4 hours winter birding
on Bogd Khan Uul, Ulaanbaatar
text and photos © Andreas Buchheim
text and photos © Andreas Buchheim
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5OLVdxhvKpRtd2-9q1M8jkrhSDun0TU54jIu4xRFDHa6GLDHitGppD5rqC-6zm0B9fneJZKWVpKuNDwMI-QKcGyPoPXtMOgxfOBy7S7MoNd5FgDcpHm5qt04Ms36qi7GkfIbQMf_H_E/s400/Pine-Grosbeak-3.jpg)
On 19 December 2010 I spent 4 hours in the forest above the newly established skiing zone on the north-slope of Bogd Khan Uul. It was a sunny day with almost "hot" (for Mongolian winters) minus 4 degrees Celsius and so I hoped to get some pictures of forest birds. But before photographing I had to ascend the rather steep slope but as soon as I reached the forest I was surrounded by birds. A huge flock of about 350 Common Redpolls (no Arctic Redpolls identified) was around and with them were 3 Pine Grosbeaks and 7 Hawfinches. It was not easy to take pictures as the birds either were feeding very high in the trees or in the shade of the forest if they had come down. So I produced rather disappointing shots.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7ACUfhgwD4_Aypl2sSmcGKWNbXo5cdl0t2YHDsqEnI6H_j5SLlsnYescWHKnX6M_VsnYOha_s_xcSe5kYW_6ecgaKIys34Qk5d3o5HxNC3GicvPaeQ6AmqJ-O41KplvQsIpQIjHAuMo/s400/Common-Redpoll-male.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A-BAI3Mri2PhzD-i36FtxgPnukaVs-BmTDSGXfPc5LUQisP0d8NQkOkHUYzyRscLGOSBlSoZ2rgU_WgnhoUUArryfw0KEUz8PmeuWsQY_18mOuDHE6SSbgLqF6uuRlFmNQy8cs3c8gg/s400/Common-Redpoll.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQukvNdH6mRVs5aTIu_3GdNXA2shMcyWBqNO6eHoF08YPBtNcwMKJxhuaWqU0VB7sGfVH3jJ8En92gpLQm5oDWE_tVG_Sq2A_jlmQ1r7NKDIJxSyrxHTeWYHIorVxib3d6dunDssbcJLE/s400/Common-Redpoll-2.jpg)
Other birds seen were: 1 juvenile Black Vulture, 1 juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard (the bird of the day), 2 Eurasian Nuthatch, 1 Eurasian Treecreeper, 12 Eurasian Bullfinch (the red-bellied nominate subspecies), another 12 Pine Grosbeak, 7 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Red Crossbill, 3 Marsh Tit and 13 Willow Tit. Of the Corvidae there was a total lack of Eurasian Jay and only Common Raven and Oriental Crow Corvus corone orientalis were seen as flybys. Clearly I need to go there again.