June-2019: Our second visit to Makku Math, Uttarakhand (Garhwal)
We visited Makku Math (Garhwal) Uttarakhand in October-2018 for the first time. We were so impressed with the location, the variety of birds, mobile connectivity and stable 4G connection, that we decided we would come back here for a long stay. So, we came here to stay with Mr. Yashpal Negi Ji this month and booked his house for the entire month of June-2019. Obviously, birding was the prime activity every morning and evening in Makku Math, but I also managed bird watching in Chopta, Tunganath as well. Here are the pics and the video from this time around.
Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler (lifer)
Tickell's Thrush male
Tickell's Thrush female
Pied Thrush male (lifer)
Pied Thrush female (lifer)
Blue-whistling Thrush
Striated Prinia (lifer)
Alpine Swift (lifer)
Spot-winged Starling male (lifer)
Spot-winged Starling female and male (lifer)
Indian Cuckoo female (lifer)
Maroon Oriole male
Maroon Oriole female
Upland Pipit (lifer)
Streaked Laughingthrush
Striated Laughingthrush
White-throated Laughingthrush
Black Francolin
Pink-browed Rosefinch male (lifer)
Yellow-breasted Greenfinch (lifer)
Himalayan Bluetail male (lifer)
Golden Bush Robin female
Bearded Vulture (Lammergeier) (lifer)
Griffon Vulture
West Himalayan Bush Warbler (lifer)
Grey-sided Bush Warbler
Russet Bush Warbler (lifer)
Lemon-rumped Warbler (lifer)
Western Crowned Warbler (lifer)
Black-faced Warbler (lifer)
Whistler's Warbler
Grey-hooded Warbler
Ashy-throated Warbler
Grey-creasted Tit (lifer)
Coal Tit (lifer)
Black-lored Tit
Green-backed Tit
White-browed Fulvetta
Rusty-flanked Treecreeper (lifer)
Long-tailed Minivet female
Scarlet Minivet male
Grey Treepie juv
Grey Treepie (lifer)
Grey-winged Blackbird male
Grey-winged Blackbird female
Grey Bushchat male
Grey Bushchat female
Grey Bushchat juv
Common Stonechat male
Common Stonechat female
Common Stonechat juv
Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon male
Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon female
Scaly-breasted Munia
Russet Sparrow male
Russet Sparrow female
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House Sparrow male
House Sparrow female
Eurasian Collared Dove
Spotted Dove
Himalayan Bulbul
Red-vented Bulbul
Black Bulbul
Spotted Forktail (lifer)
Spotted Forktail juv
Great Barbet
Blue-throated Barbet
Kalij Pheasant male
Kalij Pheasant juv
Kalij Pheasant female
Rufous Sibia
Himalayan Woodpecker female
Rufous-bellied Woodpecker male
Rufous-bellied woodpecker female (lifer)
Lesser Yellownape male
Lesser Yellownape female
Brown-fronted Woodpecker male
Grey-headed Woodpecker female
Grey-headed Woodpecker male
Slaty-headed Parakeet male (lifer)
Plum-headed Parakeet
Red-billed Blue Magpie (lifer)
Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher
Verditer Flycatcher juvenile
Verditer Flycatcher male
White-throated Fantail
Common Kestrel juv
Common Kestrel female
Black-headed Jay (lifer)
Eurasian Jay (lifer)
Jungle Myna
Ashy Drongo
Ashy Drongo juv
Silver-washed Fritillary
Atlas Moth
Atlas Moth
Small Tortoiseshell
Himalayan Common Baron
Studded Sergeant
Common Peacock
Painted Lady
Long-tailed Shrike
White-browed Shrike-babbler female
White-browed Shrike-babbler male
Oriental White-eye
Small Niltava male (lifer)
Bonelli's Eagle (lifer)
Peregrine Falcon
Crested Serpent Eagle and Ashy Drongo
Red-rumped Swallow
Our first visit to Makku Math: October-2018
Our first birding trip to Uttarakhand and the choice had to be made between Garhwal and Kumaon. I don't have anything against Kumaon, but birding in Garhwal gave me the "Fun of the Chase". Maybe that's the only difference between these two exotic locations. We managed to spot 51 lifers, being our first trip to Uttarakhand and a big note of thanks goes to Mr. Yashpal Negi from Sparrow House Birders' Camp, Makkumath, Uttarakhand.
