Days 1-2: The tour begins this morning in Ulaanbaatar, where we’ll be met at the airport by our translator and local guide, then drive by 4x4 directly to the edge of the Siberian taiga and our first birding stop of the tour: Jalman Meadows. This comfortable ger camp (pronounced ‘gear’, these round tents are known elsewhere as yurts) sits in a scenic valley surrounded by habitats ranging from riparian poplar forest to larch-covered hillsides, and is home to an array of species including Black Grouse (whose wonderful bubbling calls can be heard from our gers), Common and Oriental Cuckoos, Grey-headed and Black Woodpeckers, Red-flanked Bluetail, Amur Stonechat, Red-throated Thrush, White-cheeked Starling, Azure and Willow Tits, Yellow-browed, and Two-barred Warblers, the remarkable looking Long-tailed Rosefinch, Siberian Rubythroat and Black-faced Bunting. It is also home to the sought-after Black-billed Capercaillie, perhaps our primary target. 

We’ll have a second day around the ger camp, including more time looking for the Black-billed Capercaillie should we need it. With luck we may be able to find species such as Ural Owl or even Swinhoe’s Snipe. Each ger is equipped with a wood-burning stove, and should the weather turn inclement, there is always someone on hand to light it for you — even first thing in the morning. Nights at Jalman Meadows ger camp. 

Day 3: It’s a short drive to Gun Galuut Nature Preserve. Before we reach our ger camp, we’ll pass small lakes where we could find Stejneger’s Scoter, Garganey, and often a surprise or two. In 2018 we found the first Velvet Scoter for Mongolia and have also recorded both Smew and Falcated Duck. It can be a good area for waders, with Asian Dowitcher and Broad-billed Sandpiper being realistic targets among the more common Little Stint and Kentish Plover. This is an area for White-naped Cranes, sometimes to be seen with young chicks in tow. It is also a stopover for impressive flocks of Demoiselle Cranes that can fill the sky. A small area of riverside bushes by our gers is an excellent spot for migrants, and we’ll take time to investigate these. Lanceolated and Chinese Bush Warblers have been found here in the past, and Siberian House Martins nest within the ger camp. Beyond the camp, we’ll journey into the hills and around a large marsh area, checking that all the large white birds aren’t “just” Whooper Swans, as in some years Siberian Crane has been seen here. Mongolian Lark is common, and their distinctive song flight will become a regular feature of our future birding. We’ll also focus on mammals, with the main attraction being the world’s largest sheep, the Argali. We may also be lucky with smaller mammals such as Daurian Ground Squirrel, while thermal scoping after dark could reveal Siberian Jerboa and Daurian Hedgehog. Night at Gun Galuut Ger Camp. 

Day 4:  It’s a very long, all-day drive to the southern Gobi and the town of Dalanzadgad. We’ll break the journey with a small number of stops for the occasional leg stretch and for lunch. We’ll spend the day watching the landscape get gradually drier and transition from semi-steppes to semi-desert to desert. On the way we’ll undoubtedly see the more common residents such as Black Vulture, and we have a chance of something a little less obvious like Asian Desert Warbler or perhaps our first Mongolian Gazelles. Our ger camp will have a few trees around the grounds, and we should arrive in time for a little exploration of the grounds to see what’s about. Migrant Dusky Warblers can be almost common and Daurian Shrike often breeds on the grounds. Night in ger camp. 

Day 5: We’ll take a packed breakfast and lunch and drive to the nearby Gobi Altai and into Yolyn Am, or “Valley of the Vulture.”  We’ll spend most of the day walking along the flat valley bottom where species such as the near-endemic Kozlov’s (Mongolian) Accentor can be found alongside Brown Accentor, Chinese  Beautiful Rosefinch, Godlewski’s Bunting, Common Rock Thrush and the red-bellied form of Black Redstart. White-winged Snowfinch is abundant, and this is one of the best places in the country to see Wallcreeper. Several pairs breed, often showing at eye level for extended periods. Overhead we should see the mighty Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) and Himalayan Vulture. The valley can also act as a migrant trap, and the stream and rough grass could hold thrushes, warblers, and buntings. For those whose interests include mammals and reptiles, this is also the best place to look for Halys Pit Viper, whose presence is often revealed by the mobbing of Isabelline Wheatears. We should also be treated to great views of Alashan Ground Squirrel and endearing Pallas’s Pika, while Siberian Ibex inhabit the cliffs above us. We’ll also be conscious that both Pallas’s Cat and Snow Leopard are possible; indeed we were treated to a Pallas’s Cat sighting here in 2023, but seeing their prey is far more likely. Back at our ger camp we’ll check the trees once more as every day brings the possibility of new arrivals. Night in ger camp.

