Alakol. Akchi village.

Day is cloudy or even overcast. I went to the sand spit where I saw Relict Gulls and many Caspian Terns in the May. It’s short distance to car, and I thought I reach it after about 30-40 minutes. I was without clocks but all today trip from the hotel to the end of sand spit and back was 6.5 hours of permanently hiking with some crawl on sand to birds. What did I see? The last visit I was worry that I didn’t explore the saline marsh on the road to sand spit. Now I crossed it twice and noticed nothing only tens Black-headed Wagtails of different age and gender.

As at last visit in the bay in base of spit the White-winged Terns, Black-winged Stilts, Common Redshanks, Collared Pratincoles were noticed, today Black and Little Terns added to lists. The last visit numerous Caspian Terns are absent now. But Common Terns flying with fish in bill are abundant. When I move on to spit I was attacked by the screaming flock of Common Terns. I continued moving and Caspian Gulls and couple of Caspian Terns added to screaming flock. Terns and Gulls behaviored as I intrude to the colony area; but I didn’t see any eggs or chicks. If be hornest I wasn’t so attentive. Not only Terns and Gulls were careful nut Little Ringed Plovers too.

The coast in the end of spit is the resting spot to Cormorants, Gulls and Red-crested Pochards (in some places). Tens of males of Pochards flew to the lake to moulting. Later when I view photos I find two male Pintails too. One immature Great White Pelican was in the end of spit, other three Pelicans floated near the coast. Also here some number of Pallas’s Gulls rested. I watched Black-headed Gulls with additional attention because I wanted to find the Relict Gull which looked similar to Black-headed Gull. Finally I twice watched the single Relict Gull, probably the same bird because the first one flew out in the direction of my moving. Relict Gull was less careful bird than other ones. Once I crawled to it about to 20 meters, I watched it very well but photos are bad in due of overcast weather. But I am still happy. Birds became less in number than in the beginning of May, no the abundance of Pallas’s Gulls and Caspian Terns. Probably all of them now in the islands where they have colonies.

On the back road I noticed some birds of prey: Black Kite, Marsh Harrier and Booted Eagle. By the way, latter was observed in the morning in the beginning of my trip, probably the same bird. My trip is successful in my opinion but unfortunately the weather was bad to photoshooting.

1. Common Nightingale | Luscinia megarhynchos

2. Island Sredni (Middle)

3. Common Cuckoo | Cuculus canorus

4. Black Terns | Chlidonias nigra

5. Common Tern | Sterna hirundo

6. Black-headed Wagtail | Motacilla feldegg

7. Collared Pratincole | Glareola pratincola

8. Red-crested Pochards | Netta rufina

9. Great White Pelican | Pelecanus onocrotalus

10. Pallas's Gull | Larus ichthyaetus

11. Common Oystercatcher | Haematopus ostralegus

12. Black-headed Gull | Larus ridibundus

13. Caspian Gull | Larus cachinnans

14. Little Tern | Sterna albifrons

15. Relict Gull | Larus relictus

16. Great White Egret | Egretta alba

17. Caspian Tern | Hydroprogne caspia

18. Turkestan Shrike | Lanius phoenicuroides

19. Booted Eagle | Hieraaetus pennatus