birdwatching blogs
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2008-09-08 | Askar Isabekov
The little forest in the Iskanderdaria gorge. Mixed birch-juniper forest. Correctly birch tree (local birch with brown bark) forest, but nearby on the rocks there is sparse high-body juniper forest. The gorge is placed so the sun rises only at 8 a.m., therefore I more than one hour walked on the morning dusk. At the road I saw one Stonechat. As at another places around Iskanderkul there were a lot of Lesser Whitethroats and Hume's Warblers in the bushes and there were a lot of Chukar Partrdges on the rocks. Sounds of Chukars were hearable allaround, sometimes the loudly sounds of flying Chukars were hearable. On the next slope White-winged Woodpecker drummed. On my apparition in the birch forest Oriental Turtle Doves, Magpies and one Hoopoe disbanded. In juniper forest I observed several Black-breasted Tits and Blackbirds. Tits fed between juniper's branches and loudly called one to another. Also in juniper female Blue-capped Redstart occurred. In the barberry bushes Lesser Whitethroats, [...... read more ]
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2008-09-07 | Askar Isabekov
Iskanderkul lake. Panjchashma. On early morning on Iskanderkul I saw one Hobby and Carrion Crows. Near the lake round road the flocks of Chukar Partridges flew to watering. On the rocks the Chukars calls were heard all time, sometimes they flew with roars from rock to another. The sound of flying Partridges was so vociferous as roar of airplane. In the juniper forest Hume's Warblers and Black-breasted Tits fed and in the bushes on the rocks Great Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats fed. In the Panjchashma place there were quite a few birds, mostly common Lesser Whitethroats, Spotted Flycatchers, Long-tailed Shrikes, Blyth's Reed Warblers and Hume's Warblers. But also there were uncommon Black Redstart, Common Rosefinch, Stonechat, Bar-tailed Treecreeper, Blackbirds. Some Lesser Whitethroats look larger than other ones, probably they are Hume's Whitethroat (Sylvia althaea). Over the rocks flocks of loudly Red-billed Choughes flew by. On the rocks Magpies and Carrion Crows sat. Also on the [...... read more ]
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2008-09-03 | Askar Isabekov
On early morning on Sharshar pass one Egyptian Vulture and two Eurasian Griffon-Vultures soared. I didn't stand to make photos. But when I saw sitting on the pole Short-toed Snake-Eagle I paused and photographed it. My first Snake-Eagle in the Tajikistan. Further on the clay foothills Egyptian Vultures sat and soared. The carrion smell was allaround. Probably Vultures flew to this carrion. Near Muminobad also Egyptian Vultures soared. On same place I saw one Long-legged Buzzard and one Booted Eagle. Quite a few little birds. Common Long-tailed Shrikes, Rollers, Eurasian Bee-eaters were observed. Near Kulob the Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters occurred. Except these common birds I saw Pied Bushchats, Stonechats, Isabelline and Pied Wheatears. Over Muminobad on the river the flock of Greater Short-toed Larks drank the water. In Childuhtaron it was interesting to see Rufous-tailed Rock Thrushes and Blue Rock Thrush on one place. In same place I made photos of Hobby captured one's large chick. Also [...... read more ]
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2008-08-30 | Askar Isabekov
The hot day. The most remembered event of the day was nearby Dangara on the clay foothills. Near the watering place I saw a lot of large birds. On the sky there were more than 50 Eurasian Griffon-Vultures (it was impossible to count birds because they ceaseless moved), roughly speaking same number of Ravens, four Cinereous Vultures, three Egyptian Vultures (one of them dark juvenile bird), three dark morph Booted Eagles. Cinereous Vultures roamed higher of all, Egyptian Vultures from time to time hid and appeared. Only Griffon-Vultures and Ravens all time were on eyes. Several Griffon-Vultures from time to time sat down the slopes of foothills. In Baljuvon and during the road I saw Crested Larks, Eurasian Bee-eaters and Pied Bushchats. Also in Baljuvon I saw dark Pipit I didn't see earlier, unfortunately I couldn't make photo. Pied Bushchats I saw were bright black and white males, dark-brown females and brownish black birds with white strips on the wings, probably moulting males. On the [...... read more ]
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2008-08-29 | Askar Isabekov
