INDIA

This tour will take us to the extreme corner of northeast India at the junction of the Eastern Himalayas with Indo-Burma. In the hills of Nagaland at India’s border with Myanmar, we will look for restricted range endemics such as Naga Wren-Babbler, Brown-capped Laughingthrush and Spot-breasted Scimitar-Babbler. Moving north into the Brahmaputra floodplain and subtropical forest of the Mishmi Hills, we will search for grassland endemics and Eastern Himalayan specialities such as Swamp Prinia, Marsh Babbler, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Bengal Florican, White-winged Duck, Blyth’s and Temminck’s Tragopans, Mishmi Wren-babbler and Cachar Wedge-billed Babbler.

Combine this tour with our tour to India – Eaglenest and save £600 on the combined total if flights from London are arranged by us.

Day 1 Overnight flight from London to Dimapur Airport in Nagaland.

Days 2–5 Upon arrival at Dimapur Airport we will make the short drive southeast into the hills to Khonoma. We will spend four nights in this region, split between Khonoma and the village of Chizami. Around Khonoma, the community managed Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary will be the focus of our birding, with mid-elevation subtropical forest holding several range restricted species. Among these, we will look for the endemic Naga Wren-Babbler, near-endemic Striped and Brown-capped Laughingthrushes, and elusive Blyth’s Tragopan. We will also encounter several species we are unlikely to see as we move west into the Mishmi Hills, such as Crested Finchbill, Flavescent Bulbul, Grey Sibia and the localised Dark-rumped Swift. At Chizami, close to the Myanmar border, we will look for the elusive and poorly-known Yellow-throated Laughingthrush and near-endemic Spot-breasted Scimitar-Babbler, and several species more commonly associated with China or Southeast Asia, such as Moustached and White-browed Laughingthrushes, and Mountain Bamboo-Partridge. Four nights in Nagaland.

Day 6 Today is mostly a travel day, as we make our way out of the hills of Nagaland and into the Brahmaputra floodplain, driving northeast to Tinsukia. Two nights in Tinsukia.

Day 7 We have a full day to explore this region of Upper Assam. This morning we plan to visit a vital remnant patch of lowland tropical forest at Dehing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary for an exciting selection of eastern Himalayan and more widespread specialities, with birds such as Pale-capped Pigeon, Silver-breasted Broadbill, White-crowned Forktail, White-cheeked Partridge, Grey Peacock-pheasant, White-winged Duck, Black Baza, up to five species of hornbill including Austen's Brown Hornbill, Nepal Fulvetta, Sultan Tit, Greater and Lesser Racket-tailed Drongos, Blue-winged and Golden-fronted Leafbirds, Scarlet and Long-tailed Minivets, Large Scimitar Babbler, White-hooded Babbler, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Oriental Dollarbird, Black-headed Cuckooshrike, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Small Niltava, Pin-striped Tit-babbler and maybe even the extremely skulky Rufous-throated Fulvetta and Streaked Wren-babbler all on our radar. Vocal troops of India’s only ape, Western Hoolock Gibbon, and Asian Elephants are also present in the Sanctuary. Later, in the marshy grasslands that flank the Brahmaputra River at Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and nearby Maguri Beel, we will go in search of three northeast Indian endemics – Black-breasted Parrotbill, Swamp Grass Babbler (Swamp Prinia) and Marsh Babbler. Other species we may encounter in this area include the range-restricted Jerdon’s Babbler, Pied Harrier, Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Grey-headed Lapwing, Striated Heron, Cinnamon and Yellow Bitterns, Baya Weaver, Striated Grassbird, Swamp Francolin, Watercock, Asian Openbill, Falcated and Ferruginous Ducks, Bar-headed Goose, Yellow-eyed and Chestnut-capped Babblers, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Little Cormorant, Citrine Wagtail, Honey Buzzard, Indochinese Roller, White-throated Kingfisher, Smoky Warbler, Sand Lark and, with luck, a Delicate Prinia or Spotted Bush Warbler.

Day 8 This morning we will visit a patch of lowland forest within the Digboi Oilfields, where we hope to encounter Rufous-necked and Chestnut-backed Laughingthrushes and Collared Treepie. Other species to look out for here will include Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Jerdon’s Baza, Blue-naped Pitta, Grey-throated Babbler, Asian Fairy-bluebird, Plain Flowerpecker and Blue-throated Flycatcher. This afternoon will see us leave Tinsukia and head northeast, crossing the Brahmaputra River as we head into the Mishmi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh. We will make our way to the small town of Roing at 400m in the Lower Dibang Valley, the last major township in India’s northeast frontier and our base for the night. Around Roing, exploring the transition zone from the plains into the foothills will provide a tantalising introduction to the diversity of this region, and we will encounter a good selection of Himalayan specialities during our stay here including Beautiful Sibia, Black-throated Sunbird, Black-chinned and Striated Yuhinas, Blue-throated Barbet, Rusty-fronted and Streak-throated Barwings, Black-backed Forktail, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Silver-eared Mesia, Grey Treepie and Yellow-bellied Fairy-fantail. In the grassland areas we hope to encounter Pale-billed and White-breasted Parrotbills and Bengal Florican. Night at Roing.

