Click the play button to hear the sounds of the forest while you read the blog.
Primarily occupied with work in Kathmandu, I made it a point this month to consistently explore a single area. Mountain biking and birdwatching became my main methods of exploration, offering the dual benefits of a proper workout and the chance to see nature up close. Weight training also came in the form of lugging around my big telephoto lens, camera gear, and tripod. It’s all part of getting fit for my upcoming mountain biking assignments in October.
I focused my attention on Bhimdhunga, a place I’ve been mountain biking to for the past 20 years. Located at the border of Kathmandu Valley and Dhading, Bhimdhunga has changed slowly, thankfully not as rapidly or drastically as the Kathmandu side below. From here, you can overlook the Dhading valley and enjoy views of the beautiful mountain ranges to the northwest, including Manaslu and Ganesh Himal.
On my many visits this month, I often arrived just as fog rolled in from the Dhading side, slowly rising above the hills and covering the community forests and nearby villages. All that remained was the vibrant soundscape of birds. The loud, echoing calls of the Great Barbet and Blue-throated Barbet stood out the most, followed by the delicate tsi-tsi-tsi-weetee of the Grey-hooded Warbler.
Riding down the foggy trails, I would reach my favorite spot to observe bird activity. Parking my bike at the trail’s edge, I watched the morning frenzy as birds emerged to forage. As the fog lifted and visibility extended beyond 500 meters, I could hear the melodious call of the Maroon Oriole. The forest becomes a true haven when there are no human-made sounds or planes overhead. Occasionally, the quiet is broken by the Black Bulbul’s song as they chase each other through the trees.
Sometimes I’d encounter local villagers on their morning walks or heading to work. A simple “Namaste” often led to friendly chats, usually beginning with their curiosity about what I was doing. When I explained that I was observing and documenting birds and insects, they would proudly talk about their forest and share stories of recent sightings. I’m now a regular at a local tea shop, where one of the village elders often tells me when he spots a squirrel or a Great Barbet. On one occasion, he told me I had just missed a pair of Black Francolins foraging in a nearby field. I promised we’d try spotting them together next time.
One peaceful ride through the forest was filled with the softer-than-usual hum of cicadas. I watched a pair of Black Drongo chicks venture out of the nest, fluttering clumsily as they waited for their parents to bring food. The Scarlet Minivet was easily spotted, its black-and-crimson colors glowing as it perched on nearby trees. Their soft calls complemented the quiet forest as the sun finally broke through the fog.
Further along, I saw a group of Spangled Drongos chasing each other through the canopy, while below, Grey Treepies foraged on the forest floor. One even dropped its prey—a large wasp—on the trail below. Witnessing this tiny moment in the food chain was fascinating.
Many trees were covered in epiphytes, including a few species of orchids like Foxtail Orchids in full bloom. Another variety of orchid was also flowering, though I haven’t been able to identify it yet. One of my favorite plants to spot while biking is what I believe to be the Hitchhiker Elephant Ear, a beautiful epiphyte that stands out dramatically against the forest background. This mixed forest, rich with Oak, Chilaune, and Beautyberry, also had more Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrel sightings than I typically see elsewhere. Capturing them on camera, however, proved difficult due to low light conditions.
Butterflies were also abundant. I managed to document the Striped Blue Crow and Yellow Coster butterflies. I also spotted Jezebels, Tiger Butterflies, and various Blues, which I hope to photograph next month. As I stood still, watching the forest canopy below and the fog slowly rolling up toward me, I tracked a Jezebel butterfly fluttering toward a tree. Out of nowhere, a Maroon Oriole swooped in, adjusting its speed mid-flight and catching the butterfly. It was one of those rare moments that reinforce how crucial it is to conserve butterfly and moth species. A similar sighting occurred on my way back home, when a flock of Black-throated Tits and some Warblers were foraging from tree to tree. Moths seemed to be their primary meal, although one managed to escape from the beak just in time.
On one of my visits, the skies were clearer, and the sun peeked through until around 10 a.m. Early on, we spotted a Barking Deer quietly munching on shrubs along the hillside. After documenting the sighting, we continued along the trail. While birdwatching, my insect-spotting instincts kicked in—I managed to photograph an Assassin Bug and an Orb-weaving Spider. Later, we came across a dead snake, its body swarmed by ants, a stark reminder of nature’s cycles at work.
As fog rolled back in, we focused on a spot where I had previously seen a Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler. While waiting silently, we spotted a Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon watching us from above. A Prinia sang nearby, and a pair of Blue-capped Rock Thrushes—male and female—chased each other in the underbrush.
At my favorite lookout, the fog cleared again, and the Maroon Orioles returned, their melodic songs reverberating through the jungle. A couple of Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrels were busy feeding, while a Scarlet Minivet perched on a treetop in the distance. The Black Bulbuls resumed their noisy chorus. One particular tree branch stood out: it was covered in epiphytes, and the Foxtail Orchid in full bloom stole the show—its pink flowers contrasting beautifully with the greens and browns of the forest. While returning, I focused on insects and was able to spot a Tiger Beetle with its catch, an ant. Nearby, a Robber Fly was resting on a leaf while some Blue Sp. Butterflies could be spotted flying further down the trail.
Aside from Bhimdhunga, I revisited Lakure Bhanjyang after a couple of years. A lot had changed. The upper trails have deteriorated, with landslides now a concern. But nature still offered its surprises. I spotted Sunbirds, Red-billed Blue Magpies, Grey Treepies, and Blue Whistling Thrushes. Since it was a work-related trip, I couldn’t document much, but I plan to return soon.
I also went mountain biking around Bungamati, where the rice planting season was in full swing. Cattle Egrets were busy in the fields. Again, it was a work trip, so I’ll return next month for a proper nature observation.
The final trip of the month took me out of the valley to Golaghat in Chitwan. Because it landed right at June’s close, the visit—originally planned as a week‑long stay—was trimmed to three days, running over into 1 July.
We reached Golaghat around 10:30 a.m. and, after wrapping up our initial planning that afternoon, settled on the bank of the Rapti River to scan the grasslands of Chitwan National Park on the far side for movement. A pair of Greater Coucals patrolled the area near our spot, their deep coopp‑coppp‑coppp calls booming across the water.
At the river’s edge, a couple of Striated Herons hunted. I focused on one perched on a dug‑out canoe, with lightning speed, it caught some fish in the water, though even its accuracy sometimes failed. Little Egrets joined the hunt on both banks, and, with patience, I finally captured a few decisive shots. As dusk approached, two Hog Deer emerged from the tall grass on the park side and grazed quietly at the water’s edge. Quite a sight to end the day with.
An early riser, I was up by 4 : 50 a.m. the next morning, listening to the dawn chorus from the nearby community forest. A flock of Red‑naped Ibises called as they lifted off toward eastern farmlands; a Common Hawk‑Cuckoo cried nearby, and somewhere in the distance, a Brown Hawk‑Owl’s call could be heard. We planned to bird the surrounding farmland at first light, finish the remaining logistics during the day, and drive back to Kathmandu the following morning.
Monsoon birding in the swampy fields is always tricky because of dense vegetation, but it seldom disappoints. We logged Pied Kingfishers, Blue‑tailed Bee‑eaters, Little Cormorants, Plain Prinias, Fulvous‑breasted Woodpeckers, and a shy Yellow Bittern. The air was filled with the call of Red‑wattled Lapwings, which periodically burst into flight, perhaps spooked by the Golden Jackal I later saw prowling in the distance. A Cinnamon Bittern also made brief, low flights between swamp and grassland. Amid the greenery, I noticed a Crown Flower in full bloom, already bearing fruit pods.
A couple of Chestnut‑capped Babbler skulked through reeds beside a pond, but I managed only record shots because I was distracted by insects, mainly Plain Tiger and Tawny Coster butterflies, several Blues, some jumping spiders, and dragonflies such as the Green Marsh Hawk and Common Picture Wing. It was a productive morning, and I’m eager to return for a more focused insect survey.
Later that evening we took a short jeep ride through a community forest, ending at the confluence of the Rapti and Narayani rivers—a perfect vantage point for sunset. En route we spotted a Black Francolin, herds of Spotted Deer, several Wild Boars with piglets, and a One‑horned Rhinoceros with her calf. It was a fitting finale to June. July began with another jeep safari into a forest bordering the park, and heading back to Kathmandu right after that, but I’ll save that story for next month’s edition.
Below is a list of the flora and fauna recorded during June.
Bird:
Purple Sunbird ♂ ♀, Blue Whistling Thrush, Black Bulbul, Drongo Juvenile, Scarlet Minivet, Grey Treepie, Great Barbet, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Spangled Drongo, Grey-hooded Warbler, Ashy Drongo, Maroon Oriole, White-throated Kingfisher, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Black-throated Tit, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Blue-capped Rock Thrush ♂ ♀, Orange-bellied Leafbird ♂ ♀, Blue-throated Barbet, Long-tailed Shrike, Himalayan Bulbul, Red-billed Blue Magpie, Greater Coucal, Striated Heron, Chestnut‑capped Babbler, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Red‑wattled Lapwing, Yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bittern, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Little Cormorant, Plain Prinia, Black Francolin, Indian Roller, Red‑naped Ibises, etc.
Heard calls of:
Large Hawk-Cuckoo, Brown Hawk‑Owl, Asian Koel.
Mammal:
Barking Deer, Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrel, Small Indian Mongoose, Hog Deer, Golden Jackal, Wild Boar, Spotted Deer, Indian Grey Mongoose, One‑horned Rhinoceros.
Insect:
Stripped Blue Crow Butterfly, Yellow Coster Butterfly, Assassin Bug, Chrysalis of a Yellow Coster Butterfly, Various Species of Moth, Various Species of Wasp, Ant Mimic Spider, Tiger Beetle (Neocollyris sp.), Robber Fly (Synolcus sp.), Plain Tiger Butterfly, Tawny Coster Butterfly, Green Marsh Hawk Dragonfly, Common Picture Wing Dragonfly, Swift Butterfly Sp., Various Ant Species, a Sweat Bee Sp., various Jumping Spider Sp., Gram Blue Butterfly, Weevil Beetle, etc.
Plant:
Beautyberry Tree (Callicarpa arborea), Foxtail Orchid, Hitchhiker Elephant Ear (Remusatia vivipara), Various Species of Ferns, Oxyspora Sp., Rangoon Creeper (Combretum indicum), Passionfruit vines, Crown Flower, Lovely Dendrobium Orchid (Dendrobium amoenum), Sal Tree (Shorea robusta), Chilaune (Schima wallichii), Angeree (Melastoma malabathricum), Utis (Alnus nepalensis), Peepal Tree (Ficus religiosa), Banyan Tree, etc.
Fungi:
Puffball (Most probably Genus – Lycoperdon), etc.
Ajay Narsingh Rana
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