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 interest in wildlife after myself and fellow photographers have contributed a lot of hard work. So far I have attended two programmes on wildlife on two different TV shows and am getting the feeling that they want more and more of this type of content.
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| Black-and-Yellow Grosbeak Fakkar Alam |
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| Spotted Forktail Riaz |
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| Scaly-bellied Woodpecker Riaz |
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| Spot-winged Tit Riaz |
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| Crested Bunting Zahran |
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| Great shame to see a national treasure being littered by inconsiderate people |
Birds on Trail 5 in the Margalla Hill National Park have changed, as winter visitors have left and Asian Paradise Flycatchers have occupied the stream. I also saw some Blue-Throated Flycatchers and a friend of mine recently reported the presence of an Orange-headed Thrush there too. I did however, find a Lifer for me, a Crested Bunting that I spotted along Trail 5. My colleague ZR was able to take a shot of it.
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| Asian Paradise Flycatcher (scarcer Brown-phase Male) Riaz |
Terek Sandpiper and few other passage migrants have moved through Rawal Lake and Black-crowned Night Herons been around the water’s edge.
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| Blue-tailed Bee-eaters Riaz |
We travelled south to Sialkot to photograph the beautiful Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and we had some lovely moments with them. The only thing which is a constant worry for me is that every year the birds breed in the same and area and their habitat is being disturbed. The small mud mountains are being cut to take the sand for commercial use.
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| Green Bee-eaters Riaz |
Last weekend my friends and me travelled from Islamabad travelled to Kalar Kahar and Tallagang to find Asian Paradise Flycatchers and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters.
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| Indian Roller Riaz |
The number of these birds was not as impressive as in previous years. We didn’t have much time at Kalar Kahar and reached headed straight away for the Blue Cheeked Bee-eaters. It was the breeding season and the colours of these birds were just perfect. We took some shots and packed up as it was getting late and we had to return to Islamabad.
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| Glossy Ibis Riaz |
Next weekend is going to be a trip to head Balokee, as our fellow photographers have reported that Baya Weavers have started making nests and if are lucky, we may obtain some shots of Pheasant-tailed jacanas
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| Male Baya Weaver Nest Building Riaz |
From Islbirder
My friend, thank you for sharing these wonderful images with us and the account of your adventures with birds in Pakistan. It is great news that the big machine that is the Pakistan media is taking a serious interest in the wildlife of the country and the photographs taken by you and your birding colleagues can only help to maintain that interest.
Mate, I cannot believe it has taken you so long to find Crested Bunting, it is a common summer visitor and breeding bird in the Islamabad area but, as you have realised, you have to go out into the hot and sunny weather to find them. Eventually, I will persuade you that by sitting out a Trail 5 in the heat of the day being bitten by squadrons of flying insects will reward you with some special sights. The heat and humidity keeps trekkers off the trails and so the birding is much better. I regularly found Orange-headed Thrushes along Trail 5, especially near to the spring. The earliest date that I heard a singing male was 1 May. Don’t forget the mozzie repellent, you’ll need it.
It is a very wet June day in the UK and as I write this I am watching European Goldfinches and Great Tits on our feeders. There is a very fat Woodpigeon hovering up the seed that they drop. We have had European Robins, Wrens, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Dunnocks and Greenfinches breed in or near the garden this year. Not bad for our tiny patch. There is a Hudsonian Whimbrel in the south of England at the moment that is causing a lot of excitement here and it has been a good spring for other rare species.
To find that elusive Indian Pitta will mean some very early mornings but you will definitely make me very jealous if you find one. Needless to say that you have made me extremely envious of your Spotted Forktail photograph. A species I failed to find in Pakistan. The news that your colleague has seen good numbers of Comb Duck and a Black Ibis in the Head Merala area is very exciting news. The former is thought no longer to be a breeding bird in Pakistan so evidence of Comb Duck presence during the summer and immature birds in the same area would be highly significant.
Keep up with the good work and maintain a close eye on the new reserve at Rawal Lake as anything can turn up there. Evidence of Yellow, Cinnamon or Black Bitterns would be amazing.
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| Zahran |
