Mongolia 12th – 25th June 2014

Day 1 – 12.06

We met in the morning at Chinggis Khaan Airport after our long but spectacular journey over European Russia to Moscow and then over the vast steppes and remote taiga of Siberia. We were greeted by our two drivers, Nagi and Taiwan, and our guide for the first day, Bogi, and went straight into the driving nightmare of the sprawling Mongolian capital. After a short lunch stop at an excellent Indian restaurant on the edge of the city center, we headed east towards Gun Galuut National Park. On the way, we spotted our first Mongolian birds: Pacific swifts, Black-cheeked kites, Amur falcons, Red-billed choughs, Demoiselle cranes, and Daurian jackdaws – some of these birds would accompany us almost throughout the entire trip. At a small pass, we stopped to enjoy better views of the Daurian jackdaws, along with some Carrion crows and Ravens. A quick check of the coniferous forest around revealed a Black woodpecker trying to make its way through a telegraph pole. Arriving at Gun Galuut, we saw our first Mongolian larks – a stunner – this localized member of the Melanocorypha genus is a close relative to the more familiar Calandra and Bimaculated lark but has an unmistakable flight with contrasting white wings and rufous plumage. Horned larks of the brandti subspecies were numerous, and the first Asian short-toed larks announced their presence with their curly flight songs. At the main lake, we had White-winged scoters, Swan geese, and some more familiar members of the Anas genus: Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Garganey, and Teal. In the next lake, we added some waders: Stilts, Avocets, Little ringed plovers, Black-tailed godwits, Wood, and Common sandpipers. A pleasant surprise was a single Pacific Golden Plover at the far end. A small party of Mongolian gulls was roosting in a small bay. The light towards the end of the day was perfect, and we didn’t want to leave, but we had more distance to negotiate. On the way, we added Black vulture and Upland buzzard to our raptor list. In the late afternoon, we arrived at Terelj Lodge, a lovely Ger camp-style lodge located in a picturesque valley at the edge of the famous Terelj National Park taiga forest. Before dinner, we had great views of Long-tailed ground squirrels and Daurian pikas around the campgrounds.

Day 2 – 13.06

Before breakfast, we met our local guide Pujee and said goodbye to Bogi. A short walk around the lodge produced several Pine buntings, Common rosefinch, Isabelline and Pied wheatear, and a nice Brown accentor singing from nearby rocks. In the woods, we had a brief sighting of a Grey-headed woodpecker, Olive-backed pipit, and a Wryneck. After breakfast, we assembled the vehicles and headed to the famous Capercaillie Mountain, although we did not hold much hope as it was well after the lekking season for these notoriously difficult-to-spot birds. On the way, one of the vehicles had a Grey-headed woodpecker feeding at close distance, and the other had a full-frame Steppe eagle for photography. The target birds for this area proved difficult, as it was long after migration and breeding had finished, and most birds were already at their breeding grounds in the north or feeding chicks, thus being quiet. However, we had lovely views of Daurian redstarts, Olive-backed pipits, Nuthatches, Common and Oriental cuckoo, and our only thrush for the trip, Naumann’s, was heard several times. After lunch, we checked another area of the taiga where we caught up with Taiga flycatcher, Yellow-browed warbler, and a very cute Siberian chipmunk. Both areas that looked good for Chinese bush warbler were checked but to no avail.

Day 3 – 14.06

Today, we moved southwest towards the steppes of Hustai National Park. After negotiating the horrible Ulaanbaatar traffic for the second time, we stopped at the UB ponds, several reed-lined pools on the edge of the capital. The highlights here were several Swan geese families with chicks, some not very cooperative Penduline tits, our first Oriental reed warblers, and, on the ground, a foraging Long-tailed rosefinch. Soon, more of these typical Siberian birds were revealed among the willows around. At the far end of the ponds, a dense area with low willows held a small population of Yellow-breasted buntings. Soon, one of them announced its presence, and we enjoyed really good views of one of these stunners singing from a willow tree. On the way back, the group saw a pair of White-cheeked starlings, our only sighting of these for the trip. For lunch, we stopped at the Tuul River, stopping on the way to see nesting Whooper swans and a feeding Black stork. The picnic site was very productive, as a few meters from where we had lunch, we found an Amur falcon nest, and both the male and female performed spectacular displays in front of us. Further on, we found Azure tits and Azure-winged magpies feeding among the trees. The steppe around Hustai National Park was the perfect spot for studying larks – here we had four different species: Mongolian, Horned, Greater short-toed, and Asian short-toed, sometimes all four in the same view.

