Sulutor. Aspara.

Avrasia. In midway between Almaty and Bishkek there is Avrasia road service. On the service building the House Martins were building the nests but mud was brought from the next pool. It was my today first stay and first photos of birds.

Sulutor locating on Zhetyzhol ridge before the Kordai pass is very similar to Ushkonyr, it is the mid-mounting plateau too. Locals said that grass in Sulutor is not fade till the autumn. Now is summer and grass in Sulutor is truly green in contrast to the yellow next steppes. Birds were Common Starlings, Rollers, Jackdaws, European Bee-eaters, Turkestan Shrikes, Lesser Grey Shrikes, Common Nightingale, Corn Bunting, pair of Wood Pigeons, Chukar Partridges (in rocks), Rosy Starlings and ubiquitous Red-headed Buntings.

After Sulutor I went to Aspara. In the roadside thickets of Chu river valley sometimes the colonies of Spanish Sparrows occurred. Sparrows cross the road very low, and a lot of Sparrows were hit by the cars. The asphalt of road near colonies is covered by the dozens of dead Sparrows. In evening time near Aspara village I saw the male Marsh Harrier but didn't shoot it.

1. Northern House Martins (Delichon urbica urbica)

2. Northern House Martin (Delichon urbica urbica)

3. Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar falki)

4. Eurasian Roller (Coracias garrulus semenowi)

5. Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra buturlini)

6. Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor)

7. Turkestan Shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides phoenicuroides)

8. European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)

9. Rosy Starling (Sturnus roseus)

10. Spanish Sparrows (Passer hispaniolensis transcaspicus)

11. Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis transcaspicus)