Batareika river. Ile Alatau National Park.

In fir forest I didn't meet any birds exclude Hume's Warblers. Once I heard the Nutcracker's voice and once saw how Wren romped in high grass. That's all. All other birds were Hume's Warblers.

There were not so much birds near Batareika river but number of species some more. The flock of Grey-headed Goldfinches flew out about me. Same Hume's Warblers from time to time jumped from bush to another. Probably Hume's Warblers' nesting time began again. Because these birds sang activity and flew by the pairs. Twice saw juvenile White-bellied Dippers. One bird crying flew out about be over the river bed. Backward another one sat on the stone very cool. By the way this young Dipper didn't cry even flight from one stone to another. Many Grey Wagtails. Grey Wagtails always searched food between stones near the river. Sometimes birds came very close on two-three meters. But never birds went beside me. Often birds closed to me but birds prefer to cover “dangerous” part of the path by flight. It was interesting to spy Kestrel's family. Two young birds sat on the high fir tree's crown. It was impossible to view birds even being close to tree. Only incessant cheeping of nestlings told birds. From time to time adult Kestrel arrived. On this moment the movement on branches began. Female began to cry nestlings began to active, but all movement finished when female flew out. At all Kestrels were very clamorous. Also saw one Himalayan Griffon-Vulture.

All said bird I saw when I waited main person – Blue Whistling Thrush. Whistling Thrush is not so scary birds. It is possible to view it from afar. But Thrush doesn't like to be visibly showed. Sometimes it's possible to see bird very close but in deep bushes. Common Blue Whistling Thrush prefers to carry in shadow and deep bushes. Therefore it looks blackish dark. But only while Thrush happens on open sun all it's plumage began to show all blue's shadows. But it's rare event. Today I didn't wait this happen as I waited several hours. Blue Whistling Thrush mostly hid in pine grove. But “hid” is not right word. It was possible to see bird. Thrush didn't hide behind the branches. I saw it very good by binocular. But Thrush all time was afar. From time to time bird arrived to bushes about me but did't happened on open place.

1. Eurasian Dipper (Cinclus cinclus leucogaster)

2. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea melanope)

3. Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

4. Blue Whistling Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus turcestanicus)

5. Blue Whistling Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus turcestanicus)

6. Blue Whistling Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus turcestanicus)