Observations in NW Mongolia 29 May to 4 June 2007 from the Swedish team Fredrik Friberg, Mikael Malmaeus, Mats Waern and Magnus Hellström

All photos Photo © Magnus Hellström.

Note: Tsagaan nuur lies at the border-pass towards Russia (Tashanta). Khar us nuur is the rather small (for Mongolian standards) lake between Achit Nuur and Ayrag Nuur (not to be confused with the large Khar us nuur not far from Khovd).

May 29. Lots of migrants in the Salix along the small river which runs along the road in the gorge c15 km E of Tsagaan nuur. Brown Shrike, European Pied Flycatcher (2cy male; 4th record for Mongolia), Brambling and good numbers of Hume's Leaf Warblers.


European Pied Flycatcher. E of Tsagaan nuur, 29 May.


Hybrid shrike (L. collurio/isabellinus). E of Tsagaan nuur, 29 May.

C 10 km further E, in the semi-desert plains 7 Henderson's (Mongolian) Ground-Jays were seen.


Henderson's Ground-Jay. E of Tsagaan nuur, 29 May.

May 30. At the S end of Achit nuur we found 11 Asian Dowitchers, 1 displaying Little Crake, 35 Pallas's Gulls, 2 Long-toed Stints, 1 leucocephala Yellow Wagtail (and several intergrades with beema) and 5 Bearded Tits. We drove towards Ulaangom and passed Uureg Nuur. Lammergeier, 2 Pallas's Sandgrouse and resting flocks of Greater Sand Plovers.


Asian Dowitchers. Achit Nuur, 30 May.

May 31. Transportations and logistics.

June 1. Heavy snow fall at Turgen mountain range gave some resting migrants. Among more common species (like Blyth's Pipits, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrushes and Grey-necked Buntings) a male Taiga Flycatcher and 2 Brown Shrikes were noted. >200 Brandt’s Mountain Finches were also seen. In the steppes c 40 km S of Ulaangom a single male Oriental Plover was displaying.

June 2-4. W parts of Khar us nuur. Lots of wetland birds! Among these 3 Relict Gull, 2 Asian Dowitchers, 1 Pallas's Fish Eagle, 13 Swan Geese and some Terek Sandpipers and Greater Sand Plovers. Along the shore we found lots of Mongolian Larks, and in the small reedbeds c 400 Rose-colored Starlings went to sleep during the evenings.


Relict Gull. (little) Khar us nuur, 2 June.


Mongolian Lark. (little) Khar us nuur, 3 June.

At the sloping hills on the NW lakeside we found a pair (singing male + quiet individual) of Koslov's (Mongolian) Accentor.

Koslov's Accentor. (little) Khar us nuur, 3 June.

Pere David's Snowsparrow. Tsagaan nuur, 3 June.


Terek Sandpiper. Tsagaan nuur, 3 June.


Brown Accentor. Tsagaan nuur, 4 June.

C 30 km W of the lake, at some vegetated boulders in the semi-desert we had another 2-3 pairs of Koslov's Accentor.

Back at the gorge just E of Tsagan Nuur we had a Black-faced Bunting, Taiga Flycatcher and loads of Hume's Leaf Warblers in the Salix-bushes. At the Tsagaan nuur lakeside we found a female Red-headed Bunting, a Booted Warbler and 4 Terek Sandpipers. At this site we also recorded several Citrine Wagtail that seemed to show somewhat intermediate characters between citreola and calcarata (a lot of white in the wing-coverts, slightly darker above and deeper yellow below than usual).


Red-headed Bunting. Tsagaan nuur, 3 June.

Lots more birds were seen, and a complete trip-report (including the Russian Altai) will be published during the summer.

11 JUN 2007, Khovd - A. Braunlich

When searching in some thorny bushes for a nest of Isabelline Shrike early this morning I heard the subsong of a Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler (Rusty-rumped Warbler; species no. 208 for Khovd since late October 2005). As so often with Locustella warblers it was rather confiding (I got closer than the minimum focus distance of my binoculars) and at the same time skulking, very difficult to get good views. A few hundred meters further another bird was in full song, invisible in some reed-like willow coppice.

Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler. Photo © A. Braunlich


Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler. The white spots

to the tips of the inner webs of the tertials are clearly

visible (…but not much more…). Photo © A. Braunlich

The White-crowned Penduline Tit was seen again, this time collecting nesting material. And again a Eurasian Oriole was present, now singing - may be a territorial bird. Other birds seen/heard included a flock of 4 Oriental Turtle Doves, a singing Greenish Warbler, a very late migrant Olive-backed Pipit, and a fine Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush.

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush. Photo © A. Braunlich

10 JUN 2007, Khovd - A. Braunlich

This evening I checked a rather damp (irrigated) and dense patch of vegetation in a poplar plantation – the only site with large willow bushes quite close to my house. A singing Thick-billed Warbler was species no. 207 for Khovd since late October 2005. The same patch held also a singing Blyth’s Reed Warbler, a White-crowned Penduline Tit, a singing Black-faced Bunting, and a skulking female Yellow-breasted Bunting. For both bunting species this was the first observation in Khovd this year. Behind the stadium (see photos below) I saw another male Black-faced Bunting, two Dusky Warblers and a female Eurasian Golden Oriole, the latter following hard on the heels of the first orioles for Khovd a few days ago.

“Summer snow” – fruiting poplars in Khovd.
Photos © A. Braunlich

Also observed today: the first young Carrion Crow out of its nest.

juvenile Carrion Crow, just fledged.
Photo © A. Braunlich

early JUN 2007, Khovd - A. Braunlich

7 June: This morning 2 Greenish Warblers were singing in the plantations. I couldn’t find them in the dense foliage of the trees and bushes, so I have got no idea what they looked like. However, the song sounded like the typical song of the subspecies Phylloscopus trochiloides viridanus which occurs from central and eastern Europe to north-western Mongolia. Some authors state that Greenish Warblers in Mongolia are intermediate between P. t. viridanus and P. (t.) plumbeitarsus. Other authors state that P. (t.) plumbeitarsus shows clinal variation, with the western populations being similar to P. t. viridanus, while there is also the opinion that breeding Greenish Warblers in the Altai (including Mongolia) represent a distinct taxon, “P. t. tenuirostris” – which is currently not recognized by all major ornithological works on the subject. I have seen about 20 Greenish Warblers on spring migration here in Khovd last year – and they all looked basically like the birds I know from Europe (i.e. like viridanus). The Two-barred Warbler P. (t.) plumbeitasus which I have seen a few days ago here in Khovd showed the typical features for this (sub)species (treated as specifically distinct from Greenish Warbler in several publications, including in the Handbook of the Birds of the World): broad and long whitish greater coverts wing bar, conspicuous median coverts wing bar, upperparts a shade greener and brighter than in Greenish Warbler, and a well pronounced facial pattern (distinct dark eye-stripe, yellowish-tinged supercilium).


Greenish Warbler with single weak wingbar, Khovd, 1 June 2006.
Photo taken in the evening with the sun low over the horizon, thus
the plumage coloration appears rather brown. Photo © A. Braunlich

Very early in the morning 1 pair of Eurasian Golden Orioles was flying off the poplars, gaining high and apparently actively migrating south-west along the river valley – I could follow them for several kilometers with my binoculars until I lost sight of them. This is species no. 206 – if Two-barred Warbler is considered a distinct species – in Khovd since October 2005.


Apparently actively migrating Eurasian Golden Oriole.
Photo © A. Braunlich

Generally, passage migrants are becoming scarce by now, with only 1 Dusky Warbler spotted today. Several calling Common Cuckoos in the poplar plantations are quite likely local breeders, as were 4 Demoiselle Cranes near the river. Other observations today include 1 singing Common Linnet and 1 singing Great Tit (the first observation for the latter species since several weeks now).


I like Black-eared Kites very much, so here’s another.
Photo © A. Braunlich

4 June: Just another very windy day (and hot!). This spring is very dry here, and the strong winds last unusually long towards summer. The only notable observations today were 1 Brown Shrike and 1 Steppe Buzzard (both migrants).

3 June: A single Eurasian Spoonbill foraged in the small ponds at the edge of town, which are drying out very fast now. Late migrants in trees nearby were 2 Olive-backed Pipits and 10 Hume’s Leaf Warblers.

14 MAY, Tsetserleg, Khangai Mts. - K. Schleicher


One of three Scaly Thrushes observed in Tsetserleg today.

Photo © K. Schleicher

LINKS & CONTRIBUTIONS: a request


Photo © A. Braunlich

I have restructured the link list on the sidebar. Have a look. If you know of any website or blog which could appear here please drop me a line.

Also very welcome are posts to Birding Mongolia (unformatted text by email to me please; including photos) on bird observations and (bird-) conservation-related stories from Mongolia.

Thanks & happy birding,
Axel

02 JUN 2007, Ulaanbaatar sewage ponds - D. Mantle, K. Schleicher

A brief visit to this excellent site produced quite a few birds, despite really strong winds: 300-400 White-winged Terns, among them 2 Whiskered Terns; 20+ Common Terns, 6 Garganeys, 3 Common Goldeneyes, 1 Common Shelduck, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Ruddy Shelduck (including a pair with young), 6 Black-necked Grebes, Common Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Richard’s Pipit, Common Skylark, Northern Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Citrine and White Wagtails.

2 JUN 2007, Khovd - A. Braunlich

Black-eared Kites waiting for their share.
Photos © A. Braunlich

A Mongolian BBQ at the river near town attracted not only over 100 Black-eared Kites, but also another wing-tagged Mongolian Gull.


Mongolian Gull. Photo © A. Braunlich

Other noteworthy birds at the river included 2+26 Mongolian Finches. In the poplar plantations 2 White-crowned Penduline Tits and 1 Brown Shrike were seen. Last year’s only Brown Shrike in Khovd turned up on June, 6th.


Eurasian Hoopoe - a common breeder in Khovd.
Photo © A. Braunlich

01 JUN 2007, Khovd - A. Braunlich

Again (how boring!) strong winds and a lot of dust whirling through town today. However, a little 30-minutes stroll in the afternoon produced a female Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush in a plantation (next breeding site c.3 km away), 1 Little Bunting (the only observation this spring so far), and 1 Fork-tailed Swift (species no. 204 for Khovd since late October 2005) migrating among Common Swifts.

Khar Us Nuur National Park, 30/31 MAY 2007 - A. Braunlich, C. Leahy

I went – together with tour leader Christopher Leahy and a group from Mass Audubon (Massachusetts Audubon Society) for a two-day visit to Khar Us Nuur National Park. When we arrived at Khar Us Lake we met a family of local nomadic herders who were busy with the making of a new felt cover for their ger (Mongl. ger = yurt, the traditional felt tent of Central Asian nomads). The design of the yurts and the making of the materials have changed very little over the last centuries (though the very heavy package was dragged by a van after another layer of wool was added – it would have been to heavy for the single horse around).

