Migration Update Thoolakharka (Nepal)- 4 Dec, 2013

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Bearded Vulture ( Sub-adult)
Last Year we stopped to counting by this date however this year it seems the migration will goes more days. In the last days we had continue migration of Steppe Eagles, Himalayan Vulture and Cinereous Vulture. It was expected to go down the number of migrating eagles with the changing of weather into more sunny however we are having around 200 eagles per day. The number of Himalayan Vulture migration is also still high today around 220 vultures. Due to the high intensity of sun the air is more dry and no cloud forming near to the Himalayas so the raptors are very close to the Himalayas and creating difficulties in observation. Due to the high intensity of sun the rocky slope of the Himalayas can create lot of thermal so the raptors prefer this route. most of the eagles are Adults and sub-adults in this time. Local Peregrine, Besra, Sparrowhawk, Bonelli's, Mountain Hawk-eagle and Black eagles area almost every day around us and make the day more exciting and perfect. The summery of the season is given below.


Species 2012 Total  Highest Daily Count  Total Count till date 
Oriental Honey-buzzard 381 60 642
Common Buzzard 180 12 102
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 8274
Booted Eagle 155 7 109
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 30
Mountain Hawk-eagle 1 2 6
Golden Eagle 7 1 3
Unidentified Eagle 8 1 2
Black Kite 324 40 345
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 29 318
Unidentified Falcon 21 2 14
Egyptian Vulture 24 6 40
White-rumped Vulture 16 127
Himalayan Vulture 1270 221 2014
Cinereous Vulture 73 11 48
Griffon Vulture 85 12 42
Unidentified Vulture 3 1 1
Unidentified Raptor 79 3 18
Total         9,754             1,238         12,851

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