Steve Happ Photography

August 20, 2017

Kashmir Travels

Filed under: General — Tags: India, Jammu and Kashmir — admin @ 3:04 pm

Srinagar Tourist.

Yesterday I went up to the mountain near my hotel with my host. It was a lot easier driving up in a car than walking.

A Shikara on Dal Lake

In the middle of the day, the lake was like glass. And hot. I do not envy this guy having to paddle around in the hot mid-day sun.

Paddling

This guy was all dressed up. Must have had a big date.

View from up top

A view of Srinagar from on top of the mountain.

Traditional dress.

At the pixie palace on the next mountain, this girl was all dressed up in traditional Kashmiri garb for a photo shoot. You hire the clothes, then pay the photographer for the photos.

Jamia Masjid

I went inside the Jamia Masjid with my host. I was a bit tentative but once I got inside it felt all nice and peaceful. It was built more than 500 years ago.

Jhelum River

The Jhelum River runs all the way to Pakistan and used to be the main artery for trade and commerce in the old days.

Houseboats

This is where the British used to park their houseboats.

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August 18, 2017

Leh Srinagar Highway

Filed under: General — admin @ 9:21 am

Leh – Kargil – Manali

After a few days in Leh, I managed to somehow get on a bus to Kargil after a major hassle finding where it went from. It was just luck that I found it. The bus was very full and there was a lot of arguing and fighting about letting people get on. We were packed in like sardines.

Baby and momma on the bus to Kargil

The road went up and down and round and round the high mountains. And of course we had to stop while the road crews were working on the road.

A Himalayan Valley

Here is the stumpy bus that got us to Kargil – The “Kargil Express” ha ha. More like “Kargil lucky to get there”.

The Kargil Express

We did make it to Kargil after about six or seven hours. I found a hotel, went for a walk around town and crashed for the night. I found a shared taxi that started off at 5am. So off we went down the valley past the raging torrents of the river.

The shared taxi crew

Here is the driver and people I shared the taxi with. We stopped at Sonamarg for breakfast – Subji and chappatis. Then we continued on until Srinagar where I settled comfortably into my hotel.

A Shikara in the dawn light

This morning I was up at 5:30am for my shikara boat ride. It was way too early. Much too dark for taking photos of birds.

Lakeside homes

It was nice and peaceful with calm waters and a quiet pleasant atmosphere.

Houseboats line the shores

There were thousands of houseboats and about a dozen tourists in town. meh!

Shikaras

And thousands of shikaras and no tourists. They were getting a bit desperate with more than twenty ghats (Wharves) that they were working out of. There was a major case of over-supply going on.

Transport solutions

This is how you get around in Srinagar.

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Kashmir Birding 2

Filed under: Birds — Tags: India, Jammu and Kashmir — admin @ 6:45 am

Dal Lake

This morning I was up and 5am for my 5:30 shikara ride. But it was too early. The sun had not come up yet and it was too dark for decent photos. It was nice and quiet and atmospheric anyway, so I just enjoyed the ride.

Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola)

I had been seeing Citrine Wagtails for a few days but did not have my camera with me. So luckily this morning I finally got a photo of this blighter. They breed in high-altitude wet grasslands in Baluchistan and the Himalayas.

Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)

The Hooded Crow is superficially similar to the House Crow, but the back and front is a much lighter grey and extends much further down the back. Black hood is very similar to House Crow.

Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)

This is a Big Close Up showing the weird blinking motion of a lot of birds. “The nictitating membrane is a transparent or translucent third eyelid present in some animals that can be drawn across the eye from the medial canthus for protection and to moisten it while maintaining vision. Some reptiles, birds, and sharks have full nictitating membranes.” (wiki)

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Little Egret

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida )

Srinagar bird list

Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola)
Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)
Common Moorhen
Eurasian Coot
Little Grebe
Little Egret
Indian Pond Heron
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida )
Common Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
White-eared Bulbul
Himalayan Bulbul
Black Kite

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August 17, 2017

Srinagar Walk

Filed under: Birds — Tags: India, Jammu and Kashmir — admin @ 5:05 pm

Kashmir Birding

I arrived in Srinagar, Kashmir this morning. I managed to have 2 hotel touts attached to me. They just tagged along while I found my hotel. One of them tried to scam a commission from the hotel that I found all by myself. ha ha. too funny.

