Sorbulak lake. Almaty oblast.

On the road to Sorbulak in the roadside thickets (mainly on russian olive trees) we saw flocks of Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammers, Bramblings, some Blackbirds and Black-throated Thrushes. Once two Corn Bunting were occurred and once we saw the flock of Horned Larks. During the entire road the lot of Corvids were observed, mainly Rooks and Magpies, few Hooded and Carrion Crows, a bit of Jackdaws. The raptor was one only Kestrel.

Sorbulak has frozen so that fishermen go by cars on ice directly. But nevertheless it is not so cold yet, and the ice-hole on which the waterfowl winter is still big. On this ice-hole it is a lot of birds. First of all the Whooper Swans are evident, there were these birds probably more than one hundred. Swans in separate groups (believable families) kept to all lake, both on an ice edge, and on water. The most appreciable ducks were the Goosanders settled most close to the coast. On the opposite side of the ice-hole it was possible to watch by the binocular the Mallards sitting on ice and the flocks of hundreds of the floating Tufted Ducks. Most likely there were also other ducks, because on attentive watching by the binocular I have noticed one male Eurasian Wigeon, and later in reeds the flock of Garganeys and separately floating Common Teals. Except ducks on Sorbulak there were also the gulls. Two Great Black-headed Gulls had a rest on ice edge, but have departed at my approach. Later I saw Great Black-headed Gulls twice, probably it were the same birds. Also I twice saw Mew Gulls. Birds of prey. One periodically appearing dark morph Buzzard and two White-tailed Sea-Eagles flew by over the ducks, soared over the swans and sat down on snow about lake. I have not noticed the attempts to attack ducks by White-tailed Sea-Eagles. Both Sea-Eagles were young and dark, with a light back, belly and shoulders.

Kurty. It is wonderful but there is another beautiful reservoir near Kurty. This reservoir is on narrow rock gorge. Now it is not full and is frozen too. There were no birds on reservoir but only semi-wild Rock Doves perched on the rocks, and once the flock of Goosanders flew by. But some below the reservoir in the thickets there were a lot of birds, mostly Black-throated Thrushes and Greenfinches which sounds were hearable everywhere. Except these birds there were Grey-headed Goldfinches, separate feeding flock of Long-tailed Rosefinches, Bramblings and one shy Guldenstadt's Redstart.

On the back road we haven't seen a lot of birds. Only numerous Greenfinches and two flocks of Waxwings were noticeable. Raptors were three Upland Buzzards and one Merlin.

1. Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus)

2. Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus)

3. White-tailed Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

4. Pallas's Gull (Larus ichthyaetus)

5. Long-tailed Rosefinch (Uragus sibiricus)

6. Bohemian Waxwings (Bombicilla garrulus)

7. Merlin (Falco columbarius)