Tajikistan. Khatlon oblast, Chilu Chor Chashma.

Chilu Chor Chashma places on the south of Tajikistan about 25 kilometers from the border of Afghanistan. In translate from Tadjik “Chilu Chor Chashma” means forty four springs. These springs look up sacred, there is mausoleum of the holy man on the chalkstone hill. Earlier public came to this place to think of desire and to appreciate the sanctity of the place. Now the place looks like entertainment place. There are a lot of cafes, boys bathe in the sacred waters. There are no birds on this loud place.

But the road was interesting. Path from Dushanbe (about 180 km) crosses the mountains and river's valleys. Mostly the road passes between Vakhsh and Kafirnigan rivers. From Dushanbe to Kurgan-Tube there is grass in the mountains slopes. Birds were Rollers, Indian Sparrows, Mynahs, Red-headed Buntings. It's only visible from the car birds. Raptors were one Long-legged Buzzard and one sitting on the pole Cinereous Vulture.

Further road continued during Vakhsh river. Landscape is mountain stony desert. Only near Vakhsh there are green coastal forests. Above the water a lot of Barn Swallows flew by. On the dry places there is a lot of Rollers, European and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters. Rarely Larks occurred. From the Jilikul road turns to the dry mountains. Only in the low gorge when slim little river streams I saw the flock of Chukar Partridges. Four times I saw Egyptian Vultures, once Long-legged Buzzard. Some times I saw Ravens (but I didn't identified them, probably they were Brown-necked Ravens).

Most of birds I saw on the last part of the road in the Kafirnighan between Kubadion and Shaahritus. All over Rollers, European and Green-cheked Bee-eaters flew by. A lot of Long-tailed Shrikes. First time I saw Pied Bushchat and Wire-tailed Swallow. Last bird looks very interesting and unusual. In Kubadion on the callow I saw flock of Northern Lapwings.

1. Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus)

2. Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)

3. Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters (Merops persicus)

4. Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters (Merops persicus)

5. Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)

6. Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)

7. Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata)