The valley is approximately 540 km2 in area. The upper reaches comprise glaciers, snow clad peaks, alpine lakes, moraine and meadows. The lower half of the valley has mixed open forest with amazing biodiversity. The altitudinal variation, variety of trees and shrubs, lack of human population and vehicular traffic combine to make it a haven for birds, and a prime birding site. A very good walking trail (lower part of the valley) with offshoots of grazing trails provides access for birding. The entire length of the walking trail from Lingsha to Tholung Gompa is a birding hot spot. Productive birding is also available for about 3 km on the trail connecting Be with Lingsha.

The one frustration was not being able to go above 3000m where a number of the high altitude Himalayan specialities occur.

Under normal circumstances the route is open in April, but sometimes there is un-seasonal snow above 3000 meters.

Birds seen here during our trip:
Crested Serpent Eagle, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Northern Goshawk, Upland Buzzard, Satyr Tragopan, Kalij Pheasant, Whimbrel, Ashy Wood Pigeon, Oriental Turtle Dove, Large Hawk Cuckoo, Asian Koel, Greater Coucal, Brown Wood Owl, Asian Barred Owlet, Himalayan Swiftlet, Fork tailed Swift, House Swift, Great Barbet, Golden throated Barbet, Rufous bellied Woodpecker, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Crimson breasted Woodpecker, Bay Woodpecker, Yellow rumped Honeyguide, Nepal Martin, Citrine Wagtail, Olive backed Pipit, Rosy Pipit, Black winged Cuckoo Shrike, Short billed Minivet, Striated Bulbul, Red vented Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Orange bellied Leafbird, Winter Wren, Blue capped Rock Thrush, Chestnut bellied Rock Thrush, Blue Whistling Thrush, Plain backed Thrush, Long tailed Thrush, Scaly Thrush, White collared Blackbird, Grey winged Blackbird, White browed Shortwing, Striated Prinia, Hill Prinia, Chestnut headed Tesia, Slaty bellied Tesia, Brownish flanked Bush Warbler, Tickell's Leaf Warbler, Buff barred Warbler, Ashy throated Warbler, Lemon rumped Warbler, Large billed Leaf Warbler, Blyth's Leaf Warbler, Yellow vented Warbler, Golden spectacled Warbler, Grey hooded Warbler, Chestnut crowned Warbler, Ferruginous Flycatcher, Rufous gorgeted Flycatcher, Snowy browed Flycatcher, White gorgeted Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Ultramarine Flycatcher, Slaty blue Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, Large Niltava, Small Niltava, Rufous bellied Niltava, Grey headed Canary Flycatcher, Blue fronted Redstart, White capped Redstart, Plumbeous Redstart, Little Forktail, Spotted Forktail, Common Stonechat, Grey Bushchat, Yellow bellied Fantail, White throated Laughingthrush, Striated Laughingthrush, Scaly Laughingthrush, Black faced Laughingthrush, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Spotted Wren Babbler, Rufous capped Babbler, Golden Babbler, Cutia, White browed Shrike Babbler, Black eared Shrike Babbler, Hoary throated Barwing, Blue winged Minla, Chestnut tailed Minla, Red tailed Minla, Rufous winged Fulvetta, White browed Fulvetta, Nepal Fulvetta, Rufous Sibia, White naped Yuhina, Whiskered Yuhina, Stripe throated Yuhina, Rufous vented Yuhina, Black throated Tit, Green backed Tit, Yellow cheeked Tit, Yellow browed Tit, White tailed Nuthatch, Rusty flanked Treecreeper, Wallcreeper, Gould's Sunbird, Green tailed Sunbird, Black throated Sunbird, Fire tailed Sunbird, Little Spiderhunter, Streaked Spiderhunter, Fire breasted Flowerpecker, Maroon Oriole, Grey backed Shrike, Black Drongo, Ashy Drongo, Gold billed Magpie, Grey Treepie, White rumped Munia, Plain Mountain Finch, Black headed Mountain Finch, Dark breasted Rosefinch, Scarlet Finch

Other birds that can be seen:
Black Eagle, Himalayan Monal, Spotted Dove, Snow Pigeon, Slaty headed Parakeet, White rumped Needletail, Greater Yellownape, Lesser Yellownape, Long tailed Shrike, Green Magpie, Grey Chinned Minivet, Small Minivet, White Eared Bulbul, White cheeked Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Striated Yuhina, White Crested Laughingthrush, Pygmy Blue Flycatcher, Yellow bellied Warbler, Black faced Warbler, White browed Tit Warbler, Rufous breasted Bush Robin, Grey crested Tit, Sultan Tit.

TEESTA RIVER VALLEY
En route from Bagdogra - Kalimpong and during our drive from Kalimpong to Mangan in Sikkim we drove quite a while along this river. It is worthwhile to stop here a few times and check the river banks.

Birds seen here during our trip:
Great Cormorant, Great Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Eurasian Buzzard, Shikra, Red Junglefowl, River Lapwing, Green billed Malkoha, White throated Kingfisher, Crested Kingfisher, Chestnut headed Bee eater, Indian Roller, Dollarbird, Great Barbet, Greater Yellownape, Black backed Wagtail, Small Minivet, Scarlet Minivet, Black crested Bulbul, White cheeked Bulbul, Red vented Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Golden fronted Leafbird, Orange bellied Leafbird, Common Iora, Blue Rock Thrush, Chestnut bellied Rock Thrush, White capped Redstart, Hair crested Drongo, Green Magpie, Himalayan Swiftlet, Oriental White eye.

Other birds that can be seen:
Kalij Pheasant, Ibisbill (winter), Small Pratincole, Pin tailed Green Pigeon, Blyth's Kingfisher, Pale headed Woodpecker, Rufous bellied Niltava, Common Hill Myna.

DAMTHANG FOREST
En route from Kalimpong to Mangan we made a short stop at this forest near the very small village of Damthang.
A very good walking trail in the centre of the village provides easy access for birding.

Birds seen here during our trip:
Eurasian Buzzard, Eurasian Kestrel, Green billed Malkoha, Dollarbird, Black winged Cuckoo Shrike, Short billed Minivet, Chestnut bellied Rock Thrush, Blue Whistling Thrush, Grey winged Blackbird, Buff barred Warbler, Blyth's Leaf Warbler, Golden spectacled Warbler, Grey hooded Warbler, Black faced Warbler, Rufous gorgeted Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, Rufous bellied Niltava, Grey headed Canary Flycatcher, Red flanked Bluetail, Blue fronted Redstart, Grey Bushchat, White throated Fantail, White crested Laughingthrush, Chestnut tailed Minla, Red tailed Minla, Rufous Sibia, Whiskered Yuhina, Rufous vented Yuhina, Black throated Tit, Green backed Tit, Chestnut bellied Nuthatch, Green tailed Sunbird, Ashy Drongo, Maroon Oriole, Brown Bullfinch.

DAILY LOG

Friday 29 March
Our trip started with a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Delhi. We landed at the airport around midnight (3½ hours time difference with the Netherlands). We then took a taxi and spent the night at the nearby very expensive Radisson Hotel.

Saturday 30 March
We left Delhi at 10.00 a.m. for our two hours spectacular flight along the southern flank of the Himalayas to Bagdogra in West Bengal. Peter Lobo was waiting with a jeep for us at the airport. En route to Kalimpong we made a short stop at the Mahananda WLS. Amongst the birds we did see here were a group of Slender billed Vultures, Red breasted Parakeet, Indian Roller, Indian Grey Hornbill, Great Barbet and Scarlet Minivet.

In the late afternoon we arrived in Kalimpong, a sleepy little town in West Bengal, tucked away in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas. At an altitude of 1250 metres, the picturesque town of Kalimpong is definitely a place to visit in this region. Once a part of Sikkim, this town was an important centre for trade and commerce for Tibetans from the north and the headquarters of the Governor of Bhutan. During our visit to West Bengal we stayed at General J.M. "Jimmy" Singh's house on the Hilltop with a breath taking view of the eastern Himalayas.
We made a walk on the Hilltop and amongst the birds we encountered were Green billed Malkoha, Asian Barred Owlet, White cheeked Bulbul, Common Tailorbird, Blyth's Leaf Warbler, Blue fronted Redstart, Hair crested Drongo and the ubiquitous Green backed Tit.

On our first evening, luxuriating in this plenitude, a beer in hand I felt euphorically divorced from the frenzy and frenetic lunacy of my everyday world.

