BIRDING MONGOLIA

October 24, 2012

Twigs, twigs, twigs

text and photos © by Andreas Buchheim

As the weather forecast for 11 October was quite bad (snow, all day minus temperatures, wind) I decided to take my camera stuff out for a walk along the river on 10 October. At 8 am I was dropped at the Marshall Bridge and started. The previous night had been chilly with minus 7°C and consequently most bushes had shed their leaves. This should have made photographing easier but there were enough twigs to complicate matters.

Ice-covered twigs in the Tuul Gol

No clouds were blocking the sunlight until the afternoon when some overcast was drawn in by westerlies so I could check for opportunities. This was more difficult than had expected because there were only few birds left compared to my last visit. The lingering birds proved to be experts in staying either in the shade or sitting on the wrong side of the bush or both! Also the shadows of the twigs were much superfluous. What came out that day is shown below.

(Eastern) Marsh Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Female Great Tit

Azure Tit, close-up

Azure Tit

The looser in the single-foot-hanging-contest drops

while the winner remains, Azure Tits

Azure-winged Magpie

leucoptera Common Magpies do not have only very much white

in the primaries but also a pale grey rump of which here

just the uppermost limit is visible

Red-billed Chough having a stretch

Orange-flanked Bluetail and too many twigs

Hume’s Leaf Warbler and too many twigs t(w)oo

Siberian Accentor and too many twigs t(hree)oo

Record-shot of the only Rustic Bunting,

taken from the Marshall Bridge in dwindling light

Male Meadow Bunting

Female Meadow Bunting

Pallas’s Bunting

Little Bunting, better hidden than a Siberian Tiger...

...but not always!

I returned back home after 8 hours at the river. By then it had “heated up” to 10°C. Not a bad day but could have been much better (see the complete list of birds below).

Atragene (formerly Clematis) sibirica

Mallard: 16
Northern Pintail: 2
Chinese Spotbill: 3
Common Teal: 2
Grey Heron: 2
Common Kestrel: 1
Oriental Turtle Dove (orientalis): 1
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker: 3
Black Woodpecker: 1
Eurasian Skylark: 150 migrating SW
Horned Lark (brandti, again no flava): 15
Buff-bellied Pipit (japonicus): 1
Water Pipit (blakistoni): 12
Grey Wagtail: 1
Siberian Accentor: 8
Orange-flanked Bluetail: 3
Daurian Redstart: 10
Dusky Thrush: 1
Yellow-browed Warbler: 1 (the same?)
Dusky Warbler: 1
Hume’s Leaf Warbler: 1
Great Tit: 15
Azure Tit: 35
Eastern Marsh Tit (brevirostris): 1
Long-tailed Tit: 25
Eurasian Nuthatch: 1
Great Grey Shrike (Northern Grey Shrike, sibiricus): 1 first winter, a very, very shy bird
Common Magpie (leucoptera): 35
Azure-winged Magpie: 3
Red-billed Chough: 60
Daurian Jackdaw: 17
Oriental Crow: 15
Common Raven: 5
Eurasian Tree Sparrow: 120
Chaffinch: 2
Brambling: 20
Long-tailed Rosefinch: 20
Hawfinch: 7
Pine Bunting: 15
Meadow Bunting: 35
Rustic Bunting: 1
Little Bunting: 2
Pallas’s Bunting: 3

October 20, 2012

Gullivers’s Travels 2012

text by Andreas Buchheim

part three: Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur

We camped on the northern side of Khyargas Nuur from 24 to 25 May and spent the morning (until 10:00 am) birdwatching at this huge lake. Unfortunately, the water level was lower than ever before (as we know it, thus at least since 2005) and the former island was now connected by a wide bridge to the mainland. No wonder that all colonial waterbirds had abandoned this formerly large colony site. No Mongolian Gulls, no Pallas’s Gulls, no Great Cormorants and no Grey Herons were nesting here this year (maybe already not since 2011). In 2010, when the “island” was already not a real island anymore, but the bridge was only narrow, still more than 1200 pairs of Pallas’s Gulls had been counted. This is now something of the past, unfortunately. Khyargas Nuur is connected to Airag Nuur via a narrow channel. Airag Nuur is fed by the mighty Zavkhan Gol, which almost stopped running since the construction of a hydroelectric power plant at its upper valley. This is the main reason for the low water level.

