Hour-and-a-half birding with beginners in Republic Square. I hope that beginners were satisfied, but I was very satisfied because we found the Desert Warbler almost in the center of the city. I never seen Desert Warblers in Almaty, and I am sure nobody seen it here. All other birds of bushes were expected: two Turkestan Shrikes, three Isabelline Shrikes, Bluethroat, Chaffinches, Tree Sparrow and common residents. Carrion Crows probably are finishing the nest reconstruction, we saw Crow with some pieces of sintepon in bill, one piece of sintepon fall from bill to grass. Female Sparrowhawk was reconstructing old nest too, male was not observed. The first in this spring Wood Pigeon flew by.Because beginners didn't notice how was time I can assume that the initiation to birdwatching was successful list of birds [...... read more ]

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My last visit to Sorbulak was 4 days ago. But guests arrived and I decide to show the, our main birding spot.What changed during these 4 days. White-headed Duck, Black-necked Grebe, Dunlin, Black-headed Wagtails, Steppe Grey Shrike appeared. Most of Ducks disappeared, Cormorants are numerous but not gather in shores. Ice melted everywhere. Trip list of birds. [...... read more ]

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One or one and half hour is the time need to urban birding. Two days I had birding in Dendropark and in Republic Square in Almaty. Now you can meet familiar (often) or unfamiliar birdwatchers in the urban birding spots. In 26th of March in Dendropark (aka President's Park) I met Gennady and Elena Dyakins, we together had some birding. Black-headed Gull was surprise for us, but Pied and Northern Weatears, and Pheasant were predictable but nice records. Bramblings and Chaffinches are yet in park. Magpies are building the nests. Next day I visited Republic Square. At first birds were invisible. Only Isabelline Shrike didn't hide. But when I carefully observed bushes and under the spruce trees I find other birds. I again saw Bramblings-Chaffinches, common Great Tits, Blackbirds and also season guests – Black-throated Accentors and Eversmann's Redstart. Soon, probably after several weeks the urban birding will become very interesting. But some of today records (for example Gull) is interesting [...... read more ]

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Two days ago group of Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmaeus) was found near Taldykrgan city not far from the Kazakhstan - Xinjiang border. This record means birds of this species can be observed in Ili river basin including Xinjiang territory. Please see map under the photos here - http://birds.kz/v2photo.php?l=en&s=039302010&n=1 [...... read more ]

The last day before the rainy week me and Sanzhar Abdikhalyk uded to go to Sorbulak. The main target of trip is migrating birds. The first stopping we made over the Karaoi village, where he little finches were singing the songs in roadside thickets. I thing we saw more the one hundred Bramblings, Chaffinches, Grey-headed Goldfinches, Linnets. Further we watched these birds many times and numerous in single trees.In the water of Little Sorbulak there are a lot of Ducks and Coots, in the second reservoir we counted 3-4 thousands of water birds concentrated in the center of reservoir. In the gulf of first reservoir we watched hundreds of Cormorants in breeding plumage. In other spots we saw the breeding games of Great Crested Grebes. Of shorebirds we saw only Little Ringed Plovers which are in flocks yet. The Wagtails were a lot (Masked, White, Cintrines Wagtails), also we saw Water Pipits and Shrikes. In spite of prohibition of hunting we permanently heard the sounds of shots. When we [...... read more ]

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Second day almost duplicated the first one. In morning we visited ponds, then went to Karatal. The morning ground is frozen, we easy go by all of roads and trails. In the ponds we watched the same list of birds but I saw the Water Rail in additional. Also I shortly noticed the Rail-sized bird with rounded wings looked like little Bittern in colour, I have no any guess appropriated for season and locations. Probably if we had more time for observation of ponds we can to take photo of Rail (we tried but unsuccessfully) and can to watch the daily start of migration. But we didn't have much of free time and we went to Karatal but to the spot located higher than yesterday one. Here was very nice, weather was very sunny and some windy. We again watched Black Stork, Great White Egrets. Eversmann's and Guldenstadt's Redstarts. Also we watched the migration of Eagles and Kites. I was feeling sure that I can just stay in one point and watch a lot of birds which be appeared from all of sides. [...... read more ]

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We started about 6.30 am. Road was very good, we didn't make stopping, from the car window we saw Larks in Chengeldy, Starlings near Saryozek, and Long-legged Buzzards and Kestrels almost everywhere. In Taldykurgan we have a lunch and immediately went to ponds. Only ponds near the pipe are free from ice, the rest ones are ice-covered. More likely most of water in vicinity is ice covered because in open water there are a lot of different ducks. Alexander said we will looking for Baikal Teal and Falcated Duck, and I in all seriousness tried to find them both in ponds and further in photos. Of course I didn.t find them but I had faith, that means I will find them sooner or later. Ducks we watched: Garganeys, Gadwalls, Common Teals, Shovellers, Mallards, Pintails, Wigeons, Common Pochards, Red-crested Pochards, Tafted Ducks, Ferruginous Ducks, Ruddy Shellducks, all ducks are very beauty in breeding plumage. Ducks of course flushed but after some circles landed to water. I took photos mostly [...... read more ]

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Urban birding with Alexander Belyaev. As Alexander come from Taldykurgan especially for White-browed Tit-Warbler we started in Dendropark. Because Alexander has experience in birdwatching, he found Tit-Warbler himself not paying attention to a lot of people in park. In addition to Tit-Warblers we saw numerous Eversmann's Redstarts, Mallard, Goldcrests and other common birds too. One flying in eastern direction Steppe Eagle was surprise for us. List of birds in Dendropark.After noon we went to Sairan. We didn't find Blue Whistling Thrush again but watched the first in this spring Chiffchaff and two Shrikes – one Isabelline and one Turkestan Shrikes. Of course we saw many Masked Wagtails and Eversmann's Redstarts. List of birds in Sairan.Summary: in the higher part of the city we watched only birds of wintering species + wandering to mountain Eversmann's Redstart. But in lower part of city we saw mostly spring migrants. Snow in higher part, but almost green in lower one. However, the lower [...... read more ]

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The Day of Spring Equinox is the start of the next Life Cycle, the Joy of the end of the winter and the Hope for a new life. Novruz means New Day in Persian language. I wish everyone something new for each of us coming with the New Day! Because new is always better than old. [...... read more ]

After two day snowfall all around became white. In first day after snowfall the pitiable birds were tring to find food in the open asphalt roads but unsuccessfully. Today snow is melt and birds feel relied. Morning was cold and overcast, but I went to Sairan because my new friend Francesc Cuscó watched there the Blue Whistling Thrush. I didn't find Whistling Thrush but watched the first in city Masked Wagtails, and also Eversmann's Redstarts and flock of Water Pipits. Probably later in the wet sands of Sairan be possible to watch migrating shorebirds too.In Dendropark I was close to midday time, mostly I wanted to find White-browed Tit-Warblers. I found the couple feeding in spruce-trees, thujas and in open grass under the spruce-trees. In addition to Tit-Warblers I saw one Red-mantled Rosefinch, Magpies building nests, flock of Bramblings, and Eversmann's Redstarts. Latter is bird of the day because I saw everywhere the significant number of them. During the watching day I saw about [...... read more ]

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