List of books on birds of the region available in the Library

• Birds of the Indian Subcontinet: Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp
• Birds of Bhutan (Timeles Field Guides): Carol Inskipp, Tim Inskipp & Richard Grimmett
• Birds of Nepal (With reference to Kashmir & Sikkim): Robert L. Flemming Sr., Robert L. Fleming, Jr., & Lain Singh Bangdel
• Field Guide to the Birds of the Eastern Himalayas: Salim Ali

We were not aware that there were so many different species of birds visiting our garden. Of course, birds have always been an integral part of our garden and forest area but we did not see them as a serious attraction for a specific group of hobbyist called "bird watchers". It all started when Mr. Sumit Sen came and stayed at the Orchid Retreat with his family. Sumit, we found out, is an expert on birds of the Indian subcontinent. He hosts www.kolkatabirds.com and frequently visits far flung areas in the eastern Himalayas and the Northeast region of India. All this in pursuit of a hobby called bird watching! The website abounds in trip reports and bird images. Meeting Sumit changed our perception of birds and we have been looking at our bird wealth with a little more respect. Books have been added to our library and we have started photographing visitors and residents. Some pictures are reflected in this page. Most of our photographs have been a mixed output of blurred images of fluttering wings and red hot eyes peering out of pitch black silhouettes. We are learning. Hopefully, we will, be able to put up images of all the birds that are visitors or residents of our garden and woods. Sumit put up a page in his website recording his visit to The Orchid Retreat and has pictures of the birds he photographed in our garden. Look up the report at :

http://www.kolkatabirds.com/hillbirdsofind/kalimpong.htm

List of Birds recorded in our garden over the years.

 

The list is growing as confirmed by subsequent visitors and the novice birder watchers at The Orchid Retreat.

Many of the birds listed above are seasonal migrants lwhile some make thier home locally throughout the year. The monsoon months of July, August and the better part of September are not the best time to be looking out for birds. Even the residents are busy raising families.

Kalimpong-Lava Road, one of the Birding Hotspots of the world.