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Birding from Phuntsholing toTingtibe in Bhutan

01 Day. Bagdora/Phuntsholing: 170km

We will enter southern Bhutan from Bagdora and stay overnight in a hotel  in Phuntsholing town. Forest type there is sub-tropical broadleaved forest. People are Lhotsampa and speak Lhotsampa or Nepali language.

Birding there,  we will able to see birds like Black Kite, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Red-breasted Parakeet, Coppersmith Barbet, Lineated Barbet, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Ibisbill, River Lapwing, Black Eagle, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Great Egret, House Crow, Maroon Oriole, Oriental Magpie Robin, Common Stonechat, Chestnut-tailed Starling, Barn Swallow, Oriental White-eye, Mountain Tailorbird, House Sparrow etc.

02 Day. Phuntsholing/Thimphu: 179km

We travel from Phuntsholing to Thimphu to pass through sub-tropical broadleaved forest and Chir pine forest. Birding along the road, one can find birds such as Hill Partridge, Red Crossbill, Spotted  Nutcracker, Black-faced Laughing Thrush, Rusty-checked Scimitar Babbler,  White-browed Fulvetta, Grey-crested Tit, Green-backed Tit,  Red-headed Bullfinch, Rufous-vented Tit, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Speckled Piculet, Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, Darjeeling Woodpecker,  Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Hodgson’s Redstart, Grey-backed Shrike, White-capped Water Restart, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Common Sandpiper, Ibisbill, Great Cormorant, Common Merganser, Wallcreeper, Red-crested Pochard, Ruddy Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, River Lapwing, Oriental Skylark, Great Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Blue-throated Barbet, Rufous-necked Hornbill, White-throated Laughingthrush, Chetnut-crowned Laughingthrush etc.

03 Day. Thimphu/Punakha: 64km

We will travel through Chir pine forest,mixed conifer forest and broadleaved forest and ascend to Dochu La a high mountain pass of 3116 m. In Punakha, we will stay overnight in a hotel.

Some of the species we will see along the road are Grey-winged Blackbird, White-collared Blackbird, Plain-backed Thrush, Rusty-flanked Treecreeper, Greenish Warbler, Great Barbet, Red-flanked Bluetail, Golden Bush Robin, White-browed Fulvetta, Rufous Sibia, Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Ashy-throated Warbler, Short-billed Minivet, Rosy Pipit, Maroon Oriole, Blue-fronted Redstart, Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, Rufous-breasted Bush Robin, Whiskered Yuhina Green-tailed Sunbird, Hill Partridge, Collared Owlet, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, Red-vented Bulbul, Common Myna, Oriental Turtle Dove, Eurasian Hoopoe, Russet Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, White-throated Laughingthrush, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, White-browed Fulvetta,  Black Bulbul, White-naped Yuhina, Common Merganser, Ibisbill, White-bellied Heron, Palla’s Fish Eagle etc.

04 Day. Punakha/Shatem Camp

Crossing through Chir pine and broadleaved forest,  we camp a night in Shatem in Jigme Dorji National Park. Birding along the road, we will see birds like Ruddy Shelduck, River Lapwing, Common Kingfisher, Common Merganser, Common Hoopoe, Siberian Stonechat, Rufous-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Long-tailed Shrike, Grey-backed Shrike,  Hodgson’s Redstart, Ibisbill, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon,  Mallard, Bar-headed Geese, Common Buzzard, Brown Dipper, Oriental Magpie Robin, Scaly-breasted Munia,  Crested Bunting, Yellow-bellied Fantail, Grey-cheeked Warbler, Grey-hooded Warbler, Hume’s Warbler, Lemon-rumped Warbler, Oriental White-eye, Grey Wagtail, Grey Treepie, Red-crested Pochard, Tufted Duck, Eurasian Teal, Ferruginous Duck, Pallas’ Fish Eagle, Common Sandpiper, Crested Kingfisher, Rufous Sibia, Striated Prinia, Long-tailed Minivet,  Dark-sided Flycatcher, White-throated Laughingthrush, Grey Treepie, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Barred Cuckoo Dove, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Red-tailed Minla, Black-throated Tit,  Asian Brown Flycatcher, Slaty-blue Flycatcher, Scaly-backed Forktail,  Striated Laughingthrush, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Nepal House Martin, Slaty-backed Flycatcher, Nepal Fulvetta, Lesser Shortwing , Yellow-ventedWarbler, White-spectacled Warbler, White-throated Fantail, White-bellied Epornis, Rufous-capped Babbler, Great Barbet, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Black-throated Sunbird, Kalij Pheasant, Asian Barred Owlet ,Large Niltava, Long-tailed Thrush, Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush etc.

05 Day. Shatem camp to Phobjikha

Passing through Chir pine forest, broadleaved forest and Fir forest, we will reach Phobjikha valley, a place where Black-necked Crane roost in winter.  People are Ngalop and speak Dzongkha, national language.

Along the road, we will see birds like Himalayan Greenfinch, Great Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Blue-throated Barbet, Black-throated Sunbird, Himalayan Swiftlet,  Scarlet Minivet, Long-tailed Minivet, Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike, White-tailed, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Oriental White-eye, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Speckled Piculet, Black-eared Shrike Babbler, Rosy Pipit, Besra, Crested Serpent Eagle, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Chestnut-tailed Minla, White-throated Fantail, Green-tailed Sunbird,  Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Winter Wren, Black-necked Crane, Hen Harrier, Common Buzzard, Red-billed Chough, White-browed Rosefinch, Crimson-browed Finch, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Great Parrotbill etc.

06 Day. Phobjikha/Trongsa

We will cross Pelela pass, fir and broadleaved forests. In Trongsa, one will overnight in a hotel. People there speak Mangdeb and Khengkha. Driving along the road, we will find birds such as White-collared Blackbird, Winter Wren, Himalayan Monal, Satyr Tragopan,  Alpine Accentor, White-browed Rosefinch, Great Parrotbill, Dark-throated Thrush, Hoary-throated Barwing, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Stripe-throated Yuhina, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, Rufous Sibia, White-browed Bush Robin, Black-throated, Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush, Golden-breasted Fulvetta,  Eurasian Jay, Himalayan Swiftlet etc.

07 Day. Trongsa/Tingtibe

Birding along the road, one can see Yellow-browed Tit, White-throated Laughingthrush, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler, Verditer Flycatcher, Lemon-rumped Warbler, Hume’s Warbler, Tickell’s Leaf Warbler, Crested Bunting, House Swift, Eurasian Kestrel, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush,  Blue Rock Thrush, Ashy Bulbul, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Blythe’s Leaf Warbler, Pacific Swift, Greater Spotted Eagle, Black Drongo, Ashy Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Striated Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Great Barbet,  Blue-throated Barbet, Striated Yuhina, Black-chinned Yuhina, Whiskered Yuhina, Slaty-bellied Tesia, Asian Barred Owlet, Grey-headed Parrotbill, White-crested Laughingthrush, Speckled Woodpigeon,  Spotted Dove, Beautiful Nuthatch etc.