Bunting ID for Northern Pakistan (1 Viewer)

[gilgit2]

Spotted this bunting today (8 November 2021) at Borith Lake, Gilgit-Baltistan in the Northern Region of Pakistan. I am unable to pin it down to Little, Pine or Chestnut Eared Bunting, or I am totally miss-identifying this one. Looking forward for some help.

 

[DMW]

Looks rather like a Meadow Bunting

 

[gilgit2]

Looks rather like a Meadow Bunting

Now that you have pointed it, It surely looks like Meadow Bunting. But, I should still wait for a second opinion, as this may be the first record for the birds of Pakistan, as well as Sub-continent.

 

[DMW]

Now that you have pointed it, It surely looks like Meadow Bunting. But, I should still wait for a second opinion, as this may be the first record for the birds of Pakistan, as well as Sub-continent.

Indeed, best to get other opinions. It's a superb photo, and very exciting if it is a first!

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

Agree Meadow Bunting, superb image Imran.

Grahame

 

[andyb39]

Wow! Great record, Imran.

 

[KenM]

An absolutely stunning image!👍

 

[Vyomkesh]

Wow! Great!

 

[MJB]

Now that you have pointed it, It surely looks like Meadow Bunting. But, I should still wait for a second opinion, as this may be the first record for the birds of Pakistan, as well as Sub-continent.

Excellent record, Imran! In terms of its resident distribution, the BirdLife Datazone map (http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/meadow-bunting-emberiza-cioides/distribution) shows its westernmost occurrence in Qinxiang, south of Kyrgyzstan, is about 300 km straight-line distance from Borith Lake (& Hotel). In distance terms, that's not very far for a vagrant, but it did have to cross mountain passes of around 4900 metres altitude just to get into Gilgit-Baltistan!
MJB

 

[gilgit2]

Thank you everyone for the confirmation. It seems like I have got another addition to my birding patch. MJB you are right, many Central Asian birds have a possibility of hopping on to this side of Pamirs, especially in turbulent weather conditions.

 

[Himalaya]

Superb pic and a well deserved find for you!