Back on Blogger and a visit to Siranda: a Tern-ful paradise

I recently noticed that this page has been gaining some momentum in terms of views and that has been a very very pleasant surprise. I had abandoned posting on here entirely because to me it seemed like presenting to an empty theatre. Well, if you do happen to find yourself on this blog, can you kindly comment underneath this post or anything, maybe introduce yourself or something.

So much has happened in the time I posted the last and now that I do not even know where to begin.

Till then, I would add a mini-blog down below of a recent birdwatching outing....

On this past Sunday (19th May 2024), we came to an impromptu plan to hit Siranda lake, near Winder city, Lasbela district, Balochistan Province.

My dream to visit the place since I read about it in Robert's Birds of Pakistan and his associated articles was made true in December 2023 when we (Saffie Hayat, Salman Baloch and Zohaib Ahmed) were on our way towards Hingol and we made a pitstop here.

For Sunday, the earlier plan was to visit Khar centre for checkups on Indus Fishing Cat Project's cameras but last minute decision turned to Siranda to check out for any breeding activity of Caspian terns, Gull-billed terns and Slender-billed gulls. This is the only known breeding site for the first and latter species.

Anyways, Sir Zohaib and Sir Salman hopped in and agreed while Sir Sadiq was busy with some home renovation stuff and off we went. We took off from Nazimabad at around 7:40. My estimation was that we might reach the place by 10 which proved right later on. The morning ride was smooth and gentle with a stop at Winder city for some fruits and water. When we arrived at Siranda, we took the 3rd route that goes in with the signboards proper as we had not taken this path before. I stopped the Grey babe at the end of the hardly flat road and we took off for the next 4 hours along walking the seemingly desolate lake edges. This side of the lake mainly has stunted Tamarix aphylla and a few bushes of Prosopis that never leave one's company in this region.

The highlights were seeing a pair of Caspian terns gliding and calling each other while being mobbed by a third individual annoying their synchronised flight. That is definitely not something we see at their wintering grounds around Karachi although the two are not that far from each other. Quite a few little tern were there along with 1st winter youngs. These birds were active and I suspect might be breeding here too. There's not reason why not if suitable habitat is nearby which there is. On to the topic of Slender-billed gulls, we did not see a single individual with a dark colored bill there. There was a large flock at the Western edge that was restless but it was too far to see the bird plumages in detail. The large flock had Glossy Ibises and Greater Flamingoes stuck to that side as well. When the flock got agitated and flew, I found 4 Common Shellducks alongside it which were my lifers. We also had Curlew sandpipers in breeding colors and a few Dunlins mixed in. Also came across a rather chatty Kentish plover. Sir Salman and I though it might have chicks nearby. Above it was a wandering Brahminy sub-adult. The Makran coast acts as the edge of its global distribution with some birds (maybe just 2) wandering into mangrove forests of Extreme Eastern Iran. Check out Birding Iran for that. Oh and we got several Pied Avocets as well which really put on a show. They did many flybys and called really well. My slightly damaged Nikon P900 got some good ones of it luckily. An osprey flew above the surrounding stunted vegetation which due to the distance seemed like an Egyptian vulture to me at first.

Last but not the least: Gull-billed terns there were quite a few breeding plumaged birds there. We got done by around 130 at the 3rd route that goes towards the middle of the lake, and then we went a few ways down the road and took the path which ends in the Mazar. This is where we saw Brown-necked Ravens in December. Sir Salman did not see them on his two visits after that and so did we on this visit. They must be wintering birds here on the edge of the Eastern most range. At this spot, we were tired but we did wait for some Oriental Grass Jewels and a runner Agama that never stopped. Here, we saw several Sand larks and screamed at by Black-winged stilts and wait for it, Gull-billed terns. These birds in peak Br colors were screaming a very nasal call that I had never heard before. These birds at time were circling us very closely and not very high above ground. I really do suspect them having nests nearby.

We left Winder city after a good meal at around 3pm and I was home by 6 beating bulk of Karachi evening traffic. Very productive trip I must say. Photos follow...