The making of felt

The width of felt is fixed to a wooden axle.

Photo © A. Braunlich

Another layer of raw wool is added.

Photo © A. Braunlich

Cow hide is wrapped around the felt.

Photo © A. Braunlich

The package is dragged over the steppe.

Photos © A. Braunlich

Despite the century-old coexistence of nomads, their livestock and the natural environment, a recent increase in livestock numbers has resulted in ever-increasing pressure on Mongolia’s pasturelands, even inside protected areas. Overgrazing associated with livestock breeding practice exceeding rangeland carrying capacity degrades natural habitat, and is forcing wildlife to migrate further in search for better habitats, thus increasing risk of exposure to human-wildlife conflicts. To address the underlying causes WWF Mongolia is working to safeguard the Mongolian grasslands by improving the livelihoods of nomadic herders and supporting a more sustainable use of natural resources. For more information read about WWF’s program on Pasture management and rural development.

Here are some bird highlights (the final tally of the two-day trip was 101 species):

The low water level of Khar Us Lake resulted in quite a lot of muddy shoreline exposed – good habitat for waders. Apart from the common breeding species Northern Lapwing, Common Redshank, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Marsh Sandpiper and Avocet, we found a good selection of migrant waders, including 35 Grey Plovers, 2 Little Stints, dozens of Temminck’s Stints, 1+14 Asian Dowitchers (probably breeding in the park), >40 Ruddy Turnstones and c.50 Greater Sand Plovers. Large numbers of White-winged and Common Terns were feeding in a nearby shallow lagoon. A small group of Eurasian Spoonbills and some Greater Cormorants rested in the mixed colony of Pallas's and Mongolian Gulls.

Waterfowl was present in good numbers, with many Greylag Geese having young by now. Globally threatened species observed include a few Swan Geese and over 30 White-headed Ducks.

Common breeding species encountered in the reed beds included Bluethroats (red-spotted), Great Reed Warblers, Paddyfield Warblers, and at the edge of the reeds Citrine Wagtails. The small belt of green pasture between the lake and the surrounding desert steppe provides habitat for Western Yellow Wagtails (of the white-headed spp. M. f. leucocephala), Eurasian Skylarks, Lesser Short-toed Larks, Masked Wagtails, and Richard’s Pipits. The desert-steppe between the meadows and the mountain are inhabited by Horned Larks, Desert, Isabelline and Northern Wheatears, Pallas’s Sandgrouse, and Isabelline Shrikes, all of which could be observed.

We stayed for a night in a yurt camp near the lake, run by a local herder’s community (supported by WWF) since a couple of years. Interestingly a pair of Barn Swallows was building a nest on a support beam inside a ger (without a chimney) – hopefully they’ll manage to raise their brood before the herders have to move up the mountain later the year, in order to escape the super abundant mosquitoes near the lake shore.

Barn Swallow nest inside a ger.

Photo © A. Braunlich

Barn Swallow on the ger above her nest.

Photo © A. Braunlich


Yurts in Khar Us Nuur National Park. In the background

Jargalant Khajrkhan Mountain. Photo © A. Braunlich

A visit to nearby Jargalant Khajrkhan Mountain, 3797 m (12,460 feet) a.s.l, rising 2640 m (8660 feet) above Khar Us Lake complemented the bird list with a Eurasian Griffon (non-breeding visitor), several Cinereous Vultures (common breeder), a pair of Saker Falcons (breeders), and a pair of displaying Golden Eagles (breeders). Poplar trees (very similar to American cottonwoods) in a narrow bolder-strewn valley were alive with migrant Hume’s Leaf Warblers, Spotted Flycatchers, a single migrant Greenish Warbler, and a Taiga (Red-throated) Flycatcher. A flushed Long-eared Owl was most likely a local breeder, as were a pair of Common Rosefinches and several singing Sulphur-bellied Warblers. Further breeding species observed include Brown Accentor, Chukar Partridge, Black Redstart, Twite, and White-winged Snowsparrow (often misnamed as “Snowfich”).

late-MAY 2007, Khovd - A. Braunlich

Last week was characterized by strong winds, so typical for the Mongolian/ continental Asian spring season. Observations were difficult as always under such conditions, with many skulking birds giving frustrating views only. (skulking? Read some stuff about skulking/ wary/ inconspicuous/ secretive birds at Charlie’s Bird Blog.)


skulking Dusky Warbler. Photo © A. Braunlich

28 May: The little green area in front of Khovd University (where Mongolia’s first Eurasian Blackbird was found on May, 9th) proved to be good for a few minutes of early morning birding again: Besides a singing Common Rosefinch and a female Taiga Flycatcher I found the first Two-barred (Greenish) Warbler Phylloscopus (trochiloides) plumbeitarsus for Khovd since my arrival in October 2005. This taxon, breeding in Mongolia’s Khangai Mountains (less than 400 km east of Khovd) is apparently very rare west of the Khangai. For example, although recorded several times in Europe it hasn’t been found in Kazakhstan yet!

27 May: New for this spring was 1 Olive-backed Pipit, a very scarce passage migrant here, greatly outnumbered by Tree Pipits. Twites are still around in numbers, with 48 spotted today in the poplar plantations (last year I didn’t see them after March, 26th); 2 pairs of Oriental Turtle Dove, 220 Black-eared Kites at the roost.


