Margalla Hills Trail 5 Spring

Another early start today, Saturday 2 June 2012, but to a different location. We were on a venture to locate an Indian Pitta; a species that in the 1980s used to have a tenuous foothold in Pakistan and was only known from the Islamabad area. Indian Pitta winter in Sri Lanka and in the accounts of birders from 30 years ago they were present in the Margalla Hills ravines where they arrived in early May and had departed by October during which time they had raised their young before returning to Sri Lanka once again. I have no information about more recent records and would appreciate some; if available.

Shortly after dawn we were walking along Trail 5 into the Margalla Hills near Islamabad and we headed straight for the spring that can act as a magnet for bird life. A good start was to see a pair of BLUE-THROATED BARBET that gave fantastic views on top of a small tree near to the start of the trail. We heard the eccentric call of a COMMON HAWK-CUCKOO nearby and saw its creator making this incredible and delirious sound. As we walked past the camping site we could hear the familiar calls of GREY FRANCOLIN. Up into the valley and a Barking Deer was living up into its name and the echoes were impressive but slightly eerie. Any difficulties getting out of bed at such an early hour were wearing off quickly as we took our seats, on the wooden bench, to watch the birding spectacle unfold before us. Most of the species provided stunningly close views, even those that have an introverted reputation. There were many BLACK BULBUL including well-developed juveniles. The brilliant red bills and legs of these birds were in stark contrast to their slate-grey and black plumage. They passed incredibly close as they chased insects sometimes in the air but often on the ground; we could hear their bills snap shut in the process.

 

Within a location that currently has only small areas of standing water there were many flying insects and some, as we know to our cost, bite ferociously even though we had applied liberal doses of repellent. However, it is the presence of so many insects that attracts the birds like the beautiful ASIAN PARADISE FLYCATCHER the males of which are resplendent in their brilliant white plumage, blue-black crested heads and ridiculously long tails. We also saw males of the rufous form and the rufous-coloured females. Another beautiful flycatcher also put on a spectacular display in the form of a pair of BLUE-THROATED FLYCATCHER. The male is stunning (as can be seen from Zill's amazing photograph) in his blue and orange plumage whilst the female is brown but with a creamy-orange throat. Both undertook sorties to catch flying insects and put on an impressive display within the confines of the wooded dell. There were impressive numbers of GREY-HOODED WARBLER visiting the area and a similar number of ORIENTAL WHITE-EYE.

Blue-throated Flycatcher Margalla Hills Islamabad Zill Niazi

We saw two species of woodpecker; three SLATY-BELLIED WOODPECKER that flew overhead and alighted in a nearby tree and a female BROWN-FRONTED WOODPECKER that landed within four feet of us as it shimmied down a boulder to take a drink. It was the best views we had experienced of this species, the female having a completely yellow crown and the characteristic chinstrap markings.

It was a privilege to see two, normally, very secretive species of babbler. A RUSTY-CHEEKED SCIMITAR BABBLER posed motionless on top of a nearby rock and a pair of the diminutive BLACK-CHINNED BABBLER also appeared and searched for food in a bush, literally, within inches of where we sat. So close that binoculars were not required. It is amazing that two species that differ so much in size are related under a common family name. Their raucous relative JUNGLE BABBLER also passed through and unsurprisingly there were seven of them.

During a lull in the cacophony of birdsong we heard a rustling amongst the fallen dried leaves on the other side of the trail. We remained motionless and focussed through the foliage and picked out the unmistakable shapes of a male and female KALIJ PHEASANT. Many authors suggest that this pheasant is extremely difficult to observe. However, we have seen many, including adults with chicks, at all times of the day including the heat of noon. We added a further two individuals as were returned back along the trail later the same morning.

The flycatchers and warblers continued to feed voraciously but that did not stop insects feeding on our blood. Just above the waterline of the pool by which we sat there were hundreds of bees of a relatively small species. Sadly, my entomological knowledge is not up to scratch. Lying on the bottom of the pool was a freshwater crab the main claw of which was coloured purple and yellow. Regrettably, identifying crustaceans is something else of which I possess no proficiency but it was interesting to see nonetheless. A family of birds I always like to see are the bushtits and today we watched three WHITE-CHEEKED BUSHTIT at unbelievably close range; their facial markings would make them equally at home in a Disney cartoon but they would have to play the bandit with their masked appearance.

Another species that can be a bit of a “skulker” also offered amazing views; again water was the lure. The supercilium that extended only from the base of the bill to the eye and not beyond helped to confirm that this was a BLYTH’S REED WARBLER and seldom have I been able to study one at such close proximity. Probably the surprise of the day was the appearance of a BLACK-THROATED JAY that unashamedly alighted within feet of us before it too drank from the pool. It repeated the performance on several occasions.

A male CRESTED BUNTING resplendent in his smart brown and black plumage and his head-wear, that provides the name, sang from the leafless part of a tree nearby. Although we see some individuals of this species; it is not our experience that it is a common summer breeder around Islamabad. The WHITE-THROATED FANTAIL provided the display of the day. These fabulous little birds are superb flycatchers in their own right but the fantail performance is a joy to behold and makes them appear to be clockwork driven.

As well as few of the more common species we also recorded ASHY DRONGO with its red eye and, not unexpected, ashy-coloured plumage, GREY TREEPIE and several SPOTTED DOVES, we documented 32 different species during our two and a half hour visit. However, you will have probably guessed it already; we dipped on the Indian Pitta.