Time flies; it’s already March, and I’m here in my room reminiscing about the few moments I had in the outdoors in February. It’s funny how I don’t jot down these moments in a journal while I’m in the field. Instead, when it’s time to write this monthly segment, I fall back on the photographs I took during my travels and visualize those moments again. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, the memories come back vividly; at other times, I find myself scratching my head trying to recall the details. Nevertheless, sitting down and writing What I Saw for the past 114 months has been quite an experience.

There were only a couple of visits outside Kathmandu for me in February, but the good part was that both were about being outdoors. Two different areas, but the same rewarding experience.

RIVERSIDE SPRINGS RESORT
My assignment to document the biodiversity at Riverside Springs Resort (RSR) is still ongoing, and I made another round of visits in February. This time, the focus was on observing whether any migratory birds were present in the area. Last year, I remember spotting a Siberian Rubythroat here, so I was curious to see what this year might bring.

Waking up early and strolling around the property has become the norm, and this visit was no different. As the season was transitioning towards spring, the fog would linger until about 8 or 9 in the morning. Walking along the trails in the large wilderness section of the property, separate from the resort buildings, swimming pool, and farm, there would be a cacophony of sounds from familiar birds in the area: warblers, Black-lored Tits, the occasional calls of a Rufous Treepie, and the soft notes of a Crimson Sunbird.

I was able to spot a flock of White-rumped Munia almost every day, but photographing them was difficult due to the lack of natural light in the foggy mornings. I also caught sight of a Golden Jackal, although I wasn’t able to photograph it. During my last few visits to RSR, I had begun noticing a pair of Green-billed Malkoha, usually hidden within a bamboo grove and quite difficult to observe. This time, however, I was a bit lucky that they occasionally emerged into the open early in the morning and moved quietly from tree to tree. Although they kept their distance, as these are very shy birds, I was still able to capture a few photographs.

As the foggy mornings slowly gave way to sunlight, I began spotting Purple Sunbirds, Chestnut-tailed Starlings, Black Drongos, Grey-headed Canary-flycatchers, Common Tailorbirds, Rufous Treepies, and Pied Bush Chats. Following the tapping sound on a tree trunk, I also located a couple of Fulvous-breasted Woodpeckers.

As the atmosphere warmed, activity began along the crest of a giant hill across the Trishuli River. Large birds with wide wingspans circled above the treeline. Zooming my lens to its maximum capacity, I managed to take a few photographs. After reviewing them closely, I realized that they were White-rumped Vultures, along with a couple of Cinereous Vultures. Later in the day, I also spotted Egyptian Vultures soaring above the farm area, the wilderness section, and along the banks of the Trishuli River. As dusk slowly settled, a few White-rumped Vultures could be seen heading back toward their nesting sites, often accompanied by persistent crows harassing them in flight.

Moving around the property, I was also able to spot two species of owlets: the Spotted Owlet and the Asian Barred Owlet. The Asian Barred Owlet eventually retreated deeper into denser foliage, as the tree it was roosting on was somewhat exposed, and the constant complaints of a Rufous Treepie seemed to test its patience until it finally flew away.

Around midday, a pair of Blue-bearded Bee-eaters would arrive. With their insatiable appetite for bees, the beehives in the farm area provided them with an easy meal. Down along the banks of the Trishuli River, I spotted a few River Lapwings and five Great Cormorants, some basking in the sun while others dove repeatedly into the river in search of fish. Wagtails could also be seen foraging along the sandy banks.

• 

• 

During this visit, I was also able to record two new bird species for the property. One was a Black-naped Oriole, which appeared briefly, perched on a tree at the edge of a cliff before quickly flying away. The other was possibly a Puff-throated Babbler, a very shy bird hiding among scrub vegetation. I managed to take a photograph, but unfortunately, it turned out blurred as the bird emerged briefly from the bushes before disappearing again.

With the list of bird species recorded in and around the property now growing to more than 66, it is exciting to see how a space, when preserved, can become a secure habitat for many birds and other wildlife. As the frequency of visits across different seasons increases, the number of species recorded here will likely continue to grow.

Documenting insects has also been part of my assignment while surveying the biodiversity within the Riverside Springs Resort property. Even though it was still early in the season, I wasn’t disappointed by the limited variety of insects I was able to observe. I did manage to document a few butterflies, including some species that were new records for the property.

Among the insects and arthropods I recorded were a couple of species of ladybirds and several spiders, including the Spiny-backed Orb-weaver, Thin-legged Wolf Spiders (possibly of the genus Pardosa), and garden orb-weavers. I also documented a few species of wasps, including short-tailed ichneumonid wasps (subfamily Ophioninae), possibly Phalerimeris phalerata.

