Migration Update Thoolakharka (Nepal)- 29 Nov, 2013
 |
| Peregrine Falcon (Spp. peregrinator) |
In Nepal 20 and 21 Nov were two big days for Steppe Eagle
migration and approximately 2150 eagles were passed on those two days. The
weather is back to normal like last year i.e.
sunny in the morning and more cloudy in the afternoon. Previous
observation says that if it is cloudy over the Himalayas the eagles pass more
south however we didn’t find so because lot of eagles were passing inside the
clouds during the peak days. We found little change in wind direction (let’s
say by 100) could enough to shift the migration train i.e. if the
wind is more north east the migration of eagles can observe overhead in
Thoolakharka and little bit southeast wind can push the birds close to
Himalayas. Now I am also observing less and less eagles near to the Himalayas
this might be due to more saturated air close to the Himalayas by this time or
might be any other weather cause like enough cold. Therefore most of the eagles
come overhead to the watch site. Now most of the hawk watchers back to their
home and Robert is photographing raptors in the eastern Nepal in Koshi Tappu
Wildlife Reserve, therefore the watch site is very silent. There was no
movement after 1 pm although having good weather for the migration (only 57
birds today). This observation indicates we are towards the end of migration
season, in the morning also birds do not wake up before 9 am. Other raptor in
the last week included Vulture (Himalayan, Griffon, Cinereous), White-tailed
Eagle (very rare and for the first time here) and Greater Spotted eagle (rare).
In the coming week I expect few steppe eagles (<50 or even less birds per
day), Himalayan vulture, Griffon vulture, Cinereous vulture etc. Migration
summary of the season is given in the table.
Species
|
2012 Total
|
Highest Daily Count
|
Total Count till date
|
|
Oriental Honey-buzzard
|
381
|
60
|
640
|
|
Common Buzzard
|
180
|
12
|
100
|
|
Long-legged Buzzard
|
4
|
3
|
11
|
|
Upland Buzzard
|
4
|
2
|
8
|
|
Unidentified Buteo
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
|
Northern Sparrowhawk
|
107
|
7
|
110
|
|
Northern Goshawk
|
3
|
4
|
10
|
|
Unidentified Sparrowhawk
|
9
|
1
|
1
|
|
Steppe Eagle
|
6597
|
1102
|
7442
|
|
Booted Eagle
|
155
|
7
|
107
|
|
Short-toed Eagle
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
|
Crested Serpent-eagle
|
26
|
1
|
5
|
|
Pallas's Fish Eagle
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
|
White-tailed Eagle
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
|
Imperial Eagle
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Indian Spotted Eagle
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
|
Greater Spotted Eagle
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
|
Bonelli's Eagle
|
13
|
4
|
29
|
|
Mountain Hawk-eagle
|
1
|
2
|
6
|
|
Golden Eagle
|
7
|
1
|
3
|
|
Unidentified Eagle
|
8
|
1
|
2
|
|
Black Kite
|
324
|
40
|
324
|
|
Black-Eared Kite
|
22
|
153
|
||
Osprey
|
3
|
2
|
5
|
|
Hen Harrier
|
19
|
2
|
9
|
|
Eastern Marsh Harrier
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Pallid Harrier
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
Pied Harrier
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Unidentified Harrier
|
3
|
0
|
||
Peregrine Falcon ssp. calidis
|
29
|
2
|
18
|
|
Saker Falcon
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
|
Northern Hobby
|
80
|
33
|
211
|
|
Amur Falcon
|
78
|
24
|
90
|
|
Lesser Kestrel
|
66
|
14
|
69
|
|
Common Kestrel
|
83
|
29
|
317
|
|
Unidentified Falcon
|
21
|
2
|
14
|
|
Egyptian Vulture
|
24
|
6
|
40
|
|
White-rumped Vulture
|
16
|
127
|
||
Himalayan Vulture
|
1270
|
140
|
1450
|
|
Cinereous Vulture
|
73
|
5
|
31
|
|
Griffon Vulture
|
85
|
14
|
47
|
|
Unidentified Vulture
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
|
Unidentified Raptor
|
79
|
3
|
16
|
|
Total
|
9,754
|
1,238
|
11,412
|
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