White-capped Redstart – another new species in Mongolia
by Tumendelger Humbaa


White-capped Redstart, May 2009,
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
Photo © Tumendelger Humbaa

I took these photos recently on 23 May 2009 in the Gegeet valley of Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park area of Mongolia’s South Gobi Province. This area consists of high mountains of the Gobi Altai, about 2300 meters above see level. The area has small rivers.

At the time of the observation I was on a bird watching tour with Japanese birders Mima san and Tani san. While the others were preparing lunch, Mima san and I walked a little bit more. Before I used to travel many times with tourists around this area and we used to see many birds such as wagtails, Cinereous, Himalayan and Bearded Vultures, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Chukar Partridge, White-winged Snowfinch, buntings etc, and also Siberian Ibex, Argali (Wild Sheep) and sometimes even Grey Wolves.


Tumendelger Humbaa (left) with Japanese birders
Mima san and Tani san, with driver Ganaa and
guide Buyanaa. May 2009.

Mima san and I walked a little and had a rest and suddenly we saw a bird unknown to us. We took several photos. With the help of A Field Guide to the Birds of China we identified the bird as White-capped Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus! The bird was watched for some time and our team was able to take a number of photographs for documentation.


White-capped Redstart, May 2009,
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
Photo © Tumendelger Humbaa


White-capped Redstart, May 2009,
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
Photo © Tumendelger Humbaa


White-capped Redstart, May 2009,
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
Photo © Tumendelger Humbaa


White-capped Redstart, May 2009,
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
Photo © Tumendelger Humbaa

I think that five years ago I also saw this species in the same area. I was driving a car at that time across the Gegeet valley. I thought “what a colourful and big redstart” at that time. But I couldn’t take a picture, maybe I was mistaken.

Tumen


Note: Thank you very much for this brilliant documentation Tumen! White-capped Redstart (sometimes also called White-capped Water-redstart) breeds in eastern Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan, and Afghanistan, east through the Himalayas to central and north-eastern China, northern Myanmar and northern Indochina. The distance from the observation site in Mongolia to the next breeding areas in China to the south is c. 400 km. The species breeds among rapid mountain streams and is considered to be an altitudinal migrant or short-distance migrant. Gobi Gurvan Saikan National Park is a popular tourist destination in southern Mongolia, visited regularly by birdwatchers, both national and international. It might be possible that this species has been recorded in Mongolia before, but not reported. Unpublished reports on birds from Mongolia are always welcome. Please email me.
Axel

Background

The Wildlife Conservation Society has been engaged in water bird surveys in Mongolia since 2005. During the summers of 2007 and 2008 part of this work has focused on the marking of birds to facilitate studies of migration and population characteristics. Birds are fitted with colour marks such as neck collars (geese and swans) and leg flags (waders) that can be easily identified by observers in the countries through which the birds migrate and spend the winter. By reporting observations of marked birds, observers help us piece together the bird’s life histories, their movements and needs and in so doing assist in our ability to conserve them.

How to report resightings?

If you observe a marked bird, please make a note of the sighting and record the date and location on which the observation was made. Neck collars are marked with a two or three digit code that enables us to identify the individual bird. Where possible please try to include this code as it increases the value of the observation. Observations can be reported by e‐mail in a variety of languages:

– In English to Martin Gilbert
– In Mongolian to Enkee Shiilegdamba

Also, if your bird continues to be seen in the same location, please continue to provide updates and let us know when the bird finally moves on as this will provide additional important information to help build a picture of the bird’s needs.

Bar-headed Goose, Koondhakulam Lake, India, March 2009.
© Arun Kumar

Where have birds been marked?

The birds have all been marked in the aimags (provinces) of Bulgan, Hovsgol and Arkhangai in northern Mongolia. Marking work takes place in partnership with the State Central Veterinary Laboratory, with the consent of the Ministry of Nature and Environment and Institute of Biology. Swans and geese are captured while moulting, either at night using boats and spotlights or by herding during the day. Shorebirds are caught while on migration using mist nets.



How are birds marked?

