The silverberry groves in Ile river valley is the one of the most interesting spots for birds watching in winter time. Last winter Red-throated and Dusky Thrushes were found directly in these groves. The berries of silverberry are the main winter food for numerous of birds. This time is very warm and snow is almost absent, most of northern (or eastern) migrants not yet reached to us, because the food in northern regions are full yet. In addition the groves are very close to the city, it was the important element of our choice in weekend birding spot. Weather was mostly sunny, partially cloudy. Birds are yet not a lot, but not a bit, in my opinion there are at least one hundred Black-throated Thrushes. Thrushes as usual were noticeable but shy. I recognized by binoculars about two-three tens of Thrushes but not one of them was candidate to be Dusky, Red-throated or at least Hybrid Thrush, all Thrushes I saw were the typical Black-throated ones. Moreover, most of them had the bright black [...... read more ]

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Weather is sunny but cold. There are no snow almost everywhere, it was blew by wind or melted, or more likely both. Trip to Sorbulak-Aidarly with Andrei and Gennady. First spot is Sorbulak, which we passed by eastern and northern coasts. Main target was Bean Geese. We saw about two hundreds of Geese, perhaps it is all of Geese in the lake. Geese are rather shy, they were in the eastern coast not in water probably perhaps the large waves. When we approached them they flew out not a far, for a distance about some hundreds meters. Geese just kept distance. They did it some times. And each time they flew out for a longer distance than in previous one. The most numerous birds in Sorbulak were Whooper Swans (about 200 birds) and White-tailed Sea Eagles (40 at least), also we saw Mallards, Ruddy Shelducks, different little passerines. The second spot is the desert from Bozoi to Aidarly. Here the most popular birds were Larks, we saw Sky, White-winged, Calandra, Lesser Short-toed and Crested [...... read more ]

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In the noon I went to Square to watch birds because the weather was so sunny, it would be a shame to leave at home. I expected to view Warblers and hoped to find any new birds. I didn't see Barred Warbler but noticed two Lesser Whitethroats – one in dogwood, another one in thuja. No one was shot. But today I have the lifer! Rustic Bunting! I was going depart from Square but suddenly heard the short and quiet call which I never heard before today. I went to sound and noticed Rustic Bunting feeding in birch-tree together with Bramblings. [...... read more ]

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Need to go to watch birds after the snowfall because in overcast weather birds hid in some cover. Yesterday I went to watch and saw only Mynas, Crows and one Rook eating dogwood berries on the tree under the snowfall (they did not have another way because all ground is covered by snow), and also three Bramblings feeding in thuja. Close to evening the snowfall was finished, and morning was almost sunny. But weather was cold and a bit of snowy. During one hour I saw only Mynas and Crows, and one Collared Dove as significant bird. After noon weather is sunny and my next visit is shorter but more productive, I saw Bramblings, Great Tits, Blackbirds. Also I found Barred Warbler. The third snow probably will lay more long time than the first and second ones, but perhaps will melt too. But the food (berries, cones) are still a lot. No new species of birds appeared in Square, I found only Squirrel eating the cones on thuja.Near 5pm I saw Sparrowhawk in Alfarabi-Zharokova crossroad area. [...... read more ]

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I was going to visit the Square before the tomorrow's snowfall. I surprised by the small number of Bramblings, I saw about ten birds total. Again saw Sparrowhawk in Warblers' bushes. Twice saw Robins, and Little Whitethroat and Goldcrest single of each. I expected to see Peregrine but a vain. [...... read more ]

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Day is sunny, not like summer day, but warm and without snow. Trip to Sorbulak with Gennady Dyakin and Andrei Kovalenko. First spot is the dump of chicken farm where recently the Steppe Eagles gathered. Today they were here but in less number, about 15-20 (compare with about one hundred in last visit). In addition to Steppe Eagles we watched two Imperial Eagles and two Long-legged Buzzards, latter were not directly in dump but near channel.In Sorbulak birds are not so visible but much more numerous than in other spots. In water there are Ducks (Gadwalls, Ruddy Shellducks, Goosanders, Goldeneyes) and numerous Whooper Swans which are hearable from a far. Also we watched flying Cormorants, Grey Herons and Great White Egrets (Egrets are much more than Herons). Once in flock of Egrets we noticed one Pelican. Still there are a lot of Gulls, in some places coast is total white of hundreds of Gulls. On the land we saw quite a lot of little passerines feeding in high dry grass and in trees (silverberry). [...... read more ]

