Paul Carter, 20 Mar 2021
Record Location: SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape, Wilderness, Fairy Knowe Backpackers.
Record Date: 16 Jan 2021 at 8.45 PM
Mammal-watching Trip across Central and Western Mongolia (2019 Aug 4-30)
Report by Paul Carter
Trip with Kevin Bryan, Ian Thompson, Sjef Ollers and Anja Palmans
Version 1: 30 Nov 2019
Pdf version of this report here; updates to this report will be done in the website post only.
pcarter66 @ outlook.com
Table of Contents
1. SUMMARY
2. LOGISTICS AND REFERENCES
3. ITINERARY
4. LIST OF MAMMALS SEEN
5. LIST OF MAMMALS RECORDED AND SITES
6. PHOTOS
7. SITE NOTES
1. Summary
This four-week road-trip covered 5,300 km across Central and Western Mongolia (excluding the southern Gobi). Key sites visited were Hustai NP, Boon Tsagaan Nuur, Sharga, Gobi B SPA, Jargalant Uul, Tavan Bogd NP, Khurgas Nuur area and the Khangai Mountains. The focus was on mammals and we identified 44 species, with another two heard (Lynx and Wolf). Some of the bats seen and recorded have yet to be identified. Rodents were surprisingly scarce on some nights and we only had two mustelids. Small-mammal highlights included Steppe Zokor, Zaisan Mole Vole, Grey Marmot, Five-toed Pygmy Jerboa and Thick-tailed Pygmy Jerboa.
Route Map (numbers 4 to 29 show overnight dates and sites; names in red show places camped at whilst at names in purple we used hotels or gers; route in red is the out-leg; that in purple the return leg):
From 2002 to 2007 my work in Mongolia, as an exploration geologist, included various helicopter-based trips (using Russian Mil Mi-8 helicopters). One of these trips involved 4 days around western Mongolia and I had always wanted to return to the region and its spectacular scenery, especially the Tavan Bogd area. Due to the remote travel it was best done with at least two vehicles and Ian Thompson, Kevin Bryan, Sjef Ollers and Anja Palmans were keen; none of them had yet visited Mongolia.
I organised three land-cruisers through Erka (my work driver for over 3 years); I had last used him in 2016. He drove one vehicle whilst his son Kuchee and Erka’s friend Mugi drove the other two. They were all safe drivers and excellent bush mechanics and spent many hours servicing the cars, often late into the night. Erka’s niece Bella came along as our translator.
A limited selection of mammal photos is shown in section 6 of this report. A more extensive selection of trip and mammal photos is also available (80 pages, 70 MB). Continue reading
Pulsar Quantum Lite XQ30V: Setup Tips
This post is in reply to a request for setup and user tips for using a XQ30V unit.
BRIGHTNESS and CONTRAST
Press the front “controller” knob lightly to cycle between the Brightness and Contrast settings. Rotate the controller to desired level for each. I keep my unit on low brightness (less harsh on the eye) and high contrast. It is easy to bump this knob and change the settings so keep an eye on them during use.
MAIN MENU OPTIONS
To access the main menu press the controller knob for about 2 seconds. Rotate the controller to move to the menu item you want. Press the controller to enter the menu item. Rotate the controller to your choice then press the controller to fix your choice. Rotate the controller to move to the next item or press the controller to close the menu list. I use the following settings for general use:
1 – Colour Mode: my preference is #2 (grey-scale with red for hot).
2 – Operating Mode: Forest (the other 2 settings are City and Identification).
3 – Calibration: A (Automatic) – I find that the occasional automatic calibrations do not interfere with use. Your choices for settings (2) and (3) will show on the left side of the status bar during usage.
4 – Video Output: OFF
5 – Clock
6 – Defective Pixel Repair: 2 choices are CROSS for defective pixel repair or RETURN for default defective pixel pattern. I have not used these.
7 – Menu icon brightness: 4 seems fine.
8 – Measurement Units:
NECK STRAP MODIFICATION
To have instant access to each of my 4 main pieces of gear (camera, binoculars, spotlight and thermal scope) I have found that it is essential to have a neck strap on the thermal scope (as opposed to having it in a belt pouch and/or using the wrist strap). The unit is not designed with neck strap mounts and I have tried the 2 options described below. When using the neck strap I find it easiest to hang the scope on top of my bins; the scope eyepiece will be on the right side and controls on top. At night I spend more time with the scope than my bins which is why I prefer it on top and once I have scoped something it is easy to let go of the scope and switch to my bins. To save battery power I turn off the display as I lower the scope and turn it back on as I raise the scope.
OPTION A: The easiest way to set up a simple neck strap is to screw the unit’s wrist strap into the tripod mount on the LEFT side of the unit (the side with the Weaver Rail); then thread a lightweight strap through the wrist strap’s small loop. WARNING. The neck strap can unscrew if not regularly tightened; I have had that happen once and the unit dropped to the ground (fortunately not damaged).
OPTION B: After losing the wrist strap I ended up with a more secure system, as in the image below. Setup: Place a zip-tie midway around the unit with the zip-tie lying along one of the weaver rail grooves (to keep it from slipping). Run the neck strap under the zip tie before tightening the tie or through a ring set on the zip tie (white zip-tie in the image below). I then have a second zip-tie as added safety. I prefer Option B as it is more secure (assuming the ties are tight enough); but if using Option A you could also add a zip-tie.
OTHER POINTS
I sometimes find the battery cartridge “malfunctions” in that I have to remove and replace batteries in order for the unit to start. Try this if you are not getting power in the unit.
The unit when packed can easily be turned on if the power button is bumped, and the batteries drained; so I keep the battery pack out of the unit until using it.
Trip Report: southwest Western Australia, Nov 2017
Trip Report (mammals) – southwest Western Australia – Nov 2017
Paul Carter
On a mammal-watching trip from 5th to 22nd Nov 2017, with Chi Phan (anti-camping, non-mammalwatching Ms), I saw 23 mammals and +15 reptile species. Numbat, Red-tailed and Brush-tailed Phascogales were the highlights, and I was happy to see Quokka without having to do the Rottnest option.
Trip Report: Baan Maka Nature Lodge, Peninsula Thailand – 16-19 Oct 2017
Updated 2019 replacing Dobson’s Horsehoe Bat with Thai Horseshoe Bat (R. thailandensis; split from R yunanensis)
Baan Maka Nature Lodge – October 2017
Some friends, Games Punjapa and Ian Dugdale, have recently taken over the Baan Maka Nature Lodge at the northern end of Peninsula Thailand. It is close to the entrance of Kaeng Krachan NP and well known for its access to nearby bird hides which also attract a few small mammal species. The property has excellent grounds at the foot of a small limestone hill and borders a small lake and is a convenient base for Kaeng Krachan and the rooms are in the process of being refurbished. The Baan Maka bird list currently has 190 species on it.
On 16 Oct I drove up from Phuket (a 10 hour drive) and Dave Sargeant drove down from Chiang Mai. Kaeng Krachan is closed for the wetter months of Aug-Oct so our plan was to concentrate on mammals and herps in the vicinity of the lodge; beer being the back-up plan should the weather turn inclement, which it did the second of our three nights there. Besides walking the lodge’s grounds we drove and walked nearby roads and explored trails in nearby forest. Mammal and snake lists and pics are shown below.
Mammals seen
The following species were all seen in the restaurant area except where noted:
1 – Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus sphinx).
2 – Lesser False Vampire Bat (Megaderma spasma). One night-roosting under room 8; I also saw 15 in a road culvert near Baan Maka.
3 – Thai Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus thailandensis). In the original version of this post it was identified as Dobson’ Horseshoe Bat (Francis, 2008) but Francis (2019) notes that Dobson’s is now restricted to China.
4 – Malayan Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolphus malayanus).
5 – Intermediate Roundleaf Bat (Hipposideros larvatus).
6 – Northern Treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri). Occasional visitors to the fruit feeding station.