Birds have been marked using a number of techniques appropriate for use in each species. Each method has been well established and has been shown to have no impact on birds ability to feed, breed or behave normally. Methods used include:

1) neck collars

Coloured plastic neck collars have been widely used for studying the movement and life history of long necked waterfowl such as geese and swans. The WCS has been fitting coloured neck collars to four species in Mongolia:



Each collar is inscribed with a unique alphanumeric code comprising two or three digits depending on the size of the collar (examples are shown above). For Swan Geese and Bean Geese the collars comprise a number inscribed horizontally and a two digit number inscribed vertically; it is necessary to record both in order to identify the individual bird with certainty.

2) leg flags

Coloured plastic leg flags are widely used to study the migraFon of shorebirds. The technique uses coloured plastic tags applied to the right leg of the bird, which denotes the country, or region in which the bird was marked. The Australasian Wader Studies Group manages the scheme for the East Asian-Australasian flyway and has nominated the flag combination blue over green to indicate birds flagged in Mongolia.


leg-flagged Red-necked Stint.
© Nial Moores / Birds Korea

About the Wildlife Conservation Society

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild lands through careful science, international conservation, education, and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks. These activities change attitudes toward nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in sustainable interaction on both a local and a global scale. WCS is committed to this work because we believe it essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

For more information contact us at the Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10460, or visit us on the web at www.wcs.org

Short-toed Eagle in the Gobi

Short-toed Eagle, Galba Gobi IBA, South Gobi,
May 2009. © B. Enkh-Orshikh/WSCC

B. Bayarjargal, wildlife biologist of the Wildlife Science and Conservation Center (WSCC) in Mongolia, has sent several photos of Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus to Birding Mongolia. They were taken by his colleague B. Enkh-Orshikh in at c. 970 m altitude in Galba Gobi Important Bird Area in Mongolia’s South Gobi Province this May.

Short-toed Eagle, Galba Gobi IBA, South Gobi,
May 2009. © B. Enkh-Orshikh/WSCC

Short-toed Eagle, Galba Gobi IBA, South Gobi,
May 2009. © B. Enkh-Orshikh/WSCC

Short-toed Eagle, Galba Gobi IBA, South Gobi,
May 2009. © B. Enkh-Orshikh/WSCC

Short-toed Eagle was first discovered breeding in Mongolia by a Mongolian-German biological expedition in 2004 [see Stubbe, M., Stubbe, A., v. Wehrden, H., Batsajchan, N. & Samjaa, R. 2007. Biodiversity in space and time – towards a grid mapping for Mongolia. Erforsch. Biol. Res. Mongolei (Halle/Saale) 10: 391-405]. It breeds in riverine pediments (“sayr” in Mongolia) which are flanked by elm Ulmus trees.

Short-toed Eagle breeding habitat, Galba Gobi IBA,
May 2009. © B. Enkh-Orshikh/WSCC

So far it has been recorded in southern Mongolia only, where the species reaches its easternmost distribution world-wide.

More (and very good) photos of Short-toed Eagle, taken in 2004 in Galba Gobi (also called Galbyn Gobi) can be found at ORIENTAL BIRD IMAGES – the photo database of the Oriental Bird Club:

chick in nest
unfledged juvenile
unfledged juvenile
unfledged juvenile
adult in flight
adult in flight

Forest fires in northern Mongolia

Large fires in the forested mountains of Russia southeast of Lake Baikal (Burytiya region) and northern Mongolia’s Selenge province continued to grow on May 22, 2009. Read more…


The large water body is Lake Baikal.
Click on image to enlarge.

NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team

Gun-Galuut reserve, 23 May 2009
Tom Jenner

On Saturday 23 May Brian, Ishee, Konchog and Tom checked out Gun Galuut, c. 125 km ESE of Ulaanbaatar. We had heard that it is a sight for the endangered White-naped Crane and that non-breeding Siberian Cranes occasionally summer there.


White-naped Crane.

The Gun Galuut website includes a satellite map, described the site as being only 2 hours from Ulaanbaatar, which turned out to be accurate. The road was very good, especially from the big Chinggis Khan statue onwards. The last 17 km to the Steppe Nomads ger camp is on dirt tracks that were good quality and useable by any vehicle. A big sign shows you where to turn off and you have to look out for arrows painted on stones to avoid missing turns thereafter.

Before reaching the first pool we ran into good birds with Oriental Plover, Pallas’s Sandgrouse, (Asian) Lesser Short-toed Lark and Mongolian Larks.


Mongolian Lark.


Displaying Mongolian Lark.

The pools themselves had a great mixture of birds, mostly migrant ducks and shorebirds that were passing through.


