10th December. Overcoming the landslides
Today we moved deeper into Eaglesnest sanctuary from Lama Camp to Sunderview Camp. Some doubt as to whether we’d actually make it as a series of huge landslides had closed the track following 48 hours of torrential rain back in October. But once more our luck was in, as fantastic work with a JCB had cleared the track just up to Sunderview that very day. Birding was slow, just four new birds added, but all top quality! Scaly- and Blue-winged Laughingthrushes, Darjeeling Woodpecker and Ashy Wood Pigeon.
Peter’s advance team had managed to push through ahead of us and had set up camp in anticipation of our arrival: tents were erected, camp beds made, kitchen and dining tents set up and a warming bamboo fire all ready for us. His team is just amazing, and they stunned us with the quality and quantity of delicious food they prepared for us with the most basic of facilities – and they all appeared to be having such a great time themselves that their enthusiasm and good humour was infectious.
Bird species total: 4202
The Biggest Twitch website will remain online in 2009 to keep you up to date with our birding adventures and let you know how we settle back into normal life, if we do!! We will also share more of our adventures and lots of photos from The Biggest Twitch.