Some places are meant to remain untouched because of the
charm that manifolds when paving way through its treacherous terrains. I
realized this on my recent expedition to one of India's enigmatic forests,
Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary. Lying in the undisturbed location of Arunachal
Pradesh, the forest reserve tops the bucket list of wildlife enthusiasts for
igniting the place with the resplendent beauty of colorful plumage shimmering
inside its lush green foliage. The sanctuary is the epicenter of ace
birdwatchers, wildlife photographers, ornithologists and others who are
infatuated by the secret world of winged species.
My journey to this hidden valley took place in February last
year, well cognizant about the bone-chilling weather that would welcome my
visit with both hands, I filled my backpack with warmers, socks, and a jacket
before boarding flight for Guwahati. It was a meticulously handcrafted tour by
Asian Adventures, India's top birding company carrying more than twenty-five
years of experience in the field of birdwatching tours. I joined my teammates
at Guwahati airport where we headed towards Nameri National Park, a tiger
reserve that lies between the pristine Jia Bhorelli River and the mountainous
terrain of Arunachal Pradesh. The park is a great hotspot to sight various
species of Hornbill, Bee-eaters, Babblers, Plovers, Storks, etc.
We checked-in at a tented resort where our naturalist
briefed us about the next day trail and the target species that can be spotted
in the park. The following morning we unfurled this mystical forest through a
boat ride across the Jia Bhorali river. While enjoying the ride, our eyes were
baffled by the different shades of green emitted through the dense foliage. As
we were walking along the river creek we got a fleeting glimpse of two Asian
Fairy Bluebirds before they vanished inside the thick foliage. A moment later
we were awestruck by the rare sight of Ibisbill digging his long bill into the
rocks in search of his favorite invertebrates. In our four hours journey, we
got astonishing sight of Clouded Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear, Indian Squirrel
and other mammals besides getting a ravishing view of the sprawling birdlife
throbbing in the region. Post lunch we headed towards Dirangzong, a touristy
place in Arunachal Pradesh which was around seven hours' drive from Nameri National Park. By the time we reached the destination it was already dark we
checked in at an ecolodge for a night stay and continued our journey the other
day to Sela Pass. It is a high altitude mountainous pass in Arunachal Pradesh
that has rose to fame amongst the birdwatcher for sheltering several rare
birds.
During our birding excursion in this region, we crossed paths
with many beautiful birds such as Beautiful Sibia, Fire-capped Tit,
Blue-fronted Robin, and Blue-capped Rock-Thrush. However, spotting a pair of
blood pheasant on the snowy crevice under a shack where we had our snack had
permanently got etched in my memory. An hour's drive from Sela Pass took us to
Mandala where we sojourned for the next two days. Located in the West Kameng
district of Arunachal Pradesh, the place is widely acknowledged as a
birdwatcher's paradise and an ideal place to indulge in bird photography. On
our two days excursion in the region, we were spellbound by the striking
variety of winged species living an unperturbed life in the region.
Our eyes were captivated by the beautiful sights of Gould's
shortwing, Red Crossbill, Blanford's rosefinch, Speckled Wood-pigeon,
Black-throated parrotbill, Eurasian Nutcracker, Himalayan bluetail,
Golden-breasted fulvetta, Scaly-breasted Cupwing, Rufous-chinned
Laughingthrush, Chestnut-tailed Minla, Black-faced Warbler, Stripe-throated
Yuhina, Grey-winged blackbird and White-collared blackbird. Lama Camp was the
next destination covered in this prolific journey. Often acknowledged as the
den for birdwatching in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, the place is a beautiful
blend of lush green forests and snow-clad mountains.
It was in this area a new species was discovered. Named
after the Bugun tribe native to Arunachal Pradesh, Bugun Liocichla was the
newest bird spotted in 2006. Our rendezvous with this beautiful species was a
dramatic one. We were trailing in the forest when one naturalist drew our
attention towards an uncommon call reverberating the hidden valley. Yes, it was
the sound of the most sought-after bird and our target species Bugun Liocichla,
as soon as we reached its roosting place the sudden start of blister killed the
moment. However, we managed to get its fleeting glimpse of the bird before it
escaped to a safe place.
The following day we headed towards Bompu where we managed
to fantastic photos of White-tailed Nuthatch, Blue-fronted Redstart,
White-tailed Robin, Pale Blue Flycatcher, Pygmy Blue Flycatcher, Sapphire
Flycatcher, Lesser Shortwing, Scaly Thrush,
Plain-backed Thrush, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Orange-flanked Bush
Robin, and Golden Bush Robin. The next day we proceeded towards Nameri for our
onwards journey to Guwahati. The trip culminated, but every moment of the tour
is still vivid in my mind as if it happened yesterday.
To visit the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary
contact info@asianadventures.in
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