BIRDING MONGOLIA

August 9, 2013

part six:

Relax, just more Relix!

text by ABu

Links to previous Mountain Birds 2012 on Birding Mongolia:
part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5

Approaching Relict Gull, Ikhes Nuur,

Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

One, two, three…, counting Relict Gulls,

Ikhes Nuur, Jun 2012, © A. Schneider

Ikhes Nuur looked a bit disappointing from the nearby hills. But as it was already late afternoon we decided to stay here. The closer we got the more birds we saw and we could not resist checking them before choosing our campsite. So we went towards the eastern shore and put up our scopes. There were some waders around and some waterfowl, all together a nice but just the average collection. Gull-billed Terns were searching for a bite and the sky was full of the flight calls of Pallas’s Sandgrouse. It didn’t take long to find a Relict Gull, and a second, a third and two more. Wow, none of us had ever expected to see that many of this rare species. We continued getting a first idea of the local bird community and found a tightly swimming flock of Relict Gulls in the distance. “Must be about 30!” someone said. On the exposed mudflats we found several other groups and we guessed that this must be a breeding site. The tents were quickly pitched on some higher ground. Mongolian Finch was very common around our camp as was the sandgrouse.

Pallas’s Sandgrouse, Ikhes Nuur,

Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Mongolian Finch, Ikhes Nuur,

Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Asian Short-toed Lark, a rather long-billed species,

Ikhes Nuur, Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Male Isabelline Wheatear in songflight,

Ikhes Nuur, Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Before nightfall of 13 June we had confirmed breeding for Relict Gull and our maximum count that evening was 720! Many of them were swimming and more were returning to the lake until darkness. Hence the given maximum is also a minimum.

To escape the heat haze we tried to count the number of breeding birds very early the next morning. This was all but easy as the breeding colony was subdivided into several smaller ones and we even found singly nesting pairs spread out over the mud. Because of the distance to the colonies it was not possible to count all breeding birds in one go. This needed much more time because we had to decide whether each tightly sitting bird was indeed breeding or just was loafing, the latter a very common habit for gulls. After the lengthy count I summed up the subcolony numbers and added the single pairs. The result was an impressive total of 383 breeding pairs! The largest colony ever found in Mongolia.

Relict Gull collecting nesting material,

Ikhes Nuur, Jun 2012, © A. Buchheim

Relict Gull taking off, Ikhes Nuur,

Jun 2012, © A. Buchheim

One of the subcolonies of Relict Gull,

Ikhes Nuur, Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

The group relaxing in our camp,

Ikhes Nuur, Jun 2012, © K. Krätzel

The location of Ikhes Nuur (lake size c. 5.5 km x 3.75 km)
in the Gobi Altai aimag (province), western Mongolia.

After having counted the gulls we spread out for exploring the lake’s surroundings. Lucky those who ventured farther away from the lake and by doing so also getting away from the millions of tiny black flies. We had 13 breeding pairs of Mongolian Gull, 220 pairs of Gull-billed Tern, more than 400 Pied Avocets (they were about to start breeding), several Greater Sand Plovers, few territories of Yellow Wagtail (leucocephala) and even Asian Desert Warbler was present.

Black Fly artwork,

Ikhes Nuur, Jun 2012, © K. Krätzel

Something else: South Russian Tarantulas,

Ikhes Nuur, Jun 2012, © A. Schneider

(featured earlier on Birding Mongolia: click here)

Calling Gull-billed Tern, Ikhes Nuur,

Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Male Greater Sand Plover, Ikhes Nuur,

Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Foraging Pied Avocet, Ikhes Nuur,

Jun 2012, © A. Buchheim

Legs crossed for the future of the Relict Gulls,

Pied Avocet, Ikhes Nuur, Jun 2012, © A. Buchheim

This lake has no formal protection but urgently needs it!

More about our trip will follow soon, so watch Birding Mongolia!

July 27, 2013

part five:

Days in another plantation (Bulgan)

text by ABu in collaboration with Kirsten Krätzel

Links to previous Mountain Birds 2012 on Birding Mongolia:
part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4

We arrived at Bulgan town in the west of Mongolia (it is only about 45 km to the Chinese-Mongolian border) in the afternoon of 11 June 2012. After a hurried and late lunch we tried to find a campsite. Unfortunately all the higher vegetation is on the western side of the river and there is only one bridge. In the end we were allowed to pitch our tents in the plantation by the bridge and its owner was proud to show us the heronry which he protects.

