Nepal Habre's Nest - Red Panda

Between March 2nd to 6th, I stayed at Habre's Nest, a comfortable lodge literally at the Nepalese border with India and located within the Singalila National Park which straddles both countries. Habre means Red Panda in Nepalese. 

To get within striking distance of the Lodge an internal flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur in eastern Nepal is needed.

The flight gave an opportunity to see some of the tallest peaks in the world with Everest and Kanchenjunga being visible. 

The lodge is at least five hours drive from Bhadrapur which is the airport we landed at after flying from Khathmandu. I'll make use of the word 'road' in its broadest possible sense for the journey to Habre's Nest as a sealed road quickly gives way to a track in various states as the journey progresses. However, it is all part of the adventure and the drivers of the all wheel drive vehicles are very competent.

At one point the road bisects the Nepal/India border and you have to get out and walk c.1km uphill to re-join your vehicle and remain in Nepal. This was a little odd as I had obtained an Indian visa for just this eventuality. However, it seems that whilst I might have been able to enter India there was no Nepalese official present to check my Nepal visa and allow me to re-enter that country! At least on the return journey it was a walk of c.1km downhill.

The excellent and hardworking team at Habre's Nest.

Once a Red Panda has been located it can be a challenging but exciting trek to get to a viewing location.

My first sighting of Red Panda in the wild, two in fact, a mother bottom left and a 6 month old cub centre. They were in a Magnolia tree and resting. The cub appeared larger than the adult but this is due to it having thicker fur to help it survive the winter. The cub started to have a wash and then settled back down to sleep. 

It was always difficult to get clear photos of the Pandas due to the dense bamboo and tree habitat they make use of. Twigs and bamboo leaves and stems always seemed to be in the way. However, we were able to see the mother and cub every day over five days albeit only for 30 minutes a day. This is a restriction imposed by the Lodge to help reduce the disturbance to the Pandas. It is a restriction that the Lodge is hoping the local community will also adhere too.

The cloud base would rise up the valleys and smother the forest in a dense mist by about 11:00am each day, we only had one day where the cloud held off. With only c.2,000 Red Pandas in the wild, the experience was brilliant, to be able to see the Pandas each day and share their amazing forest home.

Yellow-necked Martens are large, similar in size to a Eurasian Otter with similar fluid movement unlike the ungainly gait of a Pine Marten. They can hunt in packs and are known to hunt Red Pandas. 

American Wigeon

'but you see sir. My medium is light....'

' Good point. Tell you what, we'll put up a couple of flares: You'll be lit up like a Christmas tree!'

Another overcast and showery day that progressively became duller during the afternoon. I didn't have any flares which was just as well as they would have flushed the smart drake American Wigeon that had been found at Scotney late morning. Around midday the light conditions were not too bad but quickly deteriorated as heavy showers came in from the south west. The American Wigeon was initially found in Kent in the bay near to Scotney Farm track but gradually moved down the pit and ended up in the late afternoon at the East Sussex end of the pit and always part of a large flock of Eurasian Wigeon. 

Part of the large flock of several thousand Lapwing behind Scotney near the location of the proposed South Brooks solar farm. 

10 points if you correctly identified that the two opening sentences are from Black Adder Goes Fourth.

Grey Day, Grey Geese

After a morning seawatch, a check on Walland Marsh for the flock of seven grey geese (possibly/probably Bean Geese, possibly with Pink-feet) that Neil Burt found late afternoon on the 1st Feb in dull and drizzly conditions. Never close in the Ashentree Lane area but the flock of seven were still at the same location and still distant from Cutter's Bridge. Initial identification of all Bean Geese was later changed to three Pink-footed Geese and four Tundra Bean Geese. Well done Neil. 

View from Cutter's Bridge. Three Pink-footed Geese (left) and four Tundra Bean Geese (right)

After the goose flock disappeared from Ashentree, Martin re-located them at the Beaconsfield/Hook Wall area, and they were closer. Thanks for the call Martin.

Three Pink-footed Geese with Greylags (foreground)

Four Tundra Been Geese with the three Pink-feet at the back

Greater White-fronted Goose (left) and four Tundra Been Geese

Single Tundra Been Goose (foreground) and three Pink-footed Geese

Dungeness RSPB Reserve Catchup

 On 2nd January the Great Northern Diver has a good right eye.

On 16th January, the diver looks like it has lost its right eye, although it could just be asleep? Seems to have moved on now, last seen on the reserve on Thursday 22nd January.

In the willows near the Pines, a couple of Firecrests were in the company of several Goldcrests and a couple of Chiffchaffs within a roving Tit flock.

The flock of Bewick's Swans remain on Walland Marsh with Nadine the neck-tagged female from north-east Europe.

A large flock of c.1,300 Fieldfare at Hawthorn Corner on Walland Marsh was an impressive recent surprise. Where did they come from? Another 200 flew up from around Coldharbour Farm.

Compared to the winter of 2024/2025 the number of Goldeneye on the reserve is far fewer this winter. The maximum I have seen is six.

Greater White-fronted Geese flying around Dengemarsh. After a gap of a couple of weeks, a flock appeared at Beaconsfield on Walland. 

Always a treat to see, numbers of Jack Snipe being found on the reserve is less than last winter. Without thermal cameras it is likely that we wouldn't be finding them at all. The great aspect of looking for them with thermal cameras is that we don't flush them.

During the strong winds earlier in the month several hundred Lapwings attempted to roost on the islands at Burrowes Pit. 

Never a common bird on the reserve, but recently there have been upto four Pintail making use of ARC and Burrowes Pits.

It can be difficult to record Snipe on the reserve but the islands at New Excavations have become a good place to see them. There are nine in this photo.

Snipe

On ARC, the anti-mammal fencing is used by resting duck as an anchor. Previously I have seen Wigeon making use of it and this time mostly Teal.

Caspian Gulls

More from my visit to RSPB Dungeness on the 27th Jan.

2nd Winter (2nd cycle) Caspian Gull in flight and then coming to join the roosting flock to join another two 1st winter (1st cycle) Caspians.

2nd winter (2nd cycle) Caspian Gull

The same 2nd winter (2nd cycle) Caspian Gull joining other roosting gulls that include two other 1st winter (1st cycle) Caspian Gulls (rear centre and rear right).

2nd winter (2nd cycle) Caspian Gull

1st winter (1st cycle) Caspian Gull (front) and 2nd winter (2nd cycle) Herring Gull

The same 1st winter (1st cycle) Caspian Gull as above but glowing in the early evening sunlight