Almaty, Ile river.

Almaty. At 6 a.m. in the Republic Square I saw Common Whitethroat and female Stonechat. Also I heard singing Whitethroats and Greenfinches.

Ile river. The Rosy Starlings arrived to the Ile rocks. It means that now will be very difficult to watch other birds. Hundreds of Rosy Starlings filled all stones and splits. I planned to make photos of Rock Sparrow and Blue Rock Thrush which I saw in these rocks two weeks ago. But all stones where Rock Sparrows and Thrushes fed nestlings now occupied by Rosy Starlings. I found Rock Sparrow - adult bird fed the juvenile, but unfortunately Blue Rock Thrush wasn't found. Also I saw several Red-headed Buntings, pair of Pied Wheatears, one Hoopoe, one Nightjar. Some times I watched Chukar Partridges but it seems that number of Chukars decreased, Chukars are invisible, all around are filled by Rosy Starlings. Sitting in the colony of Rosy Starlings I was feeling that there are not other birds in the world.

Birds of prey I saw were the Black Kites, one Booted Eagle, one Golden Eagle, Lesser Kestrels and one Egyptian Vulture. It was interesting to watch how Lesser Kestrel attacked the same-sized Chuckar Partridge. The attacks were not active, Chukar snapped easy too. The Egyptian Vulture brought in the bill anything looked like the Turtle. Today my main aim was to shoot Crag Martins. To realizing of my idea I more than one hour climbed the rocks to achieve the terrace where Crag Martins presumably breed. I didn't find nests but made photos of Martins. New species to me.

On the back road I stayed near Penduline Tits' nest. Penduline Tits almost finished the nest building, only the nest's enter is not ready. Here I some walked in the roadside thickets, saw the Leaf Warblers, Spotted Flycatchers and Cuckoo which was attacked by the pair of Lesser Grey Shrikes.

1. Stonechat (Saxicola torquata maura)

2. Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis rubicola)

3. Rosy Starling (Sturnus roseus)

4. Rosy Starlings (Sturnus roseus)

5. Rosy Starlings (Sturnus roseus)

6. Adult and juvenile Rock Sparrows (Petronia petronia intermedia)

7. Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)

8. Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus pennatus)

9. Eurasian Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)

10. Eurasian Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)

11. Eurasian Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)

12. White-crowned Penduline Tit (Remiz coronatus)

13. Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)