It's always breezy in Shelek area, but today the wind is stronger. Additionally, its direction, from east to west, is not fair for migrant birds. Probably, that's why we saw few birds in Shelek surroundings. There were almost no small passerines seen. Birds of prey were represented by Common Kestrels (both perched and soaring), one perched Black Kite who later flew off and soared around, and one quite a small and reddish Common Buzzard. A couple of Red-crested Pochards floated in back-water of Shelek river. Small salty swamps along the road attract a variety of birds. We saw a male Mallard, a Lapwing, a Great White Egret and a Turkestan Shrike and once a Pheasant hen leaped to the road. There were many Sand Martrins and Magpies. Bartogay. There is a plenty of Wheatears in the steppe zone of Sogety valley and in foothills. Mainly Isabelline Wheatears, but also Pied Wheatears, and we even saw a Northern Wheatear. Some Isabelline Wheatears already feed nestlings, while others collect nesting [...... read more ]

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In the evening I head the singing Scops Owls in the three different places. [...... read more ]

One Turkestan Shrike. A lot of Chiffchaffs. [...... read more ]

Janashar is the place where observation of the Black-headed Wagtail is guaranteed. Today we saw not too many. Probably the windy day told upon it. In addition to the Black-headed Wagtails we saw the singing Corn Buntings on the wires and Masked Wagtails. The Black-headed Gulls and Common Terns flew over the small lakes. There were also ducks on the lakes but they floated afar and we couldn't discern them. There was a lot of Chiffchaffs in the russian olive thickets on the Besaghash river. About two dozens of House Martins and a single Barn Swallow flew by. On the sandy banks of the river the flock of Sandpipers (either Green or Common) looked for the food. Also we saw the first Lapwings this year. The birds of the day were Demoiselle Cranes. The east wind was not fair to Cranes but the birds flew anyway. Cranes flew to North-East. The wind was strong and we saw that their flight was very hard, but the Cranes flew all the same. [...... read more ]

It's one of the rare sunny days in a rainy spring. All the foothills are covered with green grass and blooming apricot trees. There are busy Jackdaws and resting Rock Pigeons and Mynahs around the holes in clay steeps. Common Starlings are not met often but catch our eyes every time. We saw many Rooks. Large and well noticeable birds collect in nesting settlements at wayside elms, or follow the plowing tractors. We saw a few small birds yet, one Stonechat on the wire, Masked Wagtails here and there in villages, and many singing Corn Buntings on wires and trees. It's rather early for most of small Passerines. As usual in the foothills, birds of prey were represented mainly by Long-legged Buzzards resting on telegraph poles or soaring. We saw Kestrels, four singles and one pair. A Greater Spotted Eagle, whom we diverted from its meals, filed away, but did not abandon the prey, carrying it in pounces. In Sunkar we met a Hoopoe, the first in this year. Many small brooks flow from the mountains [...... read more ]

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A cloudy day. Apparently, Chaffinches have flew away. Today I have not seen any Chaffinches, though lately there were a lot of them in the city. I met the first Bluethroat in this year, a White-winged Grosbeak and watched singing Greenfinches twice. It's raining during the week in Almaty, and probably snowing in mountains, that is probably the reason why the Grosbeak is still in the city. Great Tits are flying here and there in pairs. [...... read more ]

On evening time I had the walk onto the Square. In first my attention was fixed by the Black Redstart. The Redstart flew from tree to another but on high branches and I didn't have possibility to observe it. Later I saw the first Turkestan Shrike. Shrike perched on the bushes and from time to time flew off to hunt to insects. Once high in the sky the Sparrowhawk flew by. Perching on the birch-tree Greenfinch sang very loudly. Now it's time when the new species of birds will appear every day. [...... read more ]

The murky and rainy day. The Sparrowhawk, Chaffinches, Greenfinches and this spring first Chiffchaff. [...... read more ]

On evening I saw the first this year Grey Wagtail. [...... read more ]