This is the report of a nature trip through Mongolia performed by Theo Bakker, Hans Glorie, Fred Koning and Piet Veel (all dutch) from the 28th of may till the 21th of june 2004. This trip roughly falls apart in three items: first a 16 day west- and southward loop to the Gobi, ending in Dalanzadgad (flying back to Ulaan Baatar), then a three day visit to the Hustai NP (SW of UB), followed by a three day visit to Jalman Meadows and Terelj (NE of UB).
Logistics
We flew from Amsterdam through Moscow to UB with Aeroflot, € 580 return flight.
Because of the absence of roads, apart from some stretches around UB, travelling must be performed with 4WD-vehicles, preferably the common WAZ-types from Russia which are sturdy and can be repaired everywhere. There is a spot market for this, but especially if you’re limited in time and/or have specific wishes regarding your destinies it’s preferably to arrange matters beforehand.
There’s a score of travel businesses, also offering complete bird- or nature trips. We decided to compose our own trip with the effective help of Jan Wigsten from Nomadic Journeys (Jan Wigsten; mobile 99747060, P.O.Box 479, Ulaanbataar 13. Fax + 976-11-321489. E-mail: infomongolia@nomadicjourneys.com. Internet: www.nomadicjourneys.com)
The 16-day-trip to the Gobi was carried out with a 4 WD WAZ -Van with Suren as driver and Ganchimeg (“Gana” in short) as cook/interpreter/guide. To bring a cook on this trips where goods are often bought from the local people and everything has to be prepared on wood and/or dunge-stoves is very time-efficient. We did not hire a specific bird-guide, as groups may wish to do if you want to get the maximum out of a trip. We were content with what we could discover with our own wits, while Gana knew the sites to visit.
The flight Dalanzadgad – UB costed 85 $ pp one way.
For the visit to Hustai NP we used the offer of the NP-organization. Transfer UB – Hustai NP one way was 50 $ for the group. Staying in there camps costed 35 $ pppn, including all meals. For excursions by jeep they charge about 0.30 $ per km. Contacts: directors Sugeh and his wife Amra; through macne@magicnet.mn .
Jan Wigsten (Nomadic Journeys) again supplied us with the logistics to visit Jalman Meadows and Terelj. One-way-transfer was 70 $ for the group one way by jeep with driver Hasan, staying in the ger camp over there was 30$ pppn (all meals included).
The nights in UB we stayed either in Nassan’s Guest House (4 $ pppn) or One World Guest House (5 $ pppn, Hatnaa: mob. ph. 99194664) in youth hostel like environment, simple but good.
Itinerary
28th May
At 13.15 h. we fly from Amsterdam with Aeroflot (SU 2230) to Moscow; after a delay of about 5 hours we fly on to Ulaan Baatar (SU 563), where we arrive on the ….
29th May
at about 13.00 h. We meet our guide Gana and transfer to the office of Nomadic Journeys. We discuss the programme for the coming days. City sightseeing etc. We see our first Daurian Redstarts, Choughs, Black-eared Kites and Pacific Swifts.
30th May
At about 10.00 h. we travel westwards in a 4WD-Van with Suren and Gana. On the way we see the birds that are common to the steppe zone: Upland Buzzard, Demoiselle Crane, Isabelline Wheatear, Shore Lark, Mongolian Lark. Also we see Saker, Isabelline Shrike, Asian Short-toed Lark and the mammals Daurian Pika and Bobak Marmot. Via Lund we drive to Bayan Nuur (‘Rich Lake”) where we camp. Our first encounters with Oriental Marsh Harrier, Spotted Crake, Marsh Sandpiper, White-winged BlackTern, Red-crested Pochard and Oriental Reed Warbler.
31th May
The morning walk along the lake shore brings Swan Goose, Asiatic Golden Plover, Darksided Flycatcher, Richard’s Pipit and Pallas’ Reed Bunting. We travel through the village of Daschilen to Gond Nuur (“Swan Lake”), where we encounter Blackthroated Diver, White-winged Scooter, Spoonbill, Cattle Egret and Chinese Penduline Tit. In the afternoon we explore the sand-dune system south of the lake (Amur Falcon, Radde’s Warbler, Grey Heron colony).
1st June
From Gond Lake we go to Karakoram to visit the ancient, partly ruined, partly alive impressive templecomplex of Erdene Zu. During the day we meet Imperial Eagle, Himalayan Griffon, Pied Wheatear, Mongolian Pipit, Daurian Jackdaw and the blackbilled subspecies “longipennis” of the Common Tern. The late afternoon finds us in a district center Arvakheer, where we shop. We head on and camp in a valley some 40 km SW of Arvakheer, which we call Swinhoe Snipe Camp….
2nd June
because that’s the bird that treats us in the morning (amongst Citrine Wagtails and Black-bellied Sandgrouse). Locals call this place Burt, we find out later. Through a diverse landscape of grass valleys and rocky outcrops (Golden Eagle, Rock Sparrow, Brown Accentor, Small Snowfinch, Mongolian Trumpeter Finch) we travel to the town of Bayankhongor. We camp some 50 km south of this place on a windy saddle in Camp Leschenaulti (named after the Greater Sand Plovers foraging there).
