DAY 12 MON 20 FEB SUNDERVIEW AND BOMPU

Another early start and first bird of the day is one we can't see, a calling collared owlet which despite a brief try with the tape, could not be tempted down to share our early morning Assam tea. We birded our way down towards Bompu camp and before hot breakfast on the road, managed to see a tight flock of black-faced warbler, slender-billed scimitar babbler and a showy great barbet in the scope.

It was then time for a try at another wren babbler, this time long-billed, which after sterling work by Abid in a very steep slimy gully was eventually coaxed down for brief glimpses at the side of the road. A grey peacock pheasant was seen and a very elusive chestnut-bellied partridge was a bonus.

Striated laughingthrush

An active flock of yellow-breasted fulvetta contained a white-spectacled warbler, and grey-throated babbler was a new bird for the trip.

We lunched at the deserted Bompu camp. In fact it was meals on wheels service! The guys from Sunderview came down to meet us, bringing tables, chairs etc and steaming hot pans full of tasty curry, daal, rice etc

Mountain hawk eagle

After lunch we birded around the camp and saw good numbers of olive-backed pipit, striated laughingthrush and a big group of golden-breasted fulvetta. I showed Abid a fresh footprint which he identified as bear! It was only afterwards I realised that after seeing the footprint he became keen for us to move on and try somwehere else!

A purple patch after lunch included black eagle, greater rufous-headed parrotbill, red headed trogon and our only blue-winged minla.

Mid afternoon, a large raptor circled above us and then came right down landing in a tree just a couple of hundred metres or so away from us. We quickly scoped it and was thrilled to see a mountain hawk eagle complete with erect crest!  Almost immediately, we were then distracted by two chunky looking passerines perched high in a tree up the trail. Nice looks....a pair of spot-winged grosbeaks!

Inside the Sunderview kitchen

Soon the birding was over and we were back in camp for dinner! Paul and Rachael went over to the kitchen and soon reported back...we were eating Italian for tea! Pizza made with tinned cheese and cooked in a frying pan. It was very tasty. and a nice change from curry and daal.

After dinner we sat with the campstaff around the fire which got bigger and bigger as they threw on more and more wood. Soon it was time to hit the sack, for what I hoped would be another solid sleep of bird filled dreams.

Today's gallery is here