Ile river canyon

In this rainy and snowy season we find one windy day without rain to visit Ile river canyon. I didn't expect many birds because most of birds are not appear yet but the location is intersting for beginners. In rocks we saw resident Rock Nuthatches, migrant Black Redstarts (many birds), local Pied Wheatears, two Chiffchaffs, and many Crag Martins near the river. Chukar Partridges and Jackdaws are common here. In slope the large flock of migrant Rooks were feeding, at least two hundred birds. Of birds of prey we saw Golden Eagle in his own rock, Kites, Long-legged Buzzards, Kestrels.

In the water of Ile river we watched Ruddy Shellducks, Caspian and Black-headed Gulls, flying Cormorants and yet numerous Goldeneyes, more than one hundred birds in the river part about three hundreds meters.

In the steppe we saw many Calandra and Crested Larks, and also Isabelline and Northern Wheatears. Some birds were not identified: Pipits near the road, Kestrel on wires (perhaps Lesser Kestrel), the bird looked like little dark-grey falcon (too early to suggest Cuckoo) and group of large waders (little gull sized birds).

1. Common Kestrel

2. Golden Eagle

3. Pied Wheatear

4. Black Redstart

5. Rock Nuthatch

6. male Goldeneye

7. Crag Martin

8. Chukar Partridge

9. very curious Northern Wheatear

10. came to pose to photographer

11. Isabelline Wheatear

12. Long-legged Buzzard

13.