3rd June
We travel through broad grassy plains (lots of Pallas Sandgrouse and raptors, also Desert Wheatear and Desert Little White-throat) through the town of Baatsagaan to Boontsagaan Nuur, a big lake of which only a part can be seen from the eastern shore. Here we camp where the Baidrag river empties itself in the lake. We share this magnificent campsite with Pallas’ Sea-eagle, Pallas’ Gull. Gull-billed & Caspian Terns, Great White Egret and Night Herons).
4th June
We stay this day at the lake, exploring on foot its shores and the surrounding steppe. Among the thousands of birds it brings us some for this trip new species like Mute Swan, Mongolian Plover, Little Stint, Turnstone, Black-faced Bunting. We wash ourselves and our clothes in the clear fresh water.
5th June
We explore the “satellite lakes” SE of Boontsagaan Nuur, with more waders and wildfowl. For provisions Gana buys a quarter sheep from locals in Baatsagaan and we travel through grassy plains (Steppe Eagle) to Oroog Nuur. We camp on its northern shore.
6th June
After a 6 km walk along the northern shore (Red Phalarope) we visit the southern part where we discover a large colony of Caspian and Gull-billed (and other) Terns. Here we also see three Relict Gulls. After the release of our mudstuck car with the help of sheperds we travel on to the Ikhd Bogd Uul Mountains. Here we climb with the local guide Torgsurin to find the Altai Snowcock (successfully). Also we see White-winged Snowfinch, Grey-necked Bunting and our first Korzac Foxes.
The place where we strike down that night we name camp Gobi-view, because south of these mountains we see the great dry open spaces of the Gobi.
7th June
In the morning we visit the small center of Bayanlig; the rest of the day we travel through open desert lands eastwards. On the way we encounter Zeer (Mongolian Gazelle), Chinese Grey Shrike, Brown Shrike and Henderson’s (or Mongolian) Ground Jay, after which bird we name our sleeping place Camp Henderson. We’re now in the most western part of Gurvan Saikhan Gobi NP (Three beauties of the Gobi).
8th June
This day we travel further north eastwards (Black-tailed Gazelle, Long-tailed Souslik); we fail to find Ulaan Nuur of which we already heard from nomads that it has dried up this summer. We turn to the south and camp in the Saxaul Forest near Bayanzag (the place of the dinosaur excavations). Of course there are Saxaul Sparrows and also Tolai Hares. Saxaul (Haloxylon ammodendron) is a “leafless” woody shrub which is typical of semi-desert habitats in Central Asia.
9th June
After visiting the “flaming rocks” of Bayanzag we head for the small town of Bulgan. From there enter the Gurvan Saykhan NP again to visit the Yolyn Am Canyon, where we camp. This place is very rich in mammals, like Ibex, Argali sheep, Mountain Pika and several smaller rodents) and birds of prey (a.o. Lammergeier).
10th June
The whole day we spend to explore various parts of the Yolyn Am Canyon. The highlights are the Wallcreepers and Koslow’s Accentor, but we also see Rock Martin, Beautiful Rosefinch, Water Pipit, Twite and Alpine Accentor.
11th June
After a last tour of Yolyn Am (nesting Eagle Owl, also Long-eared Owl. Egyptian Vulture, Barred Warbler) we go to Dalanzadgad, where we hire a few gers (= the typical round tents, the nomads use). And we use the local bathhouse.
12th June
In the morning we fly from Dalanzadgad to Ulaan Baatar. Drop in at Nomadic Journeys to discuss the details of the days to come and do some walking and shopping in the town.
13th June
A car brings us from UB to Hustai NP (also called Khulstayn Uul Nature Reserve), about two hour driving southwest. We stay here in the ger camp and go out in the afternoon in a jeep with Sugeh. This way we see the first herd of Takhi (Przewalski horse).
14th June
This day we walk from Ger Camp to Moilt Camp, a camp with cabins in the western part of the park. The trail goes over the mountains through woods and it takes us all day to get to the camp, also because we get lost. Beside several Takhi and Red Deer, we encounter Hobby, Willow Ptarmigan, Oriental Cuckoo, Meadow Bunting, Siberian Rubythroat and Thick-billed Warbler.
15th June
From Moilt Camp we follow the small river valley south to the Tuul River. This takes us all day. Many Steppe Eagles, Golden Eagles, Himalayan Griffons and Black Vultures along the way. At the riverside we are collected by an in advance ordered jeep from the national park and brought back to the ger camp. We see a small colony of Red-footed Falcons and two herds of Thaki during the ride.
16th June
In the morning we travel from Hustai NP to UB. In the afternoon we travel by jeep with driver Hasan to Jalman Meadows, three hours driving northeast of UB, where we stay in a ger camp of Nomadic Journeys.
This is “Siberian” Mongolia. Rivers, woods, taiga-like environment. New species are familiar palearctic birds like Goosander, Common Buzzard, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Willow Tit, Marsh Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Starling.
