Kimasar gorge, Ile Alatau National Park.

The morning was sunny and warm, but during all the day the middle-power wind was blowing, it brought the coldness and rain in afternoon. The upper Kimasar gorge and its eastern slope are yet snowy, but the western slope is almost dry. Birds are as usually absent (in spite of Magpies and Carrion Crows) if you don’t watch and hear carefully. Today I arrived to the gorge at about 10am, it is a good time, not early and not later. Almost immediately I noticed the pair of Grey Wagtails, the first this year. In the mouth of gorge I recorded Dippers both Brown and White-bellied but didn’t try to take photo of them. When I reached to the spruce-forrest I see the singing Black-throated Accentors; further I saw more Black-throated Accentors, each time either singing bird or couple. I watched the singing Mistle thrush too and thought that I first time watch the singing Mistle Thrush. I was going to make video but Thrush flew away. By the way Mistle Thrushes are numerous, I saw about twenty birds, sometimes I saw the birds flushing from grass to inside of spruce-tree.

Of the little passerines I saw Goldcrests, Coal Tits, flocks of Red-fronted Serins and Chaffinches, probably other birds which I couldn’t identify. Twice I saw Blue-headed Redstarts, regularly heard drumming of Three-toed Woodpecker. Of the birds of prey I saw Kestrel, single cinereous Vulture and Lammergeier. Latter was flying under me at the distance about 300 meters. I tried to take photo but while the focus ran from zero to infinity the Lammergeier flew away. I waited it but unsuccessfully.

After noon I descended to mouth of gorge expecting Dippers and Blue Whistling Thrushes. But unfortunately this time the strong wind got up, weather became cold and the rain started. I take photo of Brown Dipper only, the White-bellied one was not noticed. But I saw two single Blue Wistling Thrushes, one of them I noticed flying from the spruce-tree directly to open window of old building. After five minutes it flew off from the window to spruce-tree inside and some times called from there. I was waiting the next Thrush’s flying about twenty minutes but bird didn’t do it. The weather continued to be worse. I went to home but thought to visit this spot once more in order to check the visiting of old building by the Whistling Thrush, and if yes then to try find the nest there.

1. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

2. Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

3. Black-throated Accentor (Prunella atrogularis)

4. Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus bonapartei)

5. Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus)

6. Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes)

7. The eastern slope is full snowy

8. The top of gorge

9. Witch's broom

10. Western slope

11. Goldcrest (Regulus regulus tristis)

12.

13. Squirrel

14. Brown Dipper (Cinclus pallasii)

15. Blue Whistling Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus)