Last days in Mangyshlak

In recent days my birdwatching was presented by rare accidental records, mostly from the car window or during the daily trip to store. Firstly I want to note to numerous fledglings of different Wheatears and Larks; these birds live either directly in village or in adjoined area. The most numerous of local Larks is the Crested Lark; the Horned Lark was observed only in village’s vicinity. The most popular local Wheatear is Pied one; it is numerous, and now due the number of fledglings Pied Wheatear is more numerous even than Sparrow. So in the dorm I live this Wheatear is the Bird #1. The Black-eared Wheatear was recorded only near district Hospital; but regularly both male and female. The Desert Wheatear also lives near my dorm; almost every day I noticed female and once the male. Adult Wheatears began to moult in the end of first decade of July. Some times I saw in village the flocks of Rock Sparrows (once in mixed flock with House Sparrows) feeding the grass seeds. Swifts fly but in less number as previously in my opinion.

On the seaside I often watched mostly the common birds such as Cormorants, Caspian and Slender-billed Gulls, Common, Little and Gull-billed Terns, Kentish, Greater Sand and Little Ringed Plovers, sometimes Redshanks. Twice I noticed flocks of Ruffs yet in breeding plumage. After the night rain and storm there are many water plants on the coastal border. Of many waders feeding in water plants the majority presented by local birds but there were Wood, Common, Terek, Curlew Sandpipers, Ruffs and (perhaps) Marsh Sandpiper too. It means the back migration is started though now is the middle of summer only. Two juvenile Marsh Harriers slowly moving in south direction also can be treated as migrants.

During the night driving in steppe I twice saw Nightjars. Further I noticed Nightjar near dorm where we live. Every night Nightjar comes to hunt to insects in light of lanterns. At night, I heard the loud sound something likes to voice of Nightjar, but it was a toad.

In the coastal desert patches I everyday noticed the brood of Hoopoes often hiding in grass, but I saw them on wires too. Also on wires I saw the Bee-eaters.

Last day I notices a lot of Rosy Starlings perched on wires, but I couldn’t to take photo that moment because I had some important tasks to about half of hour. Twice I drove near Starlings but they didn’t move and stayed in the same place. When I took chance to take camera I don’t believe to view Starlings, but they didn’t depart the rest point and their number didn’t decrease. I shot them from a far then from close distance, but didn’t approach to the limit. Only several Starlings were moving, the majority of birds perched on wires very dense without space. The flock contained only adult Starlings; I didn’t see any juvenile birds. Further looking the photos I noticed the closing eyes of most of birds. Eyes were either tightly closed or by transparent greyish eyelid (photographer know it by bad shots). So all the birds in this large flock were sleeping at the midday time. They were not fly or feed but densely perched on wires. Until the evening time Starlings of course flew away; but why there were only adults, why they were sleeping in day time, why they were a lot?

P.S. Before my departing from the dorm the watchman ask to sell him my binocular. Probably I could to do it and then to buy the new model to myself. But my next trip is planned to the end of July, I have not time to buy new binocular. But I can’t watch the birds without binocular.

1. Last days in Caspian Sea

2. Moulting male of Pied Waheatear

3. Moulting male of Desert Waheatear

4. Fledgling of Pied Wheatear

5. Fledgling of Black-eared Wheatear

6. Fledgling of Horned Lark

7. Fledgling of Crested Lark

8. Slender-billed Gull

9. Little Tern

10. Gull-billed Tern

11. Marsh Harrier moving to the southern direction

12. Rosy Starlings

13. Birds are sleeping with open eyes