Temirtau - Almaty.

Back road. Very murky. The rain was in all Kazakh Upland. Some places rain was strong some places was easier. Very dark. Despite the rain Harriers flew. Today I observed them less than last time. During 75 km (from 900 to 825 km) I saw 7 Harriers include 4 Montagu's Harriers, 3 Pallid Harriers and one reddish little female, probably female of Pallid Harrier. I think early morning and murky weather affected to number of Harriers. On another time and other weather the number of Harriers may be much more. Also I again met pair of Demoiselle Cranes. Near Aksu-Ajuly I saw one Steppe Eagle. A lot of Common Kestrels, twice near the road flights of Lesser Kestrels turned. Both time there were high enough (15-20 m) rocks nearby the road. On the roadside pools twice saw ducks, once three Shovelers (two males and one female) and pair of Garganeys and once pair of Mallards, male Gadwall and male Garganey. Once Common Redshank and Marsh Sandpiper were occurred.

Northern Trans-Balkhash area. The group of Stilts stayed on the salt pool. It's became some more Northern and Isabelline Wheaters but Northern ones were much more. About 100 kilometers from Balkhash I saw two flights of Demoiselle Cranes (27 and 13 birds) in the sky. One flight whirled but another one flew by wedge from the lake side. Coming to first flight the second one also began to whirl and whirling about 1-2 minutes Cranes again built the wedge and departed to north-east. First flight slowly ascending continued to whirl. One Crane detached from flight and descending flew to the west side. Further I saw yet three Demoiselle Cranes departed to north-east.

On the Zhamshi river the Rooks formed nesting colony on the jingil. Nests placed low on the level of man's inches. I saw such colony first time. The Jackdaws became but number of Hooded Crows decreased. Twice I saw sitting on roadside Black Larks.

The closer to lake the more dry and desert landscape. Birds as if were some less. Only raptors were good noticeable. First dark Steppe Eagle was occurred on about 60 km from Balkhash lake (693 km). Further (on 654 km) above the dump in the sky not less 20 Steppe Eagles turned. Eagles whirled, played the games as Kites, attacked one to another, air pirouetted. But most of Eagles simply turned. Firstly I thought that they were not Eagles but Black Kites. But looking on binocular I became sure on Steppe Eagles. I first time saw so large number of Steppe Eagles. May be Steppe Eagles arrive by flights and I saw one of them.

Balkhash lake. Further till to south-west end of Balkhash lake I saw only single Caspian Gulls, one Long-legged Buzzard, two Steppe Eagles and several Isabelline Wheaters. On the rocks of south-west coast of Balkhash Pied Wheaters sang, Carrion Crows flew. On weekend on the coast a lot of fishers. Birds were a little. Only one Great Cormorants and some Gulls. I came in and some walked in the saxaul forest. Silence. I heard only gophers' fizzes but not birds.

1. Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

2. Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo)

3. Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis orientalis)

4. Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)

5. Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

6. Demoiselle Cranes (Anthropoides virgo)

7. Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis orientalis)

8. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis)