Part 149 - Natrampa: Tragopan hunting and notes on Slumpung, Kashong, Chang/Kiang La passes

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SUMMARY:
The diarist reflects on missing the Slumpung La route earlier and suggests it would have yielded better collections than the Kashong La, noting rhododendron comparisons and that the pass he called Chang La is properly Kiang La. On 26 October at Natrampa, he and Tsongpen revisited a tragopan site, found fresh scratchings (likely T. ocellata), but saw no birds, noting others had been there first.

CONTENT:
tragopan. I was too late to get a shot at first, and then ran uphill after it, but never saw it again. However there were many fresh marks - today's - of tragopan at the edge of the forest, but we saw none. On the way down I shot a coal tit from a party of mixed tits feeding, and moving very quickly among pine trees. I only wish that I had known of the Slumpung La and the route there when we first came to Mijitun. Had I known, I'm sure I would have found very good stuff in June on the La and to the south of it. It would undoubtedly have produced more stuff and more interesting stuff than the Kashong La. Rhododendrons there might have been like the Lo La ones. It can't be helped now though. I am told that the pass beyond the Kashong La, which I have called the Chang La, should be the Kiang La, Kiang meaning cold or a cold place, - well named.

26th October. Natrampa. 7 am. Tsongpen and I went up again to the tragopan place early this morning, but we saw and heard nothing. There were fresh scratchings, but I think these may have been made by T. ocellata, which was pretty numerous there. More Lopas had been up before us, and were camped a little