Adult breeding plumage Pallas’s Gull,

Khyargas Nuur, May 2012,

Common Raven,

Ölgij Sum, May 2012,

Red-billed Chough,

Ölgij Sum, May 2012,

Tuvshin and Lutz explored the former island while I was checking the wet meadows. At Mongolia’s former stronghold of Pallas’s Gull a mere 40 individuals remained. Best birds were a male lutea Yellow Wagtail (probably a first for Mongolia; unfortunately the bird couldn’t be photographed!), a male Sykes’s Yellow Wagtail (beema) and a male Lapland Bunting which was quite late. There were also 6 Common Cranes and a nice set of other migrant passerines like Pallas’s Bunting, Siberian Chiffchaff, Paddyfield Warbler and a few Hume’s Leaf Warblers. We also saw the first fledged Horned Larks that day, and went on to Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur which took about 5.5 hours.

Henderson’s Ground Jay, two phases of the same bird running,

Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur, May 2012

Adult Père David's Snowfinch,

Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur, May 2012

Female Desert Wheatear, showing the full extent of white in the tail,

Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur, May 2012,

The first bird at this lake was a Henderson’s Ground Jay, always a much welcomed species. Two Great Egrets were found roosting on the gull island which is about 500 m from the shore.

Also a pair of Demoiselle Crane was breeding there while not all of the 200 Bar-headed Geese did breed. Swift migration was in full swing, here documented by 400 pekinensis Common Swifts between which a few Pacific Swifts unsuccessfully tried to hide. The next day brought 6 bft wind from the north and some snow, thus we could not continue with our gull stuff until better the weather improved. Desert Wheatear and Père David’s Snowfinch were quite common around the lake, but we had to wait for the wind to cease and could enjoy seeing them that much. While doing so, we witnessed an adult Golden Eagle catching a Bar-headed Goose on the island. The goose was eaten on the spot, another great show!

Golden Eagle harassed by Mongolian Gull,

Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur, May 2012,

Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur and the approaching snow storm,

May 2012, © A. Buchheim

Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur after the snow storm,

May 2012, © A. Buchheim

We stayed at the lake until 28 May and completed our gull ringing with the 240th gull wing-tagged during this expedition, bringing the overall number of wing-tagged Mongolian Gulls to 870.

Birdwatchers in China, the Koreas and Japan should look out for them next winter!

Here are some examples of the primary-patterns of Mongolian Gull, pick your favorite:

Primary pattern of an adult Mongolian Gull, wingtag ‘AJ52’,

an individual with a complete white tip
and a long pale tongue on P10,

Terchijn Tsagaan Nuur, May 2012,

Primary pattern of an adult Mongolian Gull, wingtag ‘AK15’,

an individual with black on all (!) primaries

and black spots on the primary-coverts,

Oigon Nuur, May 2012,

Primary pattern of an adult Mongolian Gull, wingtag ‘AL10’,

an individual with a lot of black and less white,

Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur, May 2012,

So if you live within the specie’s range you might be able to find a wing-tagged one and read the individual code. The tags are quite obvious and can be read with the aid of spotting scopes at large distances. If you are equipped with a digital camera it will be possible to read the codes even of birds that were seen only as fly bys. Just check your pictures and please report your sightings by sending an e-mail to

abu.cachellis@web.de

It might be helpful for any gull watchers to see how they can look like in the field (pictures taken just after the birds’s releases):

Mongolian Gull, wingtag ‘AL08’,

Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur, May 2012,

Mongolian Gull, wingtag ‘AL06’,

Uvsijn Khar Us Nuur, May 2012,

There were a few days left until Lutz and Tuvshin had to return to Ulaanbaatar and it was agreed to spend the remaining days for ringing and birdwatching about which will be reported in due course – so watch this site please!

