There are no birds on the New Square from 9 until 10 AM, except for ever present Great Tits and Rooks. Only on 10 AM has appeared Barred Warbler, some later Blackbirds. Barred Warbler was fed highly on a birch. Blackbird with Hooded Crow also sat highly in the same place. While I observed them on the next birch flock of little birdies has arrived. They were Red-fronted Serins. It's a pity that birches still were in a shadow this moment. Red-fronted Serins have suddenly appeared and suddenly have departed. It is one pleasant meeting. The second pleasant (very pleasant) a meeting is White-winged Grosbeak. First time I have noticed female feeding thuja's nuts in the company of House Sparrows. And some later have seen pair - male and female together. White-winged Grosbeaks are very beauty and original birds. When my wife saw Grosbeaks first time she told me than saw parrots. Really large size, large beack, bright colour, long tail are atributes of parrots. Grosbeaks are not scary birds at least [...... read more ]

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In Baum's Grove I photographed female Chaffinch. On mountain again photographed Blue Whistling Thrush and a little Coal Tits. [...... read more ]

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Sunny warm day. Today I quickly walked about yesterday places. Found all yesterday birds exclude Sparrowhawk. First were Common Whitethroats. Saw one on fir-tree. The bird was resting but later on began to peck something from fir branch. Chaffinches were on same places but yesterday they pecked seeds from ground and today sat only on branches. Goldcrests still cheeped into coniferous trees. Saw Chiffchaff also. Chiffchaff fed on birch with Goldcrests. When birds were together I saw size difference between birds. Goldcrest were less than Chiffchaff. Sparrowhawk were not found but I saw hovered Long-legged Buzzard. I saw against sun therefore it was difficult to see. At the outset Buzzard hovered on solitude but later in crows company.After dinner I went to Medeo chine (Ile Alatau National Park). Saw Blackbirds, Carrion Crows, Great Tits and two Blue Whistling Thrushes. Blue Whistling Thrush is not scary but careful bird. It may feed near you but fly out after a little attention to its person. [...... read more ]

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Some last days the weather in the city is murky. All along it is light snows. In the city mynahs and doves became inconspicuous. Rooks, Blackbirds and of course Great Tits were occurred. Today some times saw flocks of Chaffinches. Chaffinches were occurred in the popular places but took no notice of people. People also took no notice of Chaffinches. While firstly there are Chaffinches in Alma Ata on winter only. Secondly Chaffinches are very beauty and bright colored birds.On the birch I espied a little bird. While the weather was murky but I saw that it was uncommon bird. Bird's flight was more smooth than Tit's one. And tail was longer than Sparrow's one. When I closed to birch I qualified bird as Common Whitethroat. After a little time the second Whitethroat showed. Whitethroats fed on the birches. Such as Tits they ate birch's catkins. It is interesting whether there was a case of Whitethroats wintering in Alma Ata.All around near junipers and firs Goldcrests' cheeps were audible. Sometimes [...... read more ]

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Yesterday when I saw Hen Harrier in Gulshat area I thought that birds do not depart far from the same places. Today I had a confirmation. There are pair of Ravens near Kanshengel, Upland Buzzard and Steppe Eagle in Aidarly area. All were in the same places where I saw them four days ago.Bend of the Kurty River. There was more than pair of ducks. There were different ducks also. I have seen Ruddy Shelducks, Goosanders, Mallard Ducks and Wigeons. And one Mew Gull also.There were flocks of Goldfinches in roadside spinney. I have not had time to identify its. But I think its were be Grey-Headed Goldfinches because Black-Headed Goldfinches rare migrate so far to south. One very beautiful male Hen Harrier flew above canes near Sorbulak Lake. [...... read more ]

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The blizzard in Astana is the beginning of the way, the rain in Saryshagan is the end. There was nothing interesting in the way. Only one flock of Grey Partridges and female of Hen Harrier may be referenced. [...... read more ]

The weather has some cold. There are not many birds in winter Astana, except Pigeons and the mixed flocks of Tree and House Sparrows anybody is not present. I went aside Kurgaldzhino, wished to look Snow Owls who enough winter in local places. But nobody has found, only one flock of Grey Partridges. Saw some more places of Partridges feedings on a snow but nothing more. Last winter I found Mallard Ducks on channel in the center of Astana. But this year channel is frozen and ducks are not present. [...... read more ]

This year first Bullfinch nearby Osakarovka. Flocks of Tree Sparrows, Pigeons and Magpies that's all that I have seen today. [...... read more ]

Business have called to Astana urgently. I had no time to observe birds therefore wrote only the facts of meetings. The dawn has caught me near Chemolgan. In roadside spinney Blackbirds, Waxwings (this winter first Waxwings), four females of Common Pheasant, Magpies were fed.Wintering ducks were visible through a morning fog on Sorbulak Lake. Some later on a bend of the Kurty river the pair of ducks was fed also. To identify the ducks was difficult from afar. Saw two Upland Buzzards and two Steppe Eagles. One of them was looked very large I thought that it may be a Golden Eagle.Behind Kanshengel two flocks of Geese flew to the West above road. Each flock of ten birds approximately. Amazing geese above the snow steppe. There was a little falcon, probably Merlin. Also there were two pairs of Ravens. I didn't can to lose this rare birds. I stopped and tried to photograph, but Ravens are very clever birds. At once they have understood that have interested me, but at the same time also have [...... read more ]

Any times I met very beautiful male Rufous-backed Redstart in mountains in winter, but never photographed it. One time the weather was cloudy, another time the bird was too far. Today I have specially gone hoping to meet with Redstart, but have met other birds. I have a glimpse of Wren, but frequent meeting with Wrens during last two weeks have shown that Wrens will be frequent guests this winter. Four Brown Dippers. During the year all things vary, but the Dippers are the most stable birds. They are always on one place always appreciable. The Blackbird and the Blue Whistling Thrush. Not all Blackbirds have gone down from mountains to the city. And the meeting with a Blue Whistling Thrush shows that this rare bird will winter the third year in succession. All meetings in brief therefore as the meeting with the Lammergeier has eclipsed all others.Some times I saw Lammergeiers in our mountains but saw them from afar and a short time. Today the Lammergeier flew low and sat close. I have seen [...... read more ]

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