Urban Birding. Ust-Kamenogorsk.

Morning, 8am. Dzhambul Park. Weather is very nice, almost sunny and cold. Thrushes were eating berries (viburnum, barberry, but mostly little apples). I saw two Blackbirds, two Fieldfares and many Black-throated Thrushes. The local Blackbirds are very shy unlike ones in Almaty. Also in park I watched Great Tits, Nuthatch and about five Hume’s Warblers.

After the park I decided to visit the Irtysh river side. Though I went to river about 9.30am the birds were a bit. Usually numerous Rock Pigeons were invisible. First time there were a bit of Ducks too. But later two large flocks of Gulls (while not id) appeared; one flock was a long time soaring above the island, then flew away. Then a large wedge of Cormorants flew away to the East, then I twice saw Gooslanders moving upstream. And then I spotted 6 barn Swallows. After October 21st I recorded Barn Swallows only October 25th in Sorbulak and twice in November beginning in Mangyshlak, but both of record point are at least 1000 km to south than Irtysh river. I was watching Swallows and snow on grass at the same time! Also today I saw the (little) snowfall and sun together. On the Strelka I met Rimma Ivanovna Kim, we walked some time together and recorded one Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

1. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

2. Snow on grass is common now

3. Blackbird

4. Fieldfare

5. A little apples which are the food to thrushes

6. Nuthatch

7. Hume's Warbler

8. hybrid crow

9. Cormorants

10. Little snowfall in sunny day