Cosmostation. Big Almaty Lake.

The temperature difference between the city and the Cosmostation accorded to the difference between altitudes: the city was very hot, but the Cosmostation was cold and windy. Plus double cloudy: the high clouds covering the whole country and the local patches of fog rising up by the branch gorges. However clouds from time to time dispersed. We watched several flocks of Himalayan Snowcocks, and I even was lucky to photograph them. There were also Water Pipits, Guldenstadt’s Redstart, a lot of Hodgson's Rosefinches (reddish juveniles and grey adults), Himalayan Accentors, Mistle Thrushes, Wallcreeper. Twice in the clouds we watched predators, one Lammergeier and one Booted Eagle. Near the Almaty lake always there were the pair of Kestrels.

The list of birds of juniper thickets near Observatory was common: Sulphur-bellied Warblers, Hume’s Warblers, White-browed Tit-Warblers, numerous and active Black-throated Accentors of different ages, and probably already migrating Stonechats. Here we also noticed flying Booted Eagle of the dark morph.

1. Himalayan Snowcock (Tetraogallus himalayensis sewertzowi)

2. Himalayan Snowcock (Tetraogallus himalayensis sewertzowi)

3. Hodgson's Rosefinch (Leucosticte nemoricola)

4. Himalayan Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus hemachalanus)

5. Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

6. Sulphur-bellied Warbler (Phylloscopus griseolus)

7. White-browed Tit-Warbler (Leptopoecile sophiae)

8. Black-throated Accentor (Prunella atrogularis huttoni)