Martins, Wagtails, Pelicans.

Two days ago I had a little misunderstanding in phone call. I talk about Mallards spend the night on snow in our local park, but my friend ask me – what snow about you talking? The higher part of city is all covered by snow, but in lower one all of snow was melt. Today I visited Kurty and Sorbulak and was surprised the steppe is not only free from the snow but almost dry. During the road I saw two first in this spring Masked Wagtails in Komsomol but didn't make stopping because I hoped to find them in Kurty. But whet I noticed House Martins over the Kaskelen river I go to take photo of first spring Martins. In addition to three tens of Martins I saw here Masked and Citrine Wagtails, Water Pipits, singing Red-fronted Serin, Marsh harrier, flying by Cormorants and Caspian Gulls. The most emotional records are Wagtails and Martins of course. The list of birds in Mezhdurechensk.

Sorbulak is still covered by ice, only near the coastal line ice was melt. The same story is in Savka lake. There were different ducks (Ferruginous, Tufted Ducks, Pintails, Shovellers, Pochards) in the open water reeds. Black-headed Gulls already arrived to colony and shouted in fly. Also here I saw three Marsh Harrier, and four Black Kites were flying in eastern direction. The most significant record is flock of Dalmatian Pelicans which were soaring over the ice of Sorbulak. I did't see where they landed. In the first dam of Sorbulak I recored the first spring Pied Wheatear. The list of birds in Sorbulak.

In Kurty I arrived at noon time, the weather began to deteriorate. In the steppe tens of Calandra larks were flying. Twice I saw Steppe Eagles and three times Long-legged Buzzards. In the thickets under the dam I saw Eversmann's Redstarts, Mistle Thrushes, Blackbird, Rock Bunting. Jackdaws and Gulls were flying back and forth. Birds were less in number than I expected. The list of birds in Kurty.

Steppe is open everywhere but not yet green and yet without flowers. Colors of steppe are now formed only by birds. All around the flocks of Rooks and Jackdaws, often I saw circling flocks of Rooks which prepare to depart. If first Pintails were the symbol of the spring beginning, but first Wagtails and Martins mean the finish of winter. Nice!

1. my first Pied Wheatear in this spring

2. Great Grey Shrike

3. first House Martins

4. Red-fronted Serin was singing far from the breeding range

5. Marsh Harrier

6. Masked Wagtail

7. Himalayan Wagtail (Motacilla alboides)

8. Water Pipit

9. Citrine Wagtail

10. Black-throated Thush

11. Azure Tit

12. Black-headed Gull

13. arrived Dalmatian Pelicans

14. Lapwings

15. Steppe Eagle

16. the most bright bird of today birding is Eversmann's Redstart

17. Long-legged Buzzard

18. Muskrat in Kurty river

19. start of migration of Kites to east

20. Sorbulak is ice covered yet