On Thursday, 3rd of August 2003, 3 of
us undertook a trip to Sara-i-Alamgir, a town
about 15 kms from Jhelum city. The trip was intended to be a 5 hour
trip, about 4 and a half hours of traveling and half an hour of stay.
The journey began from Rawalpindi city, with the common but yet special
and near-endemic Brown Rock Chats singing from our roof top. Inevitably,
it was to be the 1st bird on our list.
We set out on a Corolla at about 5:30 in the morning, going to Jhelum on
the Grand
Trunk Road. The journey from Rawalpindi to Jhelum on the Grand Trunk
Road is a very beautiful experience, as on the whole way you get to see
the magnificence and beauty of the Potohar Plateau.
Being Monsoon season nowadays, the hills of the Potohar Plateau were
green as ever. The weather was also cloudy. So not many species were
seen on the way to Jhelum. However after taking the turn to Pir Khana
from Jaggu Headworks, birds started to become ever the more visible.
First came the singular Brahminy Starlings at many sites, presently
common but previously rare according to Tom Roberts's book "Birds of
Pakistan". Next came the very surprise, which was most welcome. It was a
flock of 6-10 Asian Pied Starlings near Dandi Dara. The birds were a
delight to see, and certainly are the highlight of the trip.
Other species that were seen include the Ashy Prinia, Rufous-fronted
Prinia etc. However at the place where we intended and subsequently had
to stay for half an hour, there was rain, so no new birds could be seen.
Because of the cloudy weather, we saw no Black Francolins in this trip.
However, the journey back to Rawalpindi brought with it Shikras,
Egyptian Vultures, and Grey Francolins. Finally, the birding came to an
end at about 10:45 in the morning with a list of 51 bird species seen or
heard.
Because we did not have a 4x4 vehicle, we could not enter into more
rugged terrain
off the road. Had we been able to do so, I am sure I could have added
the Ruddy Crake, Black Francolin, Painted Sandgrouse, Small Button-quail
and Black-breasted Weaver to the list.
Below is a compiled list of the
species that were seen:
1.Black-crowned Night Heron
2.Indian Pond Heron
3.Cattle Egret
4.Little Egret
5.Crested Honey Buzzard
6.Black-shouldered Kite
7.Black Kite
8.Egyptian Vulture
9.Shikra
10.Common Kestrel
11.Grey Francolin
12.Red-wattled Lapwing
13.Rock Pigeon
14.Eurasian Collared Dove
15.Laughing Dove
16.Rose ringed Parakeet
17.Pied Cuckoo
18.Asian Koel
19.Greater Coucal
20.House Swift
21.White throated Kingfisher
22.Green Bee-eater
23.Indian Roller
24.European Roller
25.Common Hoopoe
26.Crested Lark
27.Barn Swallow
28.White Wagtail
29.White-eared Bulbul
30.Red-vented Bulbul
31.Black Redstart
32.Brown Rock Chat
33.Pied Bush Chat
34.Indian Robin
35.Plain Prinia
36.Rufous-fronted Prinia
37.Ashy Prinia
38.Common Babbler
39.Striated babbler
40.Jungle Babbler
41.Bay-backed Shrike
42.Long-tailed Shrike
43.Black Drongo
44.House Crow
45.Brahminy Starling
46.Asian Pied Starling
47.Rosy Starling
48.Common Myna
49.Bank Myna
50.House Sparrow
51.Baya Weaver
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