Days 9–11 On Day 9 we will move higher into the hills to a new base at Mayodia (2655m), where we will spend three days birding through a succession of incredible and largely undisturbed Himalayan forest habitats. We will explore these on foot from the paved but relatively quiet road that ascends from Roing to its highest point at Mayodia, and beyond. This is one of Asia’s least-explored birding areas and birding here is both exciting and productive, with an extensive list of potential species that includes some of the most sought-after specialities of the Himalaya. In the low hills we will explore the subtropical forests in search of a broad range of species associated with these moderate altitudes, key among which are Red-headed Trogon, Green Cochoa, White-browed Piculet, Red-billed Scimitar Babbler, Pygmy Cupwing and Chestnut-headed, Slaty-bellied and Grey-bellied Tesias. Among our key targets higher up will be the endemic Rusty-throated (or Mishmi) Wren-babbler, which was rediscovered in 2004, and both Temminck’s and Blyth’s Tragopans. The myriad other avian possibilities include Spotted, Grey-sided, Chestnut-crowned, Black-faced, White-crested, Scaly and Blue-winged Laughingthrushes, Long-billed and Bar-winged Wren-babblers, Chevron-breasted (or Cachar Wedge-billed) Babbler, Gould’s and Rusty-bellied Shortwings, Streak-throated (or Manipur), Ludlow’s (Brown-throated), Golden-breasted and Yellow-throated Fulvettas, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, Ward’s Trogon, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Himalayan Cutia, Rufous-throated Partridge, Rufous-vented, Stripe-throated, Whiskered and White-naped Yuhinas, Himalayan Bluetail, White-browed and Rufous-breasted Bush Robins, Grey-headed and Brown Bullfinches, Red-faced Liocichla, Dark-rumped and Spot-winged Rosefinches, Darjeeling Woodpecker, Chestnut, Long-tailed and Himalayan Thrushes, Alpine and Maroon-backed Accentors, Coral-billed, Streak-breasted and Slender-billed Scimitar Babblers, Fire-tailed, Green-tailed and Mrs Gould’s Sunbirds, Crimson-browed and Gold-naped Finches, Long-tailed Sibia, Black-browed (Rufous-fronted) Bushtit, Rufous-vented and Yellow-cheeked Tits, Daurian and Blue-fronted Redstarts, Black-eared Shrike-babbler, White-tailed and Beautiful Nuthatches, Eyebrowed Wren-babbler, Grey-chinned Minivet, Golden-throated and Great Barbets, White-gorgeted and Rufous-gorgeted Flycatchers, Collared and Asian Barred Owlets, Golden Babbler, Spotted Elachura, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Rusty-flanked Treecreeper, Chestnut-tailed and Red-tailed Minlas, Grey-cheeked, Chestnut-crowned and Black-faced Warblers, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Yellow-billed Blue Magpie, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Hodgson’s Hawk-cuckoo and, if we are extremely lucky, maybe even the majestic Sclater’s Monal. Other species we may find over the course of these two days include Streaked and Little Spiderhunters, Rufous-faced Warbler, Greater and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrushes, Blue-winged Minla and several woodpeckers including Bay, Grey-headed and Pale-headed. Mammals may include the endangered endemic Mishmi Takin. Three nights Mayodia Resthouse.

Day 12 We will spend the morning making our way back into Assam, birding across the elevations as we descend from Mayodia back onto the alluvial plains of the Brahmaputra basin to Tinsukia for a one-night stay. Time permitting, we may have the opportunity to re-visit one or two sites during the afternoon.

Day 13 We will spend a final few hours around Tinsukia, focusing on any species we may have missed before departing for Dibrugarh Airport this afternoon for our flight back to London, arriving on Day 14.

General Information Temperatures will vary from hot in the lowlands to cold, particularly at night, in the mountains where snow is a possibility at higher altitudes. The pace is moderate, with no long treks involved, and on most days we will take a break at midday to relax. The highest altitude to which we will ascend is 2655m. There are a number of health requirements and you must consult your GP in this respect. You will need to apply for a one-year visa at a cost of approximately US$40 to enable sufficient time after receipt for us to further apply for a regional area permit.

Group size Minimum number for tour to go ahead: 4; maximum group size: 10 with 2 leaders.