Today,
Sunday 29 September 2013, we decided to try Lake View Park just outside
Islamabad. We thought that the tall trees might act as a magnet for migrating
birds especially taking into account the time of year. We had not bargained for
our first sighting, which was a flock of 35 beautiful DEMOISELLE CRANE flying
fairly low over the water and gracing Rawal Lake just as the sun rose. RMK
grabbed a couple of opportunist shots with his camera before the birds were
lost behind the trees of the arboretum. Cranes have a tough time in Pakistan as
they migrate through the country. Pashtun tribesmen hunt them to satisfy the
trade in keeping them as pets and those that are injured during their capture
are killed and eaten. We hoped that the Demoiselle Cranes might try to land but
the high water levels of the lake meant that there were few areas suitable around
the perimeter for the birds. Great start!
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| Demoiselle Cranes Riaz |
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| Demoiselle Cranes Riaz |
There
were plenty of Kingfishers: Four COMMON KINGFISHER, five PIED KINGFISHER and a
lone WHITE-THROATED KINGFISHER. Many BLUE-TAILED BEE-EATER circled over the
treetops and there was definitely a feeling that they were getting ready to
congregate and move on to their winter quarters. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON flew
over the surface of the lake and the one pictured below plunge-dived to snatch
a sizeable fish.
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| Black-crowned Night Heron Riaz |
There
had been an arrival of passerines but not in large numbers. There were a couple
of SYKES’S WARBLER amongst the reeds uttering their soft tak call. Both spent some time on the mud amongst the vegetation.
Helpfully, there was a lone COMMON CHIFFCHAFF nearby but having seen so many
Sykes’s Warblers in Pakistan this identification was pretty straightforward. Other
migrants included a couple of TAIGA FLYCATCHER that insisted in remaining high
up amongst some tall pines and nearby were HUME’S LEAF WARBLER, the first of
autumn.
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| Taiga Flycatcher Riaz |
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| Taiga Flycatcher Riaz |
Whilst
being savaged by ravenous mosquitoes in the shade of some trees we experienced
some great birding. Firstly, both COPPERSMITH BARBET and BLUE-THROATED BARBET
in the same tree; although the latter did not want its photo taken
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| Coppersmith Barbet Riaz |
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| Coppersmith Barbet Riaz |
We
then, at last caught up with a Woodpecker that had eluded us for so long in
Pakistan. My birding predecessors of the early 1980s appeared to have no problem
finding this species. However, it has taken me almost three years to find it.
The YELLOW-CROWNED WOODPECKER is a scarce species in Pakistan and the Federal
Capital Area must be at the northern limit of its range.
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| Yellow-crowned Woodpecker Riaz |
A
male INDIAN GOLDEN ORIOLE graced the area, as did a pair of ORIENTAL MAGPIE
ROBIN and a young male (and late) ASIAN PARADISE FLYCATCHER.
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| Male Oriental Magpie Robin Riaz |
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| Female Oriental Magpie Robin Riaz |
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| Immature male Asian Paradise Flycatcher Riaz |
However,
the stars of the show here were two adult CHESTNUT-TAILED STARLING. According
to available literature this species’ range in Pakistan is limited to vagrancy
and only in the extremities of south-eastern of Sind; so, only a thousand miles
or so out of their normal range. The species is reputedly irruptive or perhaps
this indicates a potential range extension; more likely, there aren’t many
birders here.
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| Chestnut-tailed Starling Riaz |
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| Chestnut-tailed Starling Riaz |
So,
a great three hours birding with 50 species in total and thanks again to RMK for his fantastic
photographs taken in less than conducive conditions. We hope that SvZ is
feeling better soon and is out with us next time.
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| Indian Pond Heron watching the sunrise Riaz |
