Jetlag Birding

by Andreas Buchheim

Since 2 October I am back in Mongolia and on 3 October I tried to overcome my jetlag by going out birding. As it is not far (approx. 2 km) to the Tuul River I walked down there and did my usual 8 km stroll upstream from the Marshall Bridge through the riparian bushland that borders the Tuul. There were still some butterflies around and a few grasshoppers were also active. Most of the willows are showing their golden-green fall dresses now. I even found a flowering poppy. So winter had not yet arrived and I was hoping to find some migrants. Here follows the complete list of what I saw (40 species; sorry guys, this time no pics!):

Daurian Partridge: 8 flushed (one group)
Grey Heron: 2
Ruddy Shelduck: 8 flying west
Mallard: 9
Common Teal: 1
Common Goldeneye: 1
Goosander: 1
Common Kestrel: 3
Common Snipe: 1
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker: 2
Horned Lark (brandti): 4
Water Pipit (blakistoni): 12
Buff-bellied Pipit (japonicus): 2 (not with the Water Pipits)
Grey Wagtail: 2
Siberian Accentor: about 20
Orange-flanked Bluetail: 15-17
Daurian Redstart: about 40
Dusky Thrush: 1
Dusky x Naumann’s Thrush: 1
Yellow-browed Warbler: 1
Dusky Warbler: 1
Long-tailed Tit: 7+ (one flock heard only)
Marsh Tit: 10
Great Tit: 15
Azure Tit: 80-90
Wood Nuthatch: 1
Azure-winged Magpie: 1
Common Magpie: 35
Red-billed Chough: 12
Daurian Jackdaw: ca. 80
Rook (pastinator): approx. 200
Oriental Crow: 15
Common Raven: 4
Eurasian Tree Sparrow: 100+
Brambling: 30+
Long-tailed Rosefinch: 50+
Pine Bunting: 3
Little Bunting: 25+
Reed Bunting: 6
Meadow Bunting: 200+