Day 4 – 15.06

The day started with a dramatic change in weather – temperatures dropped, and it started to rain. This cancelled our pre-breakfast walk, but we carried on as planned after breakfast to explore the vast steppe areas of the national park. The morning started slowly, and birding was difficult with very low visibility at first, but we still managed to see a few good birds: a Saker was spotted resting on a pylon, and a Blyth’s pipit was singing on a wire. Later in the morning, the weather improved slightly, and we stopped at a small patch of birch forest to check for woodpeckers. A quick scan revealed no woodpeckers, but we found Lesser whitethroat, Common whitethroat, and a nice Meadow bunting. Further into the steppe habitat, we came across Przewalski horses, the original predecessor of the domestic horse. Once on the brink of extinction, these majestic animals were saved through joint efforts and now roam freely in the park’s remote pastures.

For lunch, we returned to the Ger camp, where we were treated to hot soup and stew.

In the afternoon, we explored further into the park, reaching a lonely ger camp in the Tuul River valley. The only birds there were Azure tits, a Penduline tit in a nest, two Great crested grebes in the river, and many Red-billed choughs. The weather improved, and we decided to revisit the taiga patch from the morning. Low clouds meant low-flying raptors, and soon we saw Black and Himalayan griffon vultures circling overhead. A young Golden eagle made a brief flight around. Lesser kestrels and Amur falcons were spotted perched on electric pylons. Once the rain stopped, the park’s most commoncontainers, Tarbagan marmots, were everywhere, trying to cross the road whenever our vehicles approached. After one such close encounter, we nearly ran over a pair of Daurian partridges, who seemed unbothered by our presence. In the forest, we found a Saker in a nest and two Amur falcons, but still no trace of woodpeckers. Later in the afternoon, we returned to camp, and part of the group did a walk around, adding a pair of Père David Snowfinches to the list.

Day 5 – 16.06

We woke up to a beautiful blue sky shining over the camp. Pre-breakfast activities produced more Père David Snowfinches for those who had missed them yesterday, plus the usual Black kites and Cinereous vultures.

After breakfast, we made our way further west towards Ogii Lake, stopping first at Lun, where we saw four beautiful White-naped cranes, Little ringed plovers, Asian short-toed larks, and our first Eastern Marsh harriers.

Our second stop was the bird-rich Bayan Lake, which didn’t disappoint despite the short visit. Red-crested pochard, Goldeneye, and Tufted ducks were the most numerous on the eastern side. Oriental reed warblers and Yellow and Citrine wagtails were near the reeds. We saw a small family of Bearded tits and more White-naped cranes. While studying Eastern Marsh harriers, a large raptor caused a stir in the group until we identified it as a first-calendar-year White-tailed eagle, not a Pallas’s fish eagle. A male Hen harrier was not happy with its appearance and tried to chase it away, to everyone’s delight.

We decided to have lunch at the southern shores of the lake, where, among the numerous ducks, terns, and Mongolian gulls, we spotted an adult Pallas’s gull. A large flock of Bar-headed geese was particularly attractive to see. Leaving with regret, we headed towards the remote Ogii Lake, stopping to see numerous birds of prey by the road, including Black vultures, Black kites, Upland buzzards, and Steppe eagles. Arriving at the camp in the late afternoon, we found Père David Snowfinches nesting around the camp, plus numerous Brandt’s voles. Before dinner, we walked to the beach, where we found a nest of an Upland buzzard with nearly grown chicks. Ruddy shelducks were numerous on that side of the lake, and there was a large group of Goldeneye in the water.

Day 6 – 17.06

The weather cancelled our pre-breakfast walk again. After breakfast, we drove around Ogii Lake, adding Cormorants and a Black-throated diver to the list. The far end of the lake was the most interesting, with close-ups of Bar-headed geese and a flock of over 500 Swan geese, put up by a Corsac fox and flying to safety in the lake close over our heads. In the water, there were White-winged and Black terns, a Little gull, and the usual variety of ducks. A dark, large raptor landed on the shore and aroused many questions about its identity, but it wasn’t until we saw it again on the way back that we identified it as a subadult Greater Spotted Eagle – always a pleasant surprise. Interestingly, the bird was tagged with a GPS receiver.

Lunch was back at the camp, and in the afternoon, we explored the other side of this large lake. The first bay revealed another surprise: a juvenile Dalmatian pelican, which piqued the interest of both Pujee and our two drivers. This enigmatic bird is not commonly seen in Mongolia, although it breeds in several remote lakes in the west of the country. Apparently, the beak of these birds was traditionally used to wipe sweat off horses after running, which might explain our drivers’ curiosity. In the same bay, there were several adult and subadult Pallas’s gulls, many Mongolian gulls, and a careful scan through the roosting flock revealed a single Caspian gull with its specific head shape and somewhat slimmer bill. At the river mouth, we chatted with a nomadic family who had relatives visiting. It was that time of day when the light is particularly good for birding, and we enjoyed views of White-winged and a single Black tern, and a Little gull. The nearby flock of Black-headed gulls was carefully checked, but sadly, no Relict gulls were found among them. However, a more careful scan of the ducks in the next bay produced no fewer than seven Falcated ducks and six Pintails.

In the afternoon, we returned to camp, and the photographers had good sessions with the locally nesting Choughs, Tree sparrows, and the attractive red-breasted tytleri race of Barn swallows.

Day 7 – 18.06

The last day in the northern steppes greeted us with overcast weather and showers. The southern road we planned to take was closed due to a landslide, so we headed towards Ulaanbaatar along the same road we came in. At Bayan Lake, it was rainy, but we managed to see two of the local target birds missed on the way in. First, we had really good views of Paddyfield warblers in the reeds close to the road. Then, we drove along the north side of the lake. The mosquitoes were fierce, regrouping every time we tried to approach the shore. There were many of the ducks and waders we saw previously, plus the only two Common cranes for this trip. At one of the stops, while battling the mosquitoes, we heard a distinctive call from a nearby bush – a stunning male Pallas’s reed bunting. Three more birds were present in the same area. The lake shore was packed with birds, but the wet ground prevented us from approaching. Soon, we realized the mosquitoes were going to win this war and decided to go back. At Lun Lake, there was nothing new, but we had good views of White-naped cranes.

In the late afternoon, we arrived at our ger camp in a secluded valley not far from the airport. After check-in, we went for a walk along the edge of the surrounding birch forest. Richard’s pipits were found in the meadows just outside the camp. The highlight was probably a very obliging White-backed woodpecker feeding in a dead tree a few meters away from us. Later, we added a pair of Amur falcons, a Wryneck, Pine and Meadow buntings, a Golden eagle, and two more White-backed woodpeckers.

Day 8 – 19.06

After a morning flight from Ulaanbaatar, we arrived at the euphoniously named town, Dalanzadgad, the center of the Gobi-Altai province of Mongolia. At the airport, we met our new drivers, Bataa and Erdene, and quickly loaded their trusty old UAZs – the only truly reliable vehicles for the rough terrains of southern Mongolia.

After a short drive in the desert, we stopped to check a large group of Greater sand plovers and, shortly after, a pair of Oriental plovers gave good views. Further on in the desert, we flushed a party of Pallas’s sandgrouse. What a start – three of the typical birds of the area were ticked off!

We arrived at Khanbogd ger camp for lunch. After a short siesta, we met for a walk in the nearby gorge. The first birds we encountered were the phoenicuroides race of Black redstart – a real stunner. Mongolian finches were everywhere, feeding and drinking around the small stream. Further up, we caught up with Grey-necked buntings and Godlewski’s buntings. While closely studying a nice Grey-necked bunting that came to drink a few meters from us, two young Himalayan vultures flew overhead. Other birds in the gorge included Pied wheatears, a Steppe eagle, an Upland buzzard, a Hoopoe, Hill pigeons, Crag martins, Rock sparrows, and White-winged snowfinches. New mammals included a Tolai hare and a red-cheeked ground squirrel. It was time to go back to camp for dinner and enjoy the clear Gobi sky.

