Sometimes it feels like I take for granted the excitement of being outdoors- whether in the mountains, the hills, or across the Terai- documenting Nepal’s flora and fauna or simply standing still and admiring the vast biodiversity before me. June reminded me how fortunate I am to spend time in these landscapes. Unable to travel and having to cancel an assignment in the mountains and spending most of the month at home caring for my mother while her health was not at its best put things into perspective.

Being based at home for most of the month also made me appreciate the sights and sounds of the urban landscape. The songs of birds felt more soothing and meaningful as the Oriental Magpie Robin filled the mornings with its varied melodies, while Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babblers called to one another as they foraged through the neighbourhood trees. My willingness to photograph a House Sparrow as it searched through the corn tassels also reflected how I had overlooked documenting some of our most common urban birds over the years, and how important it is to appreciate them from time to time.

The Asian Koel would begin calling as early as 3 a.m. and continue relentlessly until it eventually flew to trees farther away from the house. An annoyance in the initial days of some sleepless nights. During quieter moments later in the mornings, I could also hear Oriental White-eyes, Common Tailorbirds, Rose-ringed Parakeets, and spot Black-lored Tits searching for moths and other insects among the nearby trees.

With the monsoon slowly approaching, I headed to an area near my house to see whether insects had begun to emerge in greater numbers. I spent about half an hour outdoors and, despite countless mosquito bites, documented several species, including a Leaf Beetle, Striped Lynx Spider, Melon Fly, Spider Wasp, Dark Cerulean Butterfly, Flesh Fly, Bicolor Ant-mimicking Jumping Spider, Metallic Green Long-legged Fly, and a Robber Fly.

One unexpected visitor was a Cicada (Genus Pomponia), which flew into our kitchen. I gently moved it onto a plant on the terrace so it could regain its strength before flying away. While it rested, I had the opportunity to photograph it.

As my mother’s health gradually improved, the month also began drawing to a close. I decided to head out for a few early morning rides to one of my favourite birding spots. It turned out to be a great decision, as I had missed the cool cloud forest and the lively chorus of birds that fills it each morning. The trail remained in good condition, with no visible signs of rockfalls or landslides, making the off-road ride especially enjoyable. Upon reaching the area, I spotted Spotted Doves and a female Orange-bellied Leafbird feeding high in a Lapsi (Nepali Hog Plum) tree.

Farther down the trail, a flock of White-crested Laughingthrushes flew towards a nearby Litchi tree, filling the forest with their familiar laughing calls. A couple of Bronzed Drongo perched on a branch nearby, occasionally darting into the air with their characteristic acrobatic flight to catch insects.

After finishing a cup of black tea at a small roadside tea shop, I headed towards the community forest. The beautiful call of a Maroon Oriole echoed through the trees, and as I entered the forest, I spotted Black Bulbuls, Black-lored Tits, and Drongos. A couple of Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrels ran energetically up and down a flowering tree, visiting nearly every blossom they could find.

Stopping at a viewpoint overlooking the forest, I watched a pair of White-throated Fantails moving gracefully through the branches with their tails fully fanned, almost appearing to dance. Higher up on the trunk, a Velvet-fronted Nuthatch landed and methodically searched the bark for insects.

While birding, I also spotted a pair of Mountain Bulbuls among a bamboo grove. It was the same location where I had previously encountered a flock of Long-tailed Broadbills. Repeated visits to the same forest continue to reveal its remarkable diversity and highlight the importance of protecting these habitats. I also observed three Red-rumped Swallows perched on a cable, trying to soak up the early-morning sunlight that was blocked by the clouds. Another exciting sighting was a Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, constantly moving through the branches while giving its sharp metallic tseet, tseet, tseet calls. This was my first record of the species in this area, and I hope to photograph it again under better lighting conditions rather than beneath heavy cloud cover.

I also witnessed a couple of fascinating wildlife interactions during these rides. On one occasion, I spotted an Asian Barred Owlet perched high in a tree while several Blue-capped Rock Thrushes and a drongo repeatedly mobbed it. The owlet moved to two different trees before eventually flying farther up the hillside in search of a quieter perch away from the persistent harassment.

Another memorable moment came while I was trying to photograph a minivet. From the forest below, I heard the alarm calls of a Barking Deer. Normally, the calls last only briefly before the forest returns to its usual soundtrack of cicadas, but this individual continued calling for more than eight minutes. I suspect a Yellow-throated Marten may have been nearby. Although considerably smaller than the deer, martens are relentless predators, and the deer’s prolonged alarm calls may have reflected the stress of being stalked and harassed.

Although my time in nature was limited this month, every moment felt rewarding. Simply hearing birdsong, watching wildlife, and spending time in the lush green forest reminded me why I value these experiences so deeply. Below are some of the flora and fauna species I  observed and documented during June.

Bird:
House Sparrow, Bronzed Drongo, Mountain Bulbul (Ixos mcclellandii), Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (Sitta frontalis), Pale Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis unicolor), Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus), Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica), Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium cuculoides), Fire-breasted Flowerpecker (Dicaeum ignipectus), Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameria), Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus), Maroon Oriole (Oriolus traillii), Blue Whistling Thrush, White-crested Laughingthrush, Black Bulbul, Drongo Juvenile, Scarlet Minivet, Grey Treepie, Great Barbet, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, Blue-capped Rock Thrush, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Himalayan Bulbul, etc.

Mammal:
Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrel, Barking Deer.

Insect:
Leaf Beetle (family Chrysomelidae), Cicada (Genus Pomponia), Striped Lynx Spider, Dark Judy (Abisara fylla), Melon Fly, Spider Wasp (Genus Auplopus), Dark Cerulean Butterfly (Jamides bochus), Flesh Flies (Family Sarcophagidae), Bicolor-ant-mimicking Jumping Spider (Myrmarachne melanocephala), Metallic Green Long-legged Fly (Chrysosoma leucopogon), Robber Fly (Possible Genus Ommatius),

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:
Wild Mussaenda (Mussaenda frondosa), Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus), Simal (Bombax ceiba), Lapsi (Nepali Hog Plum), Foxtail Orchid, Various Species of Ferns, Chilaune (Schima wallichii), Pink Knotweed (Persicaria capitata), Yellow Himalayan Raspberry (Rubus ellipticus), Utis (Alnus nepalensis), Peepal Tree (Ficus religiosa), etc.

Ajay Narsingh Rana