Spring Birdwatching

We will be taking an early trip up to the Chelela Pass for our first opportunity to view some of the spectacular Himalayan Monal, Kalij Pheasant, and Blood Pheasant and also the good selection of the high-altitude birds like Grosbeaks, Rosefinches, Minivets, Tits, Yuhinas, Accentors and Thrushes etc. Towards evening, we will drive to Bhutan's capital city, THIMPHU.

We’ll head east out of Thimphu and up onto the western slopes of the Dochu La, the first of a series of high-altitude road passes that we’ll explore. Entering the pristine mixed forests of hemlock, fir, oak, magnolias, and rhododendrons, we should see a wealth of birds, including some species-rich feeding flocks. Quarrelsome Nutcrackers are common, and past highlights have included a skulking Hill Partridge, a Satyr Tragopan, a Golden Bush Robin, an immaculate Cutia, a Brown Parrotbill, and even the gorgeous Fire-tailed Myzornis.

Continuing east, past the smaller Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, we’ll make a series of brief stops to scan the braided river channel. In the past, we’ve seen Pallas’s Gull and Pallas’s Fish Eagle here and have added several other species to the Bhutanese list. We’ll also check forest edges and explore some of the small patches of cultivation. We’ll enter productive forest near the end of our journey, where we’ll stop to look for species such as Spotted Laughingthrush, Yellowish-bellied Bush-Warbler, Rusty-flanked Treecreeper, White-browed Bush Robin, and White-winged Grosbeak.

Leaving Nobding we’ll follow the twisting road up over the Pele La pass and into Central Bhutan. We’ll spend much of the morning on the Pele La Pass searching for species such as Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, and the majestic Himalayan Monal. A stand of dwarf bamboo extends for about three miles below the pass, and we’ll search here for specialties such as Great and Brown Parrotbills and Golden-breasted Fulvetta, surely one of the world’s most attractive passerines

Birding along the road, you come across birds such as Yellow-browed Tit, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Great Hornbill, Striated Prinia, Striated Laughingthrush, White-throated Laughingthrush, White-crested Laughingthrush, Beautiful Nuthatch, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Brownish-flanked Bush Warble, Verditer Flycatcher, Lemon-rumped Warbler, Hume's Warbler

We will be exploring and Birding in sub-tropical broadleaved forests. We will drive along the road and stop on the way for birding. Evening, come back to Tingtibi for a night halt. Species you will see for the day trip, Crested Bunting, White-rumped Munia, Olive-backed Pipit, White Wagtail, Streaked Spiderhunter, White-browed Scimitar Babbler

Driving and birding along the road through sub-tropical broadleaved forest, one can find birds like Great Hornbill, Long-tailed Sibia, Beautiful Nuthatch, Rufous-necked Hornbill, White-rumped Munia, Spotted Forktail, Slaty-backed Forktail, Grey Bushchat, Crested Bunting, Sultan Tit, Yellow-checked Tit, Red-vented Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Striated Prinia

We will go birding around Marangdooth in the morning and later we will cross by the Pangbang town towards Nganglam. Birding on the spots, and highways.

We’ll spend these days exploring the fabulously lush primary forests near Lingmethang in search of the area’s specialties. We’re sure to see many new birds, and while not all of them are rare, many, such as Slender-billed and Coral-billed Scimitar-Babblers, Scaly and Blue-winged Laughingthrushes, Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Broad-billed Warbler, White-napped Yuhina, and Rufous-throated Wren-Babbler are poorly known and unfamiliar to most birders.

Birding around Namling areas, you will see birds such as Mountain Scops Owl, Hill Partridge, Chestnut-breasted Partridge, Ward’s Trogon, Collared Owlet, Asian Barred Owlet, White-throated Laughingthrush, Striated Laughingthrush, Golden Babbler, Rufous-capped Babbler, Black-faced Warbler, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Yellow-vented Warbler, Lemon-rumped Warbler

You will drive towards the north crossing Sengor village and Thrumshing La pass (3700m). From Yongkola to Sengor, you are entering inside the Thrumshing La National Park. On the way, you will come across the amazing Namling waterfall before reaching Sengor. For the day, you can observe species like Snow Pigeon, Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan, Monal Pheasant, Whiskered Yuhina, Stripe-throated Yuhina,

This morning, we make an early start to be at Tharpaling Monastery in the early hours as we hope to witness the monks feeding the spectacular Himalayan Monal, where the birds have become accustomed to this practice. Other species we will look at in the area include the rarely seen White-bellied Redstart, Alpine Accentor, Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch, flocks of Red-billed Chough, Black-billed Magpie (endemic to Bumthang valley in Bhutan), Black-faced Laughingthrush and Plain Mountain Finch.

After a leisurely breakfast, we will visit the BNC information center, we will drive and explore the valley and bit and drive back to Paro. Stop for Birding on spots. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel and rest.

Our representative will accompany you to the airport and ensure a smooth departure, bidding you farewell with warm wishes after your enriching journey through Bhutan.