Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo
A single adult bird (presumably a female) and a chick was seen at the nest
site at Upper Sumdo on 9th. The nest is rather easily found in a rock face
on the left hand side immediately behind Upper Sumdo village. Another bird
(maybe the male?) was present at Puga on 9th and 10th. If you walk from
Puga towards Polokongka La check the rock faces to you right hand, a few
100 metres before the new school building at Puga.
Upper Sumdo, 9.7.04
Puga, 9.7.04
Common Swift Apus apus
Rather common at lower altitudes. Mainly seen around Leh and the Indus
Valley as well as in Nubra Valley. Highest count was around 30 birds near
Choglamsar on 30th of June and around Hundar on 16th of July.
Common Hoopoe Upupa epops
Commonly observed in and around Leh, along the Indus (where around 30 birds
were estimated between Thikse and Choglamsar on 30th of June) and in Nubra
Valley.
Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla
2-3 birds were calling along the Indus between Thikse and Choglamsar on
30th of June and a single bird was heard in gardens above Leh on 6th of
July. A pair was feeding their recently fledged chicks at Hundar on 15th.
Wryneck is said to be rare as far east as Leh.
Juvenile,
Hundar, 15.7.04
Hume’s Short-toed Lark
Calandrella acutirostris
Very common in some parts of the Changtang region, especially around Startsapuk Tso where around 600 birds were estimated on 12th. Also rather common around Sumdo, Tso Moriri and around the campsite at Tso Kar, as well as between Tso Kar and Taglang La
along the Manali – Leh road.
Tso Kar, 13.7.04
Oriental Skylark
Alauda gulgula
A single bird was singing near Spituk along the Indus on 1st and a few birds were observed around Hundar, Sumur and Panamik (maximum: 8 birds including juveniles on 18th) in Nubra
Valley.
Juvenile, Panamik, 18.7.04
Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestris
Very common in some parts of Changtang, where up to 150 birds (Startsapuk Tso, 12th of june) were observed daily. Less common in upper Rumbak Valley, where a
few were observed around Rumbak and Ganda La, and at Khardung La.
Juvenile, Tso Kar, 11.7.04 Rumbak, 2.7.04
Sand Martin
Riparia riparia
2 birds were reported from Mahe Bridge on 7th.
Eurasian Crag Martin
Hirundo rupestris
Small numbers (up to 15 birds daily) were observed in lower Rumbak Valley, above Leh, along the Indus between Upshi and Mahe Bridge, around Upper Sumdo and Puga in Changtang and around Hundar and Sumur in Nubra
Valley.
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
At least 2 birds were reported from the northern end of Tso Moriri on 9th.
Red-rumped Swallow
Hirundo daurica
1-2 birds were seen above Sumur in Nubra Valley on 18th; in summer, Red-rumped
Swallow is a rare vagrant to Ladakh.
Northern House Martin
Delichon urbica
Small numbers were noted along the Indus near Choglamsar and between Upshi and Mahe Bridge, above Leh, at Upper Sumdo, between Leh and Taglang La and in Nubra Valley, where around 40 birds were present along
Hundar River on 16th.
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
Rather common along streams, observed in the Indus Valley between Thikse and Choglamsar, in lower Rumbak Valley between Zinchen and Rumbak and around Hundar, Diskit and Panamik in Nubra Valley. The vast majority of the birds were alboides (the subspecies breeding in Ladakh), with about 3 personata observed in the Shey
Marshes on 30th of June.
White Wagtail, ssp. alboides,
1st summer / adult female, Shey Marshes, 14.7.04
Citrine
Wagtail
Motacilla citreola calcarata
Commonly observed at most locations up to around 4600m; highest count was around 80 birds along the Indus between Thikse and Choglamsar
on 30th of June.
Shey Marshes, 30.6.04
Shey Marshes, 30.6.04
One of several juvenile birds with whitish head.
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinerea
Small numbers (up to 5 birds daily) were noted in and above Leh, along the Indus between Thikse and Choglamsar and in Rumbak
Valley.
White-throated Dipper
Cinclus cinclus
A few birds were noted in Rumbak Valley between Zinchen and Rumbak as well as around Yurutse. A single bird was seen near Tso Moriri. 2 pairs were present around Upper Sumdo in Changtang, whereof one pair consisted of a normal bird and a bird of the little known ’sordidus’ morph. They were feeding three chicks, two normal and one dark morph bird.
Juvenile, Upper Sumdo, 8.7.04
Juvenile,
probable 'sordidus' morph,
Upper Sumdo, 8.7.04
Adult,
‘sordidus’ morph,
Upper Sumdo, 8.7.04
Brown Dipper
Cinclus pallasii
The only observations concern a few birds in Nubra Valley, where an adult and a juvenile were seen at Hundar River on 16th and a single juvenile bird at Sumur
on 18th.
Winter Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
A family with at least 2 chicks was observed between Zinchen and Rumbak in Rumbak Valley on 1st; around 4 individuals, whereof one was
observed carrying food, were noted in gardens above Leh on 6th and a single bird was seen at Hundar
on 15th.
Alpine Accentor
Prunella collaris
Only observed around Khardung La, where around 5 birds were seen on 15th and at
least 2 on 19th.
Robin Accentor
Prunella rubeculoides
Rather common around Rumbak and Yurutse in Rumbak Valley and around Sumdo and Upper Sumdo in Changtang (up to 20 birds daily) as well as around North Pullu at the northern
slope of Khardung La. A single bird was seen around Tso Kar on 13th.
Rumbak, 2.7.04
Brown Accentor
Prunella fulvescens
Rather common around Rumbak and Yurutse in Rumbak Valley and around Upper Sumdo and Puga in Changtang
(up to 8 birds daily).
Upper Sumdo, 8.7.04
White-tailed Rubythroat
Luscinia pectoralis
A pair was seen displaying at Upper Sumdo on 7th; only the male was seen at the
same location on 8th.
Bluethroat
Luscinia svecica
Common in
bushes along the Indus between Thikse and Choglamsar, where around 20 birds were noted on 30th of
June. Also rather common and widespread in Nubra Valley, where up to 10 birds
were recorded daily.
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochruros
Very common; up to a few dozen birds seen daily at all sites except along the Indus between Thikse and Choglamsar and at Tso Kar.
White-winged Redstart
Phoenicurus erythrogaster
2 males were observed at the mountain slopes west of Yurutse in Rumbak Valley
at around 4700m on 4th; a single male was seen along the Indus between Upshi and Mahe Bridge on 7th and a pair just below Sumdo on the same day. A few birds were noted at Khardung La on 15th and 19th, with around 8 birds (including many juveniles) above North Pullu
on 19th.
Upper Rumbak Valley, 4.7.04
Pied / Variable Wheatear
Oenanthe pleschanka / picata
A single female bird was only shortly seen between Leh and Choglamsar on 7th.
Desert Wheatear
Oenanthe deserti
Only observed in the Changtang region, where it is rather common. Up to 10 birds a day were noted around Upper Sumdo, Namshang La (between Upper Sumdo and Tso Moriri), Puga and Tso Kar.
Blue Rock Thrush
Monticola solitarius
Most easily found in Rumbak Valley, where up to 5 birds were seen daily, and at most sites in Nubra
Valley.
Yurutse, 4.7.2004
Blue Whistling Thrush
Myophonus caeruleus
Only reported from lower Rumbak valley, especially at Zinchen, where 3-5 birds
were seen on 1st and 5th.
Lesser Whitethroat
Sylvia curruca althaea
Rather common in and around Leh, along the Indus between Thikse and Choglamsar and in lower Rumbak Valley between Zinchen and Rumbak. Very common in Hippophae thickets in Nubra
Valley, where up to 50 birds were noted daily.
Mountain Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus sindianus
Very common in and around Leh, in lower Rumbak Valley, in Nubra Valley and especially along the Indus between Thikse and Choglamsar, where
around 300 birds, including many juveniles, were estimated on 30th of June.
Juvenile, Sumur, 17.7.04
Sulphur-bellied Warbler
Phylloscopus griseolus
Rather common and widespread in Upper Rumak Valley, where up to ca. 15 birds
were reported daily.
Tickell’s Leaf Warbler
Phylloscopus affinis
A few were observed only around Upper Sumdo in the Changtang area.
Upper Sumdo, 8.7.04
White-browed Tit Warbler
Leptopoecile sophiae
Rather common
but difficult to see in Hippophae thickets in Nubra Valley: around 6 birds were noted between Hundar and Diskit on 16th, 5 at Sumur on 17th and 18th and a total of about 12 birds at Panamik
on 18th.
Great Tit
Parus major
Present in small numbers (not exceeding 10 birds a day) in and around Leh, in Indus Valley between Thikse and Choglamsar, at Zinchen in lower Rumbak Valley and in Nubra
Valley.
Wallcreeper
Tichodroma muraria
A single bird was seen along the Indus between Upshi and
Mahe Bridge on 7th.
