The Deskbound Birder: Mongolia - 20th May (Day 13) - Hustai National Park to Terelj National park

Saturday, 20 May 2017

Mongolia - 20th May (Day 13) - Hustai National Park to Terelj National park

We awoke at the research station at Hustai National Park to a strange light, much to our surprise there had been overnight snow fall and the snow was still falling. Chough were calling around the accommodation and the outside toilet facilities were snow filled and not functional. Barry, Richard and I headed out into the snow to look for birds – the Chough dug in the snow for sustenance and the Tree Sparrows scrapped around under the buildings. I wandered up a steep valley opposite the accommodation while Richard and Barry walked along the valley leading from the accommodation. I was stunned by the number of birds I encountered, the snow had clearly resulted in a fall. In the first bush I came to there were six Siberian Rubythroat, then four Eye-browed Thrush, a Cuckoo and a Hobby in the snow, Arctic Warbler, Pallas’s Warbler, Brown Shrike, Little Bunting and Black-faced Bunting – all sheltering in scraps of vegetation. After a quick coffee back at the accommodation, I joined Barry and we walked up the valley that ran away from the accommodation and that he had birded earlier, we added more species to the list, Common Redstart, Daurian Redstart, White’s Thrush, a male Siberian Blue Robin, Meadow Bunting, Dusky Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaff, Taiga Flycatcher and best of all, a stunning male Yellow-breasted Bunting. The commonest birds were Arctic Warbler, Taiga Flycatcher and Siberian Rubythroat with 10’s of each species in the small area that we had birded, the bushes were hoping with birds – this was perhaps the most exciting birding that Barry and I had experienced and at 10:00 we were very reluctant to leave.

A bed at last - Hustai National Park

View from our window

The view that awaited us - Hustai National Park

I birded the small valley that runs away from the toilet block - Hustai National Park

Our accomodation- Hustai National Park

The morning washing facilities - Hustai National Park

Hustai National Park

This valley was alive with birds after the snow fall - Hustai National Park

Chough foraging in the snow - Hustai National Park

Chough in our bathroom - Hustai National Park

Chough - Hustai National Park

Eurasian Cuckoo - Hustai National Park

Siberian Rubythroat - Hustai National Park

Breakfast - Hustai National Park

Yellow-breasted Bunting - Hustai National Park

Barry - Hustai National Park

Arctic Warbler - Hustai National Park

Taiga Flycatcher - Hustai National Park

Arctic Warbler - Hustai National Park

Daurian Redstart - Hustai National Park

Hobby - Hustai National Park

Brown Shrike - Hustai National Park

Daurian Redstart - Hustai National Park

Taiga Flycatcher - Hustai National Park

Hustai National Park

Barry - Hustai National Park

Taiga Flycatcher - Hustai National Park

Arctic Warbler - Hustai National Park

Black-eared Kite - Hustai National Park

Arctic Warbler - Hustai National Park

Pallas's Warbler - Hustai National Park

Eye-browed Thrush - Hustai National Park

Heading back through the park towards the park gate we dropped below the snow line, a few stops to bird scrub patches produced further migrants, another Eye-browed Thrush, White’s Thrush, 15 Meadow Bunting, Wryneck and more Siberian Rubythroat, Arctic Warbler, Little Bunting and Taiga Flycatcher. We stopped for a small group of Przewalski's Horse, while meant to be the stars of the site, were pretty dull in comparison to the bird activity despite their rarity. At the park gate a Siberian Rubythroat foraged amongst the litter while an Asian Brown Flycatcher was new for the trip.

Hustai National Park

Meadow Bunting - Hustai National Park

Eye-browed Thrush - Hustai National Park

Taiga Flycatcher - Hustai National Park

Mongolian Marmot - Hustai National Park

Przewalski's Horse - Hustai National Park

Hustai National Park

Asian Brown Flycatcher - Hustai National Park

Tree Sparrow - Hustai National Park

Lesser Kestrel - Hustai National Park

Heading out of the park and back through Ulaanbataar a surprise stop at a Korean restaurant for lunch produced an absolute taste sensation after the last few days cooking which, while tasty and miraculously conjured in the back of the support vehicle, lacked spice and variety. Meanwhile Richard birded the riverine scrub seeing more migrants and a rather gripping Azure Tit.

White Wagtail of subspecies baicalensis - Ulaanbataar

Suburbs of Ulaanbataar

After Ulaanbataar we headed to Terelj National Park enjoying the spectacular scenery in an area which was clearly popular as weekend retreat for Ulan's population. Stopping at a small area of Oak dominated woodland we saw Pine Bunting and Hawfinch before heading on to our hotel. In the car park of the hotel we were attracted to the garbage dump where Daurian Jackdaw, Brown Shrike, Common Rosefinch, Siberian Rubythroat, Brown Shrike and a single Dusky Thrush entertained us. The Ulaanbaatar Hotel 2 was quite a welcome site, we knew that beds and showers awaited us, but this was clearly quite a tired hotel with rather crumbling facade and austere staff. We checked into its rather frigid rooms and were quite pleased to head into the nearby forest. Walking across the bridge from the hotel we had superb views of Goosander and in the forest enjoyed great views of Eurasian Nuthatch of the pallid race baicalensis. A small damp area produced around 20 Siberian Rubythroat and a pair of Siberian Blue Robin, the male of which showed particularly well but there was no hoped for White-backed Woodpecker. A bland dinner at the hotel was followed by a much needed sleep in a bed.