part 18 (final part):

Gorkhi Terelj National Park

text by Thomas Langenberg

( links to previous posts:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 ,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)

Entrance gate in the rain, Gorkhi Terelj NP

Jun 2014 © Matze Putze

Ruled by heavy rains, Gorkhi Terelj NP

Jun 2014 © Armin Schneider

Skies are clearing up, Gorkhi Terelj NP

Jun 2014 © Armin Schneider

Inside the forest, Gorkhi Terelj NP

Jun 2014 © Matze Putze

Rhododendron dahuricum, Gorkhi Terelj NP

Jun 2014 © Andreas Buchheim

On 15 June we travelled the short way up from Gun Galuut to the famed Gorkhi Terelj National Park. The NP is well developed but as we wanted to camp undisturbed we went into the forest for the rest of the trip. Our aim was to see some forest species. As the NP lies at the southern fringe of the Siberian taiga we hoped for Siberian birds like Siberian Tit (known as Gray-headed Chickadee in North America) and Siberian Jay plus the difficult Black-billed Capercaillie (BBC). Upon our arrival the forest was quiet, no wonder as the rain continued for several hours. But soon after the rain had ceased Orange-flanked Bluetails, Pallas’s and Two-barred Warblers and Olive-backed Pipits started to sing, mostly from the tree tops. On an escarpment we found an occupied nest of Eurasian Black Vulture and just above our kitchen tent a pair of Taiga Flycatchers was busily feeding their chicks, nice!

Orange-flanked Bluetail

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Oriental Cuckoo

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Matze Putze

Ural Owl

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Ural Owl

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Andreas Buchheim

Ural Owl

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

For the next two days we explored the forest, mostly by hiking up the valley which was quite exhausting. The reward was to see up to 15 BBC per day. These birds proofed to be impossible to get photographed. As soon as we saw one, the bird took flight and dashed through the forest so our cameras had no chance to track them for a shot. A bit more cooperative birds we came across on one of our walks: A family of Spotted Nutcracker, though venturing off straight away, and finally we saw also Siberian Tit and Siberian Jay. Another good one to discover was an Ural Owl in tree not far from our camp. Sönke checked out the distress calls of Red-throated Thrushes and by doing so he found the owl. Well done!

Eurasian Black Vulture

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Armin Schneider

Eastern Buzzard, one bird of the breeding pair

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Aquilegia sibirica

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Armin Schneider

Male Taiga Flycatcher

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Male Taiga Flycatcher

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Grey Wagtail...

and no running water around at the top of the mountain…

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Andreas Buchheim

Northern Pika

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Armin Schneider

Siberian Chipmunk

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Matze Putze

Siberian Chipmunk

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Armin Schneider

Siberian Jay, juvenile

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Spotted Nutcracker, juvenile

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Siberian Tit

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

Siberian Tit

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg

On our last day it started to rain again and we packed our wet tents to dry them in our hotel in UB later. With more than 210 species seen during this trip, and lots of goodies among them, we returned back to Germany very satisfied! We will come back!

Group of Swamprunners

Gorkhi Terelj NP, Jun 2014 © Thomas Langenberg