Vultures in Islamabad

I am feeling amazing these days, as many young guys from Islamabad and around the country are contacting me one way or another asking a simple question “R U THE ONE WRITING THE BLOG BIRDING ISLAMABAD.”  Humbly, I tell them yes it’s me and Islbirder. These feelings can’t be temporary as many people are now holding their cameras and looking for birds all around Islamabad and soon a community in the Capital city will be there to raise their voice for the conservation of the Pakistan’s wonderful birdlife.

It’s been long that I wanted to go out for a full day birding but Islamabad is mostly choked these days. Anyway on Sunday 7 December 2014 my friends and me from Islamabad planned a morning trip to the Margalla Hills. The light was perfect and I was expecting large numbers of birds to show up. Kharian is my favourite place in the Margallas. Beside having some time in the middle of the nature, I also interact with a few of the villagers in the area.

We left around 0700 hrs and reached Makneyal village, we took our cameras out and we noticed some lovely birds near a small pond of water; my eyes were attracted by a beautiful full adult male PINK-BROWED ROSEFINCH and close by was also a female.


 
Male and Female Pink-Browed Rosefinch Riaz
We also saw a YELLOW-BREASTED GREENFINCH and juvenile in the same area. We had about 20 minutes at Makneyal and we drove back to kharian village. I could not get a very good shot but the YELLOW-BILLED BLUE MAGPIE looked amazing.

 
Adult and Juvenile Yellow-breasted Greenfinch Riaz
A Shy Yellow-billed Blue Magpie Riaz
We noticed a huge number of RUFOUS-BREASTED ACCENTORs, Buntings and STREAKED LAUGHINGTHRUSHES.

Rufous-breasted Accentor Riaz
Black-throated Accentor Riaz
I saw a new bird in the area that I have never noticed here before; even though I had been coming here for almost three years now. It was a BLUE-CAPPED REDSTART; I need to go again to get clear shot of it though.

Blue-capped Redstart Riaz
 A RED-VENTED BULBUL was also enjoying the morning sun.

Red-vented Bulbul Riaz
Female Orange-flanked Bush Robin
I also found this beautiful female ORANGE-FLANKED BUSH ROBIN. After spending two hours in the area, I decided to take a drive to D-12. This place makes me sad, as lot of construction is going on there. On the trip down from the hills I noticed three EURASIAN GRIFFON VULTUREs flying exactly over and near the famous Monal Restaurant. I took some record shot of them and then drove to D-12. The Eurasian Griffon is told from the Himalayan Griffon by its duller underwing.



Eurasian Griffon Vultures soaring over the Monal Restaurant Riaz
The birds of D-12 may not be coming to this place next year as lot of place is under construction. I travelled around and noticed a COMMON KESTREL, and a STEPPE EAGLE being mobbed by a BLACK KITE.


Steppe Eagle Riaz
There was also a lovely male BLACK REDSTART of one of the Eastern races and a smart WHITE-BROWED WAGTAIL. 

Black Redstart Riaz
White-browed Wagtail Riaz
My friend I know you must be missing the sunny side of Pakistan, as winters must be in full swing in UK but I am very please to inform you that there are now more than seven wildlife photographers in Islamabad and I will continue my work, so that many more can come to join the club. I wish you a happy Christmas.

From Islbirder: Amazing RMK you have again shared some super photographs with us. Kharian too was one of my favourite places and the villagers were so welcoming. Except maybe the young kid who insisted on chucking stones at us! It is truly great news that more of Islamabad’s citizens are becoming interested in the fantastic wildlife that is on their doorstep.

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