There were also several species of flies, two of which I found particularly interesting. One was a thick-headed fly (possibly Physocephala vittata), which resembles a wasp and has a distinctive long proboscis. The other was a bee fly (family Bombyliidae). Its wings resemble those of a housefly, but its body looks more like that of a small bumblebee and is also equipped with a remarkably long proboscis.

As the season progresses, there will likely be an influx of birds, mammals, and insects. I’m looking forward to returning to continue documenting the rich biodiversity that this space helps protect.

MUGLING
While staying at RSR, I also visited a location in Mugling where a whitewater rescue training was taking place. During my brief time there, I managed to document a few insect species, including a jumping spider (possibly Telamonia dimidiata), the Asian Weaver Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina), and the Indian Oakleaf butterfly.

• 

• 

KAKANI
My final outdoor visit of the month was to Kakani, where I attended the NOLS Wilderness First Responder (WFR) recertification course. This was my fifth WFR recertification, and I was excited to learn updated techniques for responding to injuries while also revisiting core sections of the course that remain fundamental.

The course began each day at 8 a.m., and as on previous visits, early morning walks had become a habit. Exploring the biodiversity around Kakani is always rewarding. Walking through a mixed forest with patches of rhododendron trees, I spotted birds such as the Blue Whistling Thrush, White-throated Laughingthrush, Maroon Oriole, Blue-fronted Redstart, Grey Bush Chat, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, and Common Kestrel. During one of the walks, I also came across a tree full of Black Bulbuls.

• 

• 

There were also a couple of moth species that I was able to document. As the three days passed quickly, I found myself thinking about returning in the coming months to spend a few more days documenting the flora and fauna of the area.

Although February only offered a few moments outdoors, it still brought a surprising number of observations of flora and fauna. Below are the species I was able to spot or document during my journeys.

Bird:
Blue-bearded Bee-eater, White-rumped Vulture, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, Green-billed Malkoha, Black Drongo, Common Tailorbird, River Lapwing, Spotted Owlet, Great Cormorant, White-rumped Munia, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Chestnut-tailed Starling ♂ ♀, Himalayan black-lored Tit, Puff-throated Babbler, Greenish Warbler, Asian Barred Owlet, Rufous Treepie, Red-vented Bulbul, Pied Bush Chat ♂ ♀, Oriental Magpie Robin, Black-naped Oriole, Black-hooded Oriole, Cinereous Vulture, Blue Whistling Thrush, White-throated Laughingthrush, Maroon Oriole, Blue-fronted Redstart, Grey Bushchat ♀, Black Bulbul, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Common Kestrel, White Wagtail, Egyptian Vulture, Crimson Sunbird, Long-tailed Shrike, Greater Coucal, Himalayan Bulbul, Black Kite, etc.

Mammal:
Irrawaddy Squirrel, Small Indian Mongoose, Golden Jackel.

Insect:
Seven-spotted Lady Beetle (Coccinella septempunctata), Wasp (Possibily Phalerimeris phalerata), Hoverfly, Plain Palm-Dart (Cephrenes acalle), Indian Cabbage White (Pieris canidia), Garden Orbweavers, Mayfly (order Ephemeroptera), Common Grass Yellow Butterfly (Eurema hecabe), Flea Beetle, Sweat Bee, Cotton Stainer, Moth (possibly Pyrausta insignitalis), Thick-headed Fly (possibly Physocephala vittata), Common Grass Blue (Zizina labradus), Indigo Flash (Rapala varuna), Staff Sergeant Butterfly (Athyma selenophora), Bushbrown Butterfly, Spiny-backed Orb-weaver spider (genus Gasteracantha), Short-tailed Ichneumonid Wasps (Subfamily Ophioninae), Honey Bees (Apis cerana), Thin-legged Wolf Spiders (possibly genus Pardosa), Common Castor Butterfly (Ariadne merione), Bee Fly (genus Bombylius), Indian Tortoiseshell Butterfly (Aglais caschmirensis), Hooktip Moth, Jumping Spider (possibily Telamonia dimidiata), Asian Weaver Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina), Indian Oakleaf Butterfly, etc.

Plant:
Wood Sorrel (possibily Oxalis rosea), Bluemink, Castor Bean plant (Ricinus communis), Largeflower Pink-Sorrel (possibily Oxalis debilis), Indian Squirrel Tail (Colebrookea oppositifolia), Scarlet Clock Vine (Thunbergia coccinea), Banyan (Ficus benghalensis), Peepal Tree (Ficus religiosa), Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo), Simal (Bombax ceiba), Rhododendron arboreum, etc.

Ajay Narsingh Rana