The other day looking the last year photos to the project “Birds of Tajikistan” I descried that last year December 2nd was very cold day and Komsomol lake was frozen. Today is sunny and the temperature is much higher (+18+20 C). The water of the lake is not sewed, but the birds coming to the wintering were a lot. In the middle of the lake the flock of ducks rest. Almost all of 30-40 counted by me ducks were Mallards. I didn't see neither Teals nor Common Pochards I saw last year. When I saw the three diving ducks I guessed that it is some of Pochards. They were Tufted Ducks. In contradiction to resting Mallards the Tufted Ducks all the time floated on lake and dived in searching of food. Unfortunately these ducks didn't close to me, all the time they were on the middle of the lake. Except the ducks on the lake there were Black-headed Gulls also wintered last year. The crying Common Greenshank flew low on water, I counted 7 Greenshanks. On marsh coast also a lot of Carrion Crows were. [...... read more ]

The next trip to Takob waterfall on purpose to find the Blue Whistling Thrush. As a matter of fact there were never a lot of birds on this place, but I always have been seen Blue Whistling Thrush and Little Forktail. Today is not exception. The Blue Whitling Thrush sat on the rock afar from waterfall, I didn't close it and rested satisfied by the fact of its presentation. But the Little Forktail all the time was close to waterfall. It was the evening eating time, Forktail fed on the river's cascade and on the vertical walls of waterfall; when it found the little washing by water ledge and staying in the water peeked up the food in the waters streams. [...... read more ]

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Day is murky and windy. From time to time a little rain drops. Apparently birds are a little. All migrant birds departed, only common residents stayed. Because of murky weather there were not large raptors. Once only I saw high soared Lammergeier and also two Long-legged Buzzards on the road near the settlements. Blackbirds all the time called in bushes. Number of Eversmann's Redstarts also became lesser. Twice I heard Black-breasted Tits but didn't watch any of them. The pair of crying Brown Dippers there-here flied along the river. In the honeysuckle bushes as common Streaked Laughingthrushes whistled. Laughingthrushes is only birds I photographed today. Already before departure I saw a flock of Bramblings. [...... read more ]

On the window of my car in Varzob gorge I saw Eurasian Griffon-Vultures, two Brown Dippers, one Wallcreeper and one White-capped Redstart. In Hoja Obi-Garm there were two Turkestan Tits, Black-throated Thrushes, Blackbirds and Blue Whistling Thrush. I photographed nobody. [...... read more ]

On the Dushanbe river coast I saw one Crested Lark and one Black-headed Gull. This year fist gull to me. Black-headed Gulls are only winter visitors in Dushanbe. Vakhdat. On the ploughed fields large flocks of Rooks, Rock Pigeons, Mynahs and a few of Crested Larks. I stopped to make photos of Larks and also heard its whistles. Over Kafirnigan river I saw several soared large raptors probably Eurasian Griffon-Vultures. Other raptors I saw today were one Long-legged Buzzard, three Black Kites and two dark morph Common Buzzards. [...... read more ]

Day was murky. Yet in the city over the cement factory I watched soared Eurasian Griffon Vultures. In the beginning I counted ten birds but later two Griffon-Vultures added, a few later also two Cinereous Vultures added and when I left I watched yet two closing Griffon-Vultures. I don't know what bird did on cement factory but all birds flew from the side of Varzob gorge. Despite murky weather in Varzob gorge there were soared large raptors. Each three-four kilometers I watched one-two (sometimes more number) birds. Once I saw Golden Eagle and once Lemmergeier. But most often only Eurasian Griffon-Vultures were observed. Once I saw three Griffon-Vultures which soared and sat on rocks. Dushanbe. On evening dusk in the city center near the Somoni monument I saw White-capped Redstart on the fountain. [...... read more ]

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The day was very murky, there were almost non ceasing downpour. The tops of the rocks were in blank brume. I went to Takob waterfall with one aim to see on Blue Whistling Thrushes, did they depart or stay on wintering. The wintering of Blue Whistling Thrush is indirect character of warm winter. Probably to say backwards: in Almaty if Whistling Thrushes depart the city it is apparent character of forthcoming cold winter. I saw Blue Whistling Thrush yet on the road in Varzob gorge. On Takob waterfall also there was one Whistling Thrush and one Little Forktail also. Twice on the sky I saw Kites. On non ceasing downpour weather it's not hope to watch soaring large raptors. It's amazing that Kites flew. [...... read more ]

The number of Warblers in the city decreased. Near my office several days ago I saw not less ten Warblers on trees, but today I have seen one bird only. Probably birds feeling the approaching cold weather migrated to south. [...... read more ]

Takob gorge is narrow and there are a bit greenery in this gorge. Gorge's slopes are almost bluff rocks impending over the river passed in the gorge. A lot of Red-billed Choughs soared, today I saw not less ten flocks of Red-billed Choughs about 10-15 birds each. Also there were not a few large raptors. I saw three Golden Eagles, one Long-legged Buzzard, three Lammergeiers and one Eurasian Griffon-Vulture. One of Golden Eagles soared enough low and I could to see by binocular the white bands on its wings and tail. Also I heard Rock Nuthatch and saw pair of Laughingthrushes. [...... read more ]

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