Photographer: Norbu
White-bellied Heron This month, we had the pleasure of photographing the critically endangered White-bellied Heron during our first tour of 2023. We were joined by two professional bird and wildlife photographers from Norway, who were on a special mission to capture images of this elusive species, which has a population of only around 60 individuals worldwide.
While we were thrilled to have this opportunity, we were also somewhat concerned because finding the White-bellied Heron had become increasingly difficult. The only reliable place to spot it, Punakha Pho Chu River, had not had any sightings since November.
However, we used our local network to search for a stakeout and eventually received word that there had been a recent sighting in Tingtibe. We adjusted our itinerary and spent more time in Tingtibe to increase our chances of success. After much effort, we finally spotted the White-bellied Heron and it was an incredibly exciting moment, marking a big success for our first trip of the year.