7 – Grey-bellied Squirrel (Callosciurus caniceps). Common in the gardens.
8 – Indochinese Ground Squirrel (Menetes berdmorei). Rarely seen at the lodge but regularly seen at the bird hides.
9 – Western Striped Squirrel (Tamiops macclellandii).
Ian had also recently recorded Bengal Slow Loris (Nycicebus bengalensis) in the gardens as well as Pacific Rat (Rattus exulans) and Tanezumi Rat (Rattus tanezumi). Lesser Mousedeer (Tragulus kanchil) is also seen at the bird hides.
Whiskered Flying Squirrel (Petinomys genibarbis) at Mount Kinabalu (Sabah, Borneo)
Paul Carter, 20 Aug 2016
Revised 8 Nov 2016 to include reference to a 1965 paper with images of a captured animal.
Revised 3 Sep 2024, adding better resolution images, edits and iNaturalist references.
Summary
On 26 May 2016, whilst spotlighting alone along Power Station Road in Kinabalu Park (Borneo, Malaysia) I photographed a Whiskered Flying Squirrel (Petinomys genibarbis) very close to the 4 Km post and at an elevation of approximately 1840 m. This appears to be a notable elevation record; and possibly the first photographs in the wild.
Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata) at Mount Kinabalu (Sabah, Borneo) – a high elevation record
High elevation record of Marbled Cat in Kinabalu Park (Sabah, Borneo)
Paul Carter, 20 Aug 2016
Revised Feb 2017 with a link to Andrew Boyce’s camera-trap record.
A version of this post was published (April 2017) in CAT News Nr 65 Winter 2017.
Riverine Rabbit at Dunedin Farm (South Africa) – March 2016
Edited (2021): I revisited the site in 2018 (again with Clide Carter) and in 2021 and a post summarizing all 2016-2021 data replaces this 2016 post. Species lists and other site information have therefore been removed from this 2016 post. Records in 2016 of Round-eared Sengi and Long-tailed Serotine are retracted in the new post.
Summary: Dunedin Farm offers excellent potential to see the rare, endemic Riverine Rabbit. After a visit to the nearby Karoo National Park, my father (Clide Carter) and I booked a night at the Riverine Rabbit Retreat on Dunedin Farm (Western Cape, South Africa). We had low expectations of seeing the Riverine Rabbit but after some pointers from Johan Moolman (the farm owner) we had great views of one before sunset; and saw another two with Johan the next morning. We extended our stay for another two nights once we realized the potential for other smaller mammals and reptiles. Our trip total of 17 mammals included Aardwolf, Bat-eared Fox, Cape Sengi and Hewitt’s Red Rock Hare. This trip report morphed into a site guide as there is nothing else published and I believe it is most likely the best place to look for Riverine Rabbit.
Riverine Rabbit
Dunedin Farm and Riverine Rabbit Retreat
Dunedin Farm is a working farm owned by Johan and Marietha Moolman. They and their two sons are very keen on the local wildlife and were extremely helpful in giving us a detailed rundown on all the species and locations that they knew of. Manus (13) is especially keen and a local authority on the resident birds which include some Karoo specialties. Continue reading
Northwest Sri Lanka Trip Report (mammals) – 2015 Dec
Trip Report – Northwest Sri Lanka – 2015 Dec 5
This brief report details the mammal and reptile species seen on the northwest part of a Sri Lanka trip done with Chi Phan, and travelling by rental car with a driver.
NW Sri Lanka Itinerary:
29 Nov – arrived Colombo; stayed with friends.
30 Nov – visited Victoria Park’s Indian Flying-fox colony.
1 Dec AM – visited Pilikuttuwa Raja Maha Viharaya Caves and Temple.
1 Dec PM – drove to Big Game Camp Wilpattu for 3 nights stay.
2 Dec AM – Wilpattu NP full day trip.
2 Dec – night walk at Big Game Camp Wilpattu.
3 Dec AM – visited Anuradhapura (ancient city and temples).
3 Dec PM – night walk at Big Game Camp Wilpattu.
4 Dec PM – drove to Kalpitiya; stayed at Dolphin Beach Resort.
5 Dec AM – dolphin-watching speedboat trip from Dolphin Beach Resort.
5 Dec PM – afternoon drive to Gangewadiye area on edge of Wilpattu NP.
6 Dec AM – drove Kalpitiya – Sigiriya (not described in this report).
We stayed with friends in Colombo and visited Victoria Park to photograph the roosting flying foxes.