Our camp in the plantation, Bulgan,

Jun 2012, © A. Schneider

This western “oasis” (in the Dzungarian Gobi, isolated from the rest of Mongolia by the Altai mountains) holds a number of species that are difficult to get elsewhere in the country: Eurasian Bee-eater (2), Red-headed Bunting (5 territories), Common Nightingale (the eastern taxon golzii [formerly called hafizi] breeds here) and Lesser Grey Shrike (quite common; discovered in 2006 only, see here) are among them, and we logged all during the first few minutes of birding in the plantation. During the night, an Eurasian Scops Owl sang from the highest poplar trees but we couldn’t catch it.

Record shot of Eurasian Bee-eater,

Bulgan, Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Lesser Grey Shrike, Bulgan,

Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Male Red-headed Bunting, Bulgan,

Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

During the next day we properly explored the plantation which covers about 80 hectares. The most comon cultivated crop in the plantation is plum but the owner has problems to sell them as the only bigger market—Ulaanbaatar—is too far away. We combed the tree rows for birds and got Azure Tits, White-crowned Penduline Tits and also found several Great x Turkestan Tits. This hybrid population is well known and we could not find a single pure (looking) Turkestan Tit (which has recently been treated as subspecies of Great Tit anyway). In contrast to this we saw about five tits which looked like the average Great Tit.

Great Tit x Turkestan Tit, the palest individual,

Bulgan, Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Claws one: Red-headed Bunting, Bulgan,

Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg & A. Buchheim

There were about 10 pairs of Lesser Grey Shrike, the 5 singing male Red-headed Buntings again, at least 6 territories of Common Nightingale, now even 4 Bee-eaters, a Common Kingfisher along the river, a singing Barred Warbler, several groups of Rosy Starling, a few Eurasian Golden Orioles and, most noteworthy, 2 pairs of Eurasian Greenfinch.

This Black (-eared) Kite wanted to take a bird

out of the mistnet but got caught itself,

Bulgan, Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg & A. Buchheim

Eastern Common Nightingale (ssp. golzii), Bulgan,

Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg & A. Buchheim

After a short trapping session (Common Nightingale, White-crowned Penduline Tit) in the morning of 13 Jun we left the plantation and headed eastwards. The paved and very even road let us quickly reaching the Altai Mountains.

Now we crossed this mountain range again but more to the south hence it was a rather dry affair. We stopped in a very rocky valley and started birding. Along the small stream we found two territories of Eurasian Dipper (subspecies leucogaster) and saw a Wallcreeper while a Golden Eagle appeared (and disappeared). Sulphur-bellied Warblers were on show again and we even found an occupied nest.

The group at easy birding, here the nest of

Sulphur-bellied Warbler was scrutinized,

Altai, Jun 2012, © A. Buchheim

And here is one of the guys, Sulphur-bellied Warbler,

Altai, Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Eurasian Dipper (ssp. leucogaster, pale morph),

Altai, Jun 2012, © T. Langenberg

Further up we tried to some other birds but apart from flyby rosefinches (not identified) the junipers hosted only Brown Accentors. We went on and saw our first Mongolian Saigas, a very shy and extremely fast running species of antelope, near Tonchil and in the evening we arrived at Ikhes Nuur.

What we discovered there will be reported on Birding Mongolia soon!

July 25, 2013

Cashmere trade threat

to Snow Leopards

Snow Leopard

Photo B. Landgraf. Wikimedia Commons file

The global demand for cashmere is threatening endangered Snow Leopards, according to a new report.

Read more at BBC News Science & Environment from 23 July 2013.

Nomads on the trek, Khangai Mts, May 2013, © A. Buchheim

part one:

Heading towards Telmen Nuur

Singing male Barn Swallow (ssp. tytleri),

almost without the dark breast band,

Lun, May 2013, © A. Buchheim

This year we aimed for two main things: First, we wanted to catch, wing-tag and measure more adult Mongolian Gulls. Our second goal was to check the area around Bayankhongorijn Khukh Nuur for Hodgson’s Bushchat. Catching adult Mongolian Gulls in larger numbers is only possible when they are incubating which means that their Mongolian colonies should be visited around 25 May. Two lakes had been chosen for this: Telmen Nuur and Bayankhongorijn Khukh Nuur (!). The first lake is at almost 1800 m altitude and thus there is always the risk that it is frozen during the optimal time. In this case it would be impossible to get onto the small breeding islands. From the plane, Patrick and I had checked Telmen Nuur for this and saw that there was no ice left. Unfortunately we could not see the other lake as it was obscured by clouds. Khukh Nuur is high up in the Khangai Mountains at a chilly 2600 m a. s. l. hosting one of the highest colonies of large gulls worldwide, if not the highest.

We arrived at Ulaanbataar’s International Airport on 21 May 2013 to team up with Brian Watmough who had been in Mongolia since April. We left the capital the next morning and spent the next night near Erdenesant in a very picturesque valley with elm trees. Bird migration was in full swing but thanks to the brilliant weather only few migrants were present.

