we were up in kot over new years... the winter haze covered most of the valley as well as the himals. mornings with chirping and flitting birds were wonderful- to hear and see. as usual primary activity in kot is looking at mountains, the valley floor, trees, and things that fly, including birds and planes!
a pair of himalayan bulbuls, जुरेलि, atop a lapsi tree.. some lapsis decided to brave the winter chill!
.. and then these little birds... not much bigger than the lapsis... this yellow beauty is the himalayan black-lored tit...
... and this other one.. the cinerous tit atop a lapsi cluster...
had a hard time identifying this oriental turtle dove ढुकुर .. turns out it is a juvenile one and doesn't yet have spots on the sides of its neck
what a beauty this blue whistling thrush.. equally melodious its whistling...
... and different sizes and hues if the great barbet न्याउली with their almost mournful cries
... the one on the right is large cuckoo shrike... and a closer look of the bird on the left is below...
... the large billed crow कालोकाग...
... and below are bird sounds in the morning.. from little chirps to cackling...
... it is fascinating to watch the immediate southern view of the valley with its mist-wrapped terrain early in the morning before sunrise... the pinkish sky...
... that begins to turn orangish...
... and this is the northern view of the himalaya... before sunrise...
...an early morning panorama of the valley below and the himals beyond...
... once the sun's rays hit the himals.. the birds (the steel ones) चीलगाडी take flight to the everest region and back.. this an atr...
... and this an lta-410 ... off on a mountain flight or a trip to lukla..
... ganesh himal range glowing a deep orange with the added haze..
.. and himalchuli with manaslu.. the annapurnas were blocked by the winter haze..
.. close-up of ganesh 3...
...ganesh 2...
... ganesh 1...
.... and himalchuli...
... a closer look at the mushrooming houses now hugging the hillsides of the valley...
... ganesh himal range behind the lapsi tree, as the sun comes further up...
... and of course the mountain flights comeback to kathmandu..
shree's bombardier dash-8
shree's bombardier dash-8
... buddha's atr...
... and yeti's twin otter...
... this was the last sunset of 2023...
... and this the first one of 2024...
... and as night falls, the birds are silent... but its the dogs in the distance barking on and on...
.. and what is a chilly hillside evening without a warm fire in an upcycled
washing machine drum!
... iti...