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Late in the afternoon I went for a walk along the lake front and got accosted by hundreds of Shikara boat drivers. I organised a boat ride for 5.30 in the morning. There are thousands of boats and houseboats and no tourists. They are getting a bit desperate.

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida )

I found some guy making mutton kebabs and had a couple. I was craving some meat. Tomorrow I might have some fish.

Bay-backed Shrike (Lanius vittatus) ??

Not sure about this. There are some large anomalies. Waiting for proper ID.

Indian Pond Heron

Common Myna

Srinagar bird list

Bay-backed Shrike (Lanius vittatus) ??
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida )
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
White-throated Kingfisher
House Crow
Black Kite
Common Myna
Indian Pond Heron

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Keylong to Leh

Filed under: General — Tags: Himachal Pradesh, India, Ladakh — admin @ 9:13 am

Manali to Leh Highway

We started off from Keylong at 5 in the morning. I found my seat, stowed my luggage and we were on our way. There were some nice spots along the first part of the way, especially around Tingpa. I would stay there instead of Keylong in the future. It is much nicer next to the river.

Workers’ camps at new Baratpur

Our first stop was Dacha, where the police checked out passports. We had some breakfast and we were on our way again. After the first pass at Baralacha La, we stopped again at the camp just down from the pass.

Lake at new Baratpur

At these camps, tents are set up over summer to feed the travellers. They are called Dhabas and serve food and you can camp there over-night.

Dhabas after Baralacha Pass

Before the last pass there is a big flat area called something like the Meroo Plains. There is no water and a few goat herds were grazing, along with a couple of donkeys scattered here and there.

Meroo Plains

A river valley

The road winds up and down the valleys then up the mountains via switch-backs.

Very steep track

I could not believe this goat track on the side of this very steep mountain. Not for me!

Striated layers

The layers of rock were twisted and turned everywhere. There has been immense movement in these mountains.

Traffic Jam

We had a traffic jam at one point. We had to wait for about an hour while it got sorted out. Everyone just pushes in and no-one waits there turn. The shared taxis are very aggressive and pushy.

Chaos at a stop

There were lots of traffic along the highway. Cars, shared taxis, mini-vans, motor-bikes, trucks and buses. After the last pass, we winded along through this river valley to Upshi where the last police check point was and we finally got our passports back. Another hour or so and we arrived in Leh in darkness and dazed and confused had to find a hotel to have a well-deserved rest.

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August 15, 2017

Himalaya Birding Keylong part 2

Filed under: Birds — Tags: Himachal Pradesh, India — admin @ 3:07 am

Keylong Birding Part 2

In the afternoon at Keylong I just went for a walk along the road through the ravine. Luckily I spotted a Grey Wagtail hovering near its nest with some bugs. It tried to lead me away from the nest for a while but eventually went into a hole in a bank to feed the young one.

Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

I am pretty sure this is a male. Later on I saw it at the local dump scavenging around for worms or bugs.

Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

Western Crowned Warbler (Phylloscopus occipitalis)

It took me ages to identify this one. Western Crowned Warbler. Thanks to the Indian Bird ID group on facebook. They are awesome.

Western Crowned Warbler (Phylloscopus occipitalis)

Earlier on I spotted an adult and a juvenile Long-tailed Shrike sitting on a wire near the posh hotel where the tourists from Manali stop overnight on their way to Leh in Ladakh.

Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)

Blue Whistling Thrush (Myphonus caerulus)

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August 12, 2017

Himalaya Birding Keylong

Filed under: Birds — Tags: Himachal Pradesh, India — admin @ 2:48 pm

Keylong Birding.

Keylong is the first stop on the Leh Manali Highway. It’s altitude is 3000 meters. High in the Himalayas. I went up the hill this morning not expecting to see much but was pleasantly surprised.

Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)

This is the male. It has a V-shaped Tail, crimson head, white belly and crossed bills. At first I was not sure if it was a Common Rosefinch or a Blanford’s Rosefinch. Until I saw the crossbil of course.

Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)

I am not sure if this is a female or juvenile Red Crossbill. I am guessing juvenile.

Variegated Laughingthrush (Garrulax variegatus) race similis

I had no idea what I had until I put it on the computer. Pleasant surprise. I am pretty sure this is the Western Himalayan race – similis.

Variegated Laughingthrush (Garrulax variegatus)

Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax phyrrhocorax)

Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis)

Himalayan mountain

This is only a tiny one.

