Taukum - Kanshegel - Sorbulak - Almaty

In Taukum sands from the early morning we heard the singing Red-headed Bunting, on the road-sides the most notable birds were Crested Larks and Turkestan Shrikes. The waiting morning flying of Black-bellied Sandgrouse in Kanshengel was not visible probably because of the yesterday's rain (appearance of puddles from which birds can to drink) and the morning cold. But some Sandgrouses still came to drink in watering place, we saw two flocks by six birds each, but most of the birds were flying alone or in pairs. Once the pair of Pallas's Sandgrouses was observed, and some later the flock of Demoiselle Cranes. Small Larks were singing very actively; the Isabelline Wheatears already took out fledglings from the burrow. On the wires near the village I saw the this year's first Eurasian Bee-eaters.

13.30. Sorbulak was suddenly emptied, almost all passage Shorebirds flew out, the former abundance of birds was gone. Probably only local breeding birds stay on Sorbulak. Even in small number we observed the Terek Sandpipers and Spotted Redshanks. The main observation is the Pacific Golden Plover. I saw this bird for the first time, but remembered that need to make photo of underwing. I made one shot of underwing which show the dark axillaries feathers. It should be mentioned the this year's nesting of Rosy Starling on the dam. On Little Sorbulak the most interesting was the finding of Lark's kindergarten to the water. Caspian Gulls taken out their grey chicks to the water. We watched one floating group, others ones crowded the shore. In my closing to the water the Gulls taken away chicks in the grass, but then again taken out to the coast. In the sky over the opposite shore the Great White Pelicans rounded. On the wet meadow near Karoy I saw Lapwing chicks.

May 19-20, 2012. Two days trip list.

1. Kanshegel. Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo)

2. Kanshegel. Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii)

3. Kanshegel.

4. Kanshegel. Pallas's Sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus)

5. Sorbulak. Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

6. Sorbulak. Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

7. Sorbulak. Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva)

8. Sorbulak. Rosy Starlings (Sturnus roseus)

9. Little Sorbulak. Gulls' kindergarden.

10. Little Sorbulak. Great White Pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus)

11. Little Sorbulak. Eurasian Roller (Coracias garrulus semenowi)

12. Karoi. Lapwing's (Vanellus vanellus) chick.