The last day of my trip was marked by the tire wore down to the cord. My reserve tire also was not so good and I tried quickly come back to Almaty. Birds observed on the road were not so interesting, only Pied Avocets on Balkhash coast may be noted. Business results of my trip are quite satisfactory. But I certainly waited more interesