part three:

The way to Choibalsan

text by Abu

( links to previous posts: part 1, part 2 )

The metal box which failed to connect with the Beijing-UB flight,

Frankfurt/Main Airport, Germany, May 2014, © Mathias Putze

Never enough beer, right?

UB, May 2014, © Mathias Putze

One or two trays of vodka?

Not only beer was on our shopping list!

UB, May 2014, © Kirsten Krätzel

Tuul River in UB, from above,

May 2014, © Mathias Putze

One bag, actually the metal box containing our walk-in traps, did not arrive with us, and that gave us some time to go birding along the Tuul River in UB on 27 May. As usual, this was not done before our shopping had been completed. And we bought more than beer only! Most of our provisions for the entire trip were on our shopping list and it took quite a while to get everything. In the evening we had a nice dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. While I went to the airport, the group visited the Tuul River for a few hours of birdwatching. Between the many green bushes we saw the standard species like Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Azure Tit, Long-tailed Rosefinch, Steppe Eagle, Black Stork, Citrine and Grey Wagtails, some stunning male Daurian Redstarts and a White-crowned Penduline Tit, which was attending a yet unfinished nest, and, much appreciated because flying rather low, a Booted Eagle. Then, once the box finally had arrived, it was fetched from the airport after a lengthy discussion with the customs officers and we teamed up again to set off for the east on 27 May.

Tuul River in UB,

May 2014, © Kirsten Krätzel

Female Long-tailed Rosefinch

UB, May 2014, © Mathias Putze

Male Long-tailed Rosefinch

UB, May 2014, © Mathias Putze

Male White-crowned Penduline Tit

UB, May 2014, © Thomas Langenberg

Booted Eagle

UB, May 2014, © Thomas Langenberg

Race horses on a truck between UB

and Öndorkhan, May 2014 © Mathias Putze

From UB to Öndorkhan we drove on an asphalt road and hence we did not see much from the fast driving car. It was obvious that Nadaam, one of the two major events in Mongolia, was near. Many race horses got a free ride to UB. We drove until late afternoon and then started looking for a nice spot to pitch our tents. The first night out we spent not far from Öndorkhan at a very small poplar plantation and an even smaller stream. Birds we logged during this first part of our journey were the mega abundant Père David’s Snowfinches, which uses the similar abundant holes of the likewise abundant Brandt’s Voles for breeding, Mongolian Lark, Asian Short-toed Lark, Richard’s Pipit, Citrine, Yellow and Grey Wagtails, lots of Mongolian Buntings aka Pallas’s Reed Bunting ssp. lydiae, Northern Lapwings, Common Sandpipers, 3 Common Shelducks, Common Tern (fascinating that it was checking out a small streamlet like this), Demoiselle Crane, several Amur Falcons in the poplars (but unclear whether they were breeding here) and a Steppe Eagle. A Corsac’s den full of playful youngsters was a nice bonus near the camp.

The streamlet near Öndorkhan,

May 2014 © Kirsten Krätzel

Young Corsac Fox near our first campsite,

near Öndorkhan, May 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Demoiselle Crane

near Öndorkhan, May 2014 © Mathias Putze

Common Tern

near Öndorkhan, May 2014 © Mathias Putze

Asian Short-toed Lark

near Öndorkhan, May 2014 © Mathias Putze

Mongolian Lark

near Öndorkhan, May 2014 © Mathias Putze

Mongolian Lark

near Öndorkhan, May 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Our camp near Öndorkhan,

May 2014 © Kirsten Krätzel

Tracks always come in groups,

between Öndorkhan and Choibalsan.

May 2014, © Mathias Putze

After a quick check of the morning birdlife we continued our eastbound migration. The asphalt road had ended which meant that we could only drive at a much reduced speed. So on this lag on 28 May we drove on tracks, which is still the most common type of road in the countryside. This particular stretch of the road was in very bad condition with plenty of deep holes, some even filled with water. En route birdwatching yielded a large group of 34 Eurasian Black Vultures and the standard suspects like Common Skylark, Upland Buzzard, Père David’s Snowfinch plus others were also recorded again. Further we had fleeting views of small but fast running groups of Mongolian Gazelle. Despite our slow pace, Choibalsan (CB) was reached in the early evening. For our second expedition night we chose to stay near the airport on the banks of the Kherlen River which is our standard site in/near CB (see here, Eastern Specialties trip). Surprisingly, there were not many birds in the bushes along the river but the photographers somehow managed to get decent shots of some of the few species around. The few birds around impressed with their songs: Siberian Rubythroat, Two-barred Warbler, Arctic Warbler (not an impressive song, agreed!), Oriental Reed Warbler and Black-faced Bunting. Highlight at the camp was a pair of Yellow-rumped Flyctachers.

Eurasian Black Vulture

between Öndorkhan and CB,

May 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Chinese Spotbill (Duck)

CB, May 2014, © Mathias Putze

Our camp at the Kherlen River,

CB, May 2014 © Kirsten Krätzel

Black-faced Bunting

CB, May 2014, © Mathias Putze

Isabelline Wheatear

CB, May 2014, © Thomas Langenberg

Arctic Warbler

CB, May 2014, © Thomas Langenberg

Kherlen River near CB,

May 2014, © Kirsten Krätzel

The next day we crossed a sea of Stipa grass to reach the incredible Buir Nuur. Watch out and read more next!

Young Corsac Fox, watching out!

near Öndorkhan, May 2014 © Mathias Putze