Black-eared Kite. Photo © A. Braunlich


Black-eared Kite. Photo © A. Braunlich

26 May: 14 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 dark morph Booted Eagle (as always chased fiercely by Carrion Crows - which largely seem to ignore Black-eared Kites), and the first Barred Warbler this spring, together in the same bush with a Blyth’s Reed Warbler and a Booted Warbler.

23/24 May: Richard’s Pipits arrived in greater numbers, with 12 spotted at the river. A pair of Northern Raven breeding in town has almost fledged young by now.

browsers and Bulgarian birder Niki

I must admit that I am a greenhorn when it comes to programming – thus Birding Mongolia looked somehow dislocated when viewed with Mozilla Firefox. Now it is fixed (something was wrong with the CSS file…) with the help of my friend Nikolai Kraneis, a birder, artist, and computer specialist from Bulgaria, living in Berlin. Thanks a lot Niki!


Shovelers, oil, 50x80cm; 31.5"x19.7"
by Nikolai Kraneis

If you need an experienced guide for a birding tour to Bulgaria or need help in creating and illustrating posters, books, brochures, flyers, websites etc. (languages: Polish, Russian, English, Bulgarian, Azerbaijani, Kazakh, and more) contact Niki via his website http://birdsart.de (and have a look at his superb art!).

First spring observation dates in Khovd 2006 / 2007,
and some thoughts about climate change and spring arrivals
by Axel Braunlich

Igor Fefelov from Irkutsk, Russia has left a question at the comment section of my blog:

Amar sain Axel,
What are the data on bird arrival this spring? We have had some extremely early records, i.e. Porzana pusilla on 20 April (!! - common arrival falls on middle May, not earlier) and Phylloscopus inornatus on 9 May (common date is later than 15 May in the last decades of years).

Dear Igor,
I have limited experience since I spent only two spring seasons (2006 & 2007) here in Khovd. However, here is a selection of my first observations for some species.

First observations in Khovd 2006/07 (sorted by date for 2006). Note:
underlined: first observation dates 2006 and 2007 rather similar (+/–5 days difference)
bold: first observation date in 2007 much earlier (>10 days) than in 2006

Fieldfare - 11 Feb / 28 Mar
Pine Bunting - 14 Mar / 23 Mar
male Evermann's Redstart - 18 Mar / 18 Mar
Black-throated Accentor - 18 Mar / 23 Mar
Steppe Buzzard - 21 Mar / 01 Apr
Common Starling - 23 Mar / 23 Mar
Black-throated Thrush - 23 Mar / 28 Mar
Common Reed Bunting - 24 Mar / 17 Mar
Mongolian Gull - 25 Mar / 23 Mar
Black-eared Kite - 25 Mar / 23 Mar
Lapland Bunting - 25 Mar / 17 Mar
Eurasian Skylark - 26 Mar / 24 Mar
female Evermann's Redstart - 28 Mar / 02 Apr
Desert Wheatear - 28 Mar / 13 Apr
Common Jackdaw - 28 Mar / 13 Apr
Ruddy Shelduck - 29 Mar / 11 Mar
Hoopoe - 29 Mar / 13 Apr
Masked Wagtail 29 Mar / 01 Apr
Whooper Swan - 30 Mar / 13 Apr
Yellowhammer - 30 Mar / 14 April
Chaffinch - 30 Mar / 03 Mar
Brambling - 30 Mar / 02 Apr
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - 31 Mar / 06 Apr
Long-eared Owl - 03 Apr / 02 Apr
Stock Pigeon - 04 Apr / 13 Apr
Black Redstart - 04 Apr / 07 Apr
Pallas's Gull - 04 Apr / 06 Apr
Great Egret - 06 Apr / 01 Apr
Lapwing - 06 Apr / 01 Apr
Citrine Wagtail - 06 Apr / 06 Apr
Red-throated Thrush - 06 Apr / 10 Mar
Siberian Chiffchaff - 07 Apr / 07 Apr
Water Pipit - 07 Apr / 06 Apr
Bluethroat - 07 Apr / 13 Apr
Booted Eagle - 11 Apr / 13 Apr
Demoiselle Crane - 12 Apr / 01 May
Black-headed Gull - 14 Apr / 07 Apr
Black Stork - 16 Apr / 07 Apr
Pied Wheatear - 16 Apr / 07 Apr
Northern Wheatear - 17 Apr / 08 Apr
House Martin - 19 Apr / 01 May
Barn Swallow - 22 Apr / 25 Apr
Isabelline Wheatear - 24 Apr / 07 Apr
Scaly Thrush - 24 Apr / 06 May
Crag Martin - 24 Apr / 14 Apr
Common Redstart - 27 Apr / 25 Apr
Little Ringed Plover - 29 Apr / 29 Apr
Common Sand Martin - 29 Apr / 26 Apr
Green Sandpiper - 29 Apr / 02 May
Song Thrush - 03 May / 03 May
Lesser Whitethroat - 07 May / 11 May
Hume's Leaf Warbler - 10 May / 02 May
Eastern Stonechat - 10 May / 01 May
Tree Pipit - 10 May / 02 May
Eurasian Hobby - 10 May / 01 May
Isabelline Shrike - 10 May (isabellinus) / 11 Apr (phoenicuroides)
Paddyfield Warber - 10 May / 02 May
Ortolan Bunting - 10 May / 01 May
Oriental Turtle Dove - 15 May / 07 May
Spotted Flycatcher - 15 May / 16 May
Booted Warbler - 16 May / 16 May
Common Rosefinch - 16 May / 11 May
Common Cuckoo - 16 May / 26 Apr
Richard's Pipit - 19 May / 07 May
Rose-coloured Starling - 19 May / 18 May
Great Reed Warbler - 19 May / 12 May
Taiga Flycatcher - 19 May / 20 May
Blyth's Reed Warbler - 23 May / 11 May
Dusky Warbler - 24 May / 11 May
Common Swift - 26 May / 20 May
Barred Warbler - 30 May / 26 May