Day 6: We’ll set off across the Gobi in search of one the most enigmatic and sought-after birds of southern Mongolia, the Oriental Plover. These stunning shorebirds breed at low density across huge areas of Mongolia, but this area seems particularly good for them, and we’ll scan the semi-desert for sight of a bright white head. Our destination is Khongoryn Els, one of the world’s largest sand dune complexes and a part of Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park. At the foot of the main dunes there’s a small stream with grazing meadows where Common Snipe, and Common Redshank breed alongside Long-legged Buzzard and Steppe Grey Shrike. The fresh water can also act as a magnet for tired migrants who have just transited hundreds of miles of the Gobi. A nearby river that forms a boundary between the marshes and some smaller dunes is a regular haunt of the enigmatic Saxaul Sparrow, while the subtly marked Hill Pigeon may be seen dropping into drink. Night at ger camp.

Day 7: Today we drive north to the isolated mountain of Baga Bogd. Out here we’ll feel very much in the middle of nowhere. However birds are available for the patient; Pallas’s Sandgrouse should be seen in a few places, and we will be on the lookout for the smart Henderson’s Ground Jay. These characterful birds are found at low density but usually perch atop bushes between rapid chases along the desert floor. We’ll also be on the lookout for Black-tailed and Mongolian Gazelles, both of which are regularly seen kicking up the dust as they sprint over the desert. Our support staff for the first time will have set up our own camp near the mountain. Here we have our first chance of Altai Snowcock, along with Grey-necked Bunting and Mongolian Finch among others. Night camping at Baga Bogd.

Day 8: After breakfast and perhaps some more birding in the canyon, we’ll set off for the Valley of Lakes and Kholboolj, a wetland along the Tuin river in the Gobi. This lake has proven productive for a variety of ducks and waders in recent years, and we have our second chance of Asian Dowitcher here. There is also the possibility of a few surprises, as is the case with any wetland in the desert. Night camping at Kholboolj.

Day 9: Driving west along the Valley of the Lakes, we’ll go through more Saxaul forest and have additional chances for Henderson’s Ground Jay and Asian Desert Warbler. We’ll visit a small wetland that has proved productive over the years. Falcated Duck, Temminck’s Stint, Paddyfield and Oriental Reed Warblers are all possible, as are perhaps the most easterly Savi’s Warbler in the world. We discovered that this marsh seems to hold breeding Water Rails and on several occasions we’ve detected migrant Baillon’s Crake, although these will be heavily dependent on water levels and the quality of the marsh vegetation. Later we’ll continue west, eventually arriving on the shores of the largest lake in the region, the fabled Böön Tsagaan Nuur. We’ll probably have time for a short exploration of the immediate camp surroundings, as well as time for some thermal scanning of the campsite for nocturnal mammals. Night camping at Böön Tsagaan Nuur.

Day 10: We’ll have a full day to explore the shores of Böön Tsagaan Nuur. During breakfast we may be treated to a passage of Pallas’s Sandgrouse as they come to the small river near our camp to drink, and from then onwards the day should just get better. White-winged Tern should be abundant, and waterfowl might include Swan and Bar-headed Geese and Ferruginous Duck.  We’ll almost certainly see Pallas’s Gull and this is one of the most reliable sites in the world for finding Relict Gull in breeding plumage; however, despite having a good track record with them here, they are migrants and never guaranteed. This is also one of the few spots left in Mongolia for Pallas’s Fish Eagle, a couple of which usually spend the summer here. Migrant shorebirds might be numerous and could include Pacific Golden Plover and Greater Sand Plover. It can be an excellent site to get superb views of Pacific Swift and the pekinensis form of Common Swift feeding low over the marshes, and migrant passerines may also feature, from lydiae Pallas Reed Bunting trying to hide in the short grass to Red-throated or Dusky Thrushes feeding along the small river. We may also be lucky enough to find the stunning white-headed leucocephala race of Western Yellow Wagtail, the easternmost and probably rarest of the Western Yellow Wagtail forms. Every year is different, and we never know what we might find. Night camping at Böön Tsagaan Nuur.

Day 11: We’ll leave early for the Khangai Mountains. It’s another all-day drive, but we’ll stop en route for occasional birding breaks and lunch. Our destination is the Khukh Lake, a large lake high in the Khangai Mountains where the full suite of high-altitude bird specialties can be found. Night camping at Khukh Lake.

Day 12: We’ll have a full day to explore the high-altitude habitats around the magnificent lake. We are in the realm of some of Mongolia’s most special and sought after birds; Altai Snowcock display on the crags, while Hodgson’s (White-throated) Bushchat, Eversmann’s and Güldenstadt’s (White-winged) Redstarts, Altai Accentor and sushkini Asian Rosy-Finch bound around the lake shore slopes and boulder fields - occasionally being seen from the comfort of the dining tent! We may have to drive up onto a nearby plateau to seek some of these, too, but we’ll take it slowly, probably shifting our gaze between memorable birds and the stunning surroundings.  Night camping at Khukh Lake.

Day 13: Leaving the lake and alpine species behind, we’ll drive along barely discernable tracks through the Khangai to a woodland area on the north side of the mountains. Here, we’ll be exploring the woods looking for Pallas’s Rosefinch and Eversmann’s (Rufous-backed) Redstart, as well as more common woodland birds such as Pine Bunting, Olive-backed Pipit and Hume’s Warbler. More familiar species such as Tree Pipit and Brambling reach their easterly edge here. Night camping at Terkshin Tsugaan Nuur.

Day 14: After a morning birding the woodlands, we’ll begin the drive back east, through the Khangai mountains towards the bird rich Ugii Nuur. We’ll make several stops along the way among the passes to explore this very under-watched area. Night in ger camp at Ugii Nuur.

Day 15: We’ll have the entire day to explore the shores of Ugii Nuur and catch our breath from the previous long mileage days. This large lake holds good numbers of Stejneger’s Scoter and potentially numbers of other wildfowl too, such as Arctic Loon, Great Crested, Common Pochard and Tufted Duck. It’s also a reasonably regular haunt of migrant Relict Gulls, although we would need some luck to find one. The journey around the lake should reveal, as well as more unpredictable species such as Père David’s Snowfinch and Steppe Eagle which will no doubt be keeping a close eye on the many rodents. This is a good area for the unexpected, and recent records of Siberian Crane and Baer’s Pochard (including three we found here in 2024) hint at what is possible. Night in ger camp at Ugii Nuur.

Day 16: From Ugii Nuur we’ll continue east, first stopping at the roadside lake of Bayan Nuur, an excellent site for several reedbed species such as Eastern Marsh Harrier and Bearded Tit, and a regular site for Eastern Spot-billed Duck, Paddyfield Warbler and Pallas’s Reed Bunting among others. There may also be a selection of migrant waders that could include Pintail or Swinhoe’s Snipe, plus a few breeding Eastern Yellow Wagtails. We’ll then continue to the famous Hustai National Park, an area of hills, steppes and birch woodland. This is one of just three locations in Mongolia where one can see Przewalski’s Horses, ancient animals brought back from the edge of extinction many years ago through a captive breeding program. Mongolian Marmots and Brandt’s Voles scurry across the grassland, Meadow Bunting and Blyth’s Pipit sing from the hills, while Saker and Hobby hunt overhead and Golden Eagle cruise the ridge tops. Night at Hustai National Park ger camp.

Day 17: We’ll spend the morning looking for species we may have missed. Hustai is particularly good for Père David’s Snowfinch and Daurian Partridge, and the trees along the Tuul river hold White-crowned Penduline Tits as well as potentially some late migrants. We’ll then make the short journey to Ulaanbaatar, arriving in time to go to a Mongolian cultural show, complete with traditional dancing and throat singers, before having our final dinner in a local restaurant. Night in Ulaanbaatar.

Day 18: The tour concludes this morning in Ulaanbatar with transfer to the airport for homeward flights. 

2025 Narrative

Mongolia. Land of the eternal blue sky. A bucket-list destination with vast steppes, enchanting larch forests and rolling, green mountains – and a country home to a wealth of sought-after birds, from Black-billed Capercaillie and Altai Snowcock to Relict Gull and Asian Dowitcher. During this year’s 17-day tour, the group caught up with all of these species and more as we travelled the central segment of this vast nation, taking in the southern edges of the Siberian larch forests, steppeland and mountains, and the sand dunes of the Gobi Desert. In total, we found 198 species, of which several were new for this trip. 

Day 1 – The day started in Mongolia’s growing capital, Ulaanbaatar, home to half the country’s population and 90% of its traffic, where Pacific Swifts circled over the hotel car park and a van full of police officers preparing to close the road outside ahead of a visit by the Austrian president. Slipping out ahead of the road closure and into UB’s (always) notoriously bad traffic, we headed northeast out of the city. Roadside birds gave a taste of things to come and included Daurian Jackdaw, Red-billed Chough, Eurasian Black Vulture, Demoiselle Crane and Amur Falcon.

Our first stop was at the impressive Ghengis (Cheng) Khan statue – a 130-foot (40-m) silver sculpture of the famous Mongol atop his horse. Some of the group opted to take the elevator up to the horse’s-head viewpoint, while others took a lap of the museum, seeing Eurasian Magpie, more Daurian Jackdaws, and Northern and Isabelline Wheatears.

From here, it was off road, heading into the rolling mountains of southern Siberia, complete with stands of Siberian Larch. Isabelline Wheatears and Black Vultures were seen frequently; a Blyth’s Pipit crossed the track in front of the vehicles and a number of flighty Pine Buntings were seen. Climbing a little higher, we reached a pristine stand of larch where we hoped to find out target bird – Black-billed Capercaillie. While we stood discussing our plan of attack for locating this rare and often elusive species, a calm call went out from one of the group – ‘there’s a capercaillie’. Sure enough, barely 40 yards from the track, a male Black-billed Capercaillie! The bird afforded excellent, close views. At the same site, ‘also rans’ consisted of a list that would make a decent birding day in itself – Common Cuckoo, Willow Tit, Olive-backed Pipit, Arctic Warbler, Taiga Flycatcher and Red-flanked Bluetail. Heading back down into the river valley, we checked a number of sites with riparian woodland. The day’s list kept growing, with a Black-faced Bunting, several Lesser Whitethroats, a Common Cuckoo, and two stunning adult male Common Rosefinches.   

We ended the birding day along the River Tuul close to our camp for the night. As evening approached, we connected with a cooperative Dusky Warbler, another elusive Black-faced Bunting, a pair of Brown Shrikes, two White-crowned Penduline Tits and a stunning pair of Daurian Redstarts. Finally, we arrived at Jalman Meadows – a relatively luxurious set of ger tents, complete with electricity, running water and sit-down loos – where we enjoyed a filling meal and a cozy log fire.

Day 2 – Our second full day in Mongolia dawned bright but cold – with icicles hanging from the bathroom taps and frost on the grass. A pre-breakfast outing resulted in good views of Isabelline Wheatear and a White Wagtail, while at least one Black Grouse could be heard bubbling away on a nearby hillside. 

After breakfast, we drove along one of the nearby valleys, stopping en route to admire several Amur Stonechats, a couple of Common Whitethroats, a Grey Wagtail, a male Pine Bunting and a Steppe Eagle. A short walk into some stream-side scrub on the edge of the larch forest gave us sightings of two migrant species, Siberian Rubythroat and Thick-billed Warbler, as well as an overhead Golden Eagle and a cooperative Wryneck. A little further into the woods, having negotiated a couple of muddy ditches, we were treated to views of a Long-eared Owl on its nest, the bird watching us as we were watching it. 

Lunch was taken back at the ger camp before we headed down a second nearby valley. Reaching a small stream, we found half a dozen Northern Lapwings, which gave good views until they were spooked by a passing Merlin. Driving on a little, we stepped out of the car to find a Black Stork passing over. As with the day before, we finished the day close to camp. Four White-cheeked Starlings showed well, as did a pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, plus a couple of Black-faced Buntings, a Taiga Flycatcher, a nest-building Penduline Tit and several Olive-backed Pipits, while there was another Golden Eagle and Steppe Eagle; then it was time to return to Jalman Meadows for a hot shower and another excellent, camp-cooked dinner.

Day 3 – It was a breezier but warmer start to the day this morning, and some of the group headed down from the camp to the nearby valley. Here, we caught up with several Siberian Rubythroats, a Greenish Warbler and a singing male Black-faced Bunting. Then it was time to leave Jalman Meadows. On our way out, we found a concentration of Black Vultures – around 45 had gathered around a recently deceased goat.

Heading back across the plains towards the highway, we encountered three Mongolian Larks – a species that we were to see many more times over the day and, indeed, in suitable habitat later in the trip. Our first stop was at the twin lakes of Gun Galuut. The first lake, the larger of the two, was relatively quiet, although a small group of Horned Larks, some Asian Short-toed Larks and a flock of White-winged Black Terns added interest. At the second, smaller lake we found a host of wildfowl – many Ruddy Shelducks, a similar number of Common Shelducks, three Garganey, a Eurasian Teal, two Spot-billed Ducks and three Falcated Ducks. Shorebirds added extra interest, with a Broad-billed Sandpiper, two Kentish Plovers, a Long-toed Stint and a stunning male Siberian (Lesser) Sand Plover. 

Lunch was taken at the Steppe Nomads Ger Camp, with lunchtime birds including a Rock Sparrow, a Siberian House Martin and an Upland Buzzard. After lunch, we visited two more wetland sites, adding Swan Goose, White-naped Crane and Citrine Wagtail to the day’s already impressive list, before returning to the ger camp for dinner and a good night’s sleep.

Day 4 – Today was a travel day – but travel days can still be productive for birding! We started the day with a pre-breakfast walk around the camp, where we found a small flock of Common Rosefinches and a tiny Pallas’s Leaf Warbler, as well as obtaining good views of a dozen or so Siberian House Martins, and nesting Red-billed Choughs and Rock Sparrows.

Setting off from the camp, it didn’t take long before we made an unscheduled stop – a large, white-headed shorebird was sitting on the steppe not far from the vehicle. A male Oriental Plover! One of the most sought-after birds of the trip. After enjoying views of this Mongolian-breeding specialty, we headed off for another 10.5 hours(!) of travel. Birds en route included some flyover Pallas’s Sandgrouse, Mongolian Larks and a couple of Upland Buzzards, as well as a brief sighting of some Mongolian Antelopes. We were, after a long day, happy to get to our camp for the night.

Day 5 – After a relatively leisurely start, we headed up into the nearby mountains and along the narrow Yol Valley. Immediately, we found White-winged Snowfinches, which would prove to be constant (and tame) companions throughout the day. A Brown Accentor – the first of several – also put in an appearance in the car park, as did a Eurasian Crag Martin, while two Lammergeiers (also a species that was to put in multiple appearance over the day) were overhead. 

Walking along the track to the narrowest part of the gorge, we found, in addition to more of the aforementioned species, a couple of pairs of Chinese Beautiful Rosefinches, a few Western House Martins, a flock of Himalayan Griffon Vultures, a Water Pipit and, best of all, two Wallcreepers, which put on quite a show, scaling the cliffs and flying across the valley above us. Non-avian encounters consisted of several Siberian Ibex, many Pallas’s Pika, a few Alashan Ground-squirrels, a couple of Midday Gerbils and a slightly past-its-best Haly’s Pit Viper. Moving on to a nearby valley, we were greeted by a Hill Pigeon, which had tagged onto a small flock of Feral Pigeons, while several pairs of Barred Warblers has set up territories in the hillside scrub and a number of raptors – including a Eurasian Sparrowhawk – were seen overhead.

Day 6 – Today we headed southwest from the Yol Valley area, passing through expansive scrubby steppe. A number of Pallas’s Sandgrouse were seen en route, with numbers steadily building over the day. Stopping to admire a flying bird close to the road, we watched it land nearby; following it, we found several pairs with well-grown chicks, which allowed for a close approach. A little further along the same road, we stopped when we sighted a Mongolian (Henderson’s) Ground Jay – a curious corvid of this arid region. In total, we found four individuals, which showed reasonably well, both perched and in flight. Passing through the Zuulun mountains, we stopped for lunch in a picturesque gorge, with Himalayan Griffon Vultures overhead and Mongolian Finches coming to drink in the small stream next to our makeshift picnic site. Continuing through the gorge, we eventually reached the other side of the mountain range, where we were greeted by the breathtaking view of the Khongoryn Els sand-dune system stretching out ahead of us. Winding our way down to the sand dunes, we found a small colony of Saxaul Sparrow – surely one of the world’s most handsome sparrows – as well as a couple of Turkestan Shrikes.