The day in the shadow of large walnuts was very successful at birdwatching outlook. I saw many birds and photographed most of them. Birds didn't present all together but changed one after another. And I just quiet sat and watched the birds. On the walnut trees I saw Carrion Crows, Magpies, Mynahs, the pair of Blue Whistling Thrushes, Turkestan Tits, one Black-breasted Tit, Oriental Turtle Doves, the pair of White-winged Woodpeckers, Asian Paradise Flycatcher. All birds searched the feed, probably this time it's easy to find the eats in the shadow gorge than on open places. Also it's very cool under the walnut trees, Oriental Turtle Doves just sat to branches and rested from heat. To the briars bushes Lesser Whitethroats, Streaked Laughingthrushes, Yellow-breasted Tits, Common Rosefinches, Hume's Warbler, Rufous-tailed Flycatcher, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatchers, Blyth's Reed Warblers flew. On the next little river I saw same Blue Whistling Thrushes, Grey Wagtails, Blyth's Reed [...... read more ]
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2008-08-25 | Askar Isabekov
The Karatag gorge is about 40 kilometers to the west from Dushanbe. The gorge looks some like Romit gorge but more greenery. Especially high junipers forest looks very beauty. Unfortunately I saw a bit of birds. Interesting two juvenile Rosy Pastors sat on wire with Mynahs. In the bushes common Spotted Flycatchers were but a bit. The Swallows alike Barn Swallows (but a little and with white rump) flew by. Probably they were Barn Swallow. The female (or juvenile) of Stonechat and three cheeping Grey-headed Goldfinches were observed. In the gorge above the juniper forest there are rocks. Over these rocks from time to time the flocks of Yellow-billed Choughs flew by. These Choughs look like Red-billed ones but red bills are beheld from far. But yellow bills aren't beheld and fling birds seem without bills. Unidentified birds are two little Redstarts (probably not Redstarts but Rufous-tailed Flycatchers) and one little falcon (probably Kestrel). [...... read more ]
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2008-08-24 | Askar Isabekov
Today I went to the state border with Afghanistan. The day was hot, probably therefore I didn't see a lot of birds. Whole day I didn't observe any large raptor. At evening time one Kestrel flew by. During the road Rollers, Blue-cheeked and Eurasian Bee-eaters, Long-tailed Shrikes, Crested Larks and two Pied Bushchats were observed. The Panj coasts are even without a greenery both Tajik and Afghan sides. Some trees with the nests of Tree Sparrows come on. I saw only Laughing Doves and Spotted Flycatchers. In the thickets of Vakhsh river also a bit of birds. I saw only one Long-tailed Shrike, two Spotted Flycatchers, two Lesser Whitethroats and flying above the water Barn Swallows and Pale Sand Martins. Not an abundant to birds day. [...... read more ]
2008-08-20 | Askar Isabekov
The short trip. On the Chormagzak pass two Egyptian Vultures and one Raven were observed. On the Vakhsh river near Nurek the Moorhen floated in the backwater. On the wires Hoopoes sat, seven Hoopoes on the one wire. [...... read more ]
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2008-08-16 | Askar Isabekov
During the road until Dangara only common Rollers, European Bee-eaters and Long-tailed Shrikes were observed. I saw uncommon birds when came in Dangara valley. First were two roaming Ravens. Further above the clay foothills there were several birds. In the beginning the pair of Eurasian Griffon-Vultures. Later one dark morph Booted Eagle and Egyptian Vulture, later yet one Griffon-Vulture and one Raven. All birds were in one place! In Vose on the wires there were a lot of Bee-eaters mostly Blue-cheeked. Also I saw Crested Larks.Muminobad. Dry clay foothills. A lot of burrows but a bit of Bee-eaters. There were Indian Sparrows. I saw one Long-tailed Shrike, some Crested larks and two Pied Bushchats. On the Muminobad lake in contradistinction from most of other Tajikistan's basins there are shorebirds, mostly Common Greenshanks and Common Sandpipers. The lake's coast is clay and open and it's very difficult to close to birds, therefore I am writing only I saw by binocular. I saw one Little [...... read more ]
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2008-08-13 | Askar Isabekov
Takob gorge is branch gorge of the big Varzob one. There is mountain skis base in the Takob. The Takob village is a large and follows about five kilometers during the gorge. In the village I saw Tree Sparrows, Grey-headed Goldfinches and one dirty-rose male Rosefinch (probably Red-mantled). Nearby the river there were a big number of juvenile Masked Wagtails, one Blue Whistling Thrush, two flocks of Rock Buntings, flock of Streaked Laughingthrushes, one Lesser Grey Shrike, one Turkestan Tit and a lot of European Bee-eaters and Spotted Flycatchers. One Common Starling searched anyone near the water. Above the skis base the alpine meadows begin and yet above the rocks change the meadows. According to locals there are Bears which often attend the shepherds camps. A lot of little passerines and raptors. Allaround Barn Swallows flew. On the meadows I saw Stonechats, Linnets, Black Redstarts and one Bluethroat. On the rocks a lot of Isabelline Wheatears, just less number of Pied Wheatears, sometime [...... read more ]
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