March 8-12. Chilik, Ile river, Charyn, Sorbulak.

Four-days birding around Almaty with Kirill Tanayev. Now is inter-season, difficult to find birds, comparatively many be only in water (migrating ducks in Sorbulak lake), but only Himalayan Vulture, White-winged Woodpecker, and Saxaul Sparrow may be comparatively garanteed ticks for Kiril. We decided to look for them in east of Almaty. Weather forecast was the rain in all days of trip.

March 8th. As our birding started after lunch time, and weather forecast was a rain, we tried to take something before the rain. The option to go to Sorbulak was rejected, as all other trips out of city. We went to Sairan reservoir where quickly took photos of both species of Dippers and Masked Wagtials. While we were taking photos I understood that our city is probably one of a littile number of birding spots where birders have opportunity to watch and take photos of two species of Dippers, and even from a short distance. After Sairan we immediately went to Kulja road, then to BAK road, and slowly drived by it to Chilik village. Weather was overcast, light was very bad, but the expected rain was not started. Of the birds we saw in road sides the Waxwings, Upland Buzzard, and Merlin may be noted. One more news: the BAK road is almost all under construction, means is out of asphalt. In parts with asphalt there are the ready to work construction machineries. Nighting place was in Baiseit village.

March 9th. Wether forecast is a day without rain. Today's plan is birding in buckthorn trees thickets in Chilik river before lunch time, and after lanch go to Asian Poplar forest in Ile river. Morning was sunny but windy. There is not snow in Chilik river, but berries of buckthorn are also abcent. Due this reason birds are a bit, much less than in January. Only not intersting Common Starlings and Jackdows were in big number. Good records are the first in this year Isabelline Shrike and White-winged Woodpecker (tick of Kirill).

The Asian Poplar forest is still empty, we saw just White-winged Woodpeckers and Turkestan Tits. I many times attempted to attract Saxaul Sparrows by the sound, but nobody reacted, definitely they are still in seasonal migrations. In road sides also a bit of activity. Sometimes we noticed the birds of prey. This night we spent in Baiseit too. Price is 6000 tenge for double room, including shower, toilet. It's really very comgortable to spend night out of city, a big time saving, especially because traffic jams and night driving.

March 10th. Today we are going to visit Himalayan Vultures in Charyn. Kulyktau ridge is still covered by snow, some slopes are whole snowy. We couldn't reach the final destination by car, but easy did it by walk. We found one expected lifer (Himalayan Vulture) and two unexpected ones (Upland Buzzard and Rock Bunting). That place we might to find more lifers, but mid-March is too early for most of local breeding birds. But Isabelline Wheatears are already appeared, started to occupy holes; we even watched the activy fight of two males. In a back way we tried to find Horned Larks in Bartogai reservoir area, but found only Rock Sparrows.

March 12th. Sorbulak. Making pause in the snowy and rainy day inside the city, today we go to Sorbulak lake. Weather is sunny, worm, and windy. Sorbulak is real place of huge number of birds. Thousands of Ducks, dozens of Egrets and Herons, but majority of all the rest are still by singles. Cormorants are in breeding plumage, Dalmatian Pelicans are with red bills. The some of Waders species are presented in a bit of specimens. The Water Pipit in southern coast are a lot, it's a pitty we had not more time to watch them, inside the so large group we might to find the Pipit of other species, after all. Sorbulak was very nice, bright, abudant, diverse. In total during 4 days we recorded 96 species of birds, it's good result for mid-March.

1. Crocus alatavicus

2. White-bellied Dipper

3. Brown Dipper

4. Bokaidyntau ridge

5. Isabelline Shrike

6. White-winged Woodpecker

7. Rough-legged Buzzard

8. Turkestan Tit

9. Himalayan Vulture

10. Kungei Alatau

11. Rock Bunting

12. Upland Buzzard

13. Rock Sparrow

14. Citrine Wagtail

15. Great Cormorant in breeding plumage

16. Dalmatian Pelecans

17. Pallas's Gull

18. Ferruginous Ducks

19. Pied Avocets

20. Pied Wheatear

21. Little Ringed Plover

22. Water Pipit

23. Desert Wheatear

24. Desert Finch

25. Isabelline Wheatear