We hired a zoom car from Delhi and went to Dehradun. Stayed at Waltere for overnight stay and next morning left for Makkumath. Drive was horrible as the roads are all under construction, better should have asked Mr. Negi for a to-and-fro conveyance from Dehradun airport.
We had 5 days of birding as per the below Itinerary.
Day 1 and 2: Waltere Dehradun
Day 3: Makkumath Uttarakhand
Day 4: Tunganath Trek
Day 5: Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary
Day 1 and 2: Waltere is the best place to stay if you plan to do some birding in Dehradun location. We were lucky to meet Bikram Grewal in person at Waltere. On our return journey we stayed at Shaheen Bagh, which i regret. My recommendation to one and all, stay at Waltere, they are far better in every aspect. We did some birding in and around the resort and also at the river side location. Here are some of the moments we captured.
Red-billed Leiothrix (lifer)
White-crested Laughingthrush (lifer)
Crimson Sunbird (lifer)
Plumbeous Water Redstart Female (lifer)
Plumbeous Water Redstart Male (lifer)
Grey-beasted Prinia
Day 3: Makkumath Uttrakhand
The day starts at 6 AM with Mr. Yashpal Negi and ends at 6 PM. A lot of trekking involved in the day but the real fun of sighting birds is in the wild chase. Maybe the reason why i prefer Garhwal over Kumaon. Some sightings from Day 2.
Whiskered Yuhina (lifer)
Oriental Turtle Dove
Himalayan Woodpecker male (lifer)
Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (lifer)
Dark-sided Flycatcher (lifer)
Speckled Piculet (lifer)
Black-chinned Babbler (lifer)
Little Forktail (lifer)
Grey Wagtail
Bar-tailed Treecreeper
Ultramarine Flycatcher Male
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher
Black-throated Tit
Jackal
Chaukhamba Peak
Day 4: Tunganath Trek
It was going to be a tough day today. Trekking from 9000 feet above sea level at Chopta to 12000 feet at Tunganath wasn't going to be easy. But the rewards to see the birds at that altitude was far too inviting. We had to reach at the top before 9 AM so that the sun doesn't make the Monal hide in solitude. So trekking at that breathless speed, at that extreme altitude, and in that that shivering cold wasn't easy at all. At last we got rewarded with the below sightings.
Himalayan Monal Male (lifer)
Himalayan Monal Female (lifer)
Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Male (lifer)
Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Juvenile (lifer)
Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Female (lifer)
Himalayan Vulture (lifer)
Variegated Laughingthrush
Himalayan Bluetail Female (lifer)
Himalayan Pika
Olive-backed Pipit (lifer)
Collared Owlet (lifer)
Black-faced Warbler (lifer)
Day 5: Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary
An early morning trek to Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary was a very rewarding experience. Here are the sightings.
Himalayan Tahr
Himalayan Tahr
White-collared Blackbird Male (lifer)
White-collared Blackbird Female (lifer)
Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher (lifer)
White-capped Water Redstart (lifer)
Rhesus Macaque
Stripe-throated Yuhina (lifer)
White-tailed Nuthatch
Yellow-browed Tit (lifer)
Mountain Hawk Eagle (lifer)
Great Tit
Brown Dipper (lifer)
Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush (lifer)
Long-tailed Minivet male (lifer)
Scarlet Minivet Female (lifer)
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Female (lifer)
Small Niltava Female (lifer)
Day 6: Drive back to Dehradun from Makkumath
On the way near Bhiri, got a chance to click the Crested Kingfisher that was eluding us for all our trip. What a sighting to end this wonderful trip.