Pacific Golden Plover & Spotted Redshank.


Swan Geese.

The first pool has no vegetation around it, while the second has some marshy ground that held a few passerines, such as Little and Pallas’s Reed Bunting and a Pallas’s Warbler.


Little Bunting.


Pallas’s Leaf Warbler.


Brown Shrike.

From here on it was a bit harder to follow the signs (which are probably only on the main track to the ger camp that avoids the second pool), but we asked directions and headed down the big valley towards the park entrance, where we paid the entrance fee (3000 tugrigs per person). A few km further on we entered another valley with the ger camp, which looks to be good quality (44 dollars per night, or 40,000 tugrigs for locals) and has a restaurant that is open to non-residents. Beyond the ger camp there are some marshy areas, especially in the valley that heads off to the right, where we saw two pairs of White-naped Cranes.


White-naped Crane.

This is an endangered species and any visitors should be very careful not to disturb the birds in any way.

Overall we had a fantastic trip with 81 species seen, including a number that were new for each of us. Now that we realize how easy this place is to access we will be doing trips more regularly.


(Asian) Lesser Short-toed Lark.

All photos taken at Gun-Galuut, 23 May 2009 © Tom Jenner

species list Gun-Galuut, 23 May 2009
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis – 6
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus – 4
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo – 1
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea – 6
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia – 4
Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus – 4
Swan Goose Anser cygnoides – 10
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus – 40
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna – 40
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea – numerous
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos – 40
Common Teal Anas crecca – 20
Falcated Duck Anas falcata – 2
Gadwall Anas strepera – 20
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope – 25
Northern Pintail Anas acuta – 3
Garganey Anas querquedula – 50
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata – 30
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina – 3
Common Pochard Aythya ferina – 40
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula – 80
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula – 30
White-winged Scoter Melanitta deglandi – 5
Goosander Mergus merganser – 10
Black (-eared) Kite Milvus (migrans) lineatus – 2
Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius – 2
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis – 1
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos – 2
Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus – 3
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug – 2
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – 1
White-naped Crane Grus vipio – 4
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius – 20
Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus – 3
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva – 15
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus – 60
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus – 1
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta – 35
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola – 30
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia – 1
Common Redshank Tringa totanus – 10
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus – 4
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis – 1
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos – 5
Ruff Philomachus pugnax – 1
Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta – 3
Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii – 10
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa – 6
Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus – 10
Mongolian Gull Larus mongolicus – 6
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus – 50
Common Tern Sterna hirundo – 10
Pallas’s Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus – 20
Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris
Common Swift Apus apus
Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus – 100
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops – 1
Sand Martin Riparia riparia – 1
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica – 4
(Asian) Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella (rufescens) cheleensis – 10
Greater Short-toed Lark – Calandrella brachydactyla - 1
Mongolian Lark Melanocorypha mongolica – 30
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris – abundant
Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis – 6
Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi – 1
Blyth’s Pipit Anthus godlewskii
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola – 1
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea – 1
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus – 1
Common Magpie Pica pica
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Daurian Jackdaw Corvus dauuricus – 5
Carrion Crow Corvus corone
Common Raven Corvus corax
Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus – 1
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe – common
Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina – common
House Sparrow Passer domesticus – common
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus – common
Pallas’s Bunting Emberiza pallasi – 3
Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla – 1

Rufous-faced Warbler – a new species for Mongolia

On 12 April 2009 B. Nyambayar discovered and photographed a Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis at Ikh Bologijn am in Khanbogd Sum, South Gobi aimag.

Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis
South Gobi, 12 April 2009. 3 Photos © Nyambayar

This species is a scarce to locally common resident of South-East Asia, occurring from Nepal east through north-eastern India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, southeast China, western and northern Burma, north-east Thailand, northern Laos, northern Vietnam and Taiwan. It is polytypic, with three subspecies recognized. The subspecies occurring in China is found in central and southern provinces, north to Gansu.


