Sorbulak.

Today is mostly sunny and even hot day, probably the last hot day of this summer (year). Trip with Gennady and Elena Dyakins and Rauf Bairashev to Sorbulak, where we were not a long time. The main targets of trip are waders, migration of which is started. But the first we saw when even were approaching to Sorbulak are many flocks of Ruddy Shelducks, 10-50 birds of each, flying in lake direction. Further we saw Ruddy Shelducks in all beaches of south and east coasts of Big Sorbulak. We didn’t visit Savkino lake (“Savka” means White-headed Duck in Russian) because we didn’t expected to watch significant birds here (and we are right according by Vassily’s post), but we quickly explored the first dam and pools “in another side”. No significant birds, and we went on south coast. Here birds are a lot, both large and small: mentioned above Ruddy Shelducks, Common Shelducks in mixed flocks with Ruddy ones, of course both species of Gulls (Black-headed and Caspian), Cormorants, Whooper Swans, Dalmatian Pelicans, Mallards, Garganeys, Great Crested Grebes. Some more detailed about shorebirds: a lot of Calidris Stints (Little and Temminck’s), Ruffs (some males in spring plumage but some in autumn one), many Lapwings, Black-winged Stilts, some less number of Common Redshanks, also we saw Green, Wood (many), Marsh Sandpipers, Common Greenshanks, Common Sandpipers, Black-tailed Godwit (about 50 birds), twice couples of Pacific Golden Plovers, one couple of Ruddy Turnstone, one Red-necked Phalarope, singles of Pied Avocets. Also we saw one unidentified Sandpiper among the Little Stints, it was darker, significant larger than Little Stints, with dark streacked belly.

There is same situation in the east coast: birds are a lot and different. The list of species is same as in south coast. Significant birds have been Curlew and flock of 9 Pacific Golden Plovers. Then we went to Little Sorbulak where passed the tree-line up to Zhamankum. In the middle of tree-line it crossed by large pipe-line (we were not here a long-long time), but possible to cross it through the gap in the place of absent part; but what we will do in future is unknown yet. In silverberry groves of Zhamankum we saw flocks of young Rosy Starlings, but in reeds the groups of Common Rosefinches. Once Rosefinches flushed from the reeds, but thereafter the little Hawk flew by low above my head. Then it perched to silverberry-tree and I watched it, I think it is Shikra because it has white belly with thin but very neat streaks. Also here we saw flying Hobby; it can be mean the plenty of little passerines here. High in the sky several Gull-billed Terns were soaring, some of them also were flying above the lake. On the back road in the lake near channel we also saw Gull-billed Terns, and many Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes too.

1. Ruddy Shelducks | Tadorna ferruginea

2. Dalmatian Pelicans | Pelecanus crispus

3. Spotted Flycatcher | Muscicapa striata

4. Whooper Swans | Cygnus cygnus

5. Common Shelduck | Tadorna tadorna

6. Ruff | Philomachus pugnax

7. Pied Avocet | Recurvirostra avosetta

8. Pacific Golden Plover | Pluvialis fulva

9. Black-tailed Godwits | Limosa limosa

10. Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres

11. Western Marsh-Harrier | Circus aeruginosus

12. Eurasian Curlew | Numenius arquata

13. European Bee-eater | Merops apiaster

14. Lesser Grey Shrike | Lanius minor

15. Rosy Starlings | Sturnus roseus

16. Gull-billed Tern | Gelochelidon nilotica

17.