Keylong Bird List

Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax phyrrhocorax)
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
Variegated Laughingthrush (Garrulax variegatus similis)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Western Crowned Warbler (Phylloscopus occipitalis)
Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis) maybe race meena.
Long-tailed Shrike
Blue Whistling Thrush juvenile
Streaked Laughing Thrush
House Crow

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August 11, 2017

Manali Leh Highway

Filed under: General — admin @ 2:38 pm

Manali to Keylong.

It took me ages to get a taxi to the bus stand this morning. I had to walk nearly half the way. Luckily the bus was not crowded. I had a whole 3-seater to myself. It started off very misty and foggy but cleared up later on.

Sikh Cowboy.

As we got higher and higher, the views of the mountains were starting to overwhelm me with their awesomeness. They are really huge and steep.

Misty Mountains

Going up towards the Rohtang Pass, the road twisted and turned all the way up. The mountains were jumping out of the clouds.

Awesome views

Trucks and buses were passing us by inches. We frequently had to stop and go back and forth to get past each other.

Truck Driver.

Bus Passenger

On the other side of the pass, the road turned to dirt and there were broken rocks all over.

A passing truck

We stopped at Kokasar for some breakfast so I had a chai and omlette.

The bridge at Kokasar.

This herd of goats and shop held up traffic. Standard practice.

Traffic Jam.

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August 9, 2017

Himalayan Hideaway

Filed under: General — Tags: Himachal Pradesh, India — admin @ 1:13 pm

Tirthan Valley – Himachal Pradesh

Here are some tourist shots of the Tirthan Valley. This is in the eco-zone of the Great Himalaya National Park. The core zone is 4 kilometers up the valley. You will need to do a hard core trek to get to the core zone and then camp in tents. And it is about 4000 meters high up there.

Looking up the valley

The people who live here walk up and down these hills as if it was nothing. I was huffing and puffing and could hardly do a kilometer. The hills are very steep. They are used to it because they have been doing it all their lives.

The River

The river is in full torrent with all the snow and glacier melt from up high.

Raging torrent

My Guest House

This is where I stayed for two nights. Most of the birds I photographed were from the verandah.

Clouds rolling in

Both days I was there it was cloudy and raining. The light was pretty atrocious for photography. I would suggest may-june or September – October for this place.

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August 8, 2017

Himalaya Birding Part 1

Filed under: Birds — Tags: Himachal Pradesh, India — admin @ 2:54 pm

Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh

What a mammoth trek to get to the Tirthan Valley. Let us start at the beginning, shall we? I started off from Mandi about 7am in the rain. I was told there was a direct bus to Banjar, but there was none. So I hopped on a bus to Aut. Up and over winding hills, past raging torrents, passing trucks and cars with horn blaring. Through the tunnel to Aut. From Aut I caught the bus to Banjar up a mountain valley. Another accident along the way. Front end of a Maruti Suzuki wiped out.

Yellow-billed Blue Magpie (Urocissa flavirostris cucullata)

At Banjar, I hopped on another bus to Gushaini. End of the line. After a cup of chai and an omlet I start walking up the valley. It is hard going and I am not used to climbing hills. I do not like it. Luckily the guest house guy came down with his motor-bike and gave me a lift the rest of the way.

Little Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula westermanni)

During the afternoon, I recuperated by taking photos of the birds from my verandah. About 3 or 4 pm I wandered up the hill, past mountain huts and tiny fields carved out of the mountain sides. I really do not know how people do it. It is so hard the life here. The guy told me when he was a boy he used to walk 9 kilometers to school every day. And that is up and down the hills. Whew!

Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus)

I was not sure if this was a Verditer Flycatcher or a Pale Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis unicolor). Thank you very much Mr Kumar for the identification. 🙂

Slaty-headed Parakeet (Psitticula himalayana)

This is the only Parakeet other than the Rose-ringed Parakeet that I have seen in India. doh!

Great Barbet (Megalaima virens)

The next morning I went down to the river and found a little meadow. Later on it started raining so I went back to the guest house and took some photos from the verandah.

Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata)

I got stung by some poison ivy type plant and I came up in a bit of a rash. The boy got some cannabis and rubbed it on the rash and after a while it went away. It has just stopped raining. I was hoping for some fine weather but it looks like I am not going to get it.

Grey-hooded Warbler (Phylloscopus xanthoschistos)

I was not sure if this was a Grey-cheeked Warbler or Grey-hooded Warbler, The local experts seem to think it is Grey-hooded Warbler.

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