This video covers December 14, the day after we got stranded at the Hotel in Nainital on Friday The Thirteenth. The morning was heavy with rain, but the road down to Sattal was cleared from felled trees and traffic accidents. So, down to Sattal we drove, and got seats in a nice birding hide: Birder's Den. Very good photo opportunities of all species visiting the bird-buffé, or just popping up in the background (Like Rufous-bellied Niltava and Green-tailed Sunbird).
And, the parade of species popping in and out of sight was both impressive and encouraging! The flitting Red-billed Leiothrix, a large pod of Kalij Pheasant, a murder(?) of Grey Treepies, lots of Oriental Turtledove, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch, Green-backed Tit, Himalyan Black-lored Tit, Greater Yellownape, Brown-fronted Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Streaked Laughingthrush, Blue Whistlingthrush and a female Black Francolin.
After 3 hours in the hide it had stopped raining and we left our little paradise, and saw Black Bulbul and Great Barbet in the surrounding garden. We then took a walk down the street (while waiting for our cars). In a thick stand of trees we found a Lemon-rumped Warbler flitting between branches, and a Bar-tailed Treecreeper that I just couldn't get decent photos of...
Then the cars arrived, and we drove down to the lakes, while stopping at some good spots on the way. The last stop yielded a Common Green Magpie, a bird that's not especially common... It was very hard to spot, as well, in the dark, broad-leaved forest where it foraged. It was one of my few Lifers on this trip, and I got a few (bad) photos as well.
When we arrived to the north end of Sita Tal, we walked the trail down to Purna Tal, trying to get Chestnut-headed Tesia. It worked to some extent, which means we got to hear it. No view.
The Bronzed Drongos were quite common along the trail, and deep in a dense brush we spotted a Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher. By then it was time for lunch, so we returned up to Sita Tal, where a yummy field-lunch was served by the lake.
After lunch we drove north and uphill some, to get a new set of species. Blue-capped Redstart, Collared Owlet, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler and Grey Bush Chat to name a few. We ended the birding day in the Chafi (a k a Chapi) area, first at a stream (for Slaty-backed Forktail) and lastly up at a agricultural area that didn't give us anything worth mentioning.
So, it was time to turn back to our hotel in Nainital, for dinner, going through the list and doing some photo work. It was a good day, today!