Shrike Bonanza

Yesterday’s torrential rain beat us but today, Tuesday 21 August 2012, we braved the gloom under leaden skies and visited Lake View Park. We had only just entered the area but there was a feel of migration in the air. The whole arboretum area was full of Golden Orioles; now officially named INDIAN GOLDEN ORIOLE Oriolus oriolus kundoo rather than the less germane label of Eurasian Golden Oriole. It would appear that the adult males had already left; they always being the first to arrive during spring migration. All of birds we saw were either female or first-winter individuals. It was strange to see so many Golden Orioles on the ground as we are so used to them ‘disappearing’ into the upper canopies of trees as is their arboreal habit.

The COMMON HOOPOE was much in evidence as well with at least ten being recorded; whereas one is the norm at this location. The swelling of numbers we presumed to be by migratory birds. We saw two hepatic-type female EURASIAN CUCKOO and although we have heard many, usually at higher altitude than Islamabad’s 900 feet above sea level, these were the first we have actually seen. More evidence of migration!

The water level in Rawal Lake had not changed much even with the previous day’s deluge. Around the lying water pools on the grassland that used to be the lake bed LITTLE EGRET and WESTERN CATTLE EGRET again congregated. With both BLUE-TAILED BEE-EATER and GREEN BEE-EATER sallying from prominent perches. Seeing Bee-eaters in large groups is the portent of their imminent departure from the Islamabad area. As last week a couple of PIED KINGFISHER were in the area but joined today by at least two WHITE-THROATED KINGFISHER. With he threat of rain a constant menace we chose to seek shelter and from this vantage point wait to see what came along.

What followed was a Shrike bonanza and more evidence, if we needed it, that migration was taking place. Firstly, we noticed a first-winter bird that provided us with excellent view and it was soon joined by a second. Neither bird was a first-winter Bay-backed of Long-tailed Shrike that we are used to seeing. The rufous tails of both birds indicated something a little more exciting. Having been able to examine in detail the plumages of these birds it was clear they belonged to the Isabelline group. The Helm Guide to the birds of Pakistan lumps all Isabelline-types under the heading Rufous-tailed Shrike Lanius isabellinus. However, a little more investigation and the lack of barring on the upper mantle and the prominent white wing patches identified these birds as TURKESTAN SHRIKE Lanius phoenicuroides. We also noticed a few adult BAY-BACKED SHRIKE and these are normally heavily outnumbered by LONG-TAILED SHRIKE around the city, or at least, that has been my experience. But, hang on; there was one adult bird that had a familiar look and soon we were grilling a RED-BACKED SHRIKE. No wing patch, narrow mask, especially over the base of the bill and white flashes at the base of the tail all pointed to this scarce autumn migrant in Pakistan albeit a little earlier than its reported September to October timeframe. It was interesting how the First-winter Turkestan Shrikes gave the adult Red-backed Shrike a really hard time and yet they ignored the Bay-backed Shrikes. What a great hour was spent grilling these fabulous birds and we’d almost forgotten the threatening skies above.

There was one advantage of the dark skies in that the birds flying above us contrasted well, especially the six ALPINE SWIFT that passed through and the BARN SWALLOW and WIRE-TAILED SWALLOW group nearby. Also overhead were BROWN-THROATED MARTIN and a few LITTLE SWIFT. However, it was time to concentrate on passage waders.

The rainwater that had accumulated on the former bed of the lake had formed a marshy area with some vegetation that provided cover for a group of a dozen EURASIAN TEAL to dabble amongst. There were also newly arrived waders: a dozen or so COMMON GREENSHANK, ten BLACK-WINGED STILT and six WOOD SANDPIPER. So not large numbers yet but a start to the hoped for bonanza to come in the next few weeks. Today was the time when the wagtails had arrived and we saw CITRINE WAGTAIL, WHITE WAGTAIL and one WHITE-BROWED WAGTAIL.

Close to us in the waterside vegetation the now familiar contact call of a SYKES’S WARBLER was heard and it was not long before we experienced good views. The only other Warblers seen were several GREENISH WARBLER. So, as the rain threatened once more our three-hour birding came to an end with 49 species for the day and my Pakistan List up to 309.