Birding Islamabad

On 11 May 2014, I ( RMK ) had to go to Sargodha on a business trip and had an early 0600 hours start. Later in the day I decided to visit Kalar Kahar Lake to photograph the elegant ASIAN PARADISE FLYCATCHER. Last year Islbirder and SVZ were with me to photograph this amazing bird. Islbirder was always against disturbing nesting birds to photograph them so we needed to use a hide so we did not upset them. I went to an area of Eucalyptus Trees and carried out a careful search. I was lucky enough to find two nests. Female Asian Paradise Flycatcher Riaz Male (white Phase) Asian Paradise Flycatcher Riaz I took few shorts of a female Asian Paradise Flycatcher sitting in the nest and left quietly so that she wasn’t disturbed. I then found a beautiful white male of Asian Paradise Flycatcher in a lovely green field nearby. I started walking around the Kalar Kahar Lake and found GLOSSY IBIS, PURPLE HERON, a BLACK-WINGED STILT and a REDSHANK.  Glossy I...

Occasionally, Birding Islamabad is proud to display the photographic skills of some of our friends in Pakistan. During last weekend Naveed travelled to Nathia Gali with RMK . We have already featured the great photos taken by RMK below. This lovely portrait of an adult SPOTTED FORKTAIL is fantastic and this species is difficult to find in Pakistan. Unfortunately for Islbirder it was not a species he was able to find during three years in Pakistan even though he did record 366 species in the country during that period and some considerable time was spent searching for SPOTTED FORKTAIL. So, thanks to Naveed for allowing us to publish his study of this somewhat elusive species. Spotted Forktail Naveed Baig

It was during April 2013, when Islbirder and me ( RMK) made a visit to Nathia Gali, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to try to find and photograph the enigmatic Orange Bullfinch ( Islbider had found four Orange Bullfinches there in April 2011 feeding amongst the patches of remaining snow). Although we spent a lovely day there, we failed to relocate these stunning birds. Snow-clad Mountains of Kashmir Riaz Islbirder had requested that I try to photograph an Orange Bullfinch during April 2014 after he had left Pakistan. I have a good habit of keeping important things in mind and when it comes to birds, I simply can’t forget. I left Islamabad at 0600 hours and followed the old Murree road to make it a relatively quick drive up to the rarified atmosphere of Nathia gali. The Kashmir Mountains were still covered in snow and presented a beautiful view. I stopped to photograph this incredible vista and saw a local Pashtun guy with a captive Northern Goshawk. Northern Goshawk is a rare v...