October 9, 2012

Same walk, different birds

by Andreas Buchheim

When I got up on 6 October I realized that clouds had taken over the sky during the night. The day before, when I was in the golden larch forest above the skiing resort (still no snow), the sky had been brilliantly blue. This made a nice contrast to the forest. But I saw only 1 Spotted Nutcracker, 20 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Goldcrests, 3 Eurasian Nuthatches and 12 Willow Tits that day. The thick cloud-cover looked now promising. It must have brought down some migrants; even though it had neither rained nor snowed. So I took the walk down to the river, just like I did in the previous week. A chilly wind was blowing from NW at 3 Bft, in guts up to 5 Bft and it was quite cold, only 5°C. The clouds were hanging very low and I judged that they were at a height (over ground) of only 500–600 m. The higher parts of Bogd Khaan Mountain were covered by them and later the day they were coated by frost. Because of the dark sky I did again leave my photographic equipment at home, so again no pics. At least I could concentrate on birding today. On my 8 km stretch of the Tuul River I saw the following 46 species:

Daurian Partridge: 8 (almost certainly the same birds)
Mallard: 22
Common Teal: 2
Goosander: 1
Grey Heron: 3
Common Kestrel: 2
Common Snipe: 3
Oriental Turtle Dove (orientalis): 1
Grey-headed Woodpecker: 1 male
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker: 1
Eurasian Skylark: 50 migrating SW
Horned Lark (brandti only; I checked for flava as they could be here already): 9
Buff-bellied Pipit (japonicus): 4
Water Pipit (blakistoni): 1
‘Baikal’ White Wagtail (baicalensis). 1 first winter
Siberian Accentor: 36
Orange-flanked Bluetail: 8
Daurian Redstart: 40
Unidentified thrushes: 120, one big flock flying overhead, seen against the dark-grey sky, later I saw some on the ground of which I could not identify all as plumage-wise I found it difficult to tell variation apart from hybridization
Dusky Thrush: 15
Naumann’s Thrush: 9
Red-throated Thrush: 5
Siberian Chiffchaff: 1
Yellow-browed Warbler: 1 (the same?)
Great Tit: 15
Azure Tit: 60
Eastern Marsh Tit (brevirostris): 1
Long-tailed Tit: 40
Eurasian Nuthatch: 1
Great Grey Shrike (Northern Grey Shrike, sibiricus): 1 first winter
Common Magpie (leucoptera): 35
Red-billed Chough: 80
Oriental Crow: 25
Common Raven: 10
Eurasian Tree Sparrow: 250
Chaffinch: 3
Brambling: 120
Long-tailed Rosefinch: 85
Hawfinch: 2 flocks, 29 and 46
Pine Bunting: 15
Meadow Bunting: 350
Rustic Bunting: 4
Yellow-breasted Bunting: 1
Black-faced Bunting: 1
Little Bunting: 1
Reed Bunting: 1
Pallas’s Bunting: 4

October 4, 2012

2012 MONGOLIA WILD BIRD PHOTO CONTEST

We are pleased to announce the 2012 Mongolia Wild Bird Photo Contest. The contest is organized for the third time by the Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia and the Mongolian Bird Watching Club.

This contest goal is to encourage people to participate in nature and wildlife conservation, especially to support bird and their habitat conservation, also to promote bird watching activities in Mongolia.

Since the contest started in 2010 the numbers of participants and photos have been very encouraging to us, so we have decided to continue the contest.

This year the 2012 Mongolia Wild Bird Contest will receive photo submissions until 10 December 2012. Please send your photos and materials to info@wscc.org.mn. You will find the contest rules here.

Also, please visit following link to see previous years submissions and winners.

