Margalla Hills National Park Attracts Bird Photographers


Hi Blog Readers this is RMK reporting from Islamabad.

The temperature here in Islamabad is somehow very different from last year. The monsoon rains have started early and it’s not very hot currently. The rainstorms have filled the streams and avian migration appears to have been affected.

Species like the Yellow-billed Blue Magpie and Verditer Flycatcher that are normally associated with the Murree Hills have preferred to remain in the Margallas it seems.

Whilst I was getting less time to move around in search of birds, my friends and the organisers of the Birds of Islamabad page on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Birds.of.Islamabad/

ZR and RJS have busily been searching for birds around Islamabad. ZR has been regularly walking the trails and found some lovely birds. Some of his images are displayed here and exemplify ZR’s photographic skills and his love for birds.

On Sunday 12 June 2016 ZR and I decided to travel to the village of Kharian, deep into the Margalla Hills National Park and we located some new species. It was a nice drive from Makhnial Village where we found Crested Bunting but we could’nt manage to capture it with our cameras. We also located an Oriental Honey Buzzard flying high in the beautiful blue sky.

Later we walked a few miles around Kharian and found a nice place near the water of a stream. We saw some lovely birds that came to drink. The biggest surprise was a Verditer Flycatcher, which we have never found at such a low altitude at this time of the year.

It is exciting that the work we started in Islamabad in attracting people into bird photography is paying dividends and now our fellow bird enthusiasts based in Punjab and other regions regularly visit the Margalla Hills to photograph the wonderful birds. I believe that soon there will be more people coming our way. However, I have to add one word of caution in that the welfare of the bird must always come first and that is far more important than a good photograph.

My friends enjoy the superb wildlife our wonderful country has to offer but use a camera not a firearm or a trap.

From Islbirder: Gentlemem, these images are stunning and you are to be congratulated for your achievents. Not only photographically but for your continued hard work in spreading interest in Pakistan's wildlife and therefore assisting in its longterm conservation. 

Orange-headed Thrush ZR

 
Blue-tailed Bee-eaters RMK

Indian Roller RMK

Verditer Flycatcher RMK
 
Chestnut-shouldered Petronia ZR


Male Blue-capped Rock Thrush ZR

Female Blue-capped Rock Thrush ZR
 
Black-chinned Babbler ZR

Speckled Piculet RMK
Oriental White-eye RMK
Cinereous Tit ZR
 
Common Buzzard RMK

Adult Black Bulbul RMK

Juvenile Black Bulbul ZR

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