Kashmir & Ladakh - Birds & Landscapes (14 Days; # 716-B)
Description
Rajasthan is most famously known for the Thar Desert, but Sonkhaliya, a scrub habitat with great sightings of grassland birds, is among the birdwatching gems that Rajasthan has to offer. Kashmir and Ladakh lie at the northern extreme of Indian Subcontinent and in terms of birding, as well as culture, offer a stark contrast to the rest of the country. Their position means that, particularly in winter and during migration, birds from the northern Palearctic turn up as vagrants, and there are a number of sightings of species not recorded elsewhere in India due to the high elevation here.
Key species
Lesser Florican, Rain Quail, Rock Bush Quail, Painted Francolin, Chukar Partridge, Tibetan Partridge, Tibetan Sandgrouse, Eurasian Magpie, Alpine Chough, Red-billed Chough, Besra, Northern Goshawk, Himalayan and Bearded Vultures, Himalayan Monal, Tawny Owl, Solitary Snipe and White-throated Dipper