The 1st place winning entry in 2011 was a photo of Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus by Ganuskh Danaa from Mongolia. He photographed this extremely rare crane in Binder, Khentii aimag. Siberian Cranes are passage migrant and occasionally summer in few numbers in Mongolia

Bird photos from 2010
Winners photo

Bird photos from 2011
Winners photo

We wish you good luck this year!

Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia
Mongolian Bird Watching Club

Good birding,
Coordinator

Mongolian Bird Watching Club
Wildlife Science and Conservation center office
Undram Plaza, Office 33, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar 51, Mongolia
Phone: +976-70157886
Mobile: +976-99156619, 99022044, 96053336
Email: mongolbirdclub@yahoo.com
Web: www.mongolbirdwatchclub.blogspot.com

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+

September 11, 2012

Gullivers’s Travels 2012

text by Andreas Buchheim

part two: Oigon Nuur

Pair of Bar-headed Geese in the cliff west of

Terchijn Tsagaan Nuur, Mongolia, May 2012.

Just a few km west of Terchijn Tsagaan Nuur we came across a small colony of Bar-headed Geese. About 15 pairs had taken residence in a cliff and some were already breeding. Others—about 40 birds—were below the cliff. We saw another Merlin, a group of 7 Eurasian Spoonbills and a Black Stork before we went on. Not far from the top of Solongd Pass we spotted 2 Himalayan Griffons in a group of 36 Eurasian Black Vultures. During our 12-hour drive to Oigon Nuur, which we had visited in 2010 as well (see here), we also had a Bearded Vulture, a group of 100 Daurian Jackdaws and several Asian White-winged Scoters, just to mention a few.

Mongolian Gull colony, Oigon Nuur, May 2012.

Moving the camp, Oigon Nuur, May 2012.

Working at Oigon Nuur, May 2012.

At Oigon Nuur (21 May), we first camped on the west side but then moved the camp a bit closer to the gull islands. These are two very shallow islands which are sparsely vegetated. Actually they are not anymore part of the proper Oigon Nuur. A part of the lake was cut off from the main lake as a result of lowering water levels. We had time to do some birdwatching as the wind was blowing hard (and cold) at 7 Bft from north, thus making it impossible to get on the island with our inflatables until late afternoon. Then we did our job until 24 May and we caught, ringed, wing-tagged and measured more than 100 adult Mongolian Gulls during our days at Oigon Nuur. Although we were busy with the gulls, there was time for birding and we did not see only gulls. On 21 May, a group of 6 White Wagtails spent a few minutes near the camp and it became clear that we were already quite far west: there was a personata (Masked Wagtail) among the baicalensis.

Two of one kind: personata and baicalensis White Wagtails,

Oigon Nuur, May 2012. © Lutz von der Heyde

The meadows surrounding the lake were full of larks, mainly Horned Larks (brandti) and Eurasian Skylarks, but Mongolian Lark also was common. Many of them were already feeding chicks. On the lake the only noteworthy birds were a flock of 80 Asian White-winged Scoters. There was little visible migration but the first Pacific Swifts had arrived that day. On 22 May an adult White-tailed Eagle successfully hunted a male Gadwall. It took the eagle more than half an hour to get the poor duck drowned after it first hit it with its powerful talons. The duck was trying to escape its fate by diving as soon as the eagle made a down swoop. Great show!

Mongolian Lark, Oigon Nuur, May 2012.

Little and Temminck’s Stints, Oigon Nuur, May 2012.

By the next day Blyth’s Pipits had arrived and a group of 15 Common Cranes migrated northwards as did a dark morph Booted Eagle. The last birds we saw at Oigon Nuur were both females: a migrating Greater Sand Plover and a Pallid Harrier on 24 May. That day we drove west to Khyargas Nuur which took almost 6 hours.

Hill Pigeons, W Mongolia, May 2012.

Pied Wheatear, W Mongolia, May 2012.

Not much was seen during this long haul except for a displaying Oriental Plover.

More coming up next!