Day 7 – After a variative smorgasbord of a breakfast, we headed off across the stony desert towards our next location. Stopping at a shrubby escarpment, we founded one of our target birds for the day – Asian Desert Warbler – as well as dozens of fly-over Pallas’s Sandgrouse (as yesterday, they were a constant feature of the drive, at least for the morning). At midday, we had to pass through the impressive narrow gorge north of Dugang Goliin Hural. Here, we stopped for lunch – and were joined by an inquisitive Grey-necked Bunting! Our second target bird of the day, which we hadn’t expected to catch up with until the late afternoon. The bird, a smart male, showed well as it sang from the gorge walls. A little further along, just around the corner, there was another surprise waiting for us – a Eurasian Eagle Owl nest; the male of the pair was sitting nearby, calling occasionally, while the female was occupying the nest hole. From here, we continued to our camp for the night at the foot of Baga Bogd mountain, where we settled into our luxurious canvas tents, enjoyed an amazing field-cooked dinner and fell asleep in our tents to the sound of a churring European Nightjar.

Day 8 – We started the day with a pre-breakfast walk up the valley behind out camp. Here, we found a male Common Rock Thrush, a strikingly grey-mantled Daurian Shrike, several Pied Wheatears, and two out-of-place migrants: a Thick-billed Warbler, which was being harassed by Isabelline Wheatears on the rocky slopes of the valley, and an Arctic Warbler, which paused on the track just long enough for everyone to get a good view. On the long afternoon drive, we happened upon a family of Steppe (Great) Grey Shrikes, two adults and three juveniles, which showed at close range by the side of the track. After a lunch stop near the town of Bogd, we stopped at a small wetland by the river where we found our first Bar-headed Geese of the trip as well as a Black Stork and a Little Ringed Plover.

Reaching Kholbooj lake, we found a host of water- and shorebirds, including more Bar-headed Geese, Swan Geese, our first Greylag Geese of the trip, hordes of Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintails, and Common and Red-crested Pochards, Whooper Swans, and a family of Common Cranes. In a muddy corner, we located a Dunlin, a Curlew Sandpiper, several Broad-billed Sandpipers and a number of Little Stints.

As we settled into our tents for the night, a weather front passed over and the wind suddenly picked up, sending tent flaps flapping and guy ropes flying. Some enthusiastic pegging from the camp staff soon sorted us out, but it left us with a night to remember!

Day 9 – It was, despite our hopes that the wind might have dropped, a blustery start to the day. We made the best of the situation with some birding from the car at Kholbooj lake. The species selection was much the same as the day before… with the addition of a small, dark-headed gull in the near corner of the lake. A Relict Gull! With a global population of around 10,000 birds, this was one of our principal targets on this tour, and the bird showed well for the entire group as it fed on the edge of the choppy water. Having enjoyed great views of the gull, we drove for a few hours through sandy, scrubby desert before reaching our spot for lunch. After lunch, we headed to Boon Tsaagan lake, where we were greeted by tens of thousands of Great Cormorants and dozens of Mongolian Gulls. Out on the lake, several Tufted Ducks, Common Pochards, Great Crested Grebes, plus a single Horned (Slavonian) Grebe and a young male Western Marsh Harrier. It was then time to check into our accommodation for the night, a series of sunny chalets located within viewing distance of the lake shore.

Day 10 – We left our chalets to find a fall of migrants had taken place overnight; the small ‘garden’ – an area of shrubs about the size of a tennis court – had attracted a small collection of warblers. We spent the next hour or so watching and photographing the birds, and sorting out the (often tricky) identifications, although the exact numbers remained something of an estimate – around six Pallas’s Leaf Warblers, three or four Dusky Warblers, at least one Thick-billed Warbler, a Blyth’s Reed Warbler, two or three Arctic Warblers, at least one Two-barred Warbler, and a Greenish Warbler.  

Once we were warblered out, we headed along the nearby creek to the eastern shores of the lake. Here we encountered a European Starling (our only one of the trip), a Black Stork, squadrons of Eurasian Spoonbills, several Great White Egrets, and some Caspian Terns. Two lucky members of the group caught sight of a duo of Asian Dowitchers but, frustratingly, the birds soon took flight and headed off north until they were lost to sight – migration in action, perhaps? In the Black-headed Gull colony, we found a pair Brown-headed Gulls on a nest – likely the same out-of-range pair that have been returning to this colony for several years (with an immature bird seen the next day perhaps being one of the pair’s offspring from the previous year). 

