Namdapha-Mishmi-Dehing: A Trip of a Lifetime, Grand Birding Experience-Part 2

 

Trip Summary

This trip was an exploration through Assam and Arunachal Pradesh for birdwatching. I visited these states during late April 2026 during peak season for Mishmi Hills and Dihing-Patkai National Park. We visited 3 bird hotspots (Namdapha National Park, Dihing-Patkai National Park and Mishmi Hills) and saw quite a few birds between the hotspots. This blog is about my trip and how the birding went. In the trip I saw 40 lifers which boosted me to 721 bird species observed in India, the rarest being the Silver Backed Neeedletail.

Part-2: The Mishmi Hills

We reached from Namdapha in the afternoon and decided to take a 15-minute break and rest at our stay Frogmouth Camp before departing out for birding. We left and almost immediately heard the White Breasted Parrotbills calling. We had to take a stop and view the flock as I surprisingly did not see the parrotbills last time I came to Mishmi and this time we found the Parrotbills, Minlas and Beautiful Nuthatches. While observing the flock we were surprised to realize that there was movement in the undergrowth. After some intense effort, we had found a Black Crowned Scimitar Babbler, another one of my lifers. I was surprised to see it because I did not have expectation for this species but it was a lifer nonetheless. As we decided to move on another one of my near misses from 2024 decided to start calling, the Mountain Tailorbird. I got excited as I thought the bird was rare, elusive, and shy but I then realized that it was almost as easy to find as a Common Tailorbird, you just need to be in the right habitat. After the Tailorbird sighting we decided to go back to camp and rest for the night. 



 

Our Accomodation at Frogmouth Camp in Mishmi and a Barrier at Mishmi Hills entry


When we woke up in the morning, we immediately left for birding. After some driving, we found a flock and easily found a Rufous Backed Sibia in a hunting flock, another bird which I surprisingly missed in 2024 but at that moment we heard a Large Niltava calling from far down the hill. After some effort, the skulking Niltava came up and it was extremely difficult to spot it. When I was looking at the female I thought it was a Small Niltava but our naturalist, Madhab, told us it was Large. Later on, I saw the male and after that we moved on. After going a little further up, we saw a flock in which we saw a Chestnut Crowned Warbler which I didn’t expect but that’s the beauty of birding; it’s unpredictable. In that same flock, we saw a bird which I will like to give a special mention, the Yellow Throated Fulvetta, I only mention lifers or else it would be too long but how close the bird came was special. Later on, we entered Mayudia Pass and went to Maya hotel for some Chai and over there we found a Chestnut Thrush, another surprise. 

Tea and Birding at Maya Hotel 


When we went down, we crossed Chikopani bridge and it was still foggy even 2 minutes away from Tiwari Gaon, it was foggy but at Tiwari Gaon it was clear and we had Maggi at Tiwari Gaon. After that we tried to see the Brownish Flanked Bush Warbler, a long name, I know. But that bird is a level-1000 Skulker and it is so restless and noisy, very different to the Blyth’s/Clamorous Reed Warblers that I am used to. It implanted it’s calling in my brain, I still remember the cheeeee chee-choo-chee and we saw it, just barely. We only got a proper sighting on the next day. As our birding for the day finished we went back to camp and did no more than a basic effort for the Frogmouth as I had already seen it. 

Maggi at Tiwarigaon

Trip List Mishmi Namdapha Dihing Apr-26

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Trip Summary This trip was an exploration through Assam and Arunachal Pradesh for birdwatching. I visited these states during late April 2026 during peak season for Mishmi Hills and Dihing-Patkai National Park. We visited 3 bird hotspots (Namdapha National Park, Dihing-Patkai National Park and Mishmi Hills) and saw quite a few birds between the hotspots. This blog is about my trip and how the birding went. In the trip I saw 40 lifers which boosted me to 721 bird species observed in India, the rarest being the Silver Backed Neeedletail View of Noa-Dihing River from Deban Camp We crossed several towns in Assam Entry to Namdapha National Park Part-1: Namdapha National Park & Surroundings As our first destination and our first visit, Namdapha was amazing. Namdapha is also the first place where I saw a Wren-Babbler before it got renamed (Spotted Elachura and the Cupwings). Our stay was at Deban Camp, a government property in the center of dense jungle. When we arrived from Dibrugarh...
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