Mfuwe's second year.

[Galana]

Almost the last lap now for Ladakh and India. However a change of planes led to a need to overnight in a Delhi Hotel. Despite 40 degree heat there were birds to find in the grounds of Atrio Boutique Hotel.

Not all my photos qualify for the EBC of the year award...Many are just c**p photos!

 

 

321. Red Wattled Lapwing. Vanellus indicus. By the Swimming Pool. Hotel Atrio.

 

322. Common Mynah. Acridotheres tristis. Gasping in the afternoon heat.

 

  323. Indian House Crow. Corvus splendens.

 

324. Jungle Babbler. Turdoides striata.

 

325. Red-vented Bulbul.  Pycnonotus cafer

 

I have a couple more and two Ladakhi stragglers to come and that mops up this trip.

[michael-ibk]

Congratulations on #300, some really exciting stuff. Obviously I love the Ibisbill, but also tge Crane, Snowcock and Horned Lark. Oh, and you found your own Snowfinches already.  Many of these seem to be "twin species" of our alpine birds here, not that surprising given the habitat. Looking forward to see more from your India birds.

[Galana]

1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

Oh, and you found your own Snowfinches already

One more to come.

[Galana]

Last one for Delhi and four 'stragglers' for Ladakh.

 

326. Black Drongo. Dicrurus macrocercus. Atrio Hotel, Delhi.

 

I don't know how I nearly missed this next one...

327. Chukar.  Alectoris chukar. Almost everywhere in Ladakh.

 

328. White-rumped Snowfinch. Onychostruthus taczanowskii.   Wari la.

 

329.  Large-billed Crow. Corvus macrorhynchos.  Tso Kar Thukje.

 

And finally a puzzler.

330. Thomchok (Guide) called "Tytler's Leaf Warbler" . Phylloscopus tytleri but I am not 100% comfortable with that. It is NOT a Chiffchaff or a Wheatear/Chat. It was gleaning in thick bushes most of the time and I was lucky just to catch a brief pose on a rock.

[elefromoz]

@Galana, non-birding stuff first, The Tibetan Wild Ass look incredible in that wild, hostile landscape. I have a "canvas" of the beautiful Indian Wild Ass from LRK on my wall, the colours of the Tibetan are even prettier. Really enjoyed the Scottish collection, "Lochside" looks just perfect. I see the "UFO" is back in '18. A Bearded Vulture chick on the nest is beyond cool!

 

[Galana]

@elefromozGlad you liked them .

Lochside is special. This was our fourth of fifth stay and it never disappoints. I am about to book for 2019 to ensure my space.

I agree about the Tibetan Wild Ass and the Ladakhi landscape. They are made for each other.

Ladakh is a place to return to. I did!

[TonyQ]

I really enjoyed you Ladakh section, lovely birds, mammals an landscapes.

Are you going to write a trip report? If not can you put in a paragraph about where you went, where you stayed etc?

[Galana]

1 hour ago, TonyQ said:

If not can you put in a paragraph about where you went, where you stayed etc?

Is that allowed?

If it is... Flew MAN-DEL with Turkish. DEL-IXL(Leh) with Vistara which were very good.

Our main base, and 'driver' for my return visit, was Christina and Tashi Chotak Lonchey's

 hospitality at their "Hidden North Guesthouse"   www.hiddennorth.com. This is in the small valley of Phyang and much nicer and quieter than Leh.

We did day excursions along the Indus river to Shey, Nimu, Ulley and Shang and two longer trips. involving night stops:-

1. via Namshang la (4806m) at 'Lake View' Korzok (Tso Moriri) and then over Polokongka la (4937m) to Tso Kar and Tso Startsapuk (which was great birding) stopping another night at Tsokar Eco Resort www.tsokarecoresort.in before returning to Leh over Taglang La (5320m).

2. Over Wari La (5275m) into the Shyok Valley and on to Diskit for the night before returning over the mighty Khardung La (5360m)

Both these longer trips required 'permits' from Army Security. A further trip to Hanle region was refused by "The Authorities"

 

If anybody is considering going I am happy to take PMs. It is a really lovely part of the world and if spared I will happily go back.

 

[Galana]

I have been back home for two weeks now and progress has been slow to dead slow.

 

However I did check up on our local Auks as non had arrived prior to us leaving and I feared the worst.

Happily they had arrived so...

 

331. Common Guilimot. Uria Aalge. Distant shots down the cliffs. ~1 is the "Bridled" version.

 

332. Razorbill. Alca torda.  Maughold Broughs. IOM.

 

and another missing subject but just arrived outside my window...

333. House Martin. Delichon urbica. Chez Galana Towers. IOM. 

 

[Zim Girl]

Well done on the 300 @Galana, lots of amazing new birds to catch up on here with some real stunners from Ladakh.

Lochside on North Uist looks amazing (I looked it up).  As an aside I used to work with a chap who sold up and moved his family to the island a few years ago, stuck it out a couple of years then moved back again - couldn't stand the isolation.

 

Your post of the Goosander and chicks has inspired me to post a picture I took while in Scotland, see my Help with Bird ID thread shortly.

[Galana]

27 minutes ago, Zim Girl said:

stuck it out a couple of years then moved back again - couldn't stand the isolation.

Whilst there is (I believe) a party set most of us oldies like the peace and quiet that isolation brings. If it gets too quiet I book into Lochside. Which I have done for next year already as it's booking up fast.

My birding friend, who watched the Goldie with me over tea  photoed a Snowy Owl two days ago. There is no Green Emoji so just imagine it.

[Dave Williams]

Snowy Owl at Holyhead on Saturday too! Might stop off on the IOM on the way north! 

[Galana]

This thread has not moved for a month now so to prove it s still w.i.p here are a couple of repeats from today showing the lovely fresh colours of this year's brood of Willow Warblers now fattening up for their migration.

Blackberries are doing well too. Lots of Pies and Summer Puddings to come!

[xelas]

Maybe you could bring a pie to the Alps in September?!

[Galana]

9 hours ago, xelas said:

Maybe you could bring a pie to the Alps in September?!

We will have been on the road for ten days when we reach the Alps so  the pie  may be stale which would be a waste. So we will eat it early and bring you a photo and a few crumbs to lick while I make a start on all the Lasko and Zlatorog you are bringing.

[Galana]

Still plodding along trying to stay awake but now the sting of the summer has ceased we are seeing the start of the autumn migration southbound.

Whilst seeking those I saw a couple of these yesterday.

Archetypal "Ugly ducklings" as recently fledged Shelducks. (41)

[Galana]

NEWSFLASH!

The drought has broken and for my first Tick in just short of two months may I present the result of several fruitless hours of patiently watching in my favorite patch?

It may look scruffy, it may verge at times on an EBC and it may even have mites but it is ALL mine at number 334.

 

I will post five of the better shots so you can share the pain....

Hold still will ya?

 

Don't fly away.

 

Come out of there!

 

Better...

 

Better still but you could have preened a bit for your photo.

 

I suppose this will have to do.

334. Goldcrest.  Regulus regulus  (Manx Drean buigh which seems to translate as yellow,gold warbler.)

 

 

[TonyQ]

Well done with the Goldcrest- they rarely sit still!

[Kitsafari]

Woohoo on breaking that drought! is the goldcrest by any chance, moulting?

[Galana]

4 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

is the goldcrest by any chance, moulting?

It could be. I saw nothing of this plumage through the viewfinder, as it was hard enough finding the bird, but looking at it now there are distinct pink skin patches showing which reminded me of my aunt's chickens which caught some form of mite infection. I did wonder if it was a juvenile just out of the nest.

But for my tick it could have been stark naked as long as it had a gold crest.

 

Thanks @TonyQ Too true.

[Kitsafari]

48 minutes ago, Galana said:

But for my tick it could have been stark naked as long as it had a gold crest.

 

 

LOL!

[Galana]

Too keep the ball rolling as I head across England on a mission possible to add to the score and to meet some ST friends here are a couple of improvements to earlier sub quality submissions:

145 Greenshank. Last seen in Gambia but now in England at Kilnsea Wetlands.

 

235. Still not in breeding plumage but better than the last attempt in Scotland,,,,

Pied Flycatcher in full view at Spurn Head Reserve. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

 

More follows if manage to get more Wiffy access on my travels,

[Galana]

Just arrived at new Wiffy location and read with amazement that @TonyQ scored his Spotty Redshank the same day as I did.   My list is not post processed so WISIWYG. I think the numbering is OK but shout if not.

Out spotting whilst waiting for my ferry and this is what I spotted.....

335. Spotted Redshank.  Kilnsea Wetlands. N.Yorks. Wednesday 5th September. 10.20.

[Dave Williams]

I could do with one of those.... and the trip too!

[Galana]

On 9/10/2018 at 4:44 PM, Dave Williams said:

I could do with one of those.... and the trip too!

Welcome to tag along.

Everybody seems to be heading out this weekend. I am now in Germany having raced through Nederlands due to price of fuel.

3 unproductive davs on the Rhine unless you count 3000 Greylags so back to Yorkshire days.....

with two EBCs. Well one and a bit....

 

An 'xpert' was calling Mediterranean Gulls among about 200 Black-headed so I thought why not?

I homed in on one likely suspect from precise directions..

This is the result.

336. Mediterranean Gull. He says. Kilnsea wetlands. N,Yorks.

 

Then I espied a much sought after target at some distance with a convenient screening hedge row alongside. So I chanced a stalk knowing the bugger would be off like a shot before I got there.

 

Does this count as an EBC classic?

 Or maybe with a little less screenery, that's a new word, you will accept this?

 

Lovely sharp claws indeed.

337. Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Kilnsea Wetlands. One of my 'problem birds'.

 

 

Edited September 11, 2018 by Galana