Trip to Bartogai.

The trip with Javier Pierda to Bartogai reservoir by the upper Chilik road. Today's weather is not plain, in places is sunny but in some places all the country in the mist. Sometimes it visible as the smoke moved along the gorges. The upper Chilik road crosses the foothills of Karash and Bokaidyn Tau ridges; during the first half the road bypassed by the road-side thickets, mostly of karagach (small-leaves elm), but djida, birch, pine and other trees were also occurred. The first birds on the Big Almaty Channel were Magpies and Black-throated Thrushes. Further about Issyk level the large flock of Yellowhammers with some Bramblings and one Chaffinch and one Rock Bunting occurred. One Upland Buzzard. Over Issyk there were the flock (about 15 birds) of Mistle Thrushes, and Yellowhammers again.

Near Baltabay on the djida the large mixed flock fed, I recite the birds in course of the decrease of its number: Fieldfares, Greenfinches, Waxwings, Mistle Thrushes, Black-throated Thrushes. This year the Waxwings and Fieldfares appeared in South-East Kazakhstan earlier than me. The Mistle Thrushes today are most popular birds. All the road here and there the small (from 10 to 20 birds) flocks of Mistle Thrushes occurred, they were seen both in road-side thickets and on single trees, and also on the rocks. Once I and Javier saw how the Mistle Thrushes were drinking the water from the little pool on the asphalt. Three times our car flushed large flocks (one flock of Grey-headed Goldfinches and two ones of Bramblings), each of flocks some time flew in parallel of car's course; the uniforms of these flocks composed from the specimens of only one species strike the eye.

The second half of the road crosses the open country. Here were a slightly less birds. From the road side to closest single karagach the mixed flock of Yellowhammers and Tree Sparrows flew off. Further we observed three Pine Buntings. The birds of prey were quite a bit. Broadly speaking I hoped to see a lot of Buzzards but today during all day we saw only five Upland Buzzards and one larger Falcon, probably Barbary Falcon.

Bartogai. The lake is still not frozen. In according to huntsman which we met near the lake just only four days ago from the lake the Swans (20 birds) and Ducks (60 birds) flew out. It is interesting that huntsman told about two black swans which kept off other white swans. Of course he meant not Black Swan but other bird, but what about he told is unclear. We saw on the lake two Ruddy Shelducks and about fifteen small ducks (probably Teals or Garganeys). And also the flock of about 20 Horned Larks. On the roadside pool the Upland Buzzard rested; on our oncoming it flew to the mountains. But two Little Owls which apparently weren't resting but hunting from the roadside poles flew off not far. When I was quite intrusive they flew to the next pole. Probably Little Owls are today's most interesting birds.

1. Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)

2. Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus bonapartei)

3. Bohemian Waxwings (Bombicilla garrulus)

4. Eastern Buzzard (Buteo japonicus)

5. Little Owl (Athene noctua)

6. Little Owl (Athene noctua)