Itinerary: Day 1: Arrive Bagdogra airport (p.m.) and travel by Karmi Farm via Ghoom and Bijonbari (6 hr). Stay at Karmi Farm Eco-resort. Day 2: Birding at Karmi Farm. Day 3: Birding around Karmi Farm and p.m. drive to Gorumara Jungle Camp via Mungpo (6 hrs). Stay at Gorumara Jungle Camp. Day 4: a.m. birding at Gorumara National Park. Afternoon birding at Chapramari WLS.  Day 5: a.m. birding around Chapramari WLS. Depart for Bagdogra via Gajoldoba Barrage.

Day 1: Arrive Bagdogra and drive to Karmi Farm. The drive up Hill Cart Road was rewarding with a splendid male Crested Bunting and a Yellow-cheeked Tit recorded on the road.  Day 2: Birded around the Karmi farm resort, mainly from the open deck overlooking the valley. Two male and a female Small Niltava and many Mountain Bulbuls were observed around the road leading to Karmi. A fruiting ficus tree was the centre of attraction for three barbet species and hundreds of Black Bulbuls. The deck was a great place to see the smallies which included a spanking pair of Little Pied Flycatchers. A circling pair of Black Eagles was also of interest. Day 3: Morning walk outside the farm area threw up a foraging female Hill Partridge and a mixed flock consisting of Golden-spectacled Warblers and Nepal Fulvettas. The deck area was visited by a Greater Yellownape and many mixed flocks which included Blue-winged Minlas and two White-bellied Yuhinas. Spot-winged Grosbeaks were recorded at the same place a week later by Sujan Chatterjee. The afternoon drive to Gorumara had many Spangled Drongos feeding at flowering roadside trees. Day 4: Gorumara National park was unusually crowded and development work had restricted access to some parts. However, the usual species were  encountered and a family of Greater Flamebacks were of interest as were large numbers of  Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters. The highlight of the afternoon visit to Chapramari was surely the large tusker at the water hole. But good birds included vocal Asian Fairy Bluebirds, Collared Falconet and a roosting flock of Black Ibis. Day 5: Morning birding around Chapramari in inclement weather threw up a Streaked Spiderhunter and a Rufous Woodpecker. The drive to the airport via Gajoldoba (birds observed from the car) added 40-50 Common Shelducks to the list. BACK     NEXT Sumit K. Sen Kolkata, India April, 2005 All photographs and information are copyright and cannot be used in any way without the Webmaster's permission. Send mail to sumitsen@rediffmail.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Kolkatabirds.com Last modified: May 18, 2007