Rocks of Ile canion. Almaty oblast.

The trip to Ile's rocks with Raufael Bairashev, Gennady Dyakin and Nurlan Kalchinov. The morning was murky with scattered rain, but later the sky became open, and the sun became shine. We saw the flock of Rosy Starlings (about 20-30 birds), but the main arrival of them still is not began. The first bird we saw was the sheltered from the rain under the rock the Hoopoe. But the Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush wasn't sheltered from the rain and being wet and dishevelled postured on the stone. The Rock Nuthatch on our appearance flew from the nest and hid into the next stones. But later it came back with the bug in bill. In our opinion the bird was the male feeding the female sitting on the clutch. Later we heard the calls and alarm calls of other Nuthatches in other points.

The rain quite quickly ended. When the rain ended the Red-rumped Swallows and Crag Martins appeared. Swallows and Martins were building the nests. On the stones after the rain the little pools were formed, and Swallows and Martins came to drink the water from these polls. Directly on Ile river we noted also Mallard Ducks, Terns (unidentified), Gulls (probably Caspian Gulls). In the walking to the gorge with Golden Eagles nests we watched two Eagles, probably male and female. One bird perched on the edge of the cliff, but second one was soaring on gorge. This actions may be mean the closely location of them nest, but we didn't find it. Also we watched quit a few Lesser Kestrels, Jackdaws, Magpies and Black Kites.

On the rocks and in the bushes among the rocks we watched the numerous Chukar Partridges (separated by pairs) and much little passerines - Pied Wheatears, Grey-headed Buntings, Rock Sparrows, Tree Pipits, Chiffchaffs and one Lesser Whitethroat. And on the back road we also noted this year first Cuckoo.

1. Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

2. Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis turkestanicus)

3. Eastern Rock Nuthatch (Sitta tephronota)

4. Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica rufula)

5. Eurasian Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)

6. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos daphanea)

7. Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)

8. Black Kite (Milvus migrans lineatus)

9. Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)

10. Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka)

11. Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia intermedia)

12. Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)