- Pteropus giganteus – Indian Flying Fox
- Funambulus palmarum – Indian Palm Squirrel
Pilikuttuwa Caves and Temple (1 Dec)
From Colombo we drove 30 Km NE of Colombo on the Kandy road to Pilikuttuwa Raja Maha Viharaya Caves and Temple. The GPS cords for the caves (taken from a journal paper) put us in the middle of a flat grassy area (due to different coordinate systems). We then did the loop walk through secondary forest on a small hill; including getting lost after missing a turn on the hill top and trying to work our way out of the thickets before returning to the hill top and seeing where we missed some stairs going down.
Bats in the caves:
- Megaderma spasma – Lesser False Vampire Bat
- Taphozous melanopogon – Black-bearded Tomb Bat
Big Game Camp Wilpattu (1-4 Dec)
Tue 1 Dec: From Pilikuttuwa Caves we drove north on the coastal road for 4 hours and via Puttalam and inland to Big Game Camp Wilpattu (BGC) at Pahala Maaragahawewa village on the southeast side of Wilpattu NP. BGC comprised tented rooms set in thickets connected by walkways to the dining area on the edge of a small grassy wetland and woodland. It was a nice setting but the tents were dark and the toilet-shower area at the back of the tent was cramped. The meals, manager and staff were very good. More importantly there were some paths in thickets on their ground with good wildlife and the tented dining area overlooked a small wetland. Overall it is well worth staying here.
Dinner was fixed at 7.30 pm then at 9 pm I joined the night-walk with 2 other guests on the property, led by 2 of the resort’s guides. This was excellent as we had Grey Slender Loris and a few snakes.I walked the paths alone the next two nights.
Mammal List: Big Game Camp Wilpattu only: (1-3 Dec 2015)
- Lepus nigricollis – Black-napped Hare
- Vandeleuria oleracea – Asiatic Long-tailed Climbing Mouse – at the tent.
- Suncus murinus – Asian House Shrew – at the tent.
- Loris lydekkerianus – Grey Slender Loris – seen on night walks and near tent.
- Moschiola meminna – White-spotted Mouse-deer – near the entrance road, midday and at night.
Reptile List: Big Game Camp Wilpattu only: (1-3 Dec 2015)
- Hemidactylus brookii – Brooke’s house gecko
- Calotes calotes – Green Forest Lizard
- Ahaetulla nasuta – Green Vine Snake
- Ahaetulla pulverulenta – Brown Vine Snake
Birds included a Slaty-legged Crake in the thickets near the tents.
Wilpattu NP (2 and 4 Dec)
Wed 2 Dec: At 6 am we left from BGC on a full-day jeep drive in Wilpattu NP using a pre-arranged driver who charged Rup 8500 / full day and 4500 / half-day. He was good and recommended but BGC did drives at the same price but including lunch and with their naturalist which was probably a better option; and the guests doing that rental get a guided night-walk on the property (which they kindly let me join). I am not sure whether the BCG jeep trip would be shared with other guests or exclusive. An interesting sighting in the park was watching a Ruddy Mongoose pull a Painted-lipped Lizard from under bark on a tree and then swallow it whole.
Fri 4 Dec: At 5.45 am Chi and I left on a half-day jeep drive still hoping for Sloth Bear and we had a brief partial view of one late morning.
Sat 5 Dec: From Dolphin Beach at 1 pm we drove to the Gangewadiye village (population about 50-100) on the coast and just outside the southwest corner of Wilpattu NP. Some locals said there were no elephant around as it was too wet but at sunset on the way back we stopped at a wetland and saw about 14 elephant walk out along the far side of the wetland before disappearing again.
