Highlights of 3 weeks lush birding

text & photos (all vultures from eastern Khangai)

© Andreas Buchheim

The following notes were taken during a lush-birding trip during which I accompanied Barbara Pieper and Ludger Pöpel from Germany whereas I myself was accompanied by my family.

Himalayan Griffon

adult Himalayan Griffon

On 18 June 2011 we drove to the Baldan Bereiven Monastery in Khentij aimag. On the way we saw only common birds and we made a brief stop at Khangal nuur. This lake had been dry for some time but this year there was water and life had returned. A pair of White-naped Crane was breeding and there were about 15 pairs of Pied Avocet, sharing a small island with 10 pairs of Common Tern and a pair of Demoiselle Crane. Although 30 Black-winged Stilts were present as well there were no signs of breeding. At the monastery, which itself is worth a visit, we only saw resident birds but it was nice to have a Big-Five-Day with Bearded Vulture and Eurasian Black Vulture, Eastern Imperial, Golden, White-tailed and Steppe Eagles all seen from our camp on 19 June (yes, it is 6 species, but the Big 5 are among them!). On our way back to the capital we stayed at a large patch of forest which looked quite promising. But in the evening of 20 June it started raining and this continued for 40 hours without a break! So we were just commuting between our tents and the car and did not see any noteworthy birds. In the end we gave up to wait and on 22 June we drove back to UB. Because of the rain had caused a flood we had to take a detour. This brought us to a small dam where three 2cy Siberian White Cranes were found. This discovery led to the longesttwitch in Mongolia ever.

Eurasian Black Vulture

Eurasian Black Vulture

Of course, we tried our luck on the Azure-winged Magpies below Songino Khairkhan uul. This time it was only a matter of minutes until we found them and the same applies to Azure Tit on 23 June. A Twite was staying at the supposed breeding site of the magpies as well.

Himalayan Griffon

Himalayan Griffon

The next day we went on and arrived at Tsagaan nuur, some 200 km west of UB. Wader migration had commenced as shown by a flock of Northern Lapwing (accompanied by 2 Common Starlings on 25th), a Broad-billed Sandpiper, a Terek Sandpiper and 160 Wood Sandpipers. Spotted Crakes were calling during the night.

Himalayan Griffon

Himalayan Griffon

From 25 to 26 June we camped on the western shores of Ogii Nuur which had a record low water level. Nevertheless we had some nice birds: 3 male Falcated Ducks, a stunning male Baikal Teal on 25th and 3 Pallas’s Fish Eagles on 26th. The same day we counted 1300 Swan Geese, 15 of them sportingneck-collars.

Himalayan Griffon

Himalayan Griffon

After visiting Mongolia’s former capital, Kharkhorin, we drove along the Orchon River to the waterfall (with 3 Himalayan Griffons on 27th at a carcass on the riverbank) and then arrived at Shireet davaa (davaa = pass) on 28th. Unfortunately the weather was bad—to be polite—and we could not descend to Naimen nuur (“eight lakes”) as the road was soaked and the clouds low. Anyway w enjoyed to see a pair of Altai Accentors in the rain. We spent the night 29th/30th at Shargaljuut Hot Springs and saw another Himalayan Griffon there.

Himalayan Griffon

Himalayan Griffon

It was our intention to continue then from Bayankhongor to Tsetserleg via the mountains but the road was reported to be “difficult”. Several rain-caused landslides had added some extra difficulties and thus we turned east in Bayankhongor. From 1 to 4 July we spent the days at Mongol Els, part of Elsen Tasarkhai dunes and Khogno Khaan Mountain nearby. There is a marshy area north of the main road and Takhilt Nuur even has some reeds. Before we reached this popular weekend holiday destination—it can be reached from UB in a day—we had several vulture groups with 26 Himalayan Griffons and 75 Eurasian Black Vultures in total.

Himalayan Griffons and Black Vultures

Himalayan Griffons and a Black Vulture

Near Takhilt Nuur there is a colony of Grey Herons (with 10 occupied nests) but the bushes did not have a single shrike! Instead Eurasian Nightjar, Saker Falcon, Lesser Kestrel, Crested Lark and Northern Little Owl were found to breed. On the lake we saw a Black-throated Loon, a Horned Grebe and there were 15 families of Bar-headed Goose plus a pair of White-naped Crane with a newly hatched chick. At the mountain we saw just another Himalayan Griffon, some nests of Eurasian Black Vultures and a Bearded Vulture.

Our last site before we returned to Ulaanbaatar was Khustai Nuruu National Park (in rain on 4 July). Birdwatching was hard work in the heavy rain but we were delighted to see the horses and—even much more celebrated—a Wolf.

The last bird to be mentioned in this post is an immature Greater Spotted Eagle at the UB Ponds on 7 July.