Wildlife of Khumbu

So while the brochures talk about musk deer, himalayan tahrs, wild yaks and the elusive snow leopard, the reality is that the most wildlife visitors to the Khumbu region are going to see are birds. Not that I'm complaining, since I've loved birdwatching from back when I lived in Singapore and I've trained my eyes to spot small things flitting through trees and bushes.

I only wish I had a book to help identify the birds I did see. A digital SLR with a big-ass lens would've been nice too...

Some small passerines (not terribly exciting for most)




Pheasants (the males are the colourful ones)




And raptors / birds of prey. This falcon was hovering directly over a single spot. Quite impressive given the winds looked pretty strong.


I originally hought this raptor was an eagle, but looking at its head, it could've been a vulture...


My favourite shot of the raptor with Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam in the background


Yup, a big-ass lens would've been nice.