We had a couple of hours before our departure flight from Paro so I engaged a local taxi driver to pick us frm the hotel for a couple of hours birding, specifically to seek our the Ibisbill, a bird I’ve had a long relationship with, starting when I did an eye camp in Hetauda, southern Nepal where I missed it. Fortunately, on my last visit to Bhutan, my local guides then found it for me on the Pachu. When asked why I’m looking for another sighting of a bird, any bird, I always reply ‘There’s always a better shot and seeing these wonderful birds in their natural habitat is just wonderful.’ And the Ibisbill is one of the more difficult birds to see,being only found in places with fast flowing rivers and shingle beds….usually seen in Nepal, Bhutan and parts of northern China.
My birding contacts had told me to try the river banks outside the Tashi Namgay Resort right next to the airport and also at the wooden bridge in front of the Tzhong….
This is Pachu or Paro Chu, the river running through the Paro valley right next to the airport…our driver dropped us off here at 630am and here I am scanning the shingle shores for the Ibisbill….A lovely Russet sparrow was first to showthen a pair of brown dippers frolickedup close and personal with a brown dipperWe walked towards the Tashi Namgay Resort(TNR) where I had been told there were usually good Ibisbill sightings…then my wife said Ibisbill! And i scanned where she indicated…can you see the bird? I didn’t see it at first but it’s that grey rock like patch in between and just behind the two largest rocks…..My and the Ibisbill have an intrinsic connection…she also found it in Hetauda in Nepal when I was first looking for it and here she found it again!The bird walked to the left and here you can see the head with its distinctive red curved bill sticking outHe came out and posedand dipped his whole head into the river to huntthen posed againhere’s an action shot of the Ibisbill shaking the water off his head
The Ibisbill is a unique bird that lives between 0 and 4000m in High Altitude Wetlands stretching from central Asia to Russie and it is the only member of its taxonomic class. It is rare and only seen in specific high altitude riverine locations like this…
After a few minutes it flew off into the distance near the TNR hotel and we moved on..We then headed nearer to Paro town and alighted at the wooden bridge under the Tzhong, the second location with probable Ibisbill settings. This old bridge crosses the Pachu to the side of the TzhongFrom the bridge, a female plumbeous redstart showedas did another brown dipper with breakfastand so we walked away from the bridge away from the town towards a more promising stretch of the riveranother plumbeous water redstart femaleand then amongst the rocks, another familiar red curved bill appeared He foraged a bit then stood a rock to pose…note the purple legs!checking the place outscanning the watergiving us great viewsfinally bidding us farewellReturning to our hotel, there was just enough time to walk the river side again…where a river lapwing posedas did a white wagtailand we bade farewell to Bhutan after a fulfilling 12 day stay
Bhutan is a mountainous country and moving around the country is slow as the roads are winding…so you really need 1-2 weeks to see it well. The scenery, the people, the flora and fauna all make for a unique experience…highy recommended.
The Natural Traveller 