Wagtails, Eagle and Buzzards


Summer visitors are returning to Islamabad. Saturday 9 March saw the first PURPLE SUNBIRD and COMMON ROSEFINCH back in the city. Early on Sunday 10 March 2013 we made our way to the Eastern shoreline of Rawal Lake. There had been a huge arrival of wagtails, amongst them WHITE WAGTAIL of the personata race, as well as the more numerous dukhunensis race. CITRINE WAGTAIL was the most numerous species with both subspecies present: Motacilla citreola citreola, and M.c. calcarata. The breeding males are spectacular birds. There were also WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL and they all were of the race Motacilla flava beema or SYKES’ WAGTAIL. They are very similar to the nominate form but with a lighter blue in the head pattern.

A classic breeding male Citrine Wagtail of the nominate race Motacilla citreola citreola Sams Photography
 On the water things were much quieter. No duck species whatsoever and the Pallas’s Gulls have all moved on. There were still some GREAT CORMORANT but LITTLE CORMORANT numbers are growing again. Of note, though, was this first-winter CASPIAN GULL Larus cachinnans.

First-winter Caspian Gull in the early morning light Sams Photography
Pipits caused us a few headaches, not helped by the fact they were soaking wet having been pushing their way through the dew-laden grass on the lake’s edge. We noted a few PADDYFIELD PIPIT and the bird in the photograph below has been identified as a RED-THROATED PIPIT because of the white tramlines along its mantle and well defined streaking to its upper breast. Sadly it wasn’t in the spring plumage of the previous week’s birds.

Red-throated Pipit Sams photography
Waders were a bit sparse as well with a couple of LITTE RINGED PLOVER, a GREENSHANK and a few TEMMINCK’S STINT. From an avian perspective Islamabad has the feel of experiencing a time of transition.

On the way home we paid a quick visit to Jinnah Road Marsh. Oddly, it was raptors that caught the eye here. This stunning STEPPE EAGLE posed on to of a rock and allowed itself to be photographed in all of its regal finery.
"Don't Mess With Me!" Steppe Eagle Sams Photography
We also experienced exceptional views of a pair of WHITE-EYED BUZZARD circling over our heads. So, in Islamabad Birding terms a quiet day but pretty good nonetheless!

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