This is the last blog post with regards to my recent trek to Everest Basecamp - organised by Nepal Promote Treks.
Having been incredibly lucky with our inbound flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, we were now up against it on the descent. More bad weather was approaching, and was set to last for a considerable few days from our scheduled departure . This entailed a rapid descent from our highest point of Gorakshep, to our original start position of Lukla, in just three days. Our aim was to get to Lukla a day early to get an early flight back to Kathmandu.
Friday 21st February - Gorokshep to Peroche
Having no need to venture up Kala Pathar, and now fully recovered from last evening's arduous venture, we ascended as a group back the way we came. Birds were very thin on the ground today, though when descending, one needs to look more at the path, rather than the surrounding hillsides.
After the same hairy restaurant (that had now made the chefs wear hats), we descended further into the glacial valley, and followed the track all the way down to Peroche. Very few species seen today, and maybe the turn in the weather was a reason for this. After arriving at our comfortable lodge, the heavens opened, though of course at this altitude it was all snow. The valley soon turned to white, and continued all through the night, revealing a striking landscape in the morning.
Highlights from today:
Alpine Chough - 50
Black-throated Thrush - 1
Guldenstadt's Redstart - 2
Alpine Accentor - 4
Saturday 22nd February - Peroche to Namche Bazar
As promised, the views this morning were stunning. We donned our gaiters and various waterproofs. All this needed as we would be ploughing through the thick snow for the first few hours of the day. After a few snowball flights, we gathered our energy and continued the descent.
We soon reached the upper treeline and many shrubs, revealing many birds that had been forced down due to the snow. After a tough hike up to the monastery at Tengboche, I went ahead as the descent from now was through the dense rhododendron forest, and hopes for a Blood Pheasant were high. I had done my research on the call, and within maybe 10 minutes, I heard the sound I was after. After a bit of shuffling around in the snow and tangling branches, a small group of Blood Pheasants revealed themselves. They were rather distant and mobile, and I soon lost sight of them. However, this didn't take away my joy of seeing these birds.
There was still a very long way to go to get to Namche, and I went through stages of creating large gaps, and then hanging back. This worked well until I stormed off ahead - whilst watching a pair of exquisite Himalayan Monals, the others were watching a superb adult Lammergeier floating just above their heads. And of course they wasted no time in showing me the gripping videos - though they did say it was an Eagle, so I had my say in the end!
Slowly but surely, and at the end of a tiresome day, we finally saw Namche emerge from the cloud ahead of us. It was a welcome sight.
As I had used up my hot shower usage from other locations (payment for hot showers is compulsory), I had no choice but to sacrifice myself, and have a cold shower (I've submerged myself in Antarctic waters, but this was something else!!).
Highlights for today:
BLOOD PHEASANT - 4
Himalayan Monal - 6
Lammergeier - 4
Golden Eagle - 1
Snow Pigeon - 50
RUFOUS-VENTED TIT - 1
Coal Tit - 5
SPOTTED LAUGHINGTHRUSH - 2
Black-faced Laughingthrush - 15
Hodgson's Treecreeper - 1
Blue Whistling Thrush - 5
White-throated Redstart - 2
Robin Accentor - 3
White-winged Grosbeak - 20
Sunday 23rd February - Namche Bazar to Lukla
Our final day of trekking, on what had been the most amazing experience. It was to be another long slog, but with an end goal in mind, we were to pull through. Today I generally stayed at the back. One reason was that there were so many birds I couldn't keep up, and secondly, some colleagues were struggling and I felt best inclined to help them through it - though I soon left them when a good bird showed, so I wasn't that great.
It all started well with a couple of Monals and Kalij Pheasants seen along the upper reaches of the pine forest. When at the bottom of the steep descent, and now following the river, my hopes for an Ibisbill were aroused once again. It still felt too early in the season for this species, and so that turned out. Many fruitless attempts of scanning the many rocks along the river were had, and I accepted my defeat - although many White-capped Redstarts were enjoyed.