Day 9 – 20.06

We had an early start and went straight to Yolyn Am, the valley of the Lammergeyers. We parked the vehicles at the end of the road and started scanning the surrounding ridges for Altai snowcocks. The first half hour produced little except some Twites and White-winged snowfinches around. It was very cold and windy, so we decided to change tactics: Pujee and I headed up the slope, while the others kept scanning from below, hoping to flush or locate some of these enigmatic mountain birds. Our efforts were in vain, although we had fantastic views from the top of the mountain. Several Himalayan griffon vultures were spotted, and, of course, Lammergeyers. Soon, we headed down to join the others in the valley, where we had Chinese beautiful rosefinch, Common rosefinch, Black redstarts, Rock thrush, Godlewski’s buntings, and Mongolia’s only endemic, Kozlov’s accentor. We were almost back to the vans when we noticed excitement around the vehicles – our drivers had found a group of snowcocks just below the ridge and were trying to draw our attention. Soon, everyone had their eyes on five snowcocks feeding on the steep slope above. They stayed for quite a while in the same area until they were disturbed by a few Siberian ibex and went over the other side of the ridge.

Around lunchtime, the weather deteriorated, and we headed back to camp for lunch, stopping briefly for one breeding male Greater sand plover and a small flock of Himalayan griffon vultures perched on a rock.

After lunch, we explored further into a side valley behind the camp, where we saw more Mongolian finches, Pied wheatears, Rock thrush, Black redstart, and Grey-necked and Godlewski’s buntings. Birds of prey included an Upland buzzard, a Black vulture, a Golden eagle, and a Saker falcon.

Day 10 – 21.06

Today, we took a spectacular journey east towards Khongorin Els, the famous Gobi Sand Dunes. It was going to take us almost the whole day driving through the rocky gorges of the Three Beauties and the sands of the Gobi. On the way, we saw more of the common species of the area: Horned and Asian short-toed larks, Mongolian finches, and Black and Himalayan vultures. Passing near a small agricultural area, we decided to stop and check the wooded patch around. This proved to be a good move. As soon as we stopped, we noticed a pair of Isabelline shrikes, and then a bright yellow bird moved quickly in the trees – a Black-naped oriole. While trying to get better views, we found a Tree pipit in the same tree.

For lunch, we stopped at Tohom Lake, which was almost gone, and the only birds around were the usual Horned and Asian short-toed larks, several dozen Ruddy shelducks, and a few Demoiselle cranes. Further on, we found another fenced agricultural area that looked abandoned and decided to check it. There was a small water reservoir next to it that held several Little ringed plovers, and a flock of Rock sparrows and Isabelline wheatears. The green area was difficult to access, and we scanned from outside without success. We were about to leave when a calling warbler caused excitement. It was a Radde’s warbler, but unfortunately, it wasn’t showing. While trying to get decent views without breaking in, three more birds were found in the same bush: a female Common rosefinch, a Tree pipit, and a Pallas’s grasshopper warbler – a real oasis for late migrants.

The next stop was a small area with scattered almond trees, close to the mountains – good habitat for Henderson’s ground jay, one of the specialties in the area. Here, we found a singing Asian desert warbler and, not long after, a brief view of a Henderson’s ground jay.

In the final part of the journey, we had the enormous 160 km-long Gobi Sand Dune on our left and stopped on several occasions to photograph the surrounding landscapes.

In the late afternoon, we reached our new camp, where we decided to splurge on the newly built chalets. Dinner was fantastic, as was the view of the Gobi night sky later that evening.

