In the searching of Owls in Big Almaty Gorge.

Day is very sunny, but cool and windy.

Morning, Baiserke (Ili region). The hard northern wind helps to passage Black Kites, almost all time I saw in the sky the small groups of Kites moving to the North even in morning time when the warm air streams from the ground are absent. Of other birds the great Tits, Masked Wagtails, Black-headed Gulls were noticed.

Evening. Big Almaty Gorge. Trip to Boreal and Northern Hawk Owls. Until the dusk in the branch gorge we saw many little passerines: Chaffinches, Bramblings, Blue-capped Redstarts. Before sunset owls didn’t responded to the sound records, but in darkness we heard the reply calls from the Northern Hawk Owl (from the top of gorge), Long-eared Owl (from a far), Boreal Owls (in the walnut grove). Song (call?) of Long-eared Owl is the hoot, but songs of Hawk and Boreal Owls are the rather similar “ulululu” sound, but Boreal Owl song is shorter and rarer than in Hawk Owl. But sounds are similar, so we wanted to look at Hawk Owl not only heard (Boreal Owls were watched and photographed many times). But this night we saw nothing, though frozen and down to city already after 11pm.

1. Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

2. Masked Wagtail (Motacilla personata)

3. Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)

4. Great Tit (Parus major)

5.