Zholaman valley. Almaty oblast.

The last day of winter. The noticeable road events were one soaring White-tailed Sea-eagle, two perched on the poplars Buzzards and the most important two flocks of Common Starlings. The Starlings have arrived! Here the true spring is. The Kapchagai reservoir is almost full frozen. On ice-free place near the dam I again saw five Little Grebes (wintering birds) and unidentifying Ducks sitting on the far ice. One Chukar Partridge was appeared and in a trice hid.

The steppe near the lake is almost snow-free but on closing to Malai-Sary ridge the snow increases. In the steppe of Zholaman valley the birds were a bit but the emotions were a lot. The birds were mainly Calandra, Sky Larks and near the foothills the Horned Larks. The emotions were mainly glad, here the spring is. The Larks sing the songs but it is not total singing when the steppe's air is filled by the Larks' songs. But it is answerable, it is still early. Excepting the Larks we saw Long-legged Buzzards and one large flock of the Common Goldfinches.

Twice we saw the female of Hen Harrier, which long time flew along the road. We keeping the parallel course very well observed and photographed it. But despite the successful watching of the Harrier the Birds of Day are the Larks.

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

2. Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis major)

3. Skylark (Alauda arvensis dementievi)

4. Female Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)