Shaulder. Arys. Shymkent.

Shaulder-Arys. Day began with the rain which was almost till evening. I went from Arystanbab across Syrdarya river but afraid to go to Shardara because the road on map was traced by dotted line only (but later I got to know that I could do it). So I came back to Shaulder and turned to main road in Tortkol and from it to Arys. All time the rain was, birds were a bit. I noticed only one Hobby was sitting directly on roadside. Arriving to Arys I again tried to go to Shardara but unfortunately the road from Arys to Shardara was repairing too. Therefore I came back to Shymkent and went to Sary-Agash. The steppe over Arys was dry, Crested Larks were a lot, there were some Caspian Gulls too.

All road from Arys till Abai (through Shymkent and Sary-Agash) passes across the almost continual chain of towns and villages. I noted only common birds of southern villages: Laughing Doves, Long-tailed Shrikes, and once I saw how Red-rumped Swallows picked up the mud to nests from the puddle formed by the night rain. It's not rich day to birding.

1. Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo)

2. Red-rumped Swallows (Hirundo daurica rufula)

3. Red-rumped Swallows (Hirundo daurica rufula)