The Red-billed Leiothrix Have Arrived


Daybreak on Saturday 3 November 2012 found us at Margalla Hills Trail 5 on a beautiful yet chilly morning. Our goal, as during the previous weekend, was to locate and, if possible, photograph altitudinal migrants. Pretty much, the cast was similar to seven days ago but with the odd addition. The most obvious was a striking species and for such a colourful bird it is particularly secretive. However, the harsh call gave away the RED-BILLED LEIOTHRIX. Its breeding range is located within the mountainous areas from the Himachal Pradesh in India to the Burmese border. During winters the Red-billed Leiothrix moves to lower altitudes and, irregularly, the species can be found in the Margalla hills.

Red-billed Leiothrix Sams Photography
 We were again lucky to see more KALIJ PHEASANT and on this occasion a pair graced the spring area. This species appears far more common than experienced by birders during the 1980s. It was gratifying to see the WHISTLER’S WARBLER in the same location as last week but it was far more nervous and only showed on one occasion; presumably because the Trail was far busier with human traffic than during the Eid weekend.

Male Kalij Pheasant Sams Photography
 Again a pair of VARIEGATED LAUGHINGTHRUSH bathed in the spring water and occasions they were joined by numerous other bird species including: ORIENTAL WHITE-EYE, BLUE WHISTLING THRUSH, GREY TREEPIE, GREENISH WARBLER, CINEREOUS TIT and GREY-HOODED WARBLER.

Variegated Laughingthrush Sams Photography
Out of the gloom of the glade shone a most beautiful RUFOUS-BELLIED NILTAVA, another breeder from higher elevations enjoying its winter quarters near Islamabad.

Rufous-bellied Niltava Sams Photography
 Many thanks to our friend from Sam's Photography for allowing us these wonderful images of some of the birds we saw.

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