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N E PA L Elephant ride Brown Fish Owl nights. We can explore on foot in the afternoon and visit the elephant stables close to the lodge. At dusk we look out for Brown Hawk-Owl, Brown Wood-Owl, and Jungle Owlet. While in Chitwan we will have two elephant-rides and from this silent and elevated transport, we search the forest and grasslands for Tiger, Rhino and other animals. We shall also make excursions on foot and by jeep, allowing us to appreciate the park's varied habitats. In the dry sal forest, we should find a variety of woodpeckers, drongos, cuckoos, minivets, parakeets and perhaps such rarities as Blue-bearded Bee-eater or Red-headed Trogon. The grasslands have their own important birdlife, including many babblers of limited distribution, and White-tailed Stonechat. These should be outstanding days. Days 8 to 11 It is a daylong journey on the east-west highway from Chitwan to Koshi. Driving through the ‘terai’ of lowland Nepal, we pass through many villages and towns that give a unique insight into the Nepalese way of life. By making an early start we aim to reach Koshi Camp by late afternoon, where we stay for four nights. Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is situated in the Sapta-Koshi River plain in the far eastern corner of Nepal, close to the country's southern border with India. The vast expanse of open water created by the barrage and the marshes, lagoons, sandbanks, mudflats and arable land that lie around it offer an outstanding wetland habitat and is one of the finest bird watching sites in Asia. Almost all of Nepal's long list of wildfowl, waders, storks, ibises, egrets, terns and gulls occur here, plus a great variety of landbirds, especially warblers and birds of prey. Over 100 species should be seen each day in this wonderful area, among them such local specialities as Swamp Francolin, Greater Painted-snipe and Striated Grassbird. Lesser Adjutant and Black-necked Storks, both now globally threatened, feed in the wetlands. Raptors include Eastern Imperial, Greater Spotted, Steppe and White-tailed Eagles, various vultures and harriers, including Pied. The heart of the reserve lies north of the barrage, where seasonally inundated grasslands, lagoons and remnant patches of khair and sissoo forest lie alongside the eastern bank of the broad Koshi River. This region is the last refuge of the wild Water Buffalo in Nepal, and we may also see Jungle Cat, Asiatic Jackal, and Bengal Fox. The sharp-eyed may also be lucky enough to see some of the endangered Gangetic River Dolphins that live here. Our most regular and rewarding wildlife outings will be on foot, exploring the grasslands, river, lagoons and woodlands close to the camp, and the vicinity of the barrage, a short drive away. We will also take you by silent, unmotorized zodiac onto the wide waters of the Koshi River to enjoy the birdlife of the otherwise inaccessible sandbanks and islands. Days 12 to 14 This morning we drive to Biratnagar Airport, from where we catch our return flight to Kathmandu, past Mounts Everest, Makalu and Langtang. There will be a city tour this afternoon, including the Buddhist stupa (shrine) and Tibetan settlement at Bodhnath and the temples and old royal palace in Kathmandu's Durbar Square. On our last full day we return to Phulchowki and look for any species we may have missed on our earlier visit. Our final night in Nepal will be spent in Kathmandu. In the morning we transfer to Kathmandu Airport for our return flight to London, arriving in the evening. Outline Itinerary Day 1 Depart London Days 2-3 Kathmandu Days 4-7 Chitwan National Park Days 8-11 Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve Days 12-13 Kathmandu Day 14 Depart Kathmandu, arrive London Party Size Maximum of 10 clients. Accommodation The accommodation we use is normally the best available in the area. Both of the Machan Camps have private facilities, but at Koshi Camp the facilities are shared. Both camps provide hot water. The tents are permanent and are walk-in safari style. Transport By coach, jeep, zodiac and elephant. Includes All flights, meals, accommodation, transport, entry fees, services of the leaders, airport taxes and tips. Gradings Good/Tented 300 Warm to Cool Low Special Relaxed Excellent Moderate Scheduled Tiger To make a booking please call Ornitholidays on 01794 519445 83
V I E T N A M Vietnam Land of the Dragon People Saturday 01 November – Tuesday 18 November 2014 Leader: Uthai Treesucon 2014 Cost £4,499 single room supplement £430 Tam Dao Cuc Phuong National Park Hanoi VIETNAM ietnam lies in South-eastern Asia, bordering Cambodia, Laos and China and has a large coastline of over 2,100 miles Dalat V (3,400 kms). It has a well-known and chequered history. It was ruled by the French from 1884, until defeated by the Di Linh communist forces under Ho Chi Minh in 1954, when the Geneva Accords split the country into a pro-communist north and an anti-communist south. In 1975 the country was reunited and over the following 35 years it has finally opened up Ho Chi Minh to tourism. The hotel infrastructure, cuisine and road systems now make it suitable for us to visit. Habitat and bird-wise the country is diverse. Vietnam has recorded over 800 bird species and holds 10 endemic species as well as many fascinating and colourful families. The moist evergreen forests of Cuc Phuong are home to pheasants, pittas, fulvettas, barbets, minivets, malkohas, bulbuls and ioras. We shall search both the north and the south of the country for specialities such as Germain’s Peacock-Pheasant, Green Peafowl, Bar-bellied Pitta, White-winged Magpie and many other mouth-watering species. This tour sees us reunited with an old friend, Uthai Treesucon who has led many of our holidays to Thailand and Vietnam. This will be Ornitholidays sixth tour to Vietnam. ITINERARY Days 1 to 4 We take a flight from London to Hanoi arriving the next day and meet our guide, Uthai Treesucon. We drive to Cuc Phuong National Park for a stay of three nights. We will start birding in this park as soon as we have finished checking in to our rooms. This national park was the first park to be created in Vietnam and is situated about 75 miles (120 kms) south of Hanoi. It is lowland