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Showing posts from May, 2012

White-tailed Eagle back again in Pokhara

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Status and record of Haliaeetus albicilla White-tailed Eagle in Nepal Globally threatened status: Near-threatened Nationally threatened status: CR C2a(i), D1 Rare winter visitor and passage migrant; formerly a scarce and local but regularly recorded winter visitor up to 915 m (-1370 m). The maximum of four seen at Koshi in February 1989 (Kennerley and Turnbull 1989) and February 1994 (Cottridge et al. 1994); one or two recorded there regularly (Badri Chaudhary verbally 2010) e.g. in February 2000 (Choudhary 2000a, Basnet 2000a), December 2001 (Naylor et al. 2002a), November 2002 (Basnet 2002b), February 2003 (Chaudhary 2003b), February 2004 (Choudhary 2004), March 2005 (van der Dol 2005), April 2006 (GC 2010), December 2007 (Chaudhary 2007b), January 2008 (Tribe 2008) and winters of 2009 and 2010 (Badri Chaudhary verbally 2010). In 1979 seven birds were seen at four Nepal localities (Lambert 1979, Redman and Murphy 1979). Since at least 1990 there has been a decrease in  record

Raptor around Pokhara

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This May, temperature is unusually  high in Pokhara. The high temperature make uncomfortable from the early morning that bite a lot during the whole day in field and mostly T-Storms and showers in the evening hours makes to come down the temperature.  Carcass of the domestic ungulates is common food for vulture, which is dry off very quickly and hardens enough for vulture to eat. Sometimes river carries some carcasses and waste food for vulture, therefore we can see the vultures looking for food along the river corridor.   To escape from the high midday temperature, it is better to start field work early in the morning, say 7:00 am. Few species of raptors are frequently seen around Pokhara. Most numerous are the Black Kites. Of Course! Those are the common raptor seen everywhere in the country. However good flight of vulture is also seen. Red-Headed Vulture (Sub-Adult)  Adult Most of the Himalayan vulture might have to return back to the higher altitude.  N