Giant Babax and Tibetan woodland

The day in the Reting monastery started up pretty early, with the enchanting sounds from a Giant Babax (picture) group. When looking through my window I saw at least five birds running around in the open outside. While watching these birds a Tickell's Warbler sat down in the shrub outside my room, and gave views down to half a meter! Anyway, I was really eager to get some shots of the skylky and endemic Babax, and the photo equipment was prepared. I went out and got my share of photos. Surprisingly, they were slightly confiding birds, in opposition to the experience from the Garma valley.

When surveying the forest of tall junipers we recorded lots of passerines. Finches and accentors were the most numerous. And finally we managed to ID an adult male White-browed Rosefinch, the age making identification quite easy. An awaited addition to the list of rosefinches. The first Rufous-breasted Accentor of the trip gave brief views while flying back and forth between some of the lower vegetation. More than thirty White-winged Grosbeaks were seen feeding on on the ground. Enormous birds! They were also eating seeds from juniper, together with several species of rosefinches. Also more numerous then ever before on this trip were the Red-billed Choughs, with at least 80 birds keeping close to the monastery. The Yellow-billed Chough (first of the trip) was also present, with about twenty birds.

The absolute star of the day, Giant Babax. Only the second day we've seen them on the trips so far. This time 15 birds spread in two groups.

Part of the Reting monastery.

Village below the monastry.

Rosy Pipit (Anthus roseatus)

Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus)

Tibetan Woolly Hare (Lepus oiostolus)

Robin Accentor (Prunella rubeculoides)

Total list from today: Tibetan Partridge (1), Hoopoe (common), Hill Pigeon (70+), Oriental Turtle Dove (8), Great Black-headed Gull (2), Himalayan Griffon Vulture (20), Common Buzzard (5), Common Kestrel (10), Black-billed Magpie (10), Hume?s Groundpecker (5), Red-billed Chough (80), Yellow-billed Chough (20), Common Raven (5), White-throated Dipper (1), Eurasian Blackbird (35), Hodgson's Redstart (3), White-throated Redstart (10), White-winged Redstart (10), White-capped Water Redstart (5), Common Stonechat (3), Great Tit (15), Eurasian Crag Martin (5), Tickell?s Leaf Warbler (5), Goldcrest (3), Brown-cheeked Laughingthrush (10), Giant Babax (15), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (common), White Wagtail (15), Olive-backed Pipit (5), Robin Accentor (31), Rufous-breasted Accentor (1), Brown Accentor (9), Twite (25), Common Rosefinch (3), Beautiful Rosefinch (10), White-browed Rosefinch (1), Great and Streaked Rosefinch (20) and White-winged Grosbeak (35).

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