Mammal List: Wilpattu NP only
- Lepus nigricollis – Black-napped Hare
- Ratufa macroura – Sri Lankan Giant Squirrel
- Funambulus palmarum – Indian Palm Squirrel
- Herpestes smithii – Ruddy Mongoose
- Herpestes fuscus – Indian Brown Mongoose
- Herpestes edwardsi – Indian Grey Mongoose
- Sus scrofa – Wild Boar
- Semnopithecus priam – Tufted Grey Langur
- Axis axis – Chital
- Muntiacus vaginalis – Northern Red Muntjac
- Rusa unicolor – Sambar Deer
- Melursus ursinus – Sloth Bear.
- Elephas maximus – Asian Elephant
Reptile List: Wilpattu NP only
- Melanochelys trijuga – Indian Black Turtle – a few seen, including on the road.
- Hemidactylus leschenaultia – Bark Gecko – in rest huts at the toilet block on the game drive.
- Varanus bengalensis – Bengal Monitor
- Crocodylus palustris – Mugger Crocodile
- Calotes ceylonensis – Painted-lipped Lizard – caught and consumed by Ruddy Mongoose.
- Ptyas mucosa – Indian Rat Snake.
Anuradhapura (3 Dec)
After breakfast we drove across to Anuradhapura for a non-wildlife, morning visit to Anuradhapura, an ancient city with temple complexes. Entry was 3500 rup each.
Semnopithecus priam – Tufted Grey Langur
Calotes versicolor – Oriental Garden Lizard
Fri 4 Dec: From Big Game Camp we drove 1.5 hours to Kalpitiya via Puttalam; staying at Dolphin Beach Resort (Makara group) for two nights; located on the beach with ‘luxury’ tent-topped, spacious rooms (canvass tents with brick and concrete walls) where we met our friends from Colombo, Rob and Wanpen.
The next morning Rob, Chi and I went on a dolphin/whale-watching trip. We left at around 7.30 am on the resort’s speed boat (4-6 pax) and went offshore from 5 to 10 km. We had hundreds of spinner dolphins, but no whales.
- Stenella longirostris – Spinner Dolphin
Driving back to Dolphin Lodge after dusk on 5 Dec we had an Indian Star Tortoise on the road-edge.
Sichuan (China) mammal trip – Oct 2015
On a mammal-watching trip to Sichuan in October 2015 we saw 29 mammal species including Red Panda, Chinese Mountain Cat, Pallas’s Cat and Chinese Zokor. Places visited included Tangjiahe, Ruoergai, Wolong and Balangshan Pass. The group included Dominique Brugiere, Holly Faithfull and Sid Francis (trip leader). The Sichuan trip report (pdf) here.
This Sichuan trip followed our Tibetan Plateau trip with Jon Hall; his report for that trip is on mammalwatching.com.
Way Kambas (Sumatra) mammal trip – Aug 2014
I visited Way Kambas NP, South Sumatra, in August 2014 and used Hari, an excellent local guide, for much of my time there. The 31 mammal species seen included great views of Pen-tailed Treeshrew, Black-eared Pygmy Squirrel, Indomalayan Pencil-tailed Tree Mouse, six bats; and a brief view of Marbled Cat. Birds included Large Frogmouth, Reddish Scops Owl, Buffy Fish Owl, Brown Hawk Owl, Crested Fireback and White-winged Duck.
Link to trip report (pdf) including photos: 20140816-WayKambas(Sumatra)-PaulCarter-TRv2
Sabah (Borneo) mammal trip – March 2014
On a 23-day trip around Sabah (Borneo), with Jo Dale in March-April 2014, we saw 56 mammals (including 8 primates, 15 squirrels and 10 bats).
Jo joined me on Day 5 after I had visited Crocker Range and Poring Hot Springs. Other key sites included Kinabalu NP, Kinabatangan River, Danum Valley and Tabin Wildlife Reserve. My trip report (pdf with photos) is here.