Kind of Monument Valley near the village of Erdenesant,

May 2013, © A. Buchheim

Arctic Warbler, near Erdenesant,

May 2013, © A. Buchheim

Asian Brown Flycatcher, near Erdenesant,

May 2013, © A. Buchheim

Very grey-crowned female White-crowned Penduline Tit,

near Erdenesant, May 2013, © A. Buchheim

Northern Sparrowhawk, near Erdenesant,

May 2013, © A. Buchheim

Possible ‘Siberian’ Lesser Whitethroat (ssp. blythi),

near Erdenesant, May 2013, © A. Buchheim

Portrait of another possible ‘Siberian’ Lesser Whitethroat

(ssp. blythi), near Erdenesant, May 2013, © A. Buchheim

Part two will follow soon, watch Birding Mongolia!

part four:

Downhill the western
slopes of the Altai

text by ABu in collaboration with Kirsten Krätzel

part one: click here
part two: click here
part three: click here

In the morning of 10 June 2012 we went uphill for a 6h high altitude walk around the camp. After having reached the higher plateau at 3400 m a.s.l. we started birdwatching. Actually we had to look very hard for birds as there were only few of them. But then we were found by a bird. An adult Bearded Vulture aka Lammergeier, the latter a very misleading name, came over to check us out (we then decided to move, just to show him that we are not yet dead!).

Adult Bearded Vulture close up, Mongolian Altai,

Although the habitat looked extremely good for Eurasian Dotterel we were not able to find one. Instead we ended up (though it wasn’t that bad) with excellent observations of a pair of Rock Ptarmigan, about 4 Güldenstädt’s Redstarts, 1 or 2 Himalayan Griffons and about 20 Brandt’s Mountain Finches, the latter spread out over the plateau in pairs or small groups. Many of the mountain finches were feeding on the remaining snow fields.

Male Rock Ptarmigan, Mongolian Altai,

Displaying male Rock Ptarmigan, Mongolian Altai,

The accompanying female Rock Ptarmigan,

High altitude rock with a beetle,

Male Brandt’s Mountain Finch,

Brandt’s Mountain Finch,
presumed female (or a young male?),

After a very good lunch (thank you very much for cooking so well the entire trip, Javzaa!), we headed down for Khovdijn Bulgan. Again, we basically followed a stream, this time the Bodonzijn Gol. It was a very beautiful landscape with the partially tree-fringed river as our companion. Along the stream we saw birds like Golden Eagles, Common Sandpipers, Water Pipits (blakistoni), hundreds of Rosy Starlings, more Rock Ptarmigans, White-winged Snowfinches, Himalayan Griffons, Eurasian Black and Bearded Vultures and Grey Wagtails from our minibuses. We took a pass to get into the valley of the Uenzijn Gol. As we got lower it got gradually dryer as well and we chose to camp in a rather narrow part of the valley at about 2100 m a.s.l. Before we even had started to pitch our tents a Wallcreeper flew from one side of the valley to the other. It was watched well and we also heard the songs of two Sulphur-bellied Warblers, just another bird from the wish list. Unfortunately it was quite dark by then and nobody got to see any of the two.

Camp in the Uenzijn Gol Valley, Mongolian Altai,

Wallcreeper high above the valley,

On the next morning (11 Jun) we checked the slopes for Siberian Ibex and found about 13 of them on the higher slopes (very far away!). More admired than the repeated observations of the (or another) Wallcreeper were the brilliant views of several Sulphur-bellied Warblers and a number Plain Mountain Finches which we found after a while near our camp. We wondered whether Water Pipit (blakistoni) could be the main host species for Common Cuckoo here.

Sulphur-bellied Warbler, Mongolian Altai,

Not so plain Plain Mountain Finch,

Male Common Cuckoo, Mongolian Altai,

As we were aiming for the village (or is it considered to be a town?) of Bulgan we had to leave the mountains and on the way downhill we came across more mountain birds: Rock Sparrow, Crag Martin, Common Rock Thrush (common), Altai Falcon, again Himalayan Griffon, Grey-necked Buntings, and in a dryer part we had some Siberian Ibexes near the road.

Climbing Siberian Ibex, Mongolian Altai,

Climbing minibus, Mongolian Altai,

Male Common Rock Thrush, Mongolian Altai,

Crag Martin, Mongolian Altai,

In the lower part of the Uenzijn Gol we had already some lowland species like a pair of nest-building White-crowned Penduline Tits, singing Greenish and Hume’s Warblers and Common Rosefinches. Finally down in the arid zone we moved to the west and arrived in Bulgan in the afternoon.

Common Rosefinch, Mongolian Altai,

What we found there will be reported on this site next!