August 29, 2012

Gullivers’s Travels 2012

text by Andreas Buchheim

part one: Terchijn Tsagaan Nuur

Mongolian Gulls ready for release, Mongolia, May 2012.

This year’s first expedition was devoted to our ongoing gull research. On 13 May, Lutz von der Heyde was dropped by his wife Manu at Berlin’s Tegel Airport where we were happy to meet Axel Bräunlich, the owner of this blog. But only Lutz and I flew that day to arrive at Chinggis Khaan International Airport the next day. Our driver Banzai picked us up and we went downtown for buying all provisions for a 24-day-trip. Furthermore, the third team member—Tuvshin Unenbat—joined us as well as our cook Ajuush the next day. Armed with 500 metal rings (metal bands) issued by the Mongolian Academy of Science, which were kindly handed out by Dr. Tseveenmyadag, and 1000 wing-tags for 500 individuals, we left the current capital on 14 May.

baicalensis White Wagtail (“Baikal Wagtail”),

After having spent the night in Mongolia’s former capital Kharkhorin we passed Tsetserleg where we saw a group of 20 Eurasian Black Vultures and a single Himalayan Griffon at the local dump. Shortly before we arrived at our first destination, Terchijn Tsagaan Nuur, on 15 May, a male Merlin crossed our path. The lake was still almost completely frozen. Just some 50 m along the shore had melted, giving a chance for fishing for a few Goosanders, Great Cormorants and Black-throated Divers (Loons). Luckily, the big island in the west of the lake was accessible by our boats, and the next day we went there through a very narrow channel with a lot of drift ice. During the course of the next four of days we caught, processed (we are always noting about 35 parameters and take pictures of both the upper- and underwing as well as of the head of each gull), ringed (banded) and wing-tagged 87 adult Mongolian Gulls.

Quite a shocking first view of the frozen Terchijn Tsagaan Nuur,

as we feared that the ice would make the breeding island

(not visible in this picture) inaccessible, May 2012.

Migration was just catching up with a small group of Black-necked Grebes, which left the lake in the evening of 15 May, 4 pairs of Red-breasted Mergansers, about 45 Asian White-winged Scoters (stejnegeri), and several more species of ducks on the same day. In the evening a Great Egret flew by. Around our campsite, at the westernmost edge of the lake by a small ovoo (a type of shamanistic cairn), we did not see many songbirds, apart from the local baicalensis White Wagtails and a single Lesser Whitethroat, which was seeking either for food or/and for shelter in my tent where we caught it for ringing (wing 65 mm [max. chord], primary projection 13 mm, bill (to scull) 14 mm, tail 57 mm, tarsus 22 mm, p1 [innermost primary] 10.5 mm, p2 9.5 mm, p3 9 mm, p4 7 mm, p5 5 mm, p6 1.5 mm, p7 wingtip, p8 0.5 mm, p9 6.5 mm, p10 33 mm). Comments on its subspecific identity are very welcome!

Lesser Whitethroat, the ring is on the other side,

Terchijn Tsagaan Nuur, May 2012.

Migrating flock of Pacific Golden Plovers,

Terchijn Tsagaan Nuur, May 2012.

On 19 May a group of about 50 Black Terns and 13 Eurasian Spoonbills arrived and departed after a short break and we did the latter on 20 May after having seen 35 migrant White-winged Terns.

More coming soon! Watch this space!

Evening at Terchijn Tsagaan Nuur,

with the gull-island in the back, May 2012.

July 18, 2012

Wild Snow Leopard cubs

found in Mongolia!

A Snow Leopard Trust research team has located the den sites of two female snow leopards (Anu and Lasya). Anu’s den was in a big cave with a man-made rock wall blocking most of the entrance. The team taped a camera to their VHF antenna and was able to film inside. This is the first documented visit of a den site with cubs.

For more info visit the SLT blog.

June 23, 2012

Mongolian Finch in Ikh Nart

I took this footage a few days ago in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve in the Mongolian Gobi. Enjoy!