So there is no obvious pattern of very early arrivals in Khovd this spring. But note, my observations here are not part of a scientific study. I rather try to go birding as often as possible in my spare time. My first observations are no necessarily “arrival dates”, quite a few factors must be considered when looking at my data:

• I don’t necessarily visit exactly the same sites (=same habitats!) on the same day in both springs.
  


• Conditions at the sites I visit may differ from day to day (the area is irrigated and irregularly flooded).
  


• I am not birding every day.
  


• I have been away this spring from 19-22 March and 16-23 April.
  


• Some days in spring are so windy / stormy that observations are hindered very much – thus new arrivals can easily be missed.
  


• With the trees and herbaceous plants getting green it is much more difficult to spot new arrivals now than a month ago.

So, some of my first observation dates may not be particularly meaningful – but they may be of value to anyone who wants to compare with elsewhere in north-easten Asia.

Publishing lists of first observations/first arrivals in defined areas can be very helpful understanding the effects of climate change on bird migration. Such lists are for example published for Iceland for 1998-2007 on The Icelandic Bird Pages, and for Christchurch Harbour by the Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group (south coast of England)

The past winter was rather “mild” (for local standards) here, and spring arrived earlier. Khovd experienced a rather dramatic temperature increase recently: In general the mean annual air temperature has risen by around 3.5° C between 1983 and 2005 according to Meteorological Survey Station Khovd.

April 2007 was the third warmest April for the globe on record, and the first four months of 2007 were the warmest ever, according to statistics released by the National Climatic Data Center. The global average temperature for April was 1.19°F/0.66°C above the 20th century mean. Over land, April global temperatures were the warmest ever measured. Ocean temperatures were a bit cooler (seventh warmest on record), thanks to the cooling associated with the disappearance of the winter El Niño event. Source: Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog.

Temperature departure from average for April 2007.
Image credit: National Climatic Data Center.

The map above shows that especially Mongolia, Central Siberia to the Russian Far East, and the area to the south-west of Mongolia (where many spring migrants to Mongolia and Central Siberia presumably originate) had above the average temperatures in April 2007. This might explain the very early arrivals of some bird species in the Irkutsk region.

There have been a lot of debates about climate change and birds (and about climate change and global warming in general of course! See links at the end of this post). There are overwhelming proofs that humans, through increased emissions of atmospheric greenhouse gases and aerosols, are causing climate change, which in turn is linked to changes seen in the springtime activity of numerous animals and plants.

I have selected two abstracts of scientific publications dealing with spring arrival dates of birds, one from Manitoba, Canada, and one from south-western Germany to give examples of how much global warming already changed the behaviour of migratory birds.

Murphy-Klassen, H. M, Underwood, T. J., Sealy, S. G. & Czyrnyj, A. A.2 005. Long-term trends in spring arrival dates of migrant birds at Delta Marsh, Manitoba, in relation to climate change. The Auk 122: 1130-1148.
We examined a 63-year data set of dates of first spring sightings for 96 species of migrant birds at Delta Marsh, Manitoba, and considered the influence of local climate change on those arrival dates. Mean monthly spring temperatures increased (0.6-3.8°C) for all four months considered; however, trends for February and March were stronger than those for April and May. Over the 63-year period, 27 species significantly altered their arrival dates. Most of those species arrived significantly earlier; whereas only two species, Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) and Lesser Yellowlegs (T. flavipes), arrived significantly later over time. About half of the migrants showed significant relationships between arrival dates and mean temperature for their month of arrival. Fifteen species showed significantly earlier arrivals over time and a significant relationship between arrival date and temperature. We also characterized migrants by taxon, breeding status, and wintering location to determine whether there were any trends for altered arrivals within certain groups. Waterfowl, species that breed at Delta Marsh, and short-distance migrants showed slightly higher incidences of advancing arrival dates compared with other groups. Our results provide evidence that climate warming has influenced spring migration arrival dates of several species in Manitoba. source.

Peintinger, M. & S. Schuster 2005: Changes in first arrival dates of common migratory bird species in southwestern Germany. Vogelwarte 43: 161-169.
Global change affects the timing of bird migration. It presumed (and has been shown) that, (1) species arrived earlier in spring and that (2) this response to climate change is stronger in short-distance than in long-distance migratory species. To confirm this pattern we analysed long-term observational data from field ornithologists under the condition that (1) at least eight arrival dates for the periods 1970-1986 and 1987-2003 were available, (2) observers had not changed their study area during these years, and (3) at least three time series were available for a species. In total, we examined the first arrival dates of 17 migratory species at 13 sites in south-western Germany. To analyse changes in arrival times we used two statistical procedures: linear regression for the period 1970-2003 and Mann-Whitney U-test to compare median arrival dates of the periods 1970-1986 and 1987-2003. Out of 103 time series 96 showed a trend towards earlier spring arrival, whereas series only for seven time series the reverse was true. Using linear regression for 58 species time series we found a significantly earlier arrival date. On average, arrival date changed 0.3 (max. 2.9) days per year. Only one species showed a significant later arrival date. The U-test revealed similar results. An analyses of variance (ANOVA) showed that this effect was stronger in short-distance than in long-distance migrants. We suggest that earlier spring arrival could be due to a shift of wintering areas towards the North – even in some long-distance migratory species.

The whole volume 43 (2005) of the journal Vogelwarte (6.8 MB) can be downloaded here.

© Tom Toles at the Washington Post

More information on climate change, global warming and birds

American Bird Conservancy: Some general information on climate change and birds.

A blog on Birds and Climate Change.

BirdLife International: Birds to become latest indicators of climate change.

What is Global Warming? - Learn about Global Warming at National Geographic.



Smog obscuring the view of Ulaanbaatar,
17 Dec 2006. Photo © A. Braunlich

Partial-albino Red-billed Chough

Ulaanbaatar-based ornithologist Uugan sent me a photograph of a partial-albino Red-billed Chough which he observed in Tariat sum (a sum is an administrative subdivision below the aimags=provinces in Mongolia, roughly comparable to a County in the USA) in the northern Khangai Mountains on 17 May 2007.

Partial-albino Red-billed Chough.
Photo © Uuganbayar Chuluunbaatar

normal coloured Red-billed Chough
Photo © Uuganbayar Chuluunbaatar

Some comments on partial-albinism (referring to an observation of a partial-albino Cactus Wren) can be found on Charlie’s Bird Blog (which I can warmly recommend!): click here. And there’s also an interesting discussion on the MilkRiverBlog: click here.

21 MAY 2007, Khovd - A. Braunlich
One of the most beautiful sights in spring are the black-and-pink Rose-coloured Starlings resting among the fresh green of the poplars - a stunning contrast to the surrounding semi-desert. Last year I counted a maximum of 120 adults in June, while today c.360 rested behind in the wooded area around the stadium in Khovd. Other species seen included 1 Oriental Turtle Dove and 3 male Taiga Flycatcher.


Rose-coloured Starlings resting in fruiting poplars.
Photo © A. Braunlich

1,221 and counting: More birds than ever face extinction

BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK, 21 May 2007: The latest evaluation of the world’s birds has revealed that more species than ever are threatened with extinction, and that additional conservation action is critical to reversing current declines.

BirdLife International’s annual Red List update –which takes into account population size, population trends and range size for all 10,000 bird species worldwide- states that 1,221 species are considered threatened with extinction and are to be listed as such on the 2007 IUCN Red List.

The latest update also shows an additional 812 bird species are now considered Near Threatened, adding up to a total of 2,033 species that are urgent priorities for conservation action. More…

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Dalmatian Pelican nesting at Ayrag nuur, western Mongolia 1995
Photo © H. Mix

Globally threatened and near threatened species occurring in Mongolia
(an asterisk * indicates that the species occurs only exceptionally in Mongolia; @ denotes species breeding in Mongolia). Source: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org.

Note: Species which are often listed in Mongolian publications as globally threatened, e.g. White-tailed Eagle and Black Stork, are NOT listed by IUCN/BirdLife International as globally threatened. The list given below is authoritative.

@ Swan Goose Anser cygnoides	Endangered
* Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	Vulnerable
@ Falcated Duck Anas falcata	near threatened
Baikal Teal Anas formosa	Vulnerable
Baer's Pochard Aythya baeri	Vulnerable
@ Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	near threatened
@ White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala	Endangered
Oriental Stork Ciconia boyciana	Endangered
* Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus	near threatened
@ Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	Vulnerable
@ Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni	Vulnerable
* Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus	near threatened
@ Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	Endangered
@ Pallas's Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus	Vulnerable
@ Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus	near threatened
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus	near threatened
@ Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga	Vulnerable
@ Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	Vulnerable
@ Great Bustard Otis tarda	Vulnerable
@ Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata	Vulnerable
* Swinhoe’s Rail Coturnicops exquisitus	Vulnerable
@? Corncrake Crex crex	near threatened
Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus	Critically Endangered
@ White-naped Crane Grus vipio	Vulnerable
Hooded Crane Grus monacha	Vulnerable
Red-crowned Crane Grus japonensis	Endangered
* Sociable Plover Vanellus gregarious	Critically Endangered
@ Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus	near threatened
@ Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	near threatened
@ Relict Gull Larus relictus	Vulnerable
* Yellow-eyed Pigeon Columba eversmanni	Vulnerable
@? Marsh Grassbird Megalurus pryeri	Vulnerable
@ Reed Parrotbill Paradoxornis heudei	near threatened
@ White-throated Bushchat Saxicola insignis	Vulnerable
@ Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola	near threatened
@ Ochre-rumped Bunting Emberiza yessoensis	near threatened

18 MAY 2007, Khorgo-Terkhijn-Tsagaan-Nuur National Park
- Andrea Strauss

At the northern side of Terkhijn Tsagaan nuur (nuur=lake) in the northern Khangai Mts. two Black-throated Divers, 2 pairs Demoiselle Cranes, several Ruddy Shelducks and an impressive concentration of 120 White-winged Scoters Melanitta deglandi stejnegeri were counted.


