The Salt Range Lakes


On Saturday 23 November 2013, RMK and I made our way to Uchchalali Lake deep into the Salt Range of the Punjab. The lake, in years gone by, had been famous, from an ornithological perspective, for a wintering population of the globally threatened White-headed Duck. Although I was lucky enough to have seen this species in Southern Spain we could not find any amongst the wildfowl at Uchchali. We had arrived, as planned, before dawn and as the first hint of light appeared in the eastern sky we were already on a boat making our way across the water.


Uchchali Lake Riaz
Sunrise at Uchchali
Uchchali is also known for the GREATER FLAMINGO flock that frequents the area. We counted 50 birds in total that are a remarkable sight when they take to the air; which they occasionally did when hassled by one of the many WESTERN MARSH HARRIER.


Greater Flamingos Riaz
On the surface of the lake was a good variety of waterfowl and these included many of the expected species (with the exception of White-headed Duck). There were EURASIAN TEAL, COMMON POCHARD, EURASIAN WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAIL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, MALLARD, RUDDY SHELDUCK and GADWALL. The most exciting for us was an addition to the Islbirder Pakistan List; COMMON SHELDUCK. That it had taken nearly three years to add this species was a little surprising.

Female Common Pochard Riaz
However, the most numerous bird species on the lake, by far, was EURASIAN COOT and there were at least 10,000 birds and, we believe, that was a conservative estimate. The lake is ideally suited to them being shallow and full of water vegetation.

Some of the 10,000 Common Coots Riaz
There were not many wader species around the lake’s shoreline but COMMON SANDPIPER, GREEN SANDPIPER and TEMMINCK’S STINT were represented. This WHITE-TAILED LAPWING was a good find.

White-tailed Lapwing Riaz
As well as the Western Marsh Harriers we also saw BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE and LONG-LEGGED BUZZARD. We only noted two species of gull; BLACK-HEADED GULL and CASPIAN GULL. It was nice to see a beautiful example of BAY-BACKED SHRIKE as it has been our experience that this species is not as common in Pakistan as the literature makes out. A bird we had only recorded once before in Pakistan was BLACK-NECKED GREBE. There were good numbers at Uchchali and we counted at least 40 individualss.

Green Sandpiper Riaz
We moved on to Khabbaki Lake and immediately added another new species to the Islbirder Pakistan List, GREAT CRESTED GREBE. There was only one pair on the lake even though Khabbaki has a reputation for holding this species. Around the shoreline we found both PADDYFIELD PIPIT and a couple of BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT. However, find of the day was the HUME’S SHORT-TOED LARK which, sadly, avoided all attempts to photograph it. This species was number 366 on the Islbirder Pakistan List.

Grey Heron Riaz
We had hoped to find Pied Avocet at Khabbaki but that wasn’t to be. However, there were at least six LITTLE RINGED PLOVER. Surprisingly, and frustratingly, we failed to find any Wheatear species even though the habitat around Khabbaki looked ideal.

Crested Lark Riaz
We moved on towards Kalar Kahar, the location of another Salt Range lake. On the way we stopped at Jaba Mor having failed to find Grey-necked Bunting along the way. A consolation was the large numbers of ROCK BUNTING that were seen. At Jaba Mor, the entrance to a valley created by impressive cliff faces, a chicken farmer dumps his dead chickens over the precipice. Whilst the smell is none too pleasant it acts as a magnet for Raptors that are drawn in to feed on the carrion. There were at least sixty Eagles; we think that they were all STEPPE EAGLE but if an Aquila expert identifies others in the photographs then please let us know. We were told by a local that Lammergeier were regularly attracted to this site during winter. My only sighting of this species in Pakistan was in the Shigar Valley in Baltistan. We also noted SHIKRA and COMMON KESTREL at Jaba Mor and a large flock of COMMON STARLING.







Steppe Eagles Riaz
Our final stop was Kalar Kahar and whilst we added no more species to our Pakistan List we did see some nice birds. There was a huge flock of PALE MARTIN and several PURPLE HERON. PURPLE SWAMPHEN were as abundant as ever.

Purple Swamphen Riaz
Male Northern Pintail Riaz


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