When we left the drubchen at mid-day, we walked along the Mo Chhu and then drove northeast along the Pho Chhu searching for birds. Being mid-day, we really didn’t see many, but there were some Great Cormorants, Common Shelducks, and Ruddy Shelducks.
Common Shelduck
Ruddy Shelduck
The next day when we left the dzong, we drove north along the Mo Chhu where we also saw mallards, a Crested Kingfisher, a White-throated Kingfisher (a beautiful bird), a Crested Serpent Eagle, and some sort of kestrel.
Crested Kingfisher
White throated Kingfisher
Crested Serpent Eagle
We got fairly close to a River Lapwing, but my pictures are terrible
- River Lapwing at Punakha
so here’s someone else’s.
- River Lapwing
But the best find of the two days–and for the entire trip–was a White-bellied Heron.
- White bellied Heron
The White-bellied Heron is one of the 50 rarest birds in the world. According to this news story there were only 30 in Bhutan in 2008. We had gone in search of the bird at a known rookery, but hadn’t seen any birds, much less one of the rare ones. Then, on the way back to the dzong, there was one in the middle of the Pho Chhu not far from the dzong.
- White-Bellied Heron
We also some langurs, but I didn’t get any photos until later in my trip. I did take some photos of a pet monkey on a pole in someone’s front yard.
Pet Monkey on a boxIt was wrapped in a blanket or shawl sitting on a wooden box that reminded me of a wood duck box minus a front side.
- Pet Monkey with Blanket
Driving along the Mo Chhu we went as far as a picnic area near a waterfall.
Waterfalls in Upper Punakha Valley
Across the river, up on a hill, is the 100-foot tall Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten, which after eight years of construction was consecrated in 1999.
Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten
Back at my hotel, I finally got a good view of a pair of Long-tailed Minivets (but not good enought for pictures like these).
Long tailed Minivet (male)
Long-tailed Minivet (female)