dalat
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And then I heard them! Snowcocks singing above. It did not seem too far away so I carried on climbing up the boulder field to get over the next ridge. It sounded like they were just behind that ridge. But they were further up, so up another ridge, and then another. I quite underestimated how far reaching their songs were.
Eventuelly I stood in front of a huge rock wall. I was at about 3500 m now, and the rock wall must have extended to more than 4000 m. Several birds were singing and calling in there, and there were echos all around. (Below a recording with my mobile phone. You need to turn up the sound, but it should give you an idea). That was wonderful, but I wanted to see the damn chickens. I spend about an hour scanning the wall and the crags, but I couldn't find any bird, despite they continued singing.
It was already much later than I intended to be back, so I gave up and turned around. On the way down in the few small bushes around, I found Sulphur-bellied Warblers, the vegetation was only 30 cm tall, but they managed to hide in that, so no pics.
When I reached the point where I saw the Rosefinch, close to the last rock wall before descending down to the village, I heard some loud calling in my back, turned around and saw a snowcock flying across! I saw it landing, got out my scope and even quite distant, I saw it walking around among the rocks there.
I realised now how difficult they are to spot, as the dimensions are just so vast, and even those big birds are almost impossible to spot at that distance if not knowning where exactly they sit. But there I had it in the scope, and it went up on a ridge and started to sing again. And as I watched it, a Wallcreeper was flying through the scope view and I could follow it flying across.
I decided it couldn't get any better and went back down for breakfast. Simply phantastic!
Eventuelly I stood in front of a huge rock wall. I was at about 3500 m now, and the rock wall must have extended to more than 4000 m. Several birds were singing and calling in there, and there were echos all around. (Below a recording with my mobile phone. You need to turn up the sound, but it should give you an idea). That was wonderful, but I wanted to see the damn chickens. I spend about an hour scanning the wall and the crags, but I couldn't find any bird, despite they continued singing.
It was already much later than I intended to be back, so I gave up and turned around. On the way down in the few small bushes around, I found Sulphur-bellied Warblers, the vegetation was only 30 cm tall, but they managed to hide in that, so no pics.
When I reached the point where I saw the Rosefinch, close to the last rock wall before descending down to the village, I heard some loud calling in my back, turned around and saw a snowcock flying across! I saw it landing, got out my scope and even quite distant, I saw it walking around among the rocks there.
I realised now how difficult they are to spot, as the dimensions are just so vast, and even those big birds are almost impossible to spot at that distance if not knowning where exactly they sit. But there I had it in the scope, and it went up on a ridge and started to sing again. And as I watched it, a Wallcreeper was flying through the scope view and I could follow it flying across.
I decided it couldn't get any better and went back down for breakfast. Simply phantastic!
Actually they have quite a interesting breakfast in the Pamirs. It comes in a big bowl, it is strong black tea, mixed with a lot of boiled milk, and its actually salty. To this they add a lot of butter, and then soak bread in it. Its good.
