Date: 28 December 2025 
Location: Jungle Lore Birding Lodge 
Trail Leader: Jagjeewan S. Dhami 
Trail theme: Water Stream Ecosystem Survey at Pangot 
Trail coordinator: Kundan Kumar 
Number of participants: 6
Name of participants:  Anjali Bisht, Ajay, Bhawika Bora, Vivasvat Chauhan, Siddhi Gupta, Shripat Narayan Dixit 

Water bodies form an essential element of the ecosystem of a region. To understand the contribution of this spring of life, Asian Adventures, in collaboration with Global Wildlife Fair, organised a walk. An enthusiastic group started from Jungle Lore Birding Lodge at about 8:30 in 
the morning. The first sight that they encountered during the walk was the green-backed tit. In further venturing onto the trail towards the Tigda Baba Cave, they saw a natural spring. The walk leader explained that natural springs are very important for the ecosystem, especially during the dry season, since they are perennial. It becomes an important source for sustaining the flora and fauna, and biodiversity during the peak summer months. The local communities depend on it for their source of water. 

Continuing along the Churani trek, the nalas or the mountain streams were the next water bodies that were spotted. Though not perennial, they are still essential since the sustenance of birds, insects, small mammals and amphibians depends on them. They add to the beauty of the oak-rhododendron forests in the area and can be seen as a by-product of the spring and rainfall. A Rufous Sibia was spotted here near the nala. As the journey continued, marks in the mud were noticed, like a water body would have existed there, but there was no trace of water near that region. 

He explained that this was the path of a rivulet that fills with water only during monsoon months. It was further explained that they are important in making the forest soil fertile and also in enriching the biodiversity that is present in the area. Spotting a blue whistling-thrush near the area, the group continued moving further to encounter a small pool-like structure. This area was beaming with aquatic life such as frogs and insects, also acting as their breeding place. This area was termed important for the little aquatic life that is present in the area. Toward the end of the walk, the group had many questions regarding how these water bodies affect the vegetation and habitat in the area, which other water bodies are present in the region that the group could not spot and do these bodies affect the variety of birds that are found in the area. These questions were answered on a one-to-one basis, and the walk ended on a high note.

To discover such usually overlooked yet important elements of nature that bring a variation in the flora and fauna, join us every Sunday as we explore these gems and the relationship they share with the local biodiversity. Click here https://asianadventures.info/p/af0725/ and take the first step towards gaining a perspective on the surrounding environment. 

Bird List 

• Rufous-bellied woodpecker 
• Rufous Sibia 
• Streaked Laughingthrush 
• Blue Whistling-Thrush 
• Green-backed Tit 
• Coal Tit 
• Gray-hooded Warbler