This time it was decided to get a peek at birdlife of snow covered Auli in Uttaranchal. After having confirmed on phone of a fair amount of spread of flakes in the upper reaches and with some official work pending at Haridwar, the time was just right.
Best is to start early in the morning for any such trip. Although many a times a start in the afternoon from Delhi and a night stay at Haridwar is advisable where an early start next morning makes places like Kedarnath or Gangotri reachable by that evening.
As Auli is on the Badrinath route, which is longer, a different approach is required. Starting early from Delhi for an overnight stay at Rudraprayag, made famous for the Man-eater shot by Jim Corbett, the route followed was: Delhi-Merrut Bypass, Mujaffarnagar Bypass-Haridwar-Rishikesh bypass-Devprayag-Srinagar-Rudraprayag.
After Rishikesh one is always driving along the river Ganges. The drive through the foothills is tortuous, indeed the drive through any part of the Himalayan foothills is very winding, and at least upto Devprayag there is little birdlife. However on many trips Common Kestrel have been spotted perched on wires or tree tops. Little after Devprayag a circling Serpent Eagle was seen over river Alaknanda. Near Srinagar a pair of Egyptian vultures was spotted circling over the same river. It was almost sunset by the time Rudraprayag was reached.
Next early morning a good nos. of Great Tit were seen near the rest house. At the confluence of rivers Mandakini and Alaknanda interestingly a small flock of Great cormorants were seen flying, with rapid beats, upstream Mandakini.
Also, on all the Uttaranchal/Himachal trips the Himalayan Bulbul, Streaked Laughingthrush, Blue Whistling Thrush, Great Tit, occasional Green-backed Tit, Grey Bushchat, Pied Bushchat and Red-rumped Swallow are always met with in abundance. So everyone should learn to recognize these fast to be filtered out and devote time to rarer species.
The next stop was Joshimath which is four hours away from Rudraprayag. Plum headed Parakeets in sizeable numbers were met midway. At Joshimath the mid afternoon Cable car trip up to Auli was missed, so a drive up was decided. Of the 16 kms drive, in the last km or two, one encounters a lot of snow on the road, which makes it tricky to drive through it. It is not advisable to anyone attempting this in the snow covered months. Best is to ride the cable car from Joshimath which offers breathtaking views. And the vehicle can be parked at the cable station for some ridiculously low charges (Rs. 10/- for 24 Hrs. a few years back.)
The GMVN rest house at Auli is at 2520 mtrs (~8300ft) and the first week of March gives you the chance to be in the midst of snow in a comparatively mild weather. Here flocks of the Plain Mountain Finch flying about are seen and also many Rock Buntings are met with their high pitch calls.
From just above the rest house a ride in the erratically operated ski lifts takes one to the fully snow bound upper reaches of Auli. Here 2-3 Mistle Thrush pairs were observed from the ski-lift ride. At the upper reaches it feels nice to walk on the knee deep snow however it is best avoided walking on any muddy ground visible as it becomes very slippery.
After a few paces luckily a Mistle Thrush came close by for good views. This was the only bird of the upper reaches along with a lonely Common Stonechat.
The next day along with a local fellow the lower Auli was explored around GMVN and the following birds were seen:
1. Blue-fronted Redstart, Phoenicurus frontalis
This bird is always seen in the higher Himalayas around the tree line (confirmed
for Himachal and Uttaranchal).
2. Blue-capped Redstart, Phoenicurus caeruleocephala
Lone specimen came quite close by but did not give very clear views.
3. Plain Mountain Finch, Leucosticte nemoricola altaica
Numerous.
4. Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs coelebs
Small flocks.
5. Mistle Thrush, Turdus viscivorus bonapartei
At ease in the snow and was trying to initiate nesting in the lower Auli.
6. Grey Bushchat, Saxicola ferreus ferreus
A couple seen.
7. Rock Bunting, Emberiza cia stracheyi
Numerous.
8. Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Hypopicus hyperythrus marshalli
Also a high altitude bird giving the hammering tremolo travelling far in the
stillness of the woody jungle.
9. Himalayan Griffon, Gyps himalayensis
A couple seen flying overhead.
10. Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus (likely nominate)
Was met with in the previous day while driving up to Auli on top of a vertical
branch.
The next morning it started snowing heavily, almost two inches in half an hour. The scare of getting stuck for days prompted a hasty retreat (3-4 kms ahead a local black dog covered in white flakes remains etched in mind) to Joshimath and then to Rudraprayag where the sky cleared up. At Rudraprayag outskirts, a promising area was noticed, a small pipe draining water downhill creating a damp area with lots of medium sized trees and bushes.
The birds of this area were as follows:
11. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher, Ficedula strophiata
strophiata
Was in a darkish area but as the flycatchers can be very still looking for
prey they make excellent subjects. Occasionally was descending to the ground
to feed. A female was also seen.
12. White-throated Fantail, Rhipidura albicollis canescens
As usual making aerial sallies for small flying insects, and occasionally
fanning its tail, near the water trickle.
13. Rufous-bellied Niltava, Niltava sundara (likely
N. s. whistleri)
Though refused to come out in the open from the undergrowth, gave good views.
The deep iridescence of blue colours of the Niltavas create memories for a
life time.
14. Greenish Warbler, Phylloscopus trochiloides ludlowi
Apart from the energetic foraging in the thin branches was for a change trying
to pick off insects from the main trunk of a tree.