Sorry my Friend I Found it Without You and Mystery Bird Challenge!



On Saturday 8 November 2014, I took a serious Birder and a friend of ISLBIRDER on a birding trip near Islamabad. The light was extraordinary and I was praying to find some exclusive bird that I had not seen before.  When I am writing the blog, I was just thinking that it took Islbirder and me two years trying to photograph a Wallcreeper but we never photographed one. Islbirder did see one (at the ruins in Taxila) and I wasn’t there with him, but the mission to photograph this species was my responsibility.

This lovely morning when I started off with my friends from UK, I saw a lovely CRESTED LARK, singing and was enjoying the beautiful morning. 

Crested Lark
I know ISLBIRDER will say a big WOW, when he sees the images below of the female WALLCREEPER that we found in the D12 Sector of Islamabad. Sorry my friend we never found that together but today I found that for you. :-)




Stunning Female or First-winter Male Wallcreeper Riaz
I was very excited the whole day and kept looking for something new. Not far when we started our drive, we found EURASIAN SKYLARK in a field and a pair of ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET eating berries in the tree. 

Eurasian Skylark Riaz
Rose-ringed Parakeet Riaz
Further walk and drive towards the Margalla Hills I saw a pair of BLACK REDSTART. I managed to photograph the female but the male was too difficult. 

Black Redstart Riaz
A group of INDIAN SILVERBILLs were also fighting in a small bush nearby.

Indian Silverbills Riaz
My guests left around midday and I was thinking the whole time driving back about why, when I was a kid, would I shoot a beautiful Wallcreeper. I wish there was someone, who could have educated me then and I wouldn’t  have shot these gorgeous looking birds. Today, it might not have taken me years to photograph this beautiful bird. Save wildlife and save nature.

MYSTERY BIRD CHALLENGE

Mystery Bird Riaz
RMK took this photograph yesterday in the D12 area of Islamabad and could not identify it. I must say that Islbirder is stumped too. I have considered all of the likely Buntings and Finches bit I cannot pin it down. Come on you birders please tell us what it is. The chestnut wing colour and supercilium should help. Initiatially, I thought Grey-necked Bunting but it's not that species.

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