17th June
Jalman Meadows. This day we use to explore the riverine forest downstream of the camp. This turns out to be very rich in birdlife: Black Stork, Greater Spotted Eagle, Goshawk, Black Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Three-toed Woodpecker, Wryneck, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Dusky Warbler, White-cheeked Starling, Long-tailed Rosefinch, Yellow-breasted Bunting,
18th June
In the morning we walk up the side valley above the ger camp; we meet a.o. Japanese Quail, Pintail Snipe, Arctic Warbler and Pine Bunting. Also some new mammals like Musk Deer and Siberian Ground Squirrel. In the late morning we leave Jalman for Terelj, following the Tuul River downstream for a couple of hours. At Terelj we camp in the woods south of the village.
19th June
In the morning wolves are howling close to the tents, of course we don’t see them. After coffee we break up for UB where arrive around lunchtime. The rest of the day is for shopping.
20th June
We get up quite early to catch the morning flight to Moscow (SU 564); badly enough Aeroflot has skipped the evening flight to A’dam (we knew this when leaving Holland) so we have to stay in a “transit hotel”. This eventually turns out to be the tenth floor of the hotel Soyuz in the city, with a guard at the elevator doors (having no visas, we have to stay indoors). Luckily there’s a bar & restaurant on the floor.
21st June
The morning flight Moscow – Amsterdam (SU 2229) brings us home after a splendid trip.
Description of some areas
Bayan Nuur (= Rich lake)
Three hours west of UB, this is a complex of lakes with reed beds. Rich in waders and waterfowl.
Gond Nuur (= Swan lake)
A rather small lake among meadows, about 5 hours SW of UB (if you take the road, which we did not). It’s bordered on the south side by an extensive sand dune system.
Hustai NP
Is the national park where the Thaki or Przewlaski horse is re-introduced some years ago. Also known as Khulstayn Uul Nature Reserve. The surface is about 500 km2. The park is situated 100 km SW of Ulaan Baatar and can be reached by road in about two hours.
The staff runs several camps (see the chapter on logistics for prices) and can provide you with transport and excursions.
The landscape is grassy mountain-steppe (elevation between 1100 and 1850 m) with birch-forest on the high ridges in the NW & NE. On the south it’s bordered by the Tuul river, there are several streams running through the park. It’s very rich in rodents (voles, pika’s, marmots etc.) so it’s also rich in raptors.
Boontsagaan Nuur
This is a big lake of 240 sq.km.(you can’t see the opposite shore from our campsite on the eastern side) in the middle of the country, near the town of Baatsagaan, several days driving south-west of UB. The elevation is 1336 m. above sea level. Some rivers flow into it; the lake has no outlet, but the water is still light brackish to fresh. The shores are very rich in birdlife. Home of Pallas’s eagle, Pallas’ and Relict Gull.
On the south eastern side there are satellite smaller lakes and lagoons between BTN and the town of Baatsagaan; these are rich in waterfowl and waders and harbour a big cormorant colony.
Oroog Nuur
This is also big lake but smaller then BTN (140 sq.km.), situated 1200 m. above sea level.
We did a census on 6 km of the appr. 78 km of lake-shore. Assuming that we can extrapolate this figures (and a view from the Ikh Bogd uul Mts gave us the idea that this is more or less the case) the number of breeding birds for the whole lake for the following species are: Kentish Plover 1300 pairs, Little Plover 125 p., Lapwing 260 p., Greater & Lesser Plover 130 p, Black-winged Stilt 105 p, Avocet 80 p. Redshank 155 p, Black-tailed Godwit 50 p.
On a peninsula in the SW-corner of the lake we found a colony around which were flying around (and also with nests but we did not make a full count of those) 500 Black-billed terns, 40 Caspian Terns, 100 Common Terns, 30 Black-headed Gulls & 3 Relict Gulls.
Ikh Bogd Uul (Big Holy Mountains)
These is the mountain range between Oroog Nuur and the Gobi, home of the Altai Snowcock. It’s not a very extensive range, the peaks reach to 3957 m
Yolyn Am (means: Valley of Lammergeiers)
This is a long and deep canyon in the Gurvansaikhan Mountains, two hours driving SW of Dalanzadgad. Its meadows are teeming with rodents and quite a lot of Ibex and Argali sheep live around the tops (2815 M), so there are also a lot of birds of prey and specially vultures.
Jalman Meadows
This is more the “Siberian” Mongolia; woods, rivers, meadows along the Tuul river, some three hours NE of UB. There is a ger-camp there run by Nomadic Journeys (see logistics). The riverine forest specially is rich in birds.
Terelj
This is closer to UB and a popular weekend and holiday resort in the wooded mountains along the Tuul river (Ghorki-Terelj Nature Reserve), about 2 hours NE of UB. There are several lodges where you can stay. This is the place where Black-billed Capercaillie breeds (which we didn’t see).
The different guides we used on our trip express different taxonomic views on the species – subspecies – issue. To keep out of this discussion we use the following notation. For instance: Milvus (migrans) linearis – Black(eared) Kite. This means that you can look at this bird as the subspecies linearis of the Black Kite – Milvus migrans (as Flint c.s does, see below under references). Or follow Mac Kinnon & Philips and name it Blackeared Kite – Milvus linearis. We leave this choice to the reader.
Abbrevations of place names:
UB = Ulaan Bataar, BN = Bayan Nuur, GN = Gond Nuur, BTN = Boontsagan Nuur, L-BTN = Lagoons east of BTN, ON = Oroog Nuur, IBU = Ikh Bogd Uu, YA = Yolyn Am canyon, H = Hustai national park, JM = Jalman meadows, Tj = Terelj. If no place name is mentioned this means that an observation is done along the road on the mentioned date, see the itinenary above.
Black-throated Diver - Gavia arctica
31/5 1 pair GN
Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus
31/5 3 GN; 4/6 17 BTN; 5/6 15 L-BTN
Great Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo
4/6 99 + 6 BTN; 5/6 6 L-BTN; 6/6 120 ON
Black-crowned Night Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax
4/6 6 BTN
Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
31/5 1 GN
Great White Egret - Egretta alba
4/6 1 BTN; 5/6 1 L-BTN; 6/6 2 ON; 15/6 1 H
Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea
30/5 several BN; 31/5 16 BN; 31/5 colony of 60 nests in trees in sanddune GN; 3/6 2; 4/6 22 + 3 BTN; 6/6 160 birds and a colony of 51 groundnests with eggs among 20 empty nests on an island in Oroog Nuur.
Black Stork - Ciconia nigra
17/6 1 JM
Eurasian Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia
1/6 1 GN; 5/6 2 L-BTN; 6/6 76 ON
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor
6/6 2 ON
Whooper Swan - Cygnus cygnus
31/5 6 BN; 31/5 2 GN; 1/6 2; 5/6 2 + 2 L-BTN; 6/6 8 ON
Greylag Goose - Anser anser
31/5 3 BN; 4/6 42 BTN; 5/6 2 + 2 pulli L-BTN; 6/6 30 ON
Bar-headed Goose - Anser indicus
31/5 BN; 31/5 2 GN; 4/6 14 BTN; 6/6 3 ON
Swan Goose - Anser cygnoides
31/5 6 BN; 4/6 96 BTN; 5/6 1 L-BTN; 6/6 8 ON
Ruddy Shelduck - Tadorna ferruginea
30/5 4; 30/5 20 BN; 31/5 59 BN; 31/5 20 GN; 1/6 2 Burt; 2/6 2; 4/6 28 BTN; 5/6 6 + 24 + 2 L-BTN; 5/6 2 ON; 6/6 22 + 3 pulli ON; 17/6 2 JM
Common Shelduck - Tadorna tadorna
30/5 10 BN; 31/5 153 BN; 4/6 30 BTN; 5/6 3 + 34 L-BTN
Eurasian Wigeon - Anas penelope
31/5 54 BN; 31/5 6 GN; 4/6 33 BTN; 5/6 2 + 1 L-BTN; 6/6 30 ON
Gadwall - Anas strepera
30/5 4 BN; 31/5 2 GN; 4/6 26 + nest 5 eggs BTN; 5/6 2 + 47 L-BTN; 6/6 ON
Common Teal - Anas crecca
30/5 2 BN; 31/5 3 BN; 31/5 8 GN; 5/6 4 L-BTN
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
30/5 2 BN; 31/5 23 BN; 31/5 10 GN; 5/6 40 + 5 L-BTN; 6/6/ 10 ON
Northern Pintail - Anas acuta
31/5 BN; 31/5 10 GN; 5/6 15 + 5 L-BTN; 6/6 6 ON
Garganey - Anas querquedula
30/5 10 BN; 31/5 80 GN; 4/6 9 BTN; 5/6 36 L-BTN; 6/6 15 ON; 7/6 2
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata
30/5 10 BN; 31/5 6 BN; 4/6 9 BTN; 5/6 4 L-BTN; 6/6 4 ON
Red-crested Pochard - Netta rufina
30/5 7 BN; 4/6 2 BTN; 5/6 64 L-BTN; 6/6 6 ON
Common Pochard - Aythya ferina
30/5 2 BN; 4/6 42 BTN; 5/6 247 + 35 + 9 L-BTN; 6/6 10 ON
Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula
30/5 4 BN; 31/5 30 GN; 5/6 35 L-BTN
Asiatic White-winged Scoter - Melanitta (fusca) stejnegeri
31/5 1 GN
Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula
31/5 4 GN; 17/6 5 JM
Goosander - Mergus merganser
17/6 2 JM
Black(eared) Kite - Milvus (migrans) linearis
Common in UB and surroundings. In the rest of the country seen every day in small numbers.
Pallas's Eagle - Haliaeetus leucoyphus
4/6 2 + old nest BTN; 5/6 1 L-BTN
Lammergeier - Gypaetus barbatus
9/6 2 YA; 10/6 5 YA; 15/6 1 H
Egyptian Vulture - Neophron percnopterus
11/6 1 YA
Himalayan Griffon Vulture - Gyps himalayensis
31/5 10; 1/6 1; 2/6 4; 8/6 11; 9/6 8 YA; 10/6 40 YA; 15/6 5 H; 15/6 8 H
Black Vulture - Aegypius monachus
30/5 1 UB; 30/5 2; 31/5 4; 1/6 1; 5/6 13 + 8 L-BTN; 5/6 2; 7/6 4; 9/6 1; 14/6 3 H; 16/6 2
Eastern (Marsh) Harrier – Circus (aeruginosus) spilonotus
30/5 ca. 10 BN
Northern Goshawk - Accipiter gentilis
17/6 1 YM
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus
30/5 1 UB; 18/6 1 YA
Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo japonensis
18/6 3 JM; 19/6 1 Tj
Upland Buzzard - Buteo hemilasius
30/5 10 + nest 2 pulli; 31/5 nest 3 pulli; 31/5 2 GN; 1/6 10 + nest; 2/6 4 + 2 nest 4 pulli + 1 nest 3 pulli; 3/6 6; 5/6 1; 7/6 1; 8/6 1; 9/6 2 YA; 15/6 3 H; 16/6 6
Greater Spotted Eagle - Aquila clanga
17/6 3 JM; 18/6 1 JM
Steppe Eagle – Aquila nipalensis
5/6 1; 14/6 1 H; 15/6 8 H; 16/6 1
Imperial Eagle - Aquila heliaca
31/5 2 Zanskar; 1/6 1
Golden Eagle -Aquila chrysaetos
2/6 1; 10/6 2 YA; 14/6 3 H; 15/6 2 H
Common Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus
30/5 1; 31/5 1; 2/6 1; 3/6 2; 5/6 1; 6/6 1 ON; 9/6 1 YA; 10/6 6 YA; 11/6 1 H; 18/6 1 JM
Red-footed Falcon - Falco vespertinus
15/6 5 in small colony H
Eastern Red-footed Falcon - Falco amurensis
31/5 2 GN
Eurasian Hobby - Falco subbuteo
14/6 5 H; 15/6 4 H
Saker Falcon - Falco cherrug
30/5 1; 31/5 2; 1/6 1 + nest; 2/6 2 + nest; 7/6 1; 8/6 1 + 1; 9/6 2 YA; 10/6 1 YA; 11/6 1 + nest 3 pulli YA; 17/6 2 JM; 18/6 1 JM
Willow Grouse - Lagopus lagopus
14/6 1 H
Altai Snowcock - Tetraogallus altaicus
6/6 2 Ikh Bogd Uul
Common Quail – Coturnix coturnix
18/6 1 JM
Japanese Quail - Coturnix japonicus
17/6 1 JM
Water Rail - Rallus aquaticus
30/5 2 BN
Spotted Crake - Porzana porzana
Heard 30/5 BN
Common Coot –Fulica atra
30/5 4 BN; 31/5 60 GN; 5/6 7 L-BTN
Common Crane - Grus grus
30/5 20 BN ; 31/5 32 + 35 BN
Demoiselle Crane - Anthropoides virgo
Common in the steppe zone; seen everyday. Several nests found, all with two eggs. Apart from this a flock of 260 on 1/6 near Erdene Zu.
Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus
30/5 1 BN; 4/6 1 BTN; 5/6 1 L-BTN
Pied Avocet - Recurvirostra avosetta
31/5 159 BN; 1/6 2 GN; 4/6 45 BTN; 5/6 2 + 7 + 98 + 4 L-BTN; 6/6 40 ON
Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius
31/5 2 GN; 2/6 2; 4/6 4 BTN; 6/6 10 ON; 17/6 1 JM
Kentish Plover - Charadrius alexandrinus
4/6 15 BTN; 4/6 51 + 1 L-BTN; 5/6 2; 6/6 53 ON
Greater Sand Plover - Charadrius leschenaultii
2/6 2m + 1f; 3/6 1 BTN
Lesser Sand Plover - Charadrius mongolus
4/6 14 + 1 BTN; 5/6 8; 6/6 5 ON
Pacific Golden Plover - Pluvialis fulva
30/5 5 BN; 31/5 5 BN
Grey Plover – Pluvialis squatorola
30/5 12 BN
Northern Lapwing - Vanellus vanellus
30/5 55 BN; 31/5 50 BN; 31/5 common GN; 4/6 100 BTN; 5/6 1 + 2 L-BTN
Dunlin – Calidris alpina
31/5 100 BN
Little Stint - Calidris minuta
4/6 4 + 7 BTN
Temminck's Stint - Calidris temminckii
31/5 1 BN
Curlew Sandpiper - Calidris ferruginea
31/5 8 BN
Pintail Snipe - Gallinago stenura
18/6 1 JM
Swinhoe's Snipe - Gallinago megala
1/6 1 Burt
Black-tailed Godwit - Limosa limosa
31/5 4 BN; 6/6 12 ON
Common Redshank - Tringa totanus
30/5 1 BN; 31/5 GN; 1/6 1 Burt. 4/6 30 BTN; 6/6 24 ON
Marsh Sandpiper - Tringa stagnatilis
30/5 10 BN; 4/6 2 BTN
Wood Sandpiper – Tringa glareola
31/5 2 BN
Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos
30/5 1 BN; 16/6 1 JM; 17/6 3 JM
Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres
31/5 6 BN; 4/6 18 BTN
Red-necked Palarope – Phalaropus lobatus
6/6 1 ON
Great Black-headed Gull - Larus ichthyaetus
4/6 1 + 8 BTN
Relict Gull - Larus relictus
6/6 1 + 3 ON
Black-headed Gull - Larus ridibundus
31/5 14 BN; 5/6 24 + 2 + nest L-BTN; 6/6 30 ON
Common Gull - Larus canus
31/5 BN; 4/6 8 + 1 BTN
Mongolian (Yellow-legged) Gull - Larus (cachinnans) mongolicus
31/5 1150 BN; 4/6 21 + 100 BTN; 6/6 several ON; 15/6 1 H
Gull-billed Tern - Gelochelidon nilotica
4/6 16 + 20 BTN; 6/6 500 with nests in a large colony ON
Caspian Tern - Sterna caspia
4/6 5 + 17 BTN; 5/6 10 + 9 L-BTN; 6/6 40 with nests in a colony ON
Common Tern - Sterna hirundo
1/6 2 GN; 1/6 2 subspecies ”longipennis”; 4/6 59 BTN; 5/6 73 + 99 L-BTN; 6/6 100 with nests in colony ON
White-winged Black Tern - Chlidonias leucopterus
30/5 10 BN; 31/5 52 BN; 31/5 50 GN; 5/6 40 L-BTN
Black Tern – Chlidonias chlidonias
31/5 several BN; 31/5 several GN; 4/6 1 + 3 BTN; 5/6 2 L-BTN
Pallas' Sandgrouse - Syrrhaptes paradoxus
3/6 215; 4/6 33 BTN; 5/6 3 + 4 L-BTN; 5/6 65; 6/6 100 On; 7/6 3 + 18; 8/6 210 + 100; 9/6 >100.
Black-bellied Sandgrouse – Pterocles orientalis
2/6 2 Burt, 3/6 7; 8/6 1
Rock Dove - Columba livia
7/6
Hill Pigeon - Columba rupestris
9/6 2; 16/6 JM
Eurasian Collared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
9/6
Oriental Turtle Dove - Streptopelia orientalis
31/5 2 GN
Laughing Dove - Streptopelia senegalensis
5/6 2; 6/6 1 IBU
Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus
31/5 2 GN; 6/6 1 IBU; 9/6 1; 9/6 1 YA; 10/6 5 YA; 14/6 H; 16/6 JM
Oriental Cuckoo - Cuculus saturatus
14/6 H; 15/6 1 H; 17/6 JM; 18/6 Tj
Eurasian Eagle Owl - Bubo bubo
11/6; 1 on nest YA
Little Owl - Athene noctua
6/6 1 ON
Long-eared Owl - Asio otus
11/6 1 YA
Common Swift - Apus apus
4/6 5 BTN; 5/6 2 L-BTN; 8/6 small flock; 10/6 several YA
Pacific Swift - Apus pacificus
29/5 common UB; 1/6 common GN; 2/6; 6/6 IBU; 10/6 YA
Hoopoe - Upupa epops
31/5 1 Daschilen; 31/5 2 GN; 2/6 1; 3/6 1; 5/6 1; 6/6 6 ON; 6/6 1 IBU; 9/6 1 + 1; 14/6 1 H; 15/6 3 H; 16/6 JM; 17/6 JM
Eurasian Wryneck - Jynx torquilla
17/6 1 JM; 18/6 1 JM
Grey-headed Woodpecker - Picus canus
16/6 1 JM
Black Woodpecker - Dryocopus martius
17/6 1 JM
Great Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos major
18/6 1 + nest JM
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos minor
17/6 3 JM
Three-toed Woodpecker - Picoides tridactylus
17/6 1 JM
Mongolian Lark - Melanocorypha mongolica
Rather common in the steppe zone; seen every day on 30/5 – 3/6. 15/6 3 H; 16/6 H.
Asian Short-toed Lark - Calandrella cheleensis
Several times seen on 30/5, 7/6, 8/6 and 15/6
Crested Lark - Galerida cristata
2/6 2.
Skylark - Alauda arvensis
Seen on 30/5; 4/6 BTN; 15/6 H
Horned Lark - Eremorphila alpestris
One of the most common birds in Mongolia; present in allmost every dry habitat; seen every day.
Sand Martin - Riparia riparia
31/5 3 BN; 1/6 2; 2/6; 5/6 2
Eurasian Crag Martin - Ptyonoprogne rupestris
10/6 ca. 10 YA
House Martin – Delichon urbica
30/5; 2/6 5; 10/6 1 YA; 18/6 JM; 19/6 Tj
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
Seen on 30/5; 1/6; 3/6 2; 5/6; 13/6 H
Blyth's Pipit - Anthus godlewskii
1/6 may Burt; 3/6; 10/6 2 YA; 14/6 H
Tree Pipit – Anthus trivialis
14/6 1 YA
Olive-backed Pipit - Anthus hodgsoni
14/6 1 H; 17/6 1 JM; 18/6 pair + nest Tj
Water Pipit - Anthus spinoletta
10/6 several YA
Richard’s Pipit – Anthus ricardi
31/5 BN; 19/6 Tj
Red-throated Pipit – Anthus cervinus
4/6 1 BTN
Yellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava
30/5 2 BN; 31/5 1 GN
Citrine Wagtail - Motacilla citreola
1/6 6 Burt; 4/6 15 BTN; 16/6 JM; 17/6 1 + nest; 19/6 Tj
Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea
30/5 1 UB; 18/6 1 JM
Pied Wagtail - Motacilla alba
1/6 GN; 3/6 1; 14/6 1 + nest H; 19/6 Tj
Alpine Accentor - Prunella collaris
10/6 1 YA
Brown Accentor - Prunella fulvescens
2/6; 9/6 YA; 10/6 YA
Koslow's Accentor - Prunella koslowi
9/6 1 YA
Siberian Rubythroat - Luscinia calliope
14/6 2 H
Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros
6/6 1 subsp. phoenicuroides IBU; 10/6 2 YA
Common Redstart – Phoenicurus phoenicurus
18/6 1 Tj
Daurian Redstart - Phoenicurus auroreus
30/5 2 UB; 14/6 6 H; 17/6 2 JM
Common Stonechat - Saxicola torquata
14/6 1 H; 18/6 2 JM
Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe
30/5 1; 2/6 3; 6/6 1; 10/6 YA; 15/6 2 H; 18/6 2 JM; 19/6 1 Tj
Isabelline Wheatear - Oenanthe isabellina
One of the most common birds in Mongolia; present in allmost every dry habitat; except for the desertzone.
Pied Wheatear - Oenanthe pleschanka
31/5 1; 6/6 IBU; 8/6; 14/6 H
Desert Wheatear - Oenanthe deserti
3/6 3; 5/6 3; 7/6; 8/6; 9/6
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush - Monticola saxatilis
31/5 2; 6/6/ IBU; 11/6 YA; 14/6 1 H
Oriental Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus orientalis
30/5 4 singing BN; 31/5 1 singing GN
Thick-billed Warbler - Acrocephalus aedon
14/6 1 singing H; 18/6 2 JM
Desert Warbler - Sylvia nana
8/6 1
Barred Warbler - Sylvia nisoria
9/6 1; 11/6 4 pairs YA
(Desert) Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia (curruca) minula
3/6 1; 7/6 1
Common Whitethroat - Sylvia communis
10/6 1 YA; 14/6 2 H; 15/6 1 H; 18/6 JM
Arctic Warbler - Phylloscopus borealis
17/6 several singing JM; 18/6 idem.
Dusky Warbler - Phylloscopus fuscatus
17/6 several singing JM; 18/6 idem.
Yellow-browed Warbler – Phylloscopus inornatus
18/6 several singing Tj
Humes Yellow-browed Warbler – Phylloscopus humei
18/6 1 singing Tj
Dark-sided Flycatcher - Muscicapa sibirica
31/5 1 BN
Spotted Flycatcher - Muscicapa striata
17/6 JM
Red-breasted Flycatcher - Ficedula parva
17/6 JM
Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalos caudatus
17/6 JM
Marsh Tit - Parus palustris
16/6 JM; 18/6 JM
Willow Tit - Parus montanus
17/6 JM; 18/6 JM
Great Tit - Parus major
17/6 1 JM; 18/6 1 JM
Wallcreeper - Tichodroma muraria
10/6 6 YA
(Chinese) Penduline Tit - Remiz (pendulinus) consobrinus
31/5 2 +nest GN
Isabelline Shrike - Lanius isabellinus
30/5 1; 31/5 1; 1/6 1; 5/6 1; 11/6 1 YA; 18/6 1 JM
Brown Shrike - Lanius cristatus
7/6 1; 8/6 2 + 4; 9/6 1
Chinese Grey Shrike - Lanius sphenocercus
7/6 2; 8/6 1; 9/6 1
Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius
19/6 Tj
Henderson's Ground Jay - Podoces hendersoni
7/6 2 Gobi Gurvhan Saikhan
Black-billed Magpie - Pica pica
29/5 & 16/6 common UB; 31/5 GN; 1/6; 2/6; 11/6 H; 14/6 1 H; 15/6 H; 17/6 JM
Red-billed Chough - Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
29/5 & 16/6 common UB; 31/5 GN; 1/6; 2/6; 6/6; 10/6 5 YA; 13/6 H; 15/6 28 H;
16/6 JM; 18/6 1 JM; 19/6 Tj
Eurasian Jackdaw - Corvus monedula
30/5 & 16/6 100’s UB; 31/5 GN; 1/6 2; 18/6 common JM; 19/6 Tj
Daurian Jackdaw - Corvus dauricus
1/6 4; 16/6 2 UB; 16/6 100 JM; 17/6 10’s JM; 18/6 several JM
Rook - Corvus frugilegus
30/5
Carrion Crow - Corvus corone
1/6 GN; 14/6 2 H; 15/6 5 H; 17/6 & 18/6 several JM
Common Raven - Corvus corax
Widespread in all ecological zones of Mongolia but never in big numbers; seen every day.
