Taldykurgan, Migration of birds of prey.

We started about 6.30 am. Road was very good, we didn't make stopping, from the car window we saw Larks in Chengeldy, Starlings near Saryozek, and Long-legged Buzzards and Kestrels almost everywhere. In Taldykurgan we have a lunch and immediately went to ponds. Only ponds near the pipe are free from ice, the rest ones are ice-covered. More likely most of water in vicinity is ice covered because in open water there are a lot of different ducks. Alexander said we will looking for Baikal Teal and Falcated Duck, and I in all seriousness tried to find them both in ponds and further in photos. Of course I didn.t find them but I had faith, that means I will find them sooner or later. Ducks we watched: Garganeys, Gadwalls, Common Teals, Shovellers, Mallards, Pintails, Wigeons, Common Pochards, Red-crested Pochards, Tafted Ducks, Ferruginous Ducks, Ruddy Shellducks, all ducks are very beauty in breeding plumage.

Ducks of course flushed but after some circles landed to water. I took photos mostly ducks in fly. Photos are interesting, because including ducks of difference species turnabout. Also in the sky we saw Black Stork, Rough-legged Buzzard, Upland Buzzards, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Black Kites, Steppe Eagles. Kites and Eagles were migrating in northern direction by almost permanent column. Once we saw 8 Eagles in one moment. Nice to be in the migrating path, can to view to sky and birds appear almost all the time. Not so much like in Batumi but very nice too.

Then we went to Karatal river. Here we saw migrating raptors too (added Saker Falcon, Goshawk and White-tailed Sea-Eagle to list) and different little birds in river stony shore, in reeds and in little streams. Need to mentioned the first Common Redshanks, Common Snipe (wintering bird), Cetti's Warbler, Wagtails and Water Pipits.

About the transience of events. Only 6 days ago I recorded the first in this spring Wagtails and Kites. Only 6 days ago I crossed the marsh when I try to take photo of the important phenological record. Only 6 days ago I drove for Kites in highway. But today I saw to Kites and Wagtail because I need only recognize “just Wagtail” and “just Kite”. Because the time interval between the first individuals and the large flock of about 200 birds is less than one week.

1. Migrating Steppe Eagle

2. Winter in road side

3. Coots

4. Black kite

5. 4 species of ducks

6. More species of ducks, can to try to id them

7. more ducks

8. Rough-legged Buzzard

9. Bearded Reedling

10. Azure Tit

11. White-winged Woodpecker

12. Water Pipit

13. Himalayan Wagtail

14. Goshawk

15. Great Cormorant in breeding plumage

16. Saker Falcon

17. Oystercatchers

18. Pintails

19. Karatal river