Suraj
ki pehali kiran se, aashaa kaa savera jaage
chandaa
ki kiran se dhul kar, ghanghor andhera bhaage.
Jahan dur najar daud aaye, aazad gagan leharaye
Jahan rang birange panchhee, aasha kaa sandesa laye…..
I
wonder if Kishore Kumar visited Arunachal before he wrote these soulful lyrics!
So
true do these words ring for this veritable paradise on earth.
My
visit to Arunachal this year was, literally, the feeling of being cradled into
her bosom by a mother, just as she would her beloved child. The sun was the
mother, the forests her bosom.
I
had long desired to visit the northeast of India. But my desire had till now, remained
a distant dream….. until Adesh and Mandar announced their Birding trip to Eaglenest/Nameri.
It is a simple truth that sometimes the most ordinary things could be made
extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people..... So this was it! My
dreams during the next few nights were of Yuhinas, Fulvettas, Barwings and
Liochichlas!
Our
first halt, after a long flight from Mumbai to Guwahati, was at the most
unlikely places on a traveller’s itinerary…..the Guwahati Dumping Ground! But
we were no ordinary travellers. We were a motley group of avid bird watchers
with a single resolve…..to venture into any extreme to catch a glimpse of our
feathered friends.
As
it turned out, a stinky, rotting mire for some, became paradise for us! A
mélange of black kites, egrets, cormorants, wagtails and sparrows greeted us as
we entered the dump yard. And then, the very reason for venturing into this
dump, the Greater Adjutant Stork, in all its magnificent glory…..! It is said
that more than 20% of the world’s population is found here on the Guwahati
Dumping Ground. These Storks, a globally threatened species, breed in the tall
trees on the periphery of the dump yard and scavenge for food on the garbage. For
me, this was the first of many ‘lifers’ that were to follow. And on a tree just
outside the dump, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow was the next! (Just for the
uninitiated, a ‘lifer’ in a birder’s parlance means the very first sighting of
a particular species in his/her life.)
Our
birders’ appetite whetted, we were soon on our way towards Nameri Tiger
Reserve. After a sumptuous lunch enroute, I slept the rest of the journey, like
a well-fed baby!
Spread
over an area of approximately 200 Sq. Kms., the Nameri Tiger Reserve lies in
the foothills of Eastern Himalayas, on the banks of Nameri River. It is on the
border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Nameri is probably the only known place
in India for the endangered White Winged Wood Duck.
Our
day began with a ride across the Jia Bhoroli River in a small wooden boat, the
only way one can access the Nameri Tiger Reserve. The hope of spotting the
elusive White Winged Wood Duck was apparent in our gaze. True to its reputation,
this one was to elude us. But the treat that followed, more than compensated
for the non-sighting of the elusive duck. The sight of the Peregrine Falcon
perched high on a bare tree, the acrobatics of the Chestnut Headed Bee-eaters, the
majestic Great Hornbill, the regal Sultan Tit, the Maroon Oriole, the Ruddy
Shelducks and Fulvous Whistling Ducks, the Osprey and Pied Kingfishers ….what
more could an ardent birder ask for? Two more ‘lifers’ for me!
Since
Nameri was just a stopover to break the long journey from Guwahati to Eaglenest
WLS, we left immediately after the morning birding session, only to return to
Nameri once again on our way back to Guwahati Airport. It was during this
second stopover that a few more of my ‘lifers’ were to follow – the Ibisbill,
Common Merganser and Great Thick-knee. It is indeed interesting how birds use their
instincts for survival. We were fortunate to have witnessed the dexterity of
the Ibisbill. Normally, it would be challenging to see an Ibisbill on a river
bed, its natural habitat, but for its long red beak which is a complete give-away.
So to hide itself from probable predators, it sticks its head down into its own
wings so that its beak is hidden and now resembles any other stone on the
riverbed! Clever indeed!
As
we sailed along in our rubber dingy Small Pratincoles, Pied Kingfishers, River
Terns and a solitary Black Stork made a great feast for our eyes. Closer to the
camp, the cacophony of the Asian Pied and Chestnut Tailed Starlings greeted us
as they flitted playfully on the trees. Ah yes!! And how can I forget the
Capped Langur! As all of us leaped out of the jeep like monkeys and scrambled to get a
picture, our cameras clicking away at the sight of the primate, that monkey sat
there, dignified and regal. His piercing stare will remain in my memory
forever.
With
Nameri proving to be a great appetizer, the main course was still to follow!
We
began our onward journey into Eaglenest via Bhalukpong, which is in Assam on
the border with Arunachal, and where Inner Line Permits are checked before
entry into Arunachal. Being a sensitive area with territorial issues with
bordering China, anyone who wishes to enter Arunachal is obliged to obtain a
permit from the Govt. of India. Adesh’s local co-ordinator, the very charming, Mr.
Indi Glow had left no stone unturned is ensuring our smooth entry and
comfortable stay for the days to follow.