Sunday 31 March
After a refreshing night's sleep we started early on our second day and found us en route to the little known resort of Lava and I noted with satisfaction that the skies were clear and Khanchendzonga loomed grey on the horizon, a featureless silhouette.

We were soon in the forest on a perfect spring morning and the first few hours we spent on the lower part of the Algarah road. Quite a variety of birds frequented this area amongst them Asian Barred Owlet, a Greater Yellownape that dwarfed the diminutive Grey capped Woodpecker, Black winged Cuckoo Shrike, Grey winged Blackbird, Dark throated Thrush and White throated Laughingthrush whilst overhead we saw a group of Bar headed Geese flying north. A mobile Green Magpie did its best to stay just out of reach, but best of all however was a Red faced Liocichla, a difficult to find bird in the Himalayas, which gave good views.

We walked along the road from km 7 to Lava. Here we saw the vociferous Sibia and our first flocks of Red tailed and Chestnut tailed Minlas. There was much activity and amongst the other birds we saw were Buff barred, Grey hooded, Grey cheeked, Chestnut crowned Warbler, the demure Black faced Warbler, a single Broad billed Warbler, a pair of Black headed Shrike Babblers, White browed Shrike Babbler, Black eared Shrike Babbler, Grey sided Laughingthrush, Rusty fronted Barwing, Whiskered, Stripe throated & Rufous vented Yuhina.

It was already noon when we arrived at Lava and here we made a stroll in the superb Paktham Forest. There was less activity, but we added Plain backed Thrush, Large & Rufous bellied Niltava, the rare Rufous breasted Bush Robin and Gold naped Finch to our rapidly growing list.

After a warm lunch under a shady tree in the forest, the late afternoon saw us again birding along the Algarah Road (km 2 - 7) adding Little Pied Flycatcher, Spot breasted Scimitar Babbler, Rufous capped Babbler, Red billed Leiothrix, Blue winged Minla, Yellow browed Tit and Nepal Fulvetta to our fast growing bird list.
We then returned to Kalimpong, where Tara, General Singh's housekeeper, had prepared a wonderful dinner for us.

Monday 1 April
It rained heavily during the night, but again the skies were clear when we left Kalimpong at 4.45 a.m. The Rachet Forest Reserve near Lava was our destination today. We arrived at 6.30 and we followed the trail and began to explore the excellent forest. April Fool's Day was no joke and we spent all morning in this forest and although most of it was secondary forest, we saw many birds amongst them Kalij Pheasant, Grey bellied Tesia, Brownish flanked Bush Warbler, Tickell's Leaf Warbler, Sapphire Flycatcher, White tailed Robin, Streak breasted Scimitar Babbler, Long billed & Spotted Wren Babbler, Grey throated Babbler, Hoary throated Barwing, Rusty flanked Treecreeper, Little Spiderhunter, a party of Maroon backed Accentors, Dark rumped Rosefinch, a large group of Dark breasted Rosefinches and Tibetan Serins.

A small waterfall hosted a Spotted Forktail and while having lunch we admired a pair of displaying Crested Goshawks.

In the afternoon we again headed to the Algarah road and spent the rest of the day here. We saw a lot of birds and amongst the 'new' ones we saw were Rufous throated Wren Babbler, Chestnut crowned Laughingthrush and Red headed Bullfinch.

In the evening the general again entertained us with great stories about his military career.

Tuesday 2 April
At 5.00 o'clock we headed to the Neora Valley near Lava. In Lava we saw a single Little Bunting and a large group of Plain backed Mountain Finches. We started our birding day in beautiful weather and amongst the birds we saw before 10 a.m. were Blue winged Laughingthrush, Yellow throated & White browed Fulvetta and Brown Bullfinch. Eric was able to film a party of very obliging Red headed Bullfinches at less than three metres. Other memorable encounters included a small party of Crimson browed Finches and several more stunning Fire tailed Sunbirds. Hereafter the temperature dropped and we had rain and hail till midday and had to seek shelter in our jeep.

We then headed to the Paktham Forest and made a stroll in the forest. We again encountered a few large foraging flocks with Rusty fronted Barwing, Chestnut tailed Minla, Red tailed Minla, Rufous winged Fulvetta, Whiskered Yuhina, Stripe throated Yuhina, Green backed Tit amongst them, whilst overhead we saw a Black Eagle and many Himalayan Swiftlets.

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