Almaty - Karaganda.

Business have called to Astana urgently. I had no time to observe birds therefore wrote only the facts of meetings. The dawn has caught me near Chemolgan. In roadside spinney Blackbirds, Waxwings (this winter first Waxwings), four females of Common Pheasant, Magpies were fed.

Wintering ducks were visible through a morning fog on Sorbulak Lake. Some later on a bend of the Kurty river the pair of ducks was fed also. To identify the ducks was difficult from afar. Saw two Upland Buzzards and two Steppe Eagles. One of them was looked very large I thought that it may be a Golden Eagle.

Behind Kanshengel two flocks of Geese flew to the West above road. Each flock of ten birds approximately. Amazing geese above the snow steppe. There was a little falcon, probably Merlin. Also there were two pairs of Ravens. I didn't can to lose this rare birds. I stopped and tried to photograph, but Ravens are very clever birds. At once they have understood that have interested me, but at the same time also have understood that I do not danger for them. Therefore their behavior was conforming. They did not allow me to leave the car, did not fly far, may be teased me. The first pair run me over five kilometers and I didn't diddle to second pair.

Balkhash has frozen only in the it's southwest part, further to the north beginning from Chaganak there wasn't ice still. Often had met with Carrion Crows once Hooded Crow. The flocks of Horned Larks had crossed over the road incessantly. Twice saw Calandra Larks. Black Larks had appeared only behind Balkhash. Three times saw Hen Harriers, two of them near Gulshat.

1. Female Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus mongolicus)

2.