to mid-elevation forest and there are many birds for us to find such as Chestnut-necklaced Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Red-vented Barbet, Brown Hornbill, Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, Pied Falconet, Bar-bellied, Eared and Blue-rumped Pittas, Racket-tailed Treepie, White-winged Magpie, White-tailed Flycatcher, Spotted Forktail, Asian Stubtail, Puff-throated Bulbul, Limestone Wren-Babbler, Sulphur-breasted Warbler, Rufous-throated and Black-browed Fulvettas. Other birds including Wedge-tailed Green-Pigeon, Rufous Woodpecker, Greater Yellownape, Common Green Magpie, Crowbilled Drongo and Hainan Blue Flycatcher may be seen along the road. Common birds such as Green-eared Barbet, White-rumped Shama, Great Iora, Green-billed Malkoha, Redwhiskered and Black-crested Bulbuls, Scarlet Minivet and Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike can be found in more open areas. With luck we may find a rare Red-collared Woodpecker along the road. Days 5 to 7 We transfer to Tam Dao, an old French hill station about 60 miles (90 kms) north-west of Hanoi, for a three night stay. We have two full days to explore the area; it is easy going here, as the weather is usually cool on this mountain and the best birding site (the ‘water tank trail’) is just five minutes’ drive from our hotel. We hope to see a wide variety of species including three local specialities, Grey Laughingthrush, Chestnut Bulbul and the tiny Short-tailed Parrotbill. Crested Serpent-Eagles will be calling evocatively overhead, whilst Fork-tailed Sunbird, Golden-throated Barbet, Silver-eared Mesia, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Chestnut-collared and Blackchinned Yuhinas, Schaeffer’s Fulvetta, Ratchet-tailed Treepie and Spot-necked, Greythroated and Golden Babblers provide an impressive supporting cast. Streaked and Eyebrowed Wren-babblers can be found Grey Peacock-Pheasant foraging nearby whilst calling Streak-breasted, Coral-billed and Orange-billed Scimitar-babblers will keep us busy. If we are lucky we may encounter some of the more elusive species including Green Cochoa in the forest, Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill alongside Collared Babbler in the bamboo, or perhaps Blue-naped Pitta on the steps to the nearby transmitter tower. Days 8 to 11 After a final morning in Tam Dao we drive to Hanoi Airport and catch a flight to Dalat where we stay for four nights. The Dalat Plateau is the home of Indochinese endemic species and some subspecies with Himalayan affinities. The town of Dalat itself is a traditional hill resort for the inhabitants of Saigon and was a major destination for bird collecting expeditions during French colonial times. Dalat is an important town for the production of large quantities of fruit, vegetables and flowers. One morning we will drive to Tanung Valley to search for the endemic Grey-crowned Crocias and Orange-breasted Laughingthrush and the near endemic Blackhooded Laughingthrush. Other birds here include Orange-headed Thrush, Grey-bellied Tesia and Streaked Spiderhunter. In the afternoon we will spend some time in areas around Dalat looking for Brown Prinia, Burmese Shrike, Mountain Imperial-Pigeon and Vietnamese Greenfinch. One day will be spent mainly on Mt. Lang Biang. We drive to about 6,000ft (1,800m) and then walk to the hill evergreen forest to look for the endemic Collared Laughingthrush, the near endemic Indochinese Wren-Babbler, Vietnamese Cutia, White-spectacled and Grey-cheeked Warblers, Grey-bellied Tesia, Lesser Shortwing, Mountain Fulvetta, Maroon and Slender-billed Orioles, Little Pied Flycatcher, Green-backed Tit and the endemic Vietnamese Greenfinch. We have lunch in town and return to the mountain again in the late afternoon. 84 For a previous tour report or further information please call: 01794 519445
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ORNITHOLIDAYS 2014 49 Our Forty-Nin
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49 Our Forty-Ninth Year ORNITHOLIDA
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I S O R N I T H O L I D AY S R I G
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L AT E 2 0 1 3 T O U R S Summary of
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T O U R G R A D I N G Tour Grading
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G R E E N TA X E S A N D C A R B O
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Bryce Canyon, Utah, USA
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U S A - U TA H & A R I Z O N A USA
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M E X I C O Mexico Western Mexican
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C O S TA R I C A Costa Rica Classic
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C U B A Cuba Endemic Birds & Winter
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T R I N I D A D & T O B A G O Trini
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S T LU C I A St Lucia at Leisure Pi
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I C E L A N D Iceland Land of Ice &
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T U R K E Y Turkey Turkish Delight
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B E L A R U S Belarus Europe’s La
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F I N L A N D Finland Owls, Woodpec
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H U N G A R Y Hungary Spring Tour S
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H U N G A R Y Hungary at Leisure Cr
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R O M A N I A Romania Danube Delta
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B U L G A R I A Bulgaria at Leisure
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O U R T E A M O F L E A D E R S Our
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O U R T E A M O F L E A D E R S Blu
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C A L E N D A R Calendar 2014 JANUA
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C O N D I T I O N S O F B O O K I N
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C O N D I T I O N S O F B O O K I N
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ORNITHOLIDAYS 29 Straight Mile Roms
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