Trans-Ural area.

Very hot day, the weather was so hot that even Bee-eaters and Rollers were not perch on wires. Birds somewhere hid, only hovering raptors sometimes occurred. In Yanaikino area I saw the pair of Levant Sparrowhawks chased the female Marsh Harrier, but probably they weren't Sparrowhawks but Red-footed Falcons, which were a lot in roadside thickets. I tried to search birds in one of Ural's old channels but found only Marsh Turtles which probably were one only animals basked on sun. Later I searched birds in roadside thickets but found only hiding in shadows Tree Sparrows, Hoopoes and Red-footed Falcons. Female Falcon began to cry but male flew off and soared over me.

In Zhangala region in rare and low thickets there were many nests of Long-legged Buzzards and Steppe Eagles but in dense and high thickets there were many nests of Kestrels and Red-footed Falcons. Red-footed Falcons were really a lot, at evening time when the heat subsided the dozens of Red-footed Falcons hovered in the sky. Other observed raptors were one Montagu's Harrier and Kites.

In Zhangala region there are the system of channels between Ural and Kushum rivers, the road to Zhangala crosses these channels. On one of these crosses I discovered many water birds. Firstly the flock of Greylag Geese which slowly moved away from pond to steppe, but after about one hour when cattle herd came to watering the Geese flew directly over me. Secondly White-winged and Black Terns (which now is not black). Terns were not so much but they were always visible. Shorebirds: crying Black-winged Stilts, easy Black-tailed Godwit, varicoloured Ruffs and flock of Black-winged Pratincoles. One flock of Common Starlings, Yellow Wagtails, many young Coots (on which I didn't pay attention already), not cautious Great Cormorant and Ducks - juvenile Ruddy Shelducks and female Common Pochard with brood of ducklings.

1. Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis)

2. Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

3. Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus)

4. Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis orientalis)

5. Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

6. Greylag Goose (Anser anser)

7. Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)

8. White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)

9. White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)

10. Black-winged Pratincoles (Glareola nordmanni)

11. Black-winged Pratincole (Glareola nordmanni)

12. Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)

13. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis)

14. Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)

15. Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)