Scientific Name: Arborophila torqueola
Place: Near Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Pangot, Uttarakhand, India
'One of the most elusive bird to see in wild!' - This is how the bird could be explained in one sentence. Mainly an altitudinal migrant like other Galliformes of Himalayas, which prefer to roost at lower altitudes ~ 5,000 to 7,000 ft in western Himalayas during winter months and ~8,000 to 10,000 ft during summer and falls.
Unlike other birds, it is not expected to be seen, but one can hear the call of Hill Partridge from miles away. At the same time I must say - 'when a birder is out for birding, he should not keep this specie in his expected bird list, unless it is God's gift.' I still remember my maiden day for sighting of the specie, in broad daylight, along with six more birding tour participants, for 2 seconds. Somehow I managed to get a record image of the birdie amongst all of them, though the windscreen of the vehicle. That is why the outcome is poor!
As usual birdlife was very rich during our October 2014 trip to Ghatgarh, Sattal and Pangot area. It was 3rd birding day, and all of us set out for Pangot in search of Cheer Pheasant. We were doing on the way birding, by taking pit stops at places, wherever flocks of birds were sighted. This is how, we were going uphill all the way from Ghatgarh(1,020 mtr) to Pangot(2,200 mtr). All on the sudden, as we were passing through a temperate broadleaf section of montane forest by car; a bird of Galliforme type appeared 50 odd feet away from us on road. It stood on road for 2 seconds and jumped into the ditch following a stream of water and vanished beneath the thickly foliaged bush. - This was the making of the this image! I hope someday some other birding group would see it too and achieve something which would definitely be a memory to cherish for them.
Later that day, after reaching to Cheer Point, we searched for Cheer Pheasant but couldn't spot any of them. Like I said previously, what is expected to be seen may not be seen during birding; but the thing that is least expected can be spotted by God's grace. All the birders was overwhelmed to see this rare beauty in wild (for 2 guys it was a maiden birding trip, what a start for them!).
Since the day I was into birding or conducting birding trips, two birds that is needless to be mentioned, whose calls can be heard from kilometers away, are - Hill Partridge and Satyr Tragopan. In Sikkim Himalayas also I hear both of them, when I am out for Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary or Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary; but one need to have persistent luck for that.
Would post a blog write up about sighting of Satyr Tragopan too in near future. Stay tuned guys!!
Place: Near Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Pangot, Uttarakhand, India
'One of the most elusive bird to see in wild!' - This is how the bird could be explained in one sentence. Mainly an altitudinal migrant like other Galliformes of Himalayas, which prefer to roost at lower altitudes ~ 5,000 to 7,000 ft in western Himalayas during winter months and ~8,000 to 10,000 ft during summer and falls.
Unlike other birds, it is not expected to be seen, but one can hear the call of Hill Partridge from miles away. At the same time I must say - 'when a birder is out for birding, he should not keep this specie in his expected bird list, unless it is God's gift.' I still remember my maiden day for sighting of the specie, in broad daylight, along with six more birding tour participants, for 2 seconds. Somehow I managed to get a record image of the birdie amongst all of them, though the windscreen of the vehicle. That is why the outcome is poor!
As usual birdlife was very rich during our October 2014 trip to Ghatgarh, Sattal and Pangot area. It was 3rd birding day, and all of us set out for Pangot in search of Cheer Pheasant. We were doing on the way birding, by taking pit stops at places, wherever flocks of birds were sighted. This is how, we were going uphill all the way from Ghatgarh(1,020 mtr) to Pangot(2,200 mtr). All on the sudden, as we were passing through a temperate broadleaf section of montane forest by car; a bird of Galliforme type appeared 50 odd feet away from us on road. It stood on road for 2 seconds and jumped into the ditch following a stream of water and vanished beneath the thickly foliaged bush. - This was the making of the this image! I hope someday some other birding group would see it too and achieve something which would definitely be a memory to cherish for them.
 |
| Hill Partridge (Arborophila torqueola) | Pangot, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India © Dibyendu Ash @ 2014 |
Since the day I was into birding or conducting birding trips, two birds that is needless to be mentioned, whose calls can be heard from kilometers away, are - Hill Partridge and Satyr Tragopan. In Sikkim Himalayas also I hear both of them, when I am out for Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary or Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary; but one need to have persistent luck for that.
Would post a blog write up about sighting of Satyr Tragopan too in near future. Stay tuned guys!!
Here you present the great facts about Hill Partridge bird. You also present the beautiful Hill Partridge photosand Wallpaper.
ReplyDelete