Bologijn am, South Gobi, April 2009.
Photo © A. Braunlich

Following hot on the heels of recent contributions (click here and here) on Ulaanbaatar’s Children’s Park (for a blog on the conservation of the park click here) some exciting news:

A huge fall of migrants in the Children’s Park, 10 May 2009
Tom Jenner


Little Bunting, Ulaanbaatar,
10 May 2009. Photo © Tom Jenner

I briefly visited the Children’s Park this morning and there were thousands of migrants. Biggest numbers were Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla, Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla, Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni, Naumann’s Thrush Turdus (naumanni) naumanni, Dusky Thrush Turdus (naumanni) eunomus and Red-throated Thrush Turdus (ruficollis) ruficollis. Others included Black-throated Thrush Turdus (ruficollis) atrogularis, Eye-browed Thrush Turdus obscurus, Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe, Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola, Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes and Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope.


Northern Wheatear, Ulaanbaatar, 10 May 2009
Photo © Tom Jenner

Numbers were very hard to judge, but birds were everywhere; every small bush had several and they flew up from every metre or so as you walked through the grass. Very rough estimates are:

Little Bunting c.800
Taiga Flycatcher c.300
Olive-backed Pipit c.200
Naumann’s Thrush c.60
Dusky Thrush c.10
Red-throated Thrush c.10
Black-throated Thrush 3
Eye-browed Thrush 1
Northern Wheatear c.30
Siberian Rubythroat 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Hawfinch 1
Eurasian Woodcock 1


Olive-backed Pipit, Ulaanbaatar,
10 May 2009. Photo © Tom Jenner

There has been a lot of movement over the last week or so and it is worth visiting the park from time to time.


Eurasian Woodcock, Ulaanbaatar,
10 May 2009. Photo © Tom Jenner

PS. 12 May 2009. I visited the Children's Park again today and nearly all of the migrants had left. I could find only 3 Little Buntings, 4 Taiga Flycatchers and about 10 thrushes. The large numbers of migrants two days ago were most likely grounded due to the poor weather the day before.


Taiga Flycatcher, Ulaanbaatar,
10 May 2009. Photo © Tom Jenner

Mandshir Hiid and UB ponds, 2 May 2009
Axel Braunlich

After having been in email contact with Ulaanbaatar-based birders Tom Jenner and Brian Watmough for quite a while, I finally managed to find some time for a short trip together. On Saturday we met in downtown UB and went together with Amaraa, a young birder and ambitious student from the National University to Mandshir hiid, a monastery on the south side of Bogd Khan Uul, the mountain range to the south of UB (c. 1 hour drive).

Early spring near Mandshir hiid,
2 May 2009. Photo © A. Braunlich

Along the way we saw many singing and displaying Isabelline Wheatears. We arrived at the entrance to the Mandshir area at about 08:00 hours and started walking through coniferous forest with some interspersed deciduous trees and bushes. A thick cover of snow/ice was still present in the forest.

A flowering willow on ice.
2 May 2009. Photo © A. Braunlich

Bird activity in the area was rather low, the only species being common and very vocal were Willow Tit and Eurasian Nuthatch. The only woodpecker species we saw was Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (a pair), and we heard further two calling: Black Woodpecker and Grey-headed Woodpecker.


Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Mandshir.

2 May 2009. Photo © Tom Jenner

Eastern Buzzard, Mandshir, 2 May 2009.
Photo © Tom Jenner

The only passage migrants or summer visitors seen were one female Daurian Redstart, one Yellow-browed Warbler and one Two-barred Warbler. Other species seen include c. 20 Rook (a flock), 7 Black-eared Kite, 1 Eastern Buzzard, 2 Coal Tit, Common Magpie, and Northern Wheatear. Due to the few migrants present and the low bird activity we decided to leave the area and continue to the “famous” UB ponds.


Ulaanbaatar Ponds, 23 April 2009.
Photo © Axel Braunlich

We spent c. 3 hours at the ponds before lunch, and it was the right place to go: In addition to c. 50 Ruddy Shelducks, 2 Bar-headed Geese and 1 Swan Goose we saw c. 600 ducks of 14 (!) species:

Garganey 9 male + 5 female
Falcated Duck 8 male + 8 female
Eurasian Wigeon c.30
Mallard c.30
Northern Pintail 2 male + 2 female
Common Teal c.230
Gadwall c.50
Spot-billed Duck 2 male
Northern Shoveler c.30
Red-crested Pochard 1 female
Tufted Duck c.40
Common Pochard c.120
Common Goldeneye c.20
Goosander c.15

Bar-headed Goose. UB ponds, 2 May 2009.
Photo © Tom Jenner


Ulaanbaatar Ponds, 23 April 2009.
Photo © Axel Braunlich

A surprise was an adult Pallas’s (or Great Black-backed) Gull, a record rather far east within Mongolia. It was resting together with 6 Mongolian Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, and a Common Black-headed Gull.

Pallas’s Gull. UB ponds, 2 May 2009.
Photo © Tom Jenner

Male Citrine Wagtail. UB ponds,
2 May 2009. Photo © Tom Jenner

Also the first waders of the year appeared:
A male Ruff, 2 Common Redshank, 3 Common Snipe, 1 Pintail Snipe, 4 Northern Lapwing an 8 Green Sandpiper.

Other species seen include 2 Eurasian Spoonbill, 7 Great Cormorant, 16 Grey Heron, 1 White Egret, c.20 Black-eared Kite, 1 Black Vulture, 1 Upland Buzzard, 1 Common Kestrel, 5-10 Citrine Wagtail, c.20 Water Pipits, 1 Long-tailed Rosefinch, 1 Brown Accentor, 10+ White Wagtails, 1 Grey Starling, 1 Dusky Thrush and several singing Eurasian Skylarks.

Brown Accentor. UB ponds, 2 May 2009.
Photo © Tom Jenner

More on Ulaanbaatar’s Children’s Park

The Children’s (or Nairamdal) Park in the city centre of Ulaanbaatar, just to the south of Sukhbaatar Square, is (was) a green lung for the ever sprawling city. It provided an escape from the air pollution for many of UB's inhabitants. And it was a place for wildlife in the city!

Inside the park, August 2005.

Gone now... © Axel Bräunlich

These wooden statures were bulldozed...

Still standing Nov 2007. © Axel Bräunlich

I used to go birding there regularly, often just for a short morning stroll. Some of my observations from autumn 2005 show the potential which the park has for wild birds:

10+ Brown Shrikes on 24 August
55 Little Buntings on 19 September
A remarkable total of c.60 Daurian Redstarts on 24 September.

Other species I have seen in the park in autumn 2005 include for example Wryneck, Arctic Warbler, Two-barred Warbler, Dusky Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pallas’s Leaf Warbler, Nauman’s and Dusky Thrush, Oriental Turtle Dove, Siberian Rubythroat, Red-flanked Bluetail, Evermann’s Redstart, Olive-backed Pipit, Yellow-breasted Bunting, Pine Bunting, Azure Tit, Black(-eared) Kite, Blyth’s and Richard’s Pipit, Azure Tit, and Long-tailed Rosefinch.

New housing just outside the park, August 2005.

© Axel Bräunlich

Ulaanbaatar - ripe for (uncontrolled) development.

The park is behind these construction sites...

November 2007. © Axel Bräunlich

Ulaanbaatar Children’s Park, 20 April 2009
Axel Braunlich

After one ear of absence one of the first places to visit in Ulaanbaatar was the Children’s Park close to the city centre. A few migrants were present, notably thrushes: Brambling 1, Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1 female, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 1, Greater Spotted Woodpecker 1, Red-throated Thrush c.20, Black-throated Thrush 2, hybrid Red-throated x Black-throated Thrush 2, Dusky Thrush 1, Naumann’s Thrush 2, Northern Wheatear 1 male singing + 2 females, Daurian Jackdaw 2, and several Red-billed Chough, Common Magpie, Carrion Crow and Eurasian Tree Sparrow.

The park is in a devastated state, fenced, with all equipment (merry-go-round, fairy tale statures etc) destroyed, paths bulldozed and trenches (cable trenches?) being dug out. Apart from a few workers and a pack of wild roaming dogs nobody visited the park (apart from the Korean restaurant located close to on of the entrance).

To learn more about the park, its fate and action to save it read Michael Kohn’s blog: Save the Ulaanbaatar Children’s Park - A blog to stop of the destruction of Ulaanbaatar’ open spaces:

“The Children’s Park was boarded up three years ago and has been closed ever since. The Japanese firm Itochu (along with Golomt Bank) said it planned to build an amusement park, which never came to be. Now, rumour has it, the park has been divided up and sold to developers (including MCS) who plan to turn it into another drab gated apartment complex. …” To read more click here.

Mongolia: tough decisions about the world's oldest nature reserve

Read on Tony Whitten's blog about recent developments in Bogd Khan Uul Strictly Protected Area, a Biosphere Reserve just outside of Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar. Click here.