First birding of the 2021 year.

At 10 am I left my home and was going to visit local park near home, thinking to start birding year right in January 1st (though every year starts same of course), right in the morning, right in closest park, though there is a bit of interesting in this winter, anyway, Mallard, Blackbird, Red-fronted Serin, something else, doesn't matter forme, I just want to start my birding of this year. So I was going to the park but notice the bus number 28, and I immediately changed my plan, got in the bus, and after half an hour I was already in the Ile Alatau National Park watching birds in the sea buckthorn bushes. Since bus was in station in time, why not go to the National Park? Further I backed to home at 4 pm. As I all the time walked in surround of bus final station, and also visited Alma-Arasan, I saw totaly 23 species of birds only, not so much, but more than in urban birding in any case.

Birds were not too much, the most numerous one is Red-fronted Serin, the snow under the Birch-trees is rufous due the action of Serins. There are many of this birds are in wormwoods, where they are foraging together with Long-tailed Rosefinches. Redstarts were just two, male and female of Guldenstad's Redstart, no one Eversmann's Redstart was observed. I was ashamed to get under the fence for photograph the Wren, so I just watched its jumping at the stream side. By the way, behind the same fence the Solitary Snipe also may be present, I saw it here previously. In the middle of birding time my camera battery was low, and I got lazy to chage it, that time I thought to reach the bridge as a point of logical intermediate finish, but I noticed the Treecreeper in the pole, and that moment I regreted I didn't change battery. Treecreeper of course did't wait while I do it. One only raptor was observed, the Eastern Buzzard but in three copies. Saw the Brown Dipper (two specimen), in winter season they ably hide under the ice of river sides, stay there abosilutely invisible. White-browed Tit-Warblers were observed through the bushes, I waited until they get the open place, but the panic of Goldfinches cleared the bushes of all the birds, including sure Tit-Warblers. In bushes of sea buckthorn there are Azure Tits, Red-mantled Rosefinches, Chaffinches; in and under the hawthorn trees I saw Blackbirds and Black-throated Thrushes; and the Mistle Thrushes in spruce trees.

The birding year is started. Happy new 2021 year for all! All the best, fulfillment of dreams, interesting meetings (let's meet more often in birding together), nice events, which we will keep in mind in future!

1. male Guldenstad's Redstart

2. Red-fronted Serin, most popular bird of the day

3. Long-tailed Rosefinch

4. Red-mantled Rosefinch, female

5. Grey-headed Goldfinch

6. Eurasian Siskin

7. Azure Tit

8. Brown Dipper

9. Eastern Buzzard

10. Bird's food - Berberis

11. Sea Buckthorn berries are still numerous

12. Sorbus tianschanica