Day 11 – 22.06

We woke up to the calls of Desert wheatears and, after a delicious breakfast, drove to the nearby stretch of the sand dunes. Here, among the remains of an ancient saxaul forest, we looked for another local specialty, the Saxaul sparrow. Almost immediately after parking the cars, we found several pairs, along with a Black-faced bunting and a Steppe grey shrike. While walking towards the sand dune, we added Demoiselle cranes and an Upland buzzard. A small colony of Lesser kestrels was out hunting over our heads. Ruddy shelducks were numerous in the grassy bit around the river. Having reached the Great Sand Dune, we were stunned by its size – reaching hundreds of meters in height – and sat down to enjoy this great scenery.

After another tasty lunch in camp, we headed for another Henderson’s ground jay site not far from the camp. As soon as we entered the small valley, we saw movement at the base of an almond bush, and soon we had the ground jay in sight. It was amazing to watch how fast it ran between the bushes, appearing hundreds of meters away from where it was previously seen. Other birds in the area included Desert wheatears, Hill pigeons, and Lesser kestrels.

In the late afternoon, we climbed a ridge overlooking our distant camp to look for Black-tailed gazelles, but the only sound in the vast steppe around was another singing Asian desert warbler. The view from the top was breathtaking – our camp in the middle of the desert with the huge sand dune in the background. It was time to go back to camp for another fine dinner and chilled white wine.

Day 12 – 23.06

Today, we headed back to Dalanzadgad, a long 230 km journey on rough terrain. The first part of the journey passed the rocky “Eastern Beauty,” Bearded vulture territory, and we had a close encounter with one, observing it from no more than 20 meters – another full-frame opportunity for the photographers. After the mountain pass, we saw two more flying low, plus some Mongolian larks, Demoiselle cranes, and a very dark Upland buzzard. In the plains on the other side of the mountain, there was a large flock of Goitered gazelles, and while watching them, we spotted a pair of Oriental plovers and a few Pallas’s sandgrouse.

Around lunch, we made our way to the rocky Gegeet Gorge. The drizzle stopped just as we arrived, and we flushed a Woodcock. A quick walk up produced numerous Godlewski’s buntings bathing and feeding on the ground, Pied wheatears, a Beautiful rosefinch, and Crag martins. Chukar partridges called from a rock, and a pair of Saker falcons mobbed the resident Bearded vulture. We had just started our lunches in the gorge when it began to rain heavily.

The rain continued through the afternoon, and at several spots, we had to cross flash-flooded areas, but the sturdy UAZs and our skillful drivers got us safely to our new camp.

It hadn’t rained here, so we took a short walk around camp before dinner, where the local Isabelline shrikes were hunting, and there were numerous Asian short-toed larks. Dinner was delicious and came with glasses of complimentary red wine.

Day 13 – 24.06

As our Ulaanbaatar flight was in the evening, we had time to explore more of the Dalanzadgad surroundings. In the morning, we revisited the pond in the town – nothing new here: Crested, Horned, and Asian short-toed larks, Little ringed plovers with chicks, a Hoopoe family, a Citrine wagtail, and a Mongolian finch.

Next, we stopped at a tree nursery. This place is a hotspot during migration, but now, being late and hot, there wasn’t much. However, we managed to see a Daurian starling and a Common cuckoo.

We went back to camp for lunch, followed by a heavy rainstorm that delayed our afternoon trip. As it cleared, we headed to the hills south of town, where several valleys lined with almond bushes are home to Henderson’s ground jay. As soon as we arrived, we spotted four birds and watched them foraging, burying almonds, and flying around undisturbed. There was also a Rufous-tailed rock thrush and a Common cuckoo.

We returned to camp for a hot shower and to pack up for the flight back north. The Fokker took off at 21:30, and in Ulaanbaatar, we were greeted by our old friends Nagi and Taiwan, who took us to our central hotel at midnight, just a few hours before the morning flights back home.

Acknowledgements: Thanks a lot to everyone for being part of a great trip. Special thanks to Pujee, who took us everywhere and shared his local knowledge with us. Thanks to Simon for being so professional, as usual. Thanks to Bogi, who took us around Terelj on the first day. Thanks to Nagi, Taiwan, Bataa, and Erdene for the great driving. Thanks to all the staff in the ger camps who always gave us a warm welcome. Thanks to all the participants for their company, enthusiasm, and great sense of humor.

Prepared by Dimitar Petrakiev