Ladakh 2018

A tour of Ladakh in June 2018


The Pergola at Hidden North.
The Dining Hall.
Room Four.
The view down the Phyang Valley towards Hemis.
Same view in March 2016.
Red-crested Pochard.

Feruginous Duck.
Hume's Whitethroat.
Ibisbill in the Indus.
Ibisbill in the Indus.
Mountain Chiffchaff.
Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

Elizabeth spots a special visitor.
A Mountain Weasel.
They are rather quick.
The only head shot I managed.
Citrine Wagtail.
Citrine Wagtail.

UFO Warbler.
Common Rosefinch.
Common Rosefinch.
Ladakhi Pica.
Ladakhi Pica.
Blue-cheeked BeeEater.

Mountain Chiffchaff.
Eastern Cattle Egret.
Chukar.
Eastern Orphean Warbler.
Fire-fronted Serin.
Red-billed Choughs.

Our first Blue Sheep.
Blue Sheep family.
Remote river valley.
Citrine Wagtail.
Red-billed Chough.
Common Rosefinch.

Feral Pigeon or is it?
Blue Ram.
Blue Ram.
Above Kuru
The Indus valley.
Goosander family.

Blue Rock Thrush.
Tibetan Wild Ass.
Water Redstart.
Goosander. male.
Bar-headed Goose.
Bar-headed Goose.

A fine Blue Ram.
A fine Blue Ram.
Tibetan Snowfinch.
Streaked Rosefinch.
Himalyan Marmot.
White-throated Dipper.

Kiagar Lake.
Kiagar Lake.
Desert Wheatear.
Brown-headed Gull.
Our room at Hotel Lake View.
Key fob.

The view of Lake Tsomoriri from our room.
Actually Lake Tsomoriri should just be called Tso Moriri as Tso means lake.
Tso Moriri. Not Lake Lake Moriri.
Ruddy Sheldduck.
Ruddy Sheldduck.
Hill Pigeon.

Woolly Hare.
Black-necked Crane. Another target species.
Black-necked Crane. Polokonka La.
Our room at Tso Kar Eco Resort.
Bathroom is clean.
The dining room/restaurant. Driver and Guide Thomchok.

Our car and rooms. Tso Kar Eco Resort.
The restaurant exterior. Tso Kar Eco Resort.
Little Owl.
Little Owl.
Long-legged Buzzard.
Tso Startsapuk. Fresh water.

Blandford's Snowfinch.
Blandford's Snowfinch.
Sometimes called 'plain-backed'.
Hume's Groundpecker.
Hume's Groundpecker.
Hume's Groundpecker.

Lesser Sand Plover (Mongolian)
Brown-headed Mountain Finch.
Herd of Tibetan Wild Ass.
Herd of Tibetan Wild Ass.
Herd of Tibetan Wild Ass.
Herd of Tibetan Wild Ass.

Herd of Tibetan Wild Ass.
Herd of Tibetan Wild Ass.
Unknown Lizard.
Unknown Lizard.
Tibetan Sandgrouse.
Tibetan Sandgrouse.

White-rumped Snowfinch.
We start to climb Taglang La.
The summit of Taglang La at 5,320 metres.
Elizabeth and Thomchok.
The team. We never got our driver's name right. It sounded like Mingey.
Tibetan Snowcock. Another target..

Tibetan Snowcock.
Tibetan Snowcock.
Pause for some snow.
Lammergeir's nest wth chick
Someone did not make the curve.
Wrecked bus. Tanglang la.

Rumtse where we took lunch.
Taking lunch.
Yellow-billed Chough.
Horned Lark
Horned Lark.
Lammergeir.

Back at Hiden North we get our old room.
Room Eight.
Black Redstart.
The road to Uley.
Rock Bunting.
Another Lizard.

How do they survive winter at 20 below?
Royale Pika.
Another Dipper.
And it is my target Brown Dipper.
And she has two chicks.
Great sighting.

Ruined Palace
The only green is in valleys.
Wari La on the drive over to the Shyok/Nubra Valley.
The Indian Army is ever present.
The Shyok Valley near Hunder. Looking east.
The Shyok Valley near Hunder. Looking west.

The Indian army again.
It's a tight squeeze.
Robin Accentor.
We start the return drive to Leh.
Our route is over the (in)famous Khardong La.
The climb seems to go on forever.

Happily the track is in fair condition.
It needs to be as it is a prime military route.
The Indian Army keep it clear in this sensitive area.
Nearly there.
Looking back the way we came.
If the Chinese did invade I don't know what they would make of all the crowds.

Khardong La is the highest motorable road in the world. (they say!)
The way down.
Still needs care. Our driver was brilliant.
Here come the Army!
A blockage ahead.
A little avalanche is no problem.

The Indus Valley below.
Leh. Our destination.
Temple at Murobok where we started our birding walk back to Hidden North.
The Murobok valley lies above Phyang..
Fire-fronted Serins.
This is a very pleasant walk despite the altitude.

Tibetan Blackbird.
Tibetan Blackbird.
Phyang from the air. We are going home!
Atrio Boutique Hotel. Delhi.
Red-vented Bulbul. Atrio.
Jungle Babbler. Atrio.

Red-wattled Lapwing by the swimming pool.