Islbirder Misses Out on Pakistan Ticks

Apologies for the lack of recent Blog entries, we have been travelling. However, , on Saturday 4 May 2013 my birding colleagues were turning up Mega Ticks in Islamabad. Needless to say, they could not wait to let me know by email and, of course, they included the full colour photographs. So what gripped me off so badly? Regular blog readers will recall that being “gripped off” means that you have been told of a rare bird that you have missed. This is usually delivered with some glee by the “gripper”! Those of you that have read the two volumes of T J Roberts’ “Birds of Pakistan”, of whom there must be several (no, not because they aren’t fantastic books; it’s just there are not many birders in Pakistan) you will know that GREATER SAND PLOVER is a regular winter visitor to Pakistan’s coastline. However that’s a thousand miles from here. So to find an adult female GREATER SAND PLOVER on the Eastern shoreline of Rawal Lake is, undoubtedly, a Mega Tick. Now the fact that I saw over 300 Greater Sand Plovers during my visit to Mai Po Marshes in Hong Kong was nothing in comparison. GSP would have been an addition to my Pakistan List. As I upload the photograph onto the Blog it pains me to do so. T J Roberts stated that GSP didn’t occur inland in Pakistan. Well T J it does now Mate!

Greater Sand Plover Sams Photography
Not satisfied with finding the GSP? Clearly not because they turned up a bird that would have been a Lifer for me as well as, obviously, another Pakistan Tick and this species can be showy or as crepuscular as they come. The BAILLON’S CRAKE that the boys found was in the latter camp but RMK managed to get this record shot that was enough to clinch the identification as it skulked in the vegetation at the same location. Hats off to my birding colleagues; this was a great find.

Baillon's Crake Sams Photography
No wait, there’s more! This time in the form of four GREATER PAINTED SNIPE they found in the same place. Now, fortunately, I can report that Islbirder has seen Greater Painted Snipe in Pakistan but that was a single bird; again on the Eastern shore of Rawal Lake but on 11 February 2012.

Adult Female Greater Painted Snipe Sarel van Zyl

The guys also saw some other birds during the morning that are pictured below. However, RMK decided on an evening visit to the Northern shoreline of Rawal Lake and found this little stunner.

Bluethroat Sams Photography
Now, the BLUETHROAT is not a rare bird in Pakistan. In fact it is a regular winter visitor but most of the birds are probably of the white-spotted form Luscinia svecica abboti. However, the beauty below is of the red-spotted form probably Luscinia svecica robusta also known as Siberian Bluethroat. I suspect, because of the late date, that this bird was moving north to form part of the small breeding population around Gilgit, Baltistan in the Northern Areas of Pakistan.

Mixed Group of Garganey and Shoveler Sarel van Zyl

Little Egret Sarel van Zyl

Paddyfield Pipit (note the butterfly's wings on the rock) Sarel van Zyl

Pied Kingfisher Sarel van Zyl

Whiskered Tern Sarel van Zyl




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