Terkhijn Tsagaan nuur (2060 m a.s.l.),
still partly covered with ice. Photo © A. Strauss

Khovd, mid-MAY 2007 - A. Braunlich
A selection of observations from the last ten days (first observations in Khovd for this spring marked with an asterisk*):

20 May: A warm day, but strong wind made observations difficult. c.40 Rose-coloured Starlings, 230 Black-earded Kites, 1 Dusky Warbler, 2 male Lesser Kestrels, 1 male Taiga Flycatcher*.


Black-eared Kites at their roost in Khovd.
Photos © A. Braunlich

19 May: 29 Ortolan Buntings, 2 immature Daurian Jackdaws, 7 cuckoos (Common or Oriental), 3 Temminck’s Stints (rare here, almost no suitable habitat), and 4 Mongolian Finches*.

During birding in a plantation at the edge of town we met Adja, a plantation owner who allows me since my arrival in Khovd to enter his premises for birdwatching. He invited Katja and me to join a planting session which was blessed by a Buddhist monk (Mongolia’s main religion is Tibetan Buddhism; see also the blog of my friend Konchog Norbu). Most of my observations in Khovd come from irrigated areas in and near town. So, the small-scale farming, often in combination with mobile livestock keeping can not only successfully secure a living for hundreds of families in Khovd, but also provide additional habitat for birds and other wildlife in this semi-desert region.


Planting poplar saplings. Photo © A. Braunlich


Adja’s family among black currant bushes. Photo © A. Braunlich

18 May: After warm (23˚C) and oppressive weather yesterday temperatures dropped to 10˚C today, it was windy, overcast and raining in the evening. A short walk in the rain produced 2 Rose-coloured Starlings*. Since several days now everywhere in town Hume’s Leaf Warblers.


Isabelline Shrike. Photo © A. Braunlich

17 May: 20 Ortolan Buntings, a flock of 80 Twites, a male Lesser Kestrel, 14 Paddyfield Warblers, and 1 Blyth’s Reed Warbler,

16 May: Two new arrivals were 3 Booted Warblers* and 1 Spotted Flycatcher*, other observations include 1 female Brambling among Tree Sparrows and Ortolan Buntings, and 2 Great Reed Warblers (one singing in dense foliage of some bushes).

15 May: At the edge of town migrants included 3 Isabelline Shrikes, c.70 Hume’s Leaf Warblers, and 9 Eastern Stonechats. In the afternoon I checked some small flooded areas in the river valley, just outside town. I saw a single Green Sandpiper which was joined by a Wood Sandpiper* (species no. 203 for Khovd since late October 2005), and an adult Bearded Vulture (just my second observation of this species over Khovd town) was a nice bonus.


Bearded Vulture. Photo © A. Braunlich

World Migratory Bird Day 2007
- Migratory birds in a changing climate -

Introduction
(from http://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org, which see for more information)

Every year in spring and autumn, we can see and hear them: huge flocks of cranes, geese, storks and other migrating birds. Announced by their calls and the whirring of their wings, they appear in the sky, floating majestically and forming V-shapes. They are on a journey of several thousands of kilometres, facing numerous barriers: the hostile weather, the wideness of the seas, the red-hot desert or huge mountains. During the last decades, human-induced habitat destruction and degradation, artificial barriers such as wind farms and power lines pose further threats that contribute to the decline of many bird species.

To raise awareness, to highlight the need to protect migratory birds and their habitats, and to inspire people to take action, the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA) and the Convention on Migratory Species (UNEP/CMS ) started World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) in 2006.

The first World Migratory Bird Day was launched on the weekend of 8-9 April 2006 with a festive outdoor event called ‘WINGS’, on the edge of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. The artistic show was inspired by the phenomenon of bird migration and was hosted by Ms Kuki Gallmann , a famous writer and conservationist living in Kenya.

At the same time, dedicated individuals, national authorities and NGOs around the world organised public events like bird festivals, bird education programmes and bird watching excursions to help celebrate and support World Migratory Bird Day 2006. A total of 68 activities in over 46 countries were part of the celebration of WMBD 2006, stretching from Norway to Antarctica and India to Peru.

This year (2007), World Migratory Bird Day will try to focus world attention on the impact of climate change on migratory birds. Increasing temperatures, altered rainfall and vacillating weather conditions caused by climate change have various impacts on the nomads of the skies. The ecological character of the habitats of migratory birds is rapidly changing, which may lead to their decline. Moreover, climate change causes a displacement of migration pattern, egg laying and breeding. Some birds even stop migrating altogether.

There will be no central WMBD event this year. Instead we strongly encourage bird enthusiasts all around the world to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day through local bird educational activities. By joining us on 12-13 May 2007 you will help give migratory birds a voice! Show the world that you care about migratory birds in a changing climate! The AEWA and CMS Secretariats – the joint organisers of the global WMBD initiative - are looking forward to a successful WMBD 2007 with you!
______________________________

Field Trip to Ayrag Lake-Ramsar Site, western Mongolia 12/13 May 2007
A. Braunlich

To celebrate the World Migratory Bird Day I organised a 2-day field trip to Ayrag Lake, a shallow wetland in the Great Lakes Basin in Uvs province, western Mongolia. Participants of the trip were one German language teacher and one biology teacher, and 10 biology students, all from Khovd State University. The activity was sponsored by the project "Support of HUN Club’s conservation and public awareness activities in western Mongolia" which is supported by WWF Hong Kong’s Asian Waterbird Conservation Fund (see below).

