The hot day. The most remembered event of the day was nearby Dangara on the clay foothills. Near the watering place I saw a lot of large birds. On the sky there were more than 50 Eurasian Griffon-Vultures (it was impossible to count birds because they ceaseless moved), roughly speaking same number of Ravens, four Cinereous Vultures, three Egyptian Vultures (one of them dark juvenile bird), three dark morph Booted Eagles. Cinereous Vultures roamed higher of all, Egyptian Vultures from time to time hid and appeared. Only Griffon-Vultures and Ravens all time were on eyes. Several Griffon-Vultures from time to time sat down the slopes of foothills. In Baljuvon and during the road I saw Crested Larks, Eurasian Bee-eaters and Pied Bushchats. Also in Baljuvon I saw dark Pipit I didn't see earlier, unfortunately I couldn't make photo. Pied Bushchats I saw were bright black and white males, dark-brown females and brownish black birds with white strips on the wings, probably moulting males. On the [...... read more ]

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The day in the shadow of large walnuts was very successful at birdwatching outlook. I saw many birds and photographed most of them. Birds didn't present all together but changed one after another. And I just quiet sat and watched the birds. On the walnut trees I saw Carrion Crows, Magpies, Mynahs, the pair of Blue Whistling Thrushes, Turkestan Tits, one Black-breasted Tit, Oriental Turtle Doves, the pair of White-winged Woodpeckers, Asian Paradise Flycatcher. All birds searched the feed, probably this time it's easy to find the eats in the shadow gorge than on open places. Also it's very cool under the walnut trees, Oriental Turtle Doves just sat to branches and rested from heat. To the briars bushes Lesser Whitethroats, Streaked Laughingthrushes, Yellow-breasted Tits, Common Rosefinches, Hume's Warbler, Rufous-tailed Flycatcher, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatchers, Blyth's Reed Warblers flew. On the next little river I saw same Blue Whistling Thrushes, Grey Wagtails, Blyth's Reed [...... read more ]

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The Karatag gorge is about 40 kilometers to the west from Dushanbe. The gorge looks some like Romit gorge but more greenery. Especially high junipers forest looks very beauty. Unfortunately I saw a bit of birds. Interesting two juvenile Rosy Pastors sat on wire with Mynahs. In the bushes common Spotted Flycatchers were but a bit. The Swallows alike Barn Swallows (but a little and with white rump) flew by. Probably they were Barn Swallow. The female (or juvenile) of Stonechat and three cheeping Grey-headed Goldfinches were observed. In the gorge above the juniper forest there are rocks. Over these rocks from time to time the flocks of Yellow-billed Choughs flew by. These Choughs look like Red-billed ones but red bills are beheld from far. But yellow bills aren't beheld and fling birds seem without bills. Unidentified birds are two little Redstarts (probably not Redstarts but Rufous-tailed Flycatchers) and one little falcon (probably Kestrel). [...... read more ]

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Today I went to the state border with Afghanistan. The day was hot, probably therefore I didn't see a lot of birds. Whole day I didn't observe any large raptor. At evening time one Kestrel flew by. During the road Rollers, Blue-cheeked and Eurasian Bee-eaters, Long-tailed Shrikes, Crested Larks and two Pied Bushchats were observed. The Panj coasts are even without a greenery both Tajik and Afghan sides. Some trees with the nests of Tree Sparrows come on. I saw only Laughing Doves and Spotted Flycatchers. In the thickets of Vakhsh river also a bit of birds. I saw only one Long-tailed Shrike, two Spotted Flycatchers, two Lesser Whitethroats and flying above the water Barn Swallows and Pale Sand Martins. Not an abundant to birds day. [...... read more ]

The short trip. On the Chormagzak pass two Egyptian Vultures and one Raven were observed. On the Vakhsh river near Nurek the Moorhen floated in the backwater. On the wires Hoopoes sat, seven Hoopoes on the one wire. [...... read more ]

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During the road until Dangara only common Rollers, European Bee-eaters and Long-tailed Shrikes were observed. I saw uncommon birds when came in Dangara valley. First were two roaming Ravens. Further above the clay foothills there were several birds. In the beginning the pair of Eurasian Griffon-Vultures. Later one dark morph Booted Eagle and Egyptian Vulture, later yet one Griffon-Vulture and one Raven. All birds were in one place! In Vose on the wires there were a lot of Bee-eaters mostly Blue-cheeked. Also I saw Crested Larks.Muminobad. Dry clay foothills. A lot of burrows but a bit of Bee-eaters. There were Indian Sparrows. I saw one Long-tailed Shrike, some Crested larks and two Pied Bushchats. On the Muminobad lake in contradistinction from most of other Tajikistan's basins there are shorebirds, mostly Common Greenshanks and Common Sandpipers. The lake's coast is clay and open and it's very difficult to close to birds, therefore I am writing only I saw by binocular. I saw one Little [...... read more ]

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Takob gorge is branch gorge of the big Varzob one. There is mountain skis base in the Takob. The Takob village is a large and follows about five kilometers during the gorge. In the village I saw Tree Sparrows, Grey-headed Goldfinches and one dirty-rose male Rosefinch (probably Red-mantled). Nearby the river there were a big number of juvenile Masked Wagtails, one Blue Whistling Thrush, two flocks of Rock Buntings, flock of Streaked Laughingthrushes, one Lesser Grey Shrike, one Turkestan Tit and a lot of European Bee-eaters and Spotted Flycatchers. One Common Starling searched anyone near the water. Above the skis base the alpine meadows begin and yet above the rocks change the meadows. According to locals there are Bears which often attend the shepherds camps. A lot of little passerines and raptors. Allaround Barn Swallows flew. On the meadows I saw Stonechats, Linnets, Black Redstarts and one Bluethroat. On the rocks a lot of Isabelline Wheatears, just less number of Pied Wheatears, sometime [...... read more ]

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After dinner time. A bit of the birds on the road. Interesting meetings were only one Little Grebe and group of four Egyptian Vultures, soaring above the rocks. It's interesting that all Vultures were adult. [...... read more ]

Varzob Botanical Garden is very little and places in the branch gorge of the large Varzob gorge. Through the Botanical Garden the path follows to the mountains. Today I have walked by this path some hours. The day was very hot more than 43 C degrees. All birds have tried to keep close in the shadow. I haven't found any birds on open places. I have seen birds only in the shadows of large trees mostly walnuts. Spotted Flycatchers, Streaked Laughingthrushes, Oriental Turtle Doves and Blackbirds were most visible birds. Laughingthrushes, Doves and Blackbirds prefer to be near little springs with wet sand. Once I have seen Whistling Thrush, once have heard Treecreepers, twice saw unknown Warblers and once have seen White-capped Bunting. In the walnut grove I have been about one hour. During this time I have seen several Blackbirds, two White-winged Woodpeckers, two Turkestan Tits, one Yellow-breasted Tit and juvenile unknown Redstart. Also I have seen Woodpecker on the back way. [...... read more ]