by Tumendelger Humbaa
White-capped Redstart, May 2009,
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
Photo © Tumendelger Humbaa
I took these photos recently on 23 May 2009 in the Gegeet valley of Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park area of Mongolia’s South Gobi Province. This area consists of high mountains of the Gobi Altai, about 2300 meters above see level. The area has small rivers.
At the time of the observation I was on a bird watching tour with Japanese birders Mima san and Tani san. While the others were preparing lunch, Mima san and I walked a little bit more. Before I used to travel many times with tourists around this area and we used to see many birds such as wagtails, Cinereous, Himalayan and Bearded Vultures, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Chukar Partridge, White-winged Snowfinch, buntings etc, and also Siberian Ibex, Argali (Wild Sheep) and sometimes even Grey Wolves.
Tumendelger Humbaa (left) with Japanese birders
Mima san and Tani san, with driver Ganaa and
guide Buyanaa. May 2009.
Mima san and I walked a little and had a rest and suddenly we saw a bird unknown to us. We took several photos. With the help of A Field Guide to the Birds of China we identified the bird as White-capped Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus! The bird was watched for some time and our team was able to take a number of photographs for documentation.
White-capped Redstart, May 2009,
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
Photo © Tumendelger Humbaa
White-capped Redstart, May 2009,
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
Photo © Tumendelger Humbaa
White-capped Redstart, May 2009,
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
Photo © Tumendelger Humbaa
White-capped Redstart, May 2009,
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
Photo © Tumendelger Humbaa
I think that five years ago I also saw this species in the same area. I was driving a car at that time across the Gegeet valley. I thought “what a colourful and big redstart” at that time. But I couldn’t take a picture, maybe I was mistaken.
Tumen
Note: Thank you very much for this brilliant documentation Tumen! White-capped Redstart (sometimes also called White-capped Water-redstart) breeds in eastern Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan, and Afghanistan, east through the Himalayas to central and north-eastern China, northern Myanmar and northern Indochina. The distance from the observation site in Mongolia to the next breeding areas in China to the south is c. 400 km. The species breeds among rapid mountain streams and is considered to be an altitudinal migrant or short-distance migrant. Gobi Gurvan Saikan National Park is a popular tourist destination in southern Mongolia, visited regularly by birdwatchers, both national and international. It might be possible that this species has been recorded in Mongolia before, but not reported. Unpublished reports on birds from Mongolia are always welcome. Please email me.
Axel
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