During the heat of the day, we took a chance to take a mid-tour rest. Some of the group had requested more views and opportunities to get photographs of Henderson’s (Mongolian) Ground Jay so, as the temperature dropped a little during the late afternoon, we headed to a nearby patch of sandy shrubland where we found a single bird that showed well. 

Day 11 – In contrast to yesterday, the ‘garden’ at our accommodation was unfortunately rather empty this morning, with a Common Rosefinch being the only migrant present. Then was then a full-day drive northwest into the Khangai Mountains and up to Khuhk Nuur, the Blue Lake. En route, we encountered multiple Upland Buzzards, several Steppe Eagles and a few Demoiselle Cranes. 

Driving along the edge of the lake, we found Citrine Wagtail, Spotted Flycatcher, Common Mergansers, Garganeys and Bar-headed Geese, as well as many Siberian Marmots. A short walk from the camp added a pair of Amur Stonechats and a pair of Common Rosefinches to the day-list. 

After dinner, a few of the group took a walk along the shores of the lake where in the vegetation along the shoreline, we found a couple of “Pallas’s”: Pallas’s Reed Bunting and Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler (in addition to the Pallas’s Pika we had seen earlier in the afternoon).

Day 12 – After breakfast, we took a walk along the shoreline of the lake, where the Pallas’s duo (the reed buntings and the grasshopper warblers) were still present, along with a third Pallas’s – a Pallas’s Leaf Warbler. The same bushes also held a Thick-billed Warbler and a stunning male Bluethroat. Perhaps the star birds, though, at least in terms of how seldom they are seen on the trip, were a pair of Asian Rosy Finches, which showed incredibly well as they moved about the rocky shoreline. It was then about an hour’s drive from camp to a scenic lunch spot, which also just happened to be our site for Hodgson’s (White-throated) Bushchat. Sure enough, on arrival, there was a handsome male of this rare and localized high-altitude specialist. 

Back at camp, we enjoyed views of the same Common Rock Thrush pair that had been present yesterday, as well as a Brown Accentor and a handsome pair of Rufous-backed (Eversmann’s) Redstarts. 

Day 13 – The next morning, we woke to the sound of Altai Snowcocks calling above the camp. Some careful scanning later and we had located one, with a second one walking into view! Before long, they stopped calling and melted away into the hillside scree.

A quick walk along the shoreline confirmed that the male Bluethroat was still present, as were two Asian Rosy Finches, at least four Pallas’s Reed Buntings and two or three Pallas’s Grasshopper Warblers. Then it was time to say goodbye to the camp staff who had looked after us so well over the past week, hop in the vehicles and start the long and occasionally bumpy descent to Gurvanbulag. Trackside birds on the way include a Saker Falcon, a White-tailed Eagle, several Golden Eagles and Steppe Eagles, and some cliff-nesting Western House Martins.

Stopping off briefly in a patch of larch forest, we immediately found a handsome male Red-throated Thrush, as well as two Red-flanked Bluetails, before we completed the day’s journey, passing Mongolia’s youngest volcano on the way – it last erupted a mere 8,000 years ago.

Day 14 – We started today with a brief bit of birding around our lakeside ger camp; species selection was limited, but the quality was high, with a singing male Ortolan Bunting as well as a small group of Stejneger’s Scoter, a species of sea duck that winters of the Asian Pacific coast but breeds on inland lakes. After our morning birding and some breakfast, it was time for another day of travel, setting off east, beginning our several-day return journey towards Ulaanbaatar. At a bridge over a small river, we stopped to admire a colony of Pale Martins that were nesting in an earth bank, while on the drive we encountered good numbers of typical steppeland species, such as Mongolian Lark and Demoiselle Crane. We finished our day on the north side river inlet at the west end of Ogii lake, where we found four Asian Dowitchers – slightly more cooperative than the last birds we had seen! – along with a host of other shorebirds, such as Black-winged Stilts, Northern Lapwings and Marsh Sandpipers. Overhead, a Great Spotted Eagle soared, while a group of Eurasian Spoonbills loafed nearby.

