Day 5 – Jan 28, 2015

4:45 AM

We were up with the first light of the day. We walked some distance and climbed down a tricky piece of slope to reach a clean stream of water. We brushed, splashed our faces, filled water for morning ablutions and went further ahead of the trail to finish the task. Getting up at the perfect hour, eating timely and in small portions, walking the whole day, not being a victim of any unwanted radiations and sleeping at the appropriate hour had set our biological clock right. Our body inhaled the abundant pure oxygen, drank non-toxic mountain water. It replenished itself and thanked us immensely.

7:00 AM

After breakfast, we proceeded for birding to Rajajheel. Rusty-fronted Barwing, Mountain Imperial Pigeon were our sightings within the first few minutes of the trail.

We reached a sign that read ‘Way to Embyong 10km’ to the left. But we didn’t go the Embyong way and took the right to Rajajheel.

8:00 AM

Rajajheel was famous for the sighting of Green Cochoa. Their sighting was considered very difficult given their colour, the height at which they perched and the canopy of trees. We reached Rajajheel and were getting ready with binocs and cameras, when Moshang excitedly shouted ‘Cochoa, Cochoa’. We couldn’t imagine what could hit us that early in the morning and were confounded for the initial seconds. After figuring out that we were in no immediate danger, we absorbed a bit of energy from the source which was beaming all excitement – Ashom Moshang and then, finally, realised what had caused the delight. A search high up in the trees for the bird was immediately commissioned using all available natural and digital, means and extensions. The Green Cochoa is such a beautifully concealed bird that between the green of the tree and the bluish lavender of the skies, you could never really spot it if you didn’t have the eyes for it. A masterpiece at the art of camouflage! We finally found two of them; clicked them but only after seeing them properly with binoculars.

Thus, we sighted another bird from our bird list. Everyone was on cloud nine. Someone spotted a Green-billed Malkoha. But even with binocs it was tough to locate the bird. We were consumed with the sighting of Green Cochoa and happily returned to the camp.

10:30 AM

The camp at Rajajheel was wrapped up and we moved on to the point of return of our trip – Firmbase. It was the last point we would be touching and beyond which lay the core area of Namdapha Tiger Reserve. Journey to this point involved trekking at high elevations. Lakshmi and her calf were not to follow us here and hence we restricted ourselves to just one small backpack and limited food supplies. Other things along with the elephant pair were to be left behind till we returned from Firmbase.

The trek took us through varied paths, thick and dense vegetation, strewn with bamboo shoots, steep uphill and sometimes steep downhill. The core area came in view alongside running parallel to our route. We were trekking at a considerable height now. Scarlet Minivet, Black Drongo, Yellow-bellied fantail and Blue Niltava were spotted. The trail led us, downhill again, to a plain grassland area before reaching the final camping site. A collared owlet was perched on a branch extending over the grassland. We took umpteen shots from all angles. The bird seemed fixed there, unwilling to move. It just rotated its head to see us leaving.

Camp IV – Firmbase (12km trek)

2:00 PM

Firmbase! We were exhausted. This was the most strenuous part of the 7 day trek. We had covered around 12 kms of mountainous road at a single stretch. It was an achievement. As reward, steaming hot tea awaited us. The cook had already reached and readied the kitchen for us. As tea seeped in, a new rush of energy filled our body. Without wasting time we marched to the main point of the camp – the Namdapha River.

2:40 PM

A swift walk through tall grasses and we reached the Namdapha river. She seemed calm and soothing to our senses. All of us had come with different ideas and goals. But all minds halted at this juncture. We had reached the highest point of our trek and from here it was going to be the beginning of an end. We were all silent. Everyone dispersed in different directions doing their own thing. I sat near the bank with my legs in the water. I wanted nothing but to be sitting there, undisturbed for whatever time I was left with. I didn’t want this feeling to end. I had hit my foot on a rock minutes ago and fractured a toe. It was swollen but water relaxed the pain.

White-bellied Herons were supposed to be spotted at this hour. They are slowly disappearing as they are fresh water birds. And the construction of dams along river is affecting their fresh water prey base. Instead, we spotted a Black Stork far away, flying back home.

4:20 PM

An orangey fireball set over the Namdapha River. It was a lovely scene. We captured it for our digital records and content went back to the camp for a dinner and a good night’s sleep.

Black bamboo tea, freshly brewed inside bamboos, was served to those who wanted. Our beds were laid in dormitory style with all six of us together in a wooden cottage that looked like it had built with certain urgency and then left unused due to some other urgency. We were thankful that it didn’t creak with our weights and sustained us for the night. Sleep came easily.

(to be continued…)