A Lonely and Gloomy Day at Rawal Lake


Today, Saturday 11 January 2014, is the first day that I, RMK,  woke up late as I was tired due to  my last few weeks of hectic and busy work. I did call SVZ, one of our team members, for morning photography and birding but due to the extreme cold he wasn’t feeling well. So, I pick up my gear and started driving towards Rawal lake. The moment I started driving along the Express Way, the absence of the sweet company and memories of ISLBIRDER hit me badly , as he had left for UK permanently.

I visited the marsh area to try and find some new birds, as it had been a while since I had visited the site. Sadly I couldn’t see anything but there was a WHITE-THROATED KINGFISHER, some INDIAN SILVERBILL and few RED-VENTED BULBUL.  The reeds, a habitat for the scarce Yellow-bellied Prinia and the White-breasted Waterhen had been cut back by the farmers. Walking by myself in the area , I felt sort of lonely and I decided go to the eastern side Rawal lake.

By the time I had reached the eastern shore of Rawal Lake it was midday. I could see a few LONG-TAILED SHRIKES and a beautiful SIBERIAN STONECHAT along the way. Rawal Lake was still pretty full of water with a few ponds formed by the receding water. All I could see  far in the middle of the lake were a few Gulls and Cattle Egrets; a GREY WAGTAIL and some BLACK KITES were also flying by.

Siberian Stonechat Riaz
For a moment I thought that I am at wrong place, as it used to be full of birds during the winters. Everything looked so empty to me, I picked my camera and started driving the western side of Rawal Lake.

As I reached the western side I parked my truck and started thinking of the lovely time that we had here ISLBIRDER, SVZ and myself.  The thought of loneliness was taking me over again and luckily a PIED KINGFISHER came and perched right next to me. May be he was there to ask me about the missing guys. I took some pictures half heartedly and came back to my truck, as I was too low to enjoy the lonely walk.

Pied Kingfisher Riaz
On the way back I went to a place where I will always see SPOTTED OWLETS. I parked my truck and saw two owlets a mom and a baby enjoying sun on a branch. I immediately set up the camera and got some lovely shots. Before it was getting too dark I packed up and returned home, thinking all the way YES TIME FLIES!

 
Spotted Owlets Riaz
Dear Readers I am sorry for being so emotional , as I am writing blog for the first time for ISLBIRDER , who has left Pakistan for UK permanently. I feel that life will never be the same for me in Islamabad. I would sometimes think that maybe its our images that makes the Blog worth looking at , but today I realised that I  was wrong , it was the beautiful words , sentences and commitment  of ISLBIRDER , who kept the Blog Going…. Well done ISLBIRDER , for bringing awareness to the people of our country to work for nature and wildlife.  WE will always miss you.

Popular posts from this blog

Rare Birds Found in Pakistan

Image
Islbirder was birding on the muddy perimeter of a West Midlands Industrial Estate in the centre of the England looking for a Hume’s Warbler, the first record for the Region and a British Tick. It was freezing cold with squally and heavy showers. He was thinking what on earth am I doing here? It was only a few short weeks ago that Hume’s Warbler was a regular visitor to his Islamabad garden. At the same time RMK had taken a week away from his office to undertake an expedition to photograph some of the resident species and exciting winter visitors to Pakistan. RMK takes up the story of his memorable birding holiday. It’s been a strange winter and I am very sorry to inform you that this year the numbers of birds visiting Islamabad and Punjab appear to be reduced. On Saturday 25 January 2014 I visited Trail 5 within the Margalla Hills National Park. This was the famous Trail 5 that we had visited on many occasions and seen such wonderful species. However, birds were few. The C
Read more

The Breeding Season in the Margalla Hills & a Trip to Shogran

Image
The changing season in Islamabad has pushed the overwintering visitors to higher altitudes and the breeding season is in full swing within the Margalla Hills National Park. Verditer Flycatcher   During weekend of 27 & 28 March 2021, I excitedly anticipated two full days of birding. On 27 March me,  SWABI BIRDER  along with  Mrs.  SWABI BIRDER   visited an area of woodland within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, to check on how the birds are preparing for their breeding season. The dry branches have their leaves and birds were extremely active. Speckled Piculet (Male) We sat quietly near to a water source and after few moments birds started coming to drink. Firstly, a Verditer Flycatcher that was quickly followed by a superb Speckled Piculet. Also in branches was a Grey-hooded Warbler in full breeding plumage. Grey-hooded Warbler   A female Common Rosefinch alighted nearby on a branch. On the edge of the stream area was a beautiful Grey Wagtail, in full breeding colours picking insect
Read more

Kalar Kahar 62 Species

Image
On Saturday 13 July 2013 we made our way to the Kalar Kahar area, Punjab to look for new species for our Pakistan List. We had decided to arrive early to give ourselves the chance of locating one, or more, of the famous population of Indian Peafowl. Whilst some would consider that these particular Indian Peafowl something of a plastic tick; they are countable and appear as number 353 on my list of species recorded in Pakistan. The first INDIAN PEAFOWL we saw was a stunning male perched on a fence. Not the best evidence of “wild” status. The local community looks after the birds so they show little fear. However, we saw about a dozen or so and some acted more like wild birds, those that stalked the woodland area. Whether these birds comprise a feral population, like the Monk Parakeets in Miami, Florida, or not these beautiful photographs portray this amazing species so dramatically. Once again the photographers have done a fantastic job.   Male Indian Peafowl Sarel van Zyl
Read more