Results of 2016

One year ago Gennady Dyakin wrote the post "My results of 2015". When I read this post I thought that is great idea and I need to write the similar post next year. So this year passed. I try to do digitize it. During this year I took photos of 274 species of birds in Kazakhstan, it's the best result in Kazakhstan. My results of previously years are following: 273 species (2015, II place), 272 species (2013, III place), 351 species (2014, I place). It means my average annual result is about 270 species within Kazakhstan. The second conclusion id Big Year competition lost the passion, it is not good or bad, it's fact. Now the numbers in the top-right corner of the window are only counter without competition spirit to most of participants. The cumulative effect of community is also on the previous years' level. All together we photographed 412 species of birds; it's much more than in our friendly communities in neighbor countries and regions. The recent years results: 416 (2015), 424 (2014), 410 (2013). In 2016 we increased number of photographed species to 6 items. These species are (with date of first photorecord): Wood Lark (2016-03-12, Aisagali Kydyr), Marsh Warbler (2016-05-25, Askar Isabekov), Black-headed Bunting (2016-06-09, Askar Isabekov ), Naumann's Thrush (2016-11-05, Ivan Bevza), Siberian Accentor (2016-11-06, Malik Nukusbekov), Harlequin Duck (2016-12-13, Askar Isabekov). Also I added two species to list of new photographed birds. First one is Ring-billed Gull though it first recorded in 2015 but identified only last month (all photos by Anna Yasko). The second one is Dusky Thrush (2016- 10-14, Viktor Kolesnikov), because photos of previously years are not so clear. Three species from the list are new for Kazakhstan (Ring-billed Gull, Naumann's Thrush, Harlequin Duck).

The team achievements are more important than individual ones of course, but I want to share my own results too. My own list of birds increased by 9 items. These are my lifers of 2016: Godwit (04/08/2016), Garden Warbler (21-05-2016), Marsh Warbler (25-05-2016), Yellow-backed Wagtail (2016-05 -26), Black- eared Wheatear (01-06-2016), Little Egret (07-06-2016), Black-headed Bunting (09-06-2016), Eastern Red-breasted (Taiga) Flycatcher (11-04-2016), Harlequin Duck (13/12/2016). Now my list of birds in Kazakhstan include 404 species, or 79% of the total; it means by the percentage for one country I passed some country communities))) It's of course humorous comparisons, and of course a temporary phenomenon, because I take photos of birds for more than 10 years, and the quality of the photos doesn't matter to me.

Here is 2016 year. Rather good in my opinion. Gennady said: “it’s not so much, but when your list of birds are more than 300 species each one is very important”. My list is over 400 species, it means each of next one is much more important.

I wish all members of community all of new in New Year – new regions, new species, new relations, new ideas, means new impressions. If digitizing results are significant to you I wish you after one year to count your species (new and old) and will feel good from your own results. But if numbers are no matter to you I wish you happiness, peace in mind and in heart, and other simple positive emotions which birdwatching giving us.

the photos below are my lifer birds of 2016 in order of their appearance:

1. Bar-tailed Godwit | Limosa lapponica, Mangyshlak

2. Garden Warbler | Sylvia borin, Ural river valley

3. Yellow-backed Wagtail | Motacilla lutea, Ural river

4. Marsh Warbler | Acrocephalus pallustris, Ural river valley

5. Black-eared Wheatear | Oenanthe hispanica, Caspian Depression

6. Black-headed Bunting | Emberiza melanocephala, Caspian Depression

7. Little Egret| Egretta garzetta, Volga mouth

8. Taiga Flycatcher | Ficedulla albicilla, Irtysh, Ust-Kamenogorsk

9. Harlequin Duck | Histrionicus histrionicus, Irtysh, Ust-Kamenogorsk