As
we left Bhalukpong, the long winding road took us along the Kameng River with
the Pakke Tiger Reserve and Sessa Orchid Sanctuary on either side of the road.
The Tippi Nalla which drains the eastern part of the sanctuary joins the Kameng
River and eventually flows down to meet the mighty Brahmaputra. With the plains
far behind us, we were now headed for Tenga Valley, from where a ‘kachcha’
single road would take us up to our first camp site, Lama Camp. Tenga town also doubles up as an important Indian army check post.
After a quick stopover at the town for tea and a delightful introduction with
Mr.Indi Glow himself, we were soon on our way to Lama Camp. We were scheduled
to pick up our local birding expert Khandu enroute at a settlement called
Ramalingam. On reaching Ramalingam, we saw no signs of Khandu, and no one had a
definite clue about his whereabouts. I could see some amount of anxiety on
Adesh’s face. We waited for a few minutes and decided to leave without him. We
reached Lama Camp by dusk only to see Khandu waiting calmly for us oblivious of
the anxiety he had put us through!
At
a height of about 2400 mts, Lama Camp is perched up on a picturesque location surrounded
by broad leaved forests and bamboo groves. An occasional Magnolia Tree, provides
a sudden burst of white amongst the lush greenery. The camp is run by the local
Bugun tribe, headed by Mr.Indi Glow. In
addition to about 10-11 2-man tents equipped with comfortable beds, blankets,
sleeping bags and solar lamps, the camp has 2 dining areas and clean and
efficient toilet blocks. Thanks to the efforts of a gentleman named Dr. Ramana
Athreya, the Buguns benefit from the continued existence of the Eaglenest Sanctuary.
They run the birdwatching camps, generating income for themselves and protect
the sanctuary from poaching and deforestation. Dr. Athreya has not only
discovered a new bird species, Bugun Liochichla, which he so graciously named
after the local tribe, but has single-handedly made Eaglenest into one of the
hottest birding areas of the country thereby ensuring the livelihood and
well-being of the tribal communities of the area. Kudos are in order for Dr.Athreya!
Many would agree with me if I said that the world needs more people like him.
It was freezing
in Lama Camp. Our bags had not yet been unloaded from the vehicles. Much to the
chagrin of our driver Bobby, I scrambled to get my hands on the woollens from my
bag. I could have worn ALL that I had! As tents were being allotted to all of
us, we waited in the dining room as the fire place provided a welcome relief.
Soon dinner was served and all of us, fatigued from the long journey had
retired into our tents even before 9 pm. Varsha was to be my tent-mate over the
next 5 days. I was freezing even after wearing woollen socks and hand gloves
and burying myself under extra layers of blankets. Sunrise came as a great relief!
After
a steaming cup of tea, made so lovingly by the ever-smiling staff, we were off
for some birding near the camp area. Khandu, who had evaded us the earlier day,
was all set to lead us into the pristine forest. And so began our Eaglenest
birding sojourn. The first to be sighted were the Beautiful Sibia. The
excitement that followed was immense. There were atleast a dozen or more of
them flitting up and down a gigantic moss-laden tree. Just as all our ardent
photographers were having a field day with the Sibias, a Rufous-bellied
Woodpecker made his appearance and the attention shifted to this brilliant
little bird, fondly nick-named ‘tamatar head’ by Adesh and Mandar. By the end
of the day, we had managed to see the Striated and Bhutan Laughing Thrushes,
Green Tailed Sunbirds, Green Backed Tits, Great Barbet, Darjeeling Woodpecker,
some Minivets, Ioras, Rock Thrushes and Leafbirds amongst other brilliant
species.
For
any birder coming to Eaglenest, a glimpse of the secretive Bugun Liochichla is
the ultimate desire. Our motley group was no different. We were going to be in
Lama Camp only for this one day as we were to leave for Bompu Camp the next
morning. And since this species has been seen only in the area around Lama
Camp, it was important that we begin our efforts at flushing it out
immediately. And so the search began. Adesh led us through the winding road.
Khandu bent and peeped into every thicket. He stood on the edge of the road tentatively
and stared patiently down into the forest. Mandar’s eyes were alert for any
sign of movement in the bushes. Everyone waited in anticipation. The search
however would end in vain. But as they say, sometimes the effort is more
satisfying than the reward.
As
the next day dawned right before my eyes, how I wished to just lie there in the
cozy warmth of my sleeping bag, lazing around with a hot cup of tea, gazing at
the sun rising from the distant hills….
but that pleasure was not to be mine, atleast not for today! Adesh had
sounded the bugle! “Chalo, tea is ready! And we have to leave immediately!!”
And so here we were, all set, armed with our ammunition as it were! Binocs,
cameras and all! The journey to Bompu Camp was going to take us all day.
Equipped with packed breakfast and lunch and lots of drinking water, we set out
soon after tea.
