12 hour driving pilgrimage to the gateway of North Bengal with a ton of unpredictable traffic jams, road blockages and moon-sized crater laden roads seemed to vanish behind us.
As our pickup vehicle started dashing towards the outlines of the not-so-distant mountains in the horizon, I heaved a huge sigh of relief. I was finally going back to my happy place, one where I truly belonged.
Google Maps showed that it would take us almost 3.5 hours to reach Neora Valley Jungle Camp, located just above the Kolakham village. The road took us through the Fulbari-Dabgram route crossing Teesta Barrage at Gajoldoba and then rushed past the lush green tea estates of Gorubathan and Oodlabari. I had already driven along this beautiful stretch multiple times and I was itching to sit behind the steering wheel ! We finally reached our destination at around 8:30pm and our hosts at NVCJ were waiting with warm smiles and delightful cups of coffee.
Our guide was already present at the premises and we quickly sat with him to discuss and finalize the next day’s plan.
In a matter of 3 hours, the ambient temperature had taken a deep plunge from 36 degrees to 12 degrees celsius and the hot chicken soup bowl right before the main course seemed like a luxury to cherish for the hungry birders.
We were put up in the ‘Niltava’ cottage which came with an exclusive attic for savoring gorgeous views of the mountain-next-door, Mt. Kanchenjunga !
Needless to say it was going to be one of the most peaceful naps, deep down somewhere in the woods of the blue planet. Pure bliss, I must say.
Niltava Cottage NVCJ Entrance Day 2
The day began early at 5:30am with the mellifluous songs of the minstrels of Nature. A bright blue Verditer Flycatcher had come to wish us good morning and was singing to us from a nearby tree branch. Although it's very common in that region, it is still an extremely beautiful bird to photograph from close quarters.
Verditer Flycatcher
Our guide was waiting for us near the parking area and we promptly joined him on a walk along the main road that led towards the village. The very first visitor on that list was a Himalayan Bluetail, a bird easily identifiable by a streak of light blue along its tail. It is a migrant from the higher altitude region, sighted mostly during the months of March-April.
Himalayan Blue-tail
The second bird to show up was also a high altitude migrant, a rufous-breasted Accentor.
Rufous-breasted Accentor
As we continued along the path, we were greeted by several other beautiful species that included the likes of Rufous Sibia, Himalayan Shrike Babbler, Red vented Yuhinas, Nepal Fulvetta, Streak-throated barwing , Rufous-bellied Niltavaetc. They seemed to have a jolly time playing and foraging for food as the first rays of the sun started penetrating through the lush green canopy above. Since it was very early in the morning, there was absolutely no other sounds apart from the birdies calling out in myriad tunes. We carried on in silence, occasionally halting to capture their playful moods and activities.
Rufous-bellied Niltava (our cottage was named after him) Red-vented Yuhina Rufous Sibia Nepal Fulvetta Himalayan Shrike babbler
Photographing birds or even birdwatching for that matter is difficult inside a thick forest since the birds are extremely hard to spot. Grasslands and water bodies are much more friendlier when it comes to spotting and photographing birds. While you're walking along a jungle trail, there's a high chance of birds taking shelter in the upper branches of the trees which is not exactly the ideal position to take a picture. Capturing a bird at an eye level is one of the fundamental guidelines in bird photography and that can prove to be quite a challenge on such jungle trails.
Sharing a few of the common birds which are omnipresent in that region -
Buff-barred Warbler (imo) Green-backed Tit Striated bulbul Rufous-bellied Niltava (F) Lemon-rumped warbler(imo) Gray-winged blackbird Redstart (F)
The morning hike lasted for about 3 hours and we were back at the camp for breakfast by 9 am. Post breakfast we decided to visit a local birding & tourist hotspot - Changey Waterfalls.
As our driver was busy parking the Bolero, I spotted a dash of red flying away from a nearby tree branch. To my utter disappointment, I realized that I had missed the beautiful Maroon Oriole in its breeding plumage. It was a short but a sharp descent to the actual falls and by the time we reached the base of the waterfall, it was almost noon. I was expecting a tiny trickle and was amazed to see a full fledged waterfall rushing down in all its glory ! Our search for the Forktails proved to be futile as we could only spot one solitary Plumbeous water redstart frolicking along the wet stones.
While hiking back to the main road, we were lucky to spot a couple of Orange bellied Leafbirds and a Himalayan Shrike Babbler (female).
We drove back to the camp before lunch and noticed that the manager was waiting anxiously for our arrival. His face was extremely grim and he conveyed that the Neora Valley National Park was closed to tourists due to an ongoing Biodiversity camp.
We were crestfallen on hearing this news because it meant that we had to miss out on an opportunity to get a glimpse of the super elusive Satyr Tragopan, which ranked first on our targeted list for this trip. The manager explained that this was highly unusual and it has only occurred once or twice in the past.
This meant we had to make fresh plans for the next day and we decided that we will try to connect with one of our known forest guards in order to seek some kind of a permission from him.
The afternoon session was mostly conducted near the Kolakham village where we came across a Golden throated barbet resting on a tree top. A black faced warbler soon followed along with a black throated sunbird , and an Olive-backed pippit.
The weather was a bit cloudy and the evening set in earlier than usual due to the grey clouds mopping up the last rays of the setting sun. The last photos for the day were reserved for couple shots of a male and female Verditer Flycatcher and Fan-tailed Flycatcher.
My father also spotted and photographed this beautiful orange bellied squirrel near the jungle camp main gate.
Back at the hotel we spoke to our guide and also the hotel manager and asked them for alternative birding hotspots. We decided that we will visit Ladam Road near Lava and then after completing the morning session we will stop by the forest office and seek permission.