Birding Islamabad

During the past year or so, friend of Birding Islamabad Tahir Abbas Awan, a wildlife photographer based in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan made a couple of startling discoveries of rare species at the wonderful habitat known as Head Marala, about 13 miles to the east of Sialkot. It is an area of marsh and seasonal wetlands caused by flooding of the nearby Chenab River. The area is an important wintering ground of many wildfowl but most importantly the mystical Bar-headed Goose. I have been lucky enough to visit the area on a number of occasions and seeing the sky full of skeins of Bar-headed Geese are memories I will never forget. These discoveries by Tahir deserve wider recognition than appearing within our modest Blog ( although we have had over 25,000 visits ) that highlights the amazing birdlife of Pakistan. Details of these records will be forwarded to the Oriental Bird Club and, in respect of the Comb Duck, to the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. A huge amo...

The summer usually starts in Pakistan around early April but this year the weather has been unpredictable and it was almost the end of May before the sunshine actually showed up. As birder and photographer I was happy that migration might have been delayed and more birds would be in the hills of Margallas and plains of Punjab. In that context I have been busy traveling a lot to find new birds which has delayed me writing this update for the Blog. I did not find new birds but saw mant species I have previously encountered and was quite happy that birds, birders and bird photographers all seem to be on the increase. After the successful Wildlife Seminar on 26 April, I am determined that soon Pakistan will be considered a birding paradise and we believe that Eco Tourism geared towards birding and wildlife photography will become a reality here in Pakistan. I am sure that my friend Islbirder will be very heartened that the national media in Pakistan has started taking an int...