Wildlife photographic trip Mark Williams 2016
It's been said that we leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place, we stay there even when we go away. ...And there are things in us that we can find again only when we go back there.
Not one of my best images. The remnants of a majestic Mongolian Ibex is all that remains of his existence found 14,000 ft high up on the Altai mountains near the edge of Gobi desert. This place was so remote that there was a good chance that no human ever saw this beautiful animal while it was alive here in its natural habitat. It is also a place where I came close to joining him and quite unintentionally discovered the very limits of my physical and emotional abilities. This picture will always remind me of this
800mm gives the range but the price to pay is weight.
Main highways in Mongolia look like this
In 2015, I embarked on a wildlife photography trip to Mongolia with my son, Gareth Williams. In early May, we departed from the sweltering +40 degree heat of bustling Dubai and journeyed towards the refreshing coolness of Mongolia's vast plateau. Transitioning from the crowded streets of the city to the expansive openness of Mongolia's landscape, we anticipated the contrast in climate and environment awaiting us. Mongolia, one of Central Asia's largest plateaus, covers 1.5 million square kilometers with a population of just 2.5 million, over half of whom reside in the capital city. On May 5th, I arrived in Ulaanbaatar and joined my team.
Our first destination was Khangain Nuuru, blanketed by Siberian forests, with our primary objective being to photograph the displaying capercaillies. The timing of our trip overlipped with the peak of the breeding season for capercaillies. We got sunk in the mud and camped for the night not far from our intended destination. At 4 o'clock in the morning, woke up abruptly to a strange sound resembling the snap of a branch, it was amazing displying Capercaillie.
Shortly after, our guide explained that the sound we heard was made by male capercaillies during mating season to attract for females. Excitedly, we commenced photographing these magnificent birds. The most memorable moment was when two males flew in front of me, just 3-5 meters away, engaging in a fierce battle right before my eyes while I hidden in camouflage.
Unfortunately, my lens was too close to capture the action. Nevertheless, it was truly remarkable to witness the spectacle firsthand.
Black billed capercaillie calling from the tops of the trees during breeding season.
Another incredibly shy and nervous bird, the capercaillie do not tolerate human presence. This was the only descent image of one on the ground. I didn't get a "money shot"
Another amazing thing we saw in the Khangai Mountains was a breeding pair of Lammergeiers.
Female black billed capercaillie are equally as shy as the males but harder to spot due to their drab appearance
Over the course of two days, we captured numerous photos of the capercaillie and other forest birds before moving on to our next destination.
Traditional Mongolian nomadic culture is deeply rooted in the principle of environmental conservation. For instance, children are raised with the philosophy that one should never cast their shadow on a bird's egg.
Vultures and other scavengers live well in Mongolia. The sick and weak are quickly dealt with by the harsh environment and lack of any veterinary care.
A chough rarely found in UK and confined to the West Country but prolific in parts of Mongolia
All the Sakers we found were tree nesters
A female saker looks anxiously over her nest at perceived potential threat. Note one of her 4 chicks popping its head up also
Kestrels do well on all the small birds there
Prswalski horses barely coming back from its designation of being once extinct in the wild. A very distinct coloration and short, stiff "mane" on its neck. They're able to withstand the extreme temperatures Mongolia endures -40c to +40c
Stallion is scenting the air for a mare in heat. Most mares have just foul'd at this time and many new fouls can be seen in the herd.
There are many "wild" but feral horses such as this stallion. Hybridization does occur with Przwalski horses when they mix in their range.
Some feral horses are used for transport, although cheep Chinese motorbikes have replaced the horse these days and the majority of feral horses end up as food.
Stallion is scenting the air for a mare in heat. Most mares have just foul'd at this time and many new fouls can be seen in the herd.
When it comes to travel, one significant destination for us is the snow-capped Alpine Mountains and their unique biodiversity.
A very rare and much sought after bird by birders is the Hodgsons bushchat (saxicola insignis).
Mongolian Snow cock. A large bird only found in the remotest high altitude parts of southern Mongolia. They're close relative of the partridge not grouse family. Very rare, shy and difficult to approach. Shown here is a male calling for a mate. Male snow-cock calling to attract a mate. The call is somewhat pathetic for such a large bird and is more reminiscent of a whistle.
The sun has set and yet the male still calls for a mate as the full moon rises. We learned these birds are most active at first light and last moments of sunset
Unfortunately the image is "soft" as I had low shutter speed and high ISO but I include it to show flight pose.
Exhausted ... it's good to lay on the snow and cool down
Proper perspectives seem to come much easier with altitude and distance. I'm sitting at 14,000 ft above sea level on top of the Altai mountains and been searching for a rare game bird for 3 days so taking a moment to do some reflecting.
To paraphrase Anthony Bourdain ... It's an irritating reality that many places I've visited defy description. You just have to go there to get it. The very remote Altai mountains of Mongolia for instance, they seem to demand silence, like a love affair you can never talk about. For a while after you fumble for words, trying vainly to assemble a private narrative, an explanation, a comfortable way to frame where you've been and what's happened. In the end you are just happy that you we're there ... with your eyes open.. and lived to see it.
Far from contemplating to jump, but instead sitting on what seems the edge of the world and soaking up the rugged raw unspoilt nature. It's uplifting for the soul.
The Altai mountains we came to cover so much of. A remote place even few locals have cause to visit.
Ground squirrels were identical to the Richardson ground squirrels (gopher) we see on the Canadian prairies and much like the prairie falcons, they form the major part of the falcons diet in the summer months.
These steppe eagles were approachable
