ML619833626

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

4 observers were on a low ridge overlooking a shallow gully. The entire habitat is upper cold temperate to sub alpine transition. The understory comprises primarily of Jummar Bamboo (Yushania anceps) and two other bamboo species (Deo Ringal: Himalayacalamus falconeri and one more). This observation point is the same location where the Great Parrotbill has been observed earlier (2023). Altitude is circa 3100 to 3050 metres above sea level While waiting the group observed movement in the bamboo - the tops of bamboo move in a certain way that indicates either an animal moving through or a perching bird on the bamboo. When individual culms moved we all were sure we were going to see the Great Parrotbill. Two birds emerged into the open and we saw them clearly and took pictures (Rajendra Koranga and Jagdish Negi have better pictures). Initially we thought the birds were juvenile or immature Great Parrobill. (none of us have observed a Brown Parrobill before) so it did not immediately come to us as an obvious choice, consdering that this bird has never been reported from Uttarkhand. (We referred to Mohan and Sondhi's updated checklist of birds of Uttarakhand 2017; and ebird; and also Birds of the Indian Sub-continent -mGrimmet, Inskipp and Inskipp) Field Diagnostics : Smaller size than Great Parrotbill, Smaller beak, black eye stripe / supercilium kind of half eye ring and a discolored head compared to Great Parrotbill We have seen the Great Parrotbill multiple times but this was a gobsmacking surprise We checked Merlin App, Birds of the Indian Sub-continent for confirmation just incase the juvenile of a Great Parrotbill masquerades as a Brown Parrotbill. We also asked Abhijit Menon Sen and Dr Paul Elsen to cross check the images for us in case we had missed something. Both confirmed that this was fairly sure the Brown Parrotbill and not the immature or juvenile of the Great Parrobilll. This note is added subsequently as at the time of submission we were still processing this surprise

Technical information

Model

COOLPIX B600

ISO

400

Focal length

236.5 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/6.3

Shutter speed

1/60 sec

Dimensions

4608 pixels x 3456 pixels

Original file size

8.26 MB