Sunday, March 12, 2023

Drive from Lucknow to Dhanachuli

Lucknow – Dhanachuli – Lucknow

TRIP 1: March 2023

Total driving distance: 406 onward + 406 return = 812 km
Total time: 8 hours onwards and 9 hours return.
Average fuel economy: 14.2 kmpl
Car: Audi A4 Petrol
Passengers: 3 adults
Luggage: Full boot
Place of stay: Rituraj Homestay (https://goo.gl/maps/WNsLH41g5BW3HpPV7)
 
Dhanachuli is like a second home to us. My parents used to visit Dhanachuli every year and stay there for the entire summer. Incidentally, I never got a chance to visit until now. This time I was staying in Lucknow for about a month and I realized that it would be a wonderful opportunity for me to visit and see this place. I had the Audi too with me, so the journey should also be very comfortable. Apparently there is a problem with the 4G/5G connection, hence I planned to stay for only the weekend. A couple of days’ stay, only to know what the place is and what kind of potential it has for birding and the potential for a long term stay.
 
Dhanachuli is quite pristine, compared to Nainital / Mukteshwar, there is hardly any tourist traffic here and the village is not at all crowded. Perfect for a long term stay. Birding is phenomenal, at an altitude of 7000 ft, you can easily imagine how beautiful the bird life will be. If I list down the species that I saw in a matter of 2 days, anybody would be surprised.
 
The drive till Dhanachuli from Lucknow was smooth. Since it was the month of March, the summer vacation did not start yet, because of that the roads near Bhimtal were completely deserted. It might have saved us about an hour compared to the regular time that it takes usually. We left Lucknow at 5-30 AM and managed to reach Dhanachuli by 1-30 PM. The return journey wasn’t that great though. By mistake I took the route through Bareilly / Khutani and I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody. Too much of traffic compared to the road via Pilibhit. Onward journey was through Sitapur, Sitarganj and Pilibhit, which is much better as far as traffic movement and road condition is concerned.
 
The entire list of bird species that I saw is as below,
  1. Ashy Drongo
  2. Barn Swallow
  3. Black Bulbul
  4. Black Francolin
  5. Black headed Jay
  6. Black-throated Accentor
  7. Black-throated Tit
  8. Blue Whistling Thrush
  9. Blue-fronted Redstart
  10. Brown-fronted Woodpecker
  11. Common Stonechat
  12. Eurasian Collared Dove
  13. Great Barbet
  14. Green-backed Tit
  15. Grey Bushchat
  16. Grey Treepie
  17. Grey-hooded Warbler
  18. Himalayan Bulbul
  19. Himalayan Buzzard
  20. House Sparrow
  21. Jungle Crow
  22. Jungle Myna
  23. Long-tailed Minivet
  24. Long-tailed Shrike
  25. Oriental Turtle Dove
  26. Oriental White-eye
  27. Red-billed Blue Magpie
  28. Red-rumped Swallow 
  29. Rock Bunting
  30. Rose-ringed Parakeet
  31. Rufous Sibia
  32. Russet Sparrow
  33. Spotted Dove
  34. Streaked Laughingthrush
  35. Verditer Flycatcher

 
Enjoy some of the pics below.

Black-throated Accentor (lifer)

Rock Bunting (lifer)

Rock Bunting (lifer)

Russet Sparrow male

Grey Bushchat male

Blue Whistling Thrush

Himalayan Bulbul

Green-backed Tit

Long-tailed Minivet female

Long-tailed Minivet male

Streaked Laughingthrush

Brown-fronted Woodpecker male

Brown-fronted Woodpecker female

Blue-fronted Redstart female

Black-throated Tit

Grey-hooded Warbler

Grey Bushchat female

Black-headed Jay

Common Stonechat female

TRIP 2: JUNE 2023

Total driving distance: 406 km onward and 406 km return  
Total time: 8 hours onwards and 8 hours 46 minutes return 
Average fuel economy: 15.5 kmpl 
Car: Honda Amaze Petrol 
Passengers: 3 adults
Luggage: Full boot
Place of stay: Rituraj Homestay (https://goo.gl/maps/WNsLH41g5BW3HpPV7)

This was our second trip and this time neither I had the Audi with me, nor I had my camera gear. Whatever i could click I did it with my mobile. Was lucky to click a lifer butterfly. It was a wonderful season to visit, harvested Peach, Plum, Apricot and Potato with help from Raju (owner and farmer of Rituraj homestay). 

Green Hairstreak - Theclini

Peach tree @ Rituraj Homestay

French hydrangea

Dhanachuli Altitude

Apricot, Peach and Plum harvest @ Rituraj homestay

Apple tree @ Rituraj homestay

View of Himalayas from Rituraj Homestay

Glassy Tiger

Evening view from our home

Himalayan view from our home 

Mother of Pearl Moth

TRIP 3: DECEMBER 2023

Total driving distance: 406 km onward and 406 km return  
Total time: 8 hours 8 minutes onwards and 8 hours 30 minutes return
Average fuel economy: 15.0 kmpl 
Car: Honda Amaze Petrol 
Passengers: 3 adults
Luggage: Full boot
Place of stay: Rituraj Homestay (https://goo.gl/maps/WNsLH41g5BW3HpPV7)

The fact that I will be making 3 trips to Dhanachuli this year, is way too overwhelming, considering I did not make a single trip before this year. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every chance to go there and I'm looking forward to many more such occasions. 

Once again, as it was last time, this was a totally unplanned trip. Since I was not aware about this trip, so I did not bring my camera gear from Hyderabad. Unfortunately, because of that, I missed to click a lifer Blue-capped Redstart male. It was so easy to see that bird all around multiple times, and everytime I saw it feeding nearby, I missed my camera so much. 

Atleast, I got to ID it well and I'm sure next time I go to Dhanachuli in winters, I'm definitely going to carry the gear along. 

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