We were going to visit silverberry groves in east of Almaty today, but drive in opposite direction, because yesterday in Uzunagach village I found rare for us species of Thrushes, which would be new species for Gennady and Victoria. Birding spot is snake-shaped river with a few silverberry trees, in which different species of birds are foraging, mostly Thrushes, majority of which is formed by of course Black-throated ones. Not immediately but we found firstly Red-throated Thrush, and then Dusky one, and even Redwing. Victoria and Gennady have two new birds each. I also was happy due guys saw rare birds I found yesterday. More than my today photos exactly better than yesterday ones. Before the lunch time we found all we wished, but Victoria couldn't photograph Redwing, but it hid somwhere. Have to say Redwing today was th most shy of all six species of local Thrushes, and seems it was a single bird. We discussed the probable reasons of presence of rare Thrushes. Gennady guessed the one of [...... read more ]

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The weather forecat of Saturday (today) was cloudy but forecast of Sunday was sunny, therefore we are going to go birding in Sunday. But something in my head was itched, so I decided to go birding in some place. As tomorrow we are going to drive in east of Almaty, so I decided to go west, maximum untill Degeres, but depending in the context. When I crossed Uzunagach directly in exit of village I noticed some Thrush-sized birds in silverberry trees. By binocular I was seeing someone reddish but probably it was leaves of berries before the bird. I moved right and left and understood reddish something is not leaves or berries, it is self bird. Then I back to car for a camera and took some control photos, of which I guessed that bird is Dusky Thrush. New bird for me! The next about one hour I waited when Dusky Thrush dive me a chance to photograph it more or less good quality frames, but unfortunatelly I couldn't did it. First reason is the weather, it was not so cloudy may be even sunny, but [...... read more ]

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Go to Sorbulak. Weather is warm (+15C), sunny but heavy windy. Snow is absent, the side roada are almost dry, but big water is still under the ice, just along the coastal line there is open from ice space, which is a little trouble to fishers brave walking on already dark ice. And of course the open water in the points of chanels adjoining is significant enlarged. Due the heave wind big water stormed, that was a problem to watch birds.Structure of birds species is still winter. Just number of Ruddy Shellducks, Mallards is increased, the first Pallas's Gulls, Northern Lapwings, Northern Pintails, Common Teals, Red-crested Pochards, Common Starlings, Black-headed Gulls appeared, so the many new birds are present, but in a little number. That is just vanguard, the main part of birds will appeared after about ten days.Of the birds of prey the White-tailed Sea-Eagles are prevailed, the subadult birds roosted on ice, but in know for us nest the breeding process is already started. In addition [...... read more ]

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