Common Starling - Sturnus vulgaris
16/6 several JM
White-cheeked Starling - Sturnus cineraceus
17/6 small colony JM; 18/6 3 JM
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus
29/5 common UB; 9/6; 13/6 H
Eurasian Tree Sparrow - Passer montanus
30/5 several UB; 31/5 GN; 1/6; 5/6; 6/6 2 ON; 9/6; 13, 14 & 15/6 common H;
Saxaul Sparrow - Passer ammodendri
8/6 2 + nest; 9/6 2 + juv. Saxaul Forest
Rock Sparrow - Petronia petronia
2/6 2; 6/6 2 IBU; 7/6 2 + nest
White-winged Snowfinch - Montifringilla nivalis
6/6 2 IBU; 9/6 YA; 10/6 YA
Père David's or Small Snowfinch – Montifringilla (or Pyrgilauda) davidiana
2/6 2 Burt
Common Linnet - Carduelis cannabina
10/6 2 YA
Twite - Carduelis flavirostris
10/6 15 YA; 14/6 H
Common Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus
1/6 2
Beautiful Rosefinch - Carpodacus pulcherrimus
10/6 2 YA
Long-tailed Rosefinch - Uragus sibiricus
17/6 1 JM
Mongolian (Trumpetter) Finch – Bucanetes mongolicus
2/6; 9/6 YA
Black-faced Bunting - Emberiza spodocephala
4/6 1 BTN
Yellow-breasted Bunting - Emberiza aureola
17/6 2 JM; 18/6 JM
Pine Bunting - Emberiza leucocephalos
17/6 JM; 18/6 2 JM
Grey-necked Bunting - Emberiza buchanani
6/6 IBU; 7/6
Pallas's Reed Bunting - Emberiza pallasi
31/5 2 BN
Meadow Bunting – Emberiza cioides
14/6 2 H
Checklist of mammals
We have seen thousands of mammals; the greater part were rodents and pika’s. Most of these are difficult to identify in the field so not always we could positively bring them to species.
Daurian Hedgehog - Erinaceus dauricus
This is the hedgehog of the steppezone and the taiga (i.e. roughly the northern half of Mongolia). Seen dead on the road near Ulaan Baatar.
Long-eared Hedgehog – Erinaceus auritus
Species of the semi-desert and desert-zône. 8/6 1 dead along the track.
Daurian Pika - Ochotona daurica
This is the common pika of the steppe zone; seen every day when travelling in this zone.
Pallas’ Pika – Ochotona pallassi
This species occurs more or less south of the area inhabited by Daurian Pika in semi-desert environments. Can be recognized by its red sides. Seen several times.
Mountain Pika – Ochotona hyperborea
This pika inhabits the stony alpine environments. Seen in Ikh Bogd Uul and Yolyn Am
Tolai Hare – Lepus tolai
The hare of the semi-desert and desert-zônes . Seen on 8/6 1 and 9/6 2 Saxaul Forest.
Mountain Hare – Lepus timidus
18/6 1 JM
Siberian Ground Squirrel – Tamias sibirica
18/6 1 JM
Long-tailed souslik – Spermophilus undulates
Seen many times in the steppe and semi-desert-zône.
Siberian Marmot – Marmota sibirica
Common for instance in Hustai where we saw many of these animals.
Mongolian Gerbil – Meriones unguilatus.
This is the common gerbil of the steppe-zône. We assume most of the gerbils we saw belong to this species. There are more meriones-species and rodents like it in Mongolia but we couldn’t positively identify them.
Red Fox – Vulpes vulpes
Seen once near UB, 17/6.
Corzac Fox – Vulpes corsac
Lives in dryer habitats then the Red Fox. 6/6 2 IBU, 9/6 1 Saxaul Forest
Wolf – Canis lupus
Common in Mongolia. Several times we saw tracks we attribute to these species. On 19/6 near Terelj they were howling early morning close to our camp.
Lynx – Lynx lynx
The prints we saw at Gond Lake we attribute to these species according to their size and believing this to be too far north for Snow Leopard (occurs in the Gobi Mountains)
Takhi or Przewalski Horse – Equus przewalski
Re-introduced in two places in Mongolia of which one is Hustai NP. We saw them there on 13/6 7; 14/6 12; 15/6 40.
Red deer – Cervus elaphus
14/6 1 H
Capreolus pygargus – Siberian Roe Deer
18/6 1 JM
Musk Deer - Moschus moschiferus
18/6 2 JM
Black-tailed Gazelle - Gazella subgutturosa
8/6 3 Gurvan Saikhan Gobi; 9/6 8.
Zeer or Mongolian Gazelle – Procapra gutturosa
8/6 25
Siberian Ibex – Capra sibirica
10/6 5 YA; 11/6 3 YA
Argali sheep – Ovis ammon
10/6 2 YA