We met in front of the WWF Altai-Sayan Field Office (where I work as an International Adviser) in the morning of May, 12th. After a brief stop just outside of town, where we collected water for the trip from a holy spring, we continued north, towards Ayrag Lake. Just the first 35 (out of c.200) km of the way was surfaced road, the remaining part we had to drive off the beaten track. Road-signs are virtually absent in Mongolia, and we lost our way twice (and got stuck in sand once…). Asking for directions is difficult too; during the 200-km ride we met two other cars only... (Khovd province has a population density of 1.1 people/square kilometre!).


Typical Mongolian tracks, breeding habitat of Greater Sand Plover.

However, we managed to reach the lake in early evening (after 8 hours of driving!) and pitched tens at the shore. After some birdwatching we prepared food at a campfire and went to our tents early. Most of our observations listed below were done between early morning and noon of May, 13th. Observations had to stop in the afternoon due to one of the all-to-common sand-and-dust storms. But we managed to see a good selection of species, although we covered only a small part of the wetland. Despite the continuing strong wind we were able to observe a Golden Eagle, a Long-eared Owl and an Osprey on the way back to Khovd.


Huge flock of cormorants, gulls, and 3 pelicans -
(sorry, behind the dust storm which is visible behind the camels…)

Total 12/13 May: 90 bird species

Observations (68 species) Ayrag nuur, 12/13 May 2007
(10s=tens, 100s=hundreds, 1000s=thousands)

Swan Goose Anser cygnoides – c.50
Greylag Goose Anser anser – 100s
Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus – c.65
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus – 2 occupied nests
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna – 10s
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea – 17
Gadwall Anas strepera – 100s
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope – 100s
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos – 100s
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata – 10s
Northern Pintail Anas acuta – 10s
Garganey Anas querquedula – 10s
Common Teal Anas crecca – 10s
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina – 100s
Common Pochard Aythya ferina – 100s
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula – 100s
Goosander Mergus merganser – 10s
Smew Mergellus albellus – 3
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus – 10s
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia -10s
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea – >100
Great Egret Ardea alba – 1
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus – 3 adults, 1 immature
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo – >4000
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug – 1
Black-eared Kite Milvus lineatus – 1 (and several on the way)
Pallas's Fish Eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus – 4 adults
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla – 2 adults, 1 immature
specifically unidentified Haliaeetus – 7
Demoiselle Crane Grus virgo – 4 pairs
Common Crane Grus grus – 1 pair and a flock of c.30
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus – 2
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta – 91
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus – 100s, common breeder
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatorola – 2
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius – 10s, common breeder
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus – 100s (flocks up to 50), common breeder
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaulti – 1 (and several pairs on the way)
Solitary Snipe Gallinago solitaria – 1
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa – 1
Common Redshank Tringa totanus – 100s, common breeder
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia – 10s
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus – 1
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis – 1
Little Stint Calidris minuta – 51
Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii – 3
Dunlin Calidris alpina – 58
specifically unidentified Calidris – >200
Mongolian Gull Larus (vegae) mongolicus – 100s, common breeder
Pallas’s Gull Larus ichthyaetus – 100s, common breeder
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus – 10s
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica – 2 + 2 + 17, breeder
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia – 4 + 28, breeder
Common Tern Sterna hirundo – 10s, common breeder
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus – 1
Pallas's Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus – 2 + 2 + 4 + 9
Common Swift Apus apus – 100s
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops – 2 (and several on the way)
Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus – 1
Sand Martin Riparia riparia – 1000s
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica – 100s
Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens – 100s, common breeder
Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis – 100s, common breeder
Horned Lark Eremorphila alpestris – 10s, breeder
Eastern Stonechat Saxicola (rubicola) maurus – 1 male, 1 female (and 2 on the way)
Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava – 10s (M. f. leucocephala)
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola – one male near Khovd town
Masked Wagtail Motacilla (alba) personata – 10s
Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi – 2
Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta – 1

Observations (22 species) on the way between Khovd town and Ayrag nuur, 12/13 May 2007

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – 1 on the way
Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus – 1 over Khovd town
Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus – 1 on the way
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos – 1 immature on the way
Osprey Pandion haliaetus – 1 on the way
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus – 1 on the way
Carrion Crow Corvus corone – on the way
Rock Pigeon Columba livia – f. domestica (‘Feral Pigeon') on the way
Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris – 1 near Khovd town
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus – 1 in Khovd town
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris – several in Khovd town
Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei – 4 in Khovd town
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros – in Khovd town
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe – near Khovd town, and on the way
Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka – near Khovd town
Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti – several on the way
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis – a pair near Khovd town
House Sparrow Passer domesticus – in Khovd town
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus – in Khovd town and on the way
Twite Carduelis flavirostris – 1 near Khovd town
Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus – one in Khovd town
Grey-necked Bunting Emberiza buchanani – a pair near Khovd town


This World Migratory Bird Day 2007-activity was sponsored by the

Asian Waterbird Conservation Fund

The Asian Waterbird Conservation Fund was established in July 2005 to provide financial support for projects at sites of importance for migratory waterbirds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Cathay Pacific made an initial donation of HK$500,000 (approx. US$65,000) into the Fund. The Fund is administered by WWF Hong Kong. Further donations are being sought actively from other sources to increase the amount in the Fund, so that a greater number of worthwhile projects can be supported in future. Each year, up to 25% of the amount in the Fund will be earmarked for disbursement to support approved projects. At present, the maximum amount that can be applied for each project will not exceed US$4,000.

and by WWF Mongolia