Novruz 2021. Koksarai reservoir.

Weather report 100% garanteed the rainy day. Thunder was rattling even in 7 am, it was rainy but horizont was light in all directions, so we hoped weather can become better. Due the rain we first go to the farest point of today trip, using inconvinient for birding rainy time for moving. Dam of Koksarai reservoir is closed by barrier but unlike Shoshkakol it without a lock, as kind of defense of absolutely accidential visitors, I of course agree this mode. All water is ice free, wether is slightly rainy and windy. Fact is special for this trip and probably relating to instable spring, some of species of birds are presented just single specimens, but other ones are definitely counted by hundreds or even thousands birds. Single birds more likely are first migrants, for example today we saw first Barn Swallow. But numerous Red-crested Pochards and Great White Pelicans gathering to huge flocks probably are in pause due the bad weather, before the fly to breeding spots. However the records of one or two Mallard a day looks strange. More or less significant records: flock of Eurasian Curlews, mentioned Barn Swallow, Tawny Pipit, pretty Slender-billed Gulls, and Pallas's Sea Gulls. The flock of hundreds Great White Pelicans first giving us time to watch thier, then slowly start to fly away but not all in one time, but by single bird like unpicking knittingб slowly, one row for another one the flock was becoming less.

Saying goodby to dam we drived to opposite side of reservoir. There we had a plan to watch birds in old road pathing to water but the dirt of this road changed our plan. We back to the road where we are going to wait flocks of Geese. But first we met two Ospreys in interval of five minutes. First one was free but second one with prey therefore not flew away but gave us a chance to take photos. After the Ospreys we watched the huge flocks of Geese which movement seems was local. We wathced them during about one hour including lunch time. Geese appeared by flocks of hundreds to thousands birds from South-East and landed between road and lake, definitely for foraging. In one flock I noticed someone pale almost white, in size of surrounding Greater White-fronted Geese which formed the majority in all flocks. Later I understood they were just Greykag Geese looking much paler in upperparts than surrounding Geese. Rare species of Geese were found neither in field nor in photos.

Our plan also contained the visit of Shimkent's reservoir of wasterwater, and a quite optimistic watching of Pied Bushchat in the same place. Buschat was not found, reservoir was almost full, I never seen this reservoir so full. Majority of birds in water was formed by Coots, in addition the common species of Ducks and Little Grebes. Many flying Marsh Harriers are common in local reeds. After this final birding spot Marina and Olga left our group, but we go to our last point of spending night, located in area of Abail village.

1. left to right: Marina Sivokon, Olga Sivokon, Aleksandr Belyaev, Robert Parker, Gennady Dyakin, Askar Isabekov, Victoria Zvyaguntseva. photo by Krishanti.

2. Slender-billed Gull.

3. Dalmatian Pelecans.

4. Great White Pelecans

5. Eurasian Curlews

6. Isabelline Shrike

7. Bearded Reediling

8. Pallas's Sea Gull

9. Red-crested Pochard

10. Tawny Pipit

11. Osprey

12. Greater White-fronted Geese with two Greylag Geese

13. Koksarai reservoir

14. Yellow Ground Squirrel

15. Marsh Harrier

16. Shymkent reservoir of wasterwater. Gennady Dyakin and Victoria Zvyagintseva.