Zaisan, Tarbagatai.

Ak Mektep. In morning twilight I saw flying Owl (probably Short-eared Owl). On the back way I saw same birds as I saw in yesterday's evening. Even same hybrid Crow. But Steppe Eagles were much more, from Ak Mektep till turning to Ayaguz I countered 11 Steppe Eagles including group of three birds near crushed fox. All eagles were juveniles or subadults. In addition to Eagles I saw Kites (5 birds), Long-legged Buzzards (I countered 8 birds and stop count, Buzzards were very variable from almost white to very dark), about five Pallid Harriers, some Kestrels. On asphalt there were a lot of Short-toed Larks, White, Yellow and Masked Wagtails. In canes I noted pair of Great Cormorants and probably yesterday's White Egret. Also saw unidentified Ducks and one adult male of Pallid Harrier. On gasoline station near Aksuat turning I saw a lot of Swallows, White Wagtails, Common Starlings (which I confused with Mynahs) and female Redstart.

I want to say about Quail specially. About four years ago I was very surprised, when saw how Quail slap-banged on a metal fence. I thought that Quail was broken, but the bird again flew off under my feet and departed. Today Quail has banged on my car going on speed about 60 kmph! I heard the blow and saw in the mirror the Quail sitting on asphalt. I took the camera but couldn't bypass the Quail from sun side because bird flew off!

After Aksuat turning on pools near Uan I saw Common Teals (about 15 birds), a lot of Swallows and much of Black Larks in mixed flocks as yet both males and females, flocks were numbered tens or hundreds Larks. Also Northern Lapwings were on roadsides. Zhantekei. Here on pools I watched much Kites, almost black Long-legged Buzzard and two adult males of Pallid Harrier. Shorebirds: three Common Snipes, one Temminck's Stint.

Steppe till Zhagalbaily mountains. Three times I saw Steppe Eagles, about ten times - Long-legged Buzzards. On fork Ayaguz-Aksuat I saw the Long-legged Buzzard was in the air as Kestrel. Much Black and Short-toed Larks flew by. Again I saw Kestrels almost on each pole, Kestrels occurred not in clear steppe but near mountains, in total I saw about three tens or more Kestrels. Once Steppe Grey Shrike was noted. In Zhagalbaily mountains in addition to flocks of Twites I watched Horned Larks too. Later in foothills until Ayaguz birds were a bit, only Isabelline Wheatears and Larks (probably Short-toed) were observed but these birds also were rare. On the little pool I saw pair of Ortolan Buntings and flock of Yellow Wagtails, on another place - Common Starlings and Twites.

Between Ai and Taskesken on poles I watched one Stock Pigeon and several Lesser Kestrels. Also in same places the Rollers occurred, on moving to south numbers of Rollers became more.

1. Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis orientalis)

2. Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

3. Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

4. Eurasian Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

5. Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris porphyronotus)

6. Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix coturnix)

7. Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)

8. Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

9. Steppe Grey Shrike (Lanius pallidirostris)

10. Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris brandti)

11. Ortolan Bunting (Emberiza hortulana)

12. Stock Pigeon (Columba oenas oenas)

13. Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)