Bakanas. Southern Trans-Balkhash area.

Very sunny and very frosty. At the morning in Bakanas I saw how the mute Blackbird flew out. I have gone to Balkhash side a little. At the morning twilights I saw stirring in the shrubs Tree Sparrows (three flocks), twice noted sitting on the poles Rough-legged Buzzards, from time to time I saw flying by pairs or in not large flocks the Rooks and Hooded Crows. The lonely Crested Lark was looking for something on the road side. The White-tailed Sea-Eagle flew by eastward from Ili river. Twice I noted the Falcons. Once it was the soaring above the plain Kestrel and once sitting on the pole Saker Falcon.

I saw two more times Rough-legged Buzzards and one very dark Buzzard, probably Upland Buzzard, at afternoon. I observed one Upland Buzzard already over the Malay-Sary pass. It's very interesting that I have watched the Upland Buzzards in the steppe and the Rough-legged Buzzards in the desert only. One more time I observed the pair of the Linnet and one Little Owl sitting on the pole. The winter is the time of finches, corvids and birds of prey, but last time I note the Little Owls second time already. And both cases in same situations: nearer to evening, the Owls are sitting on the poles and hunting. The difference is that two Little Owls were observed on foothills but one in desert.

1. Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus)

2. Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)

3. Crested Lark (Galerida cristata iwanowi)

4. Little Owl (Athene noctua bactriana)