As we neared Lukla, the landscape turned into cultivations, and this is where the many highlights from the day were encountered. Among a group of Alpine Accentors was a superb Dark-breasted Rosefinch, and a male Hodgson's Redstart was also seen. Many bird flocks were also encountered, and contained many species, the best being some Green Shrike-babblers among the tricky complex of lead-warblers, though I got it sorted.
And that was it, the steep steps up to the return gate at Lukla meant our mission was complete. We found a pub, and overlooking the superb valley below, we enjoyed either a coffee or a beer (I went for the latter of course). The descent had been so quick it was hard to comprehend what we had achieved, though once back safely in Kathmandu, it all became apparent. On the 24th, we caught our Kathmandu flight (a day early) and treated ourselves to some pampering, fine fining, and a brilliant night out, courtesy of our wonderful guide, Saroj.
Over the next few days, we toured the city, before I left the group early and headed for Mt Phulchowki to continue my time in Nepal. The others a few days later headed for home.
Highlights for the 23rd:
Himalayan Monal - 2
Kalij Pheasant - 2
Golden Eagle - 1
Oriental Turtle Dove - 5
House Swift - 20
Yellow-billed Blue Magpie - 10
Nutcracker - 4
Green-backed Tit - 10
Rufous-capped Babbler - 1
Streaked Laughingthrush - 2
Black-faced Laughingthrush - 20
Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush - 5
GREEN SHRIKE-BABBLER - 2
White-browed Fulvetta - 10
Rufous Sibia - 5
Hodgson's Treecreeper - 2
HODGSON'S REDSTART - 1
Blue-fronted Redstart - 3
White-capped Redstart - 6
Brown Dipper - 4
GREEN-TAILED SUNBIRD - 1
Alpine Accentor - 3
Rufous-breasted Accentor - 4
DARK-BREASTED ROSEFINCH - 1
White-winged Grosbeak - 5
Having been incredibly lucky with our inbound flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, we were now up against it on the descent. More bad weather was approaching, and was set to last for a considerable few days from our scheduled departure . This entailed a rapid descent from our highest point of Gorakshep, to our original start position of Lukla, in just three days. Our aim was to get to Lukla a day early to get an early flight back to Kathmandu.
Friday 21st February - Gorokshep to Peroche
Having no need to venture up Kala Pathar, and now fully recovered from last evening's arduous venture, we ascended as a group back the way we came. Birds were very thin on the ground today, though when descending, one needs to look more at the path, rather than the surrounding hillsides.
After the same hairy restaurant (that had now made the chefs wear hats), we descended further into the glacial valley, and followed the track all the way down to Peroche. Very few species seen today, and maybe the turn in the weather was a reason for this. After arriving at our comfortable lodge, the heavens opened, though of course at this altitude it was all snow. The valley soon turned to white, and continued all through the night, revealing a striking landscape in the morning.
Highlights from today:
Alpine Chough - 50
Black-throated Thrush - 1
Guldenstadt's Redstart - 2
Alpine Accentor - 4
 |
| Kala Pathar - it's steeper than how it appears |
 |
| White-winged Grosbeak |
 |
| The hairy restaurant |
Saturday 22nd February - Peroche to Namche Bazar
As promised, the views this morning were stunning. We donned our gaiters and various waterproofs. All this needed as we would be ploughing through the thick snow for the first few hours of the day. After a few snowball flights, we gathered our energy and continued the descent.
We soon reached the upper treeline and many shrubs, revealing many birds that had been forced down due to the snow. After a tough hike up to the monastery at Tengboche, I went ahead as the descent from now was through the dense rhododendron forest, and hopes for a Blood Pheasant were high. I had done my research on the call, and within maybe 10 minutes, I heard the sound I was after. After a bit of shuffling around in the snow and tangling branches, a small group of Blood Pheasants revealed themselves. They were rather distant and mobile, and I soon lost sight of them. However, this didn't take away my joy of seeing these birds.
There was still a very long way to go to get to Namche, and I went through stages of creating large gaps, and then hanging back. This worked well until I stormed off ahead - whilst watching a pair of exquisite Himalayan Monals, the others were watching a superb adult Lammergeier floating just above their heads. And of course they wasted no time in showing me the gripping videos - though they did say it was an Eagle, so I had my say in the end!
Slowly but surely, and at the end of a tiresome day, we finally saw Namche emerge from the cloud ahead of us. It was a welcome sight.
As I had used up my hot shower usage from other locations (payment for hot showers is compulsory), I had no choice but to sacrifice myself, and have a cold shower (I've submerged myself in Antarctic waters, but this was something else!!).
Highlights for today:
BLOOD PHEASANT - 4
Himalayan Monal - 6
Lammergeier - 4
Golden Eagle - 1
Snow Pigeon - 50
RUFOUS-VENTED TIT - 1
Coal Tit - 5
SPOTTED LAUGHINGTHRUSH - 2
Black-faced Laughingthrush - 15
Hodgson's Treecreeper - 1
Blue Whistling Thrush - 5
White-throated Redstart - 2
Robin Accentor - 3
White-winged Grosbeak - 20
 |
| Blood Pheasant |
 |
Lammergeier - the same one the
group had circle over them
|
 |
| Spotted Laughingthrush |
 |
| Himalayan Monal |
 |
| Black-faced Laughingthrush |
 |
| Peroche |
 |
| Tengboche monastary |
Sunday 23rd February - Namche Bazar to Lukla
Our final day of trekking, on what had been the most amazing experience. It was to be another long slog, but with an end goal in mind, we were to pull through. Today I generally stayed at the back. One reason was that there were so many birds I couldn't keep up, and secondly, some colleagues were struggling and I felt best inclined to help them through it - though I soon left them when a good bird showed, so I wasn't that great.
It all started well with a couple of Monals and Kalij Pheasants seen along the upper reaches of the pine forest. When at the bottom of the steep descent, and now following the river, my hopes for an Ibisbill were aroused once again. It still felt too early in the season for this species, and so that turned out. Many fruitless attempts of scanning the many rocks along the river were had, and I accepted my defeat - although many White-capped Redstarts were enjoyed.
As we neared Lukla, the landscape turned into cultivations, and this is where the many highlights from the day were encountered. Among a group of Alpine Accentors was a superb Dark-breasted Rosefinch, and a male Hodgson's Redstart was also seen. Many bird flocks were also encountered, and contained many species, the best being some Green Shrike-babblers among the tricky complex of lead-warblers, though I got it sorted.
And that was it, the steep steps up to the return gate at Lukla meant our mission was complete. We found a pub, and overlooking the superb valley below, we enjoyed either a coffee or a beer (I went for the latter of course). The descent had been so quick it was hard to comprehend what we had achieved, though once back safely in Kathmandu, it all became apparent. On the 24th, we caught our Kathmandu flight (a day early) and treated ourselves to some pampering, fine fining, and a brilliant night out, courtesy of our wonderful guide, Saroj.
Over the next few days, we toured the city, before I left the group early and headed for Mt Phulchowki to continue my time in Nepal. The others a few days later headed for home.
Highlights for the 23rd:
Himalayan Monal - 2
Kalij Pheasant - 2
Golden Eagle - 1
Oriental Turtle Dove - 5
House Swift - 20
Yellow-billed Blue Magpie - 10
Nutcracker - 4
Green-backed Tit - 10
Rufous-capped Babbler - 1
Streaked Laughingthrush - 2
Black-faced Laughingthrush - 20
Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush - 5
GREEN SHRIKE-BABBLER - 2
White-browed Fulvetta - 10
Rufous Sibia - 5
Hodgson's Treecreeper - 2
HODGSON'S REDSTART - 1
Blue-fronted Redstart - 3
White-capped Redstart - 6
Brown Dipper - 4
GREEN-TAILED SUNBIRD - 1
Alpine Accentor - 3
Rufous-breasted Accentor - 4
DARK-BREASTED ROSEFINCH - 1
White-winged Grosbeak - 5
 |
| Mt. Everest |
 |
| Snow Pigeon |
 |
| Yellow-billed Blue Magpie |
 |
| Dark-breasted Rosefinch |
 |
| A well-deserved beer |
 |
| Lukla airstrip |
