Bhutan (3) The Gelephu Zhemgang Highway

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When: March 2025 Weather: Warm: 25C

Nikon P900. Sony A7II 70-400mm

I had one free morning at the end of the cataract camp, and a local member of the Bhutan Bird Club happened to be in Gelephu and very kindly guided and drove me to the Gelephu Zhemgang highway near to the Tsatchu Hot springs on the fringe of the Royal Manas National Park for a morning’s birding. We set off just before 6am and were at the stupa near the hot springs in about 20minutes…just about 10km away…..

Fork in the road which leads to the highway or the hot springs
an ashy bulbul
ashy drongo
white throated bulbul
a spectacular lifer…the rufous necked hornbill
he flew off and settled a long way away
magnificent black crested bulbuls
black throated sunbird
and thena great sighting of the blue throated barbet
and a golden throated barbet
whose forehead is even more brilliant than the throat!
chestnut bellied nuthatch
and then very nearby, this great hornbill and two of his mates showed up
cavorting about
hill mynahs
female scarlet minivet
great barbet and blue throated barbet
green billed malkoha
lesser necklaced laughinh thrush
lesser yellow naped woodpecker
long tailed sibia
maroon orioles were easily seen
good view of the maroon tail
mountain imperial pigeons from afar
orange bellied leafbirds were everywhere
female orange bellied leafbird
Pale blue flycatcher
rusty fronted barwing
striated yuhinia
Verditer flycatcher
whiskered yuhinia
and the great hornbills bade as farewell as we left

For a bird outing just 30min from Gelephu, the Gelephu Zhemgang highway was excellent. Just watch out for time controls on the road meaning that you could be stuck for a few hours waiting for the road closure to open…..we were stuck for 2.5 hours…..but in the end it just meant we had more time to bird!

Highly recommended.

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