The Ile valley.

The oncoming of the spring already feels. Everywhere in steppe there is no any more snow but iced pools on the lowlands. Still one week ago I easy went on snow on the reservoir, but today snow was not present, and Mew Gulls sat on thin ice under which water darkens. In the same place on ice four Mallards sat also. Over the reservoir White-tailed Sea-Eagle (probably local resident) and White Egret flew by. The recent big snowfall covered steppe by white snow, but open places of wet sand and clay became. Open places with a grass are not present. Therefore small birdies (the Great Tits, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Bramblings, Grey-headed Goldfinches) fed in a grass under russian olive. There were Blackbirds and Black-throated Thrushes in the same place.

1. Common Gull (Larus canus heinei)

2. Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

3. Black-throated (Turdus atrogularis)

4. Black-throated (Turdus atrogularis)

5. Black-throated (Turdus atrogularis)