The
route to Bompu from Lama is via Eaglenest Pass which is the highest point at an
elevation of 2800mts. After that the route starts descending towards Sunderview
at 2465mts and Bompu at 1945 mts and continuing onto Khellong, Kamengbari and
Telamara down to 100 mts. But our destination was to be Bompu where we were to
stay the next 3 nights. We would later go down to Sessni at 1250 mts on the
other side of Bompu towards Khellong for day of birding. Sessni literally means
Stinging Nettle which is found in abundance in this part of the sanctuary. We
had to tread carefully. The journey was one of the most picturesque ones I have
made in my life. The landscape changed with the varying altitudes and so did
the vegetation. The degraded forests surrounding Lama Camp transformed into
verdant, dense broad-leaved jungle. As we got closer to the Eaglenest Pass, icy
wind stung our faces. There were some Bamboo groves in this area. My palms were
frozen stiff and I had no sensation on my nose. A sign board put up by the
Forest Department announced that we were now at Eaglenest Pass. Just before
approaching the aptly name Sunderview area, we took a breather at a place
called Chakoo. Adesh
informed us that Chakoo at 2400 mts was the remotest polling booth in India,
with a total electorate of just three people! A bureaucrat would make his way
here with a chair and a table and wait for these three to turn up and exercise
their franchise!
Our
journey was punctuated by several birding stops. Most of the time, our drivers,
Bobby and Basu would drop us at a point and then drive up a little later to
pick us up some distance further. We reached Bompu Camp late that evening,
exhausted but satiated with the sighting of amazing birds during the day.
Lopsang, the ever-smiling Manager of the camp, alongwith his band of boys had
served up a hot and delicious dinner and had lit a bonfire which seemed to
exude the very warmth that I saw on Lopsang’s smiling face. Soon we were
snoring in the comfort of our blankets! Varsha, my tent-mate can vouch for
that!
Over
the next few days, birding in the Bompu-Sessni area paid rich dividends. Khandu
would conjure up various bird calls with his lips. Among them was the call of the
Collared Owlet, which Adesh and Mandar had christened “the Anthem of
Eaglenest”. As it turned out, the call of this bird excited many other species such
as Yuhina’s, Babblers and Warblers resulting in us being treated to glimpses of
these glorious beauties every time Khandu whistled the call!
As
we walked along, we had several thrilling moments. A White-collared Blackbird
hopped across our path in full view, oblivious of our presence. The Golden
Babbler gave us a fleeting dekko, the restless Rufous-vented Yuhinas hopped
playfully on the branches turning from side to side and the solitary Rufous
headed Parrotbill was a lucky sighting for me as I managed to capture him on my
camera just before he disappeared into the thicket. We soon reached an area
which we were to later nickname “the studio”! A largish opening in the
otherwise dense forest which was teeming with birds provided us a single
location, with an unrestricted view of numerous winged wonders. A flock of Grey-chinned
Minivets posed for us atop the tall trees. Green-tailed Sunbirds flitted
restlessly around. A Black-faced Warbler gave us surprised look as did the
Yellow bellied Fantail prettily fanning out its tail with its every twist.
Striated Bulbuls huddled together on a single branch, Orange-bellied Leafbirds
posed alongside the flowers on the Silk-cotton trees. The glorious Sultan Tit
was my ultimate dream-come-true! The Streaked Spider-hunter hovered itinerantly
around. I had never felt more gratified. A feeling that cannot be described,
but must be experienced….!
It
was almost towards the end of the day, on our return to Bompu Camp on the last
day, Adesh announced that we would try and look for the secretive Blyth’s
Tragopan. It
is extremely difficult to spot this pheasant as it prefers the undergrowth of
evergreen and rhododendron forests and
other dark, quiet places. Due to degradation of forests and hunting by locals,
its population is on the decline, and this area happened to be one of the few
places where it is locally common. As I excitedly readied myself for one more
‘lifer’, a sudden melancholy wailing sound scared the daylights out of me! As it
turned out, it was the call of the Tragopan! I let out a sigh of relief. Hushed
excitement followed. Lest we get noticed by the bird before we notice the bird,
we tried to blend in with the forest while scanning it for any signs of
movement. Moments later, another wailing call!! Several desperate attempts to
spot the elusive pheasant however, proved futile. But just as we started to leave,
a Mountain Imperial Pigeon gave a magnificent sighting! That was one more lifer
for me!
Despite
having missed sighting many birds including the famed Bugun Liochichla, our adventure
ended like a fairytale. After all, where in the world would one be served an
elaborate banquet right in the middle of the lush, pristine forest? Yes,
Lopsang and his band of boys had taken the trouble to drive up the rough road into
the forest where we were birding, with tables, chairs and even a pretty
table-cloth! It was a banquet fit for a King! Thank you Lopsang, Vicky, OK and
all you boys. It is people like you who make ordinary things seem so special!
And
so ended my sojourn to this veritable paradise on earth!
Where the first rays of the sun bring a dawn of hope
Where the moonlight chases away the darkness….
It
is little wonder then why poets run to nature for inspiration.
Nivedita
Kothare
March 2014
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