Day 15 – We started the day today at the east end of Ogii lake, birding a secluded bay, where we found a pair of Smew and hordes of Garganey, as well as Eared (Black-necked) Grebes and nesting Horned (Slavonian) Grebes. From there, we drove to the west end of the lake, this time south of the river that feeds into the lake. This area of marsh proved to be extremely productive, with five Asian Dowitchers, two Pacific Golden Plovers, a Grey Plover, several splendid male Ruffs in breeding plumage, Whiskered Terns and clouds of White-winged Black Terns all seen in perfect mid-morning light. On a nearby saline lagoon, we found several Red-crested Pochards as well as Pied Avocets and, amongst the Mongolian Gull colony, half a dozen Pallas’s (Great Black-headed) Gulls.

After lunch back at our ger camp, we headed back to where we had ended the previous day. On exiting the vehicles, we found a duck soup – several species in high numbers. One keen-eyed member of the group spotted a Ferruginous Duck, which quickly led to the discovery of a Baer’s Pochard, followed by another and then another! The global population of these diving ducks is estimated at around 300, meaning we were watching 1% of the world population. A pair of Eastern Marsh Harriers, a Black-tailed Godwit and more Asian Dowitchers rounded off an excellent afternoon.

Day 16 – We started this morning with a walk around the grassland surrounding on camp, where we obtained good views of Père David’s Snowfinch, as species that we had seen on multiple occasions but had, until then, evaded decent views. Then, after breakfast, we set off for another day of driving, stopping briefly to look for Mongolian Short-toed Lark. One bird was singing out of sight, high above our heads, but we were unable to find any more. Roadside sightings included a pair of Saker Falcons and several Steppe Eagles, but it was full steam ahead until we reached our lunch stop at Bayan Lake. Here, amongst the clouds of lake flies (easily repelled by the few piles of burning cow dung that were strategically placed around our picnic spot – and really not as bad as it sounds!) we located Oriental Reed Warbler, Paddyfield Warbler and a beautiful male Bearded Tit, while along the water’s edge we found two Water Rails (a Western Palearctic species with an arm in its distribution that extends east into central Mongolia – although the exact area where Water Rail ends and Brown-cheeked Rail begins seems to be a bit of a mystery at present) and two Baillon’s Crakes.

After lunch, it was back on the road (which was now paved for most of the rest of the tour) towards Hustai National Park. After the usual entry formalities and a visit to the gift shop, we drove into the park where we soon found our target species – not a bird, this time, but a mammal: Przewalski’s Horse. A small herd of these rare and localised animals were up on the hillside, along with a few Altai Wapiti, the Central Asian subspecies of the more familiar North American Elk. A little further along, we found two Meadow Buntings – a species that has, like many bunting species in Eurasia, declined comfortably. Indeed, these were the only two of this formerly widespread species that we found on this tour. From here, we headed for a magnificent area of open grassland, where we reveled in the sight of two Eurasian Kestrels, two Eurasian Hobbies and an Amur Falcon hunting flying insects in the calm evening air.

Day 17 – The day started back in the national park, in search of closer views of the horses, which often move into the valleys during the night – and our luck was in! We located several herds, including a party of ten individuals (including mares and foals) that were a mere tens-of-yards from the road. Suffice to say, the group couldn’t have asked for a better experience. A little birding was attempted but it was windy and cold and, other than a Golden Eagle hunting marmots on the slopes above the horses, there wasn’t too much to see, so we hopped back in the vehicles for one final time before driving the couple of hours (plus traffic time, of course) back into ‘UB’.

The birding wasn’t quite over yet though; we finished the day in the noisy city-centre park across the road from our hotel, were we found Tree Sparrows, Carrion Crows, Feral Pigeons… and an Azure Tit! All that was left was one final dinner in the hotel and to decide our bird of the trip. With all the votes counted, it was decided that Black-billed Capercaillie should be crowned as group bird of the trip – not just for its scarcity and magnificent appearance, but also for the intimate, close-range experience that the group had with the bird on day one of the trip. Second place went to Eurasian Eagle-owl, third place to the Przewalski’s Horses (an honorary bird, for the sake of the list!), fourth place to Oriental Plover, and firth place to Altai Snowcock. Collectively, the group nominated 31 different species in their personal top fives, emphasising just what an amazing and varied trip the last 17 days had been.

- Stephen Menzie

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