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In the morning before the weddings come to Square I was going to watch here birds. Now I didn't expect any new bird in Square, so my main target is to take photos of birds I watched here in recent days – Warblers. European Robin etc. I watched from 9am to 11am. I saw Robin two times, Lesser Whitethroats three times, and Barred Warbkers four times. All birds were very shy, Robins (perhaps the same bird) did not show up more than one second time, all Warblers didn't leave the bushes. Once I manually focused camera because automatic focus didn't fixed on the yellow eye. All two hours I was in the little area in the NW part of Square. There were only common birds in other parts of Square. But in spot I was I watched many Bramblings, Blackbirds, Great Tits, two Black-throated Thrushes in addition to Warblers and Robins. Sparrowhawk also noticed the concentration of the little birds. I saw it yesterday on the dogwood tree where Warblers prefer to feed. So Vassily's guess that Warblers are killed [...... read more ]

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The weather was sunny more or less all the time, so almost all the snow was melt. Strange, but the different species of birds were feeding the same dogwood berries in different parts of the Square. Mynas and Hooded Crows do it at one point, Bramblings and Blackbirds in another one, Great Tits in the third one, without mutual birds. But some dogwood trees are full of berries, not one bird were eating them. Perhaps, dogwood berries like apples could be more or less tasty. Crows and Mynas ate dogwood berries with loud sounds, because both of these birds are very noisy. After they will finish to eat the berries I see what White-winged Grosbeak will feed in February-March. By the way I saw flock of Great Tits in dogwood trees but I am not sure that they eat berries, probably they eat the last insects. Of more or less rare birds I watched and took photos of Lesser Whitethroat (were feeding in thuja, means it extended the food diversity) and two European Robins (one feeding under the spruce tree, [...... read more ]

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Sunny and warm day. Trip to Kimasar gorge with Sanzhar and Madina. The eastern slopes of all branches of Kimasar gorge are covered by snow, but the western ones are yet clear. The day was began with Dipper as usual. But today is the day of birds of prey. During the day we saw two Lammergeiers, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, Black Vulture, Golden Eagle and Eastern Buzzard. Usually raptors appear close to noon when the warm air streams from the land help them to soar. But I some times recorded Lammergeier before 11am. Today Lammergeier flew to city direction and didn't come back. Sanzhar and Madina noticed Treecreeper in the birch grove, and the Songar Tit in spruce forest. We reached the ridge where in spruce forest clearing watched quite pale Great Grey Shrike. Here we saw twice flocks of White-winged Grossbeaks, and flocks of Siskins and Bramblings-Chaffinches too. It's more interesting on the top of ridge than in the snowy bottom of gorge. Coal Tits flew from one tree to another, also Azure Tit [...... read more ]

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Today was the second in this autumn snow. By the signs it must melt. Weather is not good, though internet promised mostly sunny. In morning I watched birds about one hour near city hall. Birds are a few, mostly mixed flocks of Bramblings with single Chaffinches which were feeding mostly in thujas but in Сornus sanguinea too. Today I first time saw Magpies fed the berries of Сornus sanguinea. One Buzzard was soaring quite a high. I tried to find some rare birds and expected to find Warblers, but watch birds without sun is difficult, and my eyes recently see badly. Sometimes I found birds by the sounds, for example I heard and then found Greenfinches. It seemed to me I heard sounds of White-winged Grossbeak but I didn't see it. Inside the tree I noticed Barred Warbler, took some photos. But the Lesser Whitethroat was noticed but wasn't recognized and shot. The European Robin also was twice noticed in the open grass but quickly hid under the spruce-tree branches. Bird was very similar to [...... read more ]

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