June 16, 2012

New website:

Arend Wassink, author of The Birds of Kazakhstan (written together with Gerald J Oreel) created a new website on the birds of Mongolia's large neighbour: click here. Good luck with this project, Arend!

May 3, 2012

Sumiya Damdin

1941–2012

We are deeply saddened to announce that Professor Damdin Sumiya passed away due to apoplexy on 27 April, 2012 at the age of 72. He was one of the most respected ornithologists, biologists, teachers, sport men, and educators in Mongolia. The Mongolian scientific community has lost one of its greatest members who was also one of the pioneering ornithologists in the country.

Sumiya was born in Damdin’s family at Tumen soum of Gobi-Altai province in 1941 and spent his childhood with his parents. He graduated from Primary and Secondary Schools at Altai City in 1956 and Teachers College at Ulaanbaatar city in 1960. He worked as a teacher at the Secondary School at Bayangobi and Galuut Soums of Bayankhongor province in 1690-1964. From 1964 to 1967, he was an elementary class teacher and headmaster at the Secondary School of the Bayankhongor City. In 1967-1972, he studied at the National University of Mongolia and graduated from the University having specialized in Biology Teaching and Zoology. Since that time, he has offered his services at the University as Lecturer, Head of Zoology Department, and Consulting Professor over the last 40 years.

He was interested in ornithology since he was a student at the National University of Mongolia. Starting in 1970, he participated in Khuvsgul Biological Complex Expeditions run by National University of Mongolia and Irkutsk University for 20 years. D.Sumiya studied at Irkutsk University’s follow-up course in 1975-1976 and Doctorate Training at the National University of Mongolia in 1987-1989. He completed his Doctorate Degree on “Avifauna of Khuvsgul Area, Their Conservation, and Economical Importance”.

Professor D.Sumiya worked extensively in joint expeditions on Natural Condition and Biological Resources of Khuvsgul Lake and Selenge River Basin, and a re-introduction programme of River Beaver in Western Mongolia together with scientists from Russia, Germany, and Czech.

Professor D.Sumiya is the author of many books and monographs such as “Birds of Khuvsgul”, “Natural Condition and Biological Resources of Khuvsgul Lake”, “Dictionary of the Mongolian Vertebrates”, “Khuvsgul Lake Atlas”, “Guide Book to Mongolian Birds and Mammals”, “Biology”, “Microevolution”, “Mongolian Red Book”, and “Mongolian Red List of Birds” and wrote more than 150 scientific papers and edited more than 10 books.

He had been successfully working on Research and Conservation of Steppe Raptors, particularly Saker Falcon, as the national team leader from 1998 to 2006. Professor D.Sumiya co-founded the Mongolian Ornithological Society with his students and had worked as the Director of the Society until 2009. He supervised many under graduate, post-graduate, and doctorate academic works at the University.

The Mongolian Government decorated him with several high ranking medals and honours, such as the National Medal of North Star, Honour Certificate of Mongolian Government (twice), 60 and 70 years Anniversary Medals of the People’s Revolution of Mongolia, Medal of Teachers Honour, and Medal and Honour of Best Employee of Education and Nature and Environment.

He had actively and efficiently worked for his country and spent his life organizing educational activities and scientific works to train biologists, particularly ornithologists of many generations, to improve educational materials and facilities, to develop public physical training, to write educational and scientific books, and to investigate fauna of the country over many years. Professor D. Sumiya was truly a talented organizer, great educator, respected sportsman, and famous scientist.

Professor D. Sumiya was one of the most sincere and friendly men in the scientific community, both a father to his family, and respected teacher among his many students. All the staff of the National University of Mongolia, all members of the Mongolian Ornithological Society, friends and numerous students will forever remember his deep knowledge of science, his talent in education, and honest and humble character in our hearts.

Mongolian Ornithological Society (MOS)

Zoology Department
School of Biology and Biotechnology
National University of Mongolia
_______________________________

This obituary was first published on the MOS website, and is repeated here with kind permission.