When birdwatcher is going to next day trip the first he do is charging of the batteries. But I didn't do it, moreover I didn’t charge the main battery I also forgot to take reserve ones. So my birding day was some problem. To Cosmostation I arrived in 7.30 am, sut has already rosen, weather was windless but cool. The sounds of Hymalayan Snowcocks were hearable from the left slope, Plain Mountain Finches flew back and forth, couple or Red-billed Choughs perched on the roof. Plain Mountain Finches and Water Pipits are only two species already have fledglings. Guldenstad’s Redstart and Brown Accentor were noticed with food in bills but I didn’t saw their fledglings, so birds bring food to the nests as yet. Snowcocks called some time and flew low of the slope; apparently today many mount-trackers worried them. I found no birds in the rocks of Big Almaty Peak but watched group of females and juveniles of Siberian Ibex. Before today I twice saw Ibexes here, both very short time. By the [...... read more ]

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A long time I wasn’t in Republic Square. To be precise the last my visit to Square was in 5th of April, more than three and half months ago. July is the birdless month, there are only breeding birds here not unexpected ones. I came to Square in Saturday especially because less of cars here in weekend. Birds are of course a bit, and of course only representatives of breeding species. It is good because I confirmed the nesting of Wood Pigeon (recorded two fledglings in different parts of square + 1 adult), one more time convinced of nesting of Common Whitethroat (two fledglings) and Great Tit. Blackbirds are very shy perhaps because have egg-laying. Mynahs are moving by broods and searching insects in the grass, and also feeding berries of common dogwood like Whitethroats and Wood Pigeons too. In the park I saw and heard female Sparrowhawk. When sun hid behind the clouds the House Martins come to square. That’s all, expectedly but nice. And one surprise bird in the end of trip. One Golden [...... read more ]

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In recent days my birdwatching was presented by rare accidental records, mostly from the car window or during the daily trip to store. Firstly I want to note to numerous fledglings of different Wheatears and Larks; these birds live either directly in village or in adjoined area. The most numerous of local Larks is the Crested Lark; the Horned Lark was observed only in village’s vicinity. The most popular local Wheatear is Pied one; it is numerous, and now due the number of fledglings Pied Wheatear is more numerous even than Sparrow. So in the dorm I live this Wheatear is the Bird #1. The Black-eared Wheatear was recorded only near district Hospital; but regularly both male and female. The Desert Wheatear also lives near my dorm; almost every day I noticed female and once the male. Adult Wheatears began to moult in the end of first decade of July. Some times I saw in village the flocks of Rock Sparrows (once in mixed flock with House Sparrows) feeding the grass seeds. Swifts fly but in [...... read more ]

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