Kimasar gorge, Ile Alatau National Park.

I expected the overcast, partially rainy day. But I can’t change plan to trip to Kimasar. In spite of my expectation the weather was not partially rainy but full rainy, partially overcast. Rain started almost immediately I came to mouth of gorge and was so powerful that I was forced to hide under the spruce-tree. Further rain regularly was becoming heavier and only sometimes easier. This weather didn’t give me possibility to watch birds which were a bit though I reached the juniper belt. Of the significant birds I can mention only juvenile Blue Whistling Thrush I noticed before the rain, and two juveniles of Carrion Crow pecked the bark of spruce-tree.

When I was backing to home I met the man who heavy impressed me. He was very calm, intelligent-looking man without bag but with umbrella and gun! I wanted to ask him – why you are with gun? But I didn’t do it, because I afraid men with gun. This spring in Alakol lake I heard the story about two groups of hunters fired on each other. The cause of fight was very “important” such as who must to give the way. This story confirms my opinion that if man has the gun he will fire from it sooner or later. So I never asked the foolishly questions (Why you are with gun in public place? Do you expect to fire the birds?). But if I don’t ask these questions because I afraid man with gun, but majority of people doesn’t ask because believes that it’s normal to fire in public place. Because the hunting (or shooting to any live object) in Kazakhstan is the third popular entertainment (after alcohol and women), and society believes that hunting is very cool, even very-very cool (the third place after alcohol and women). Therefore the defenders of hunters from the rows of not hunters which as each advocate doesn’t see log in the eyes of clients and separates latters to the “right” (own friends, relatives, business partners etc.) and “wrong” (not friends, not relatives etc.). The defenders of hunting call the “wrong” hunters as “poacher” and also strongly praise the “right hunters”.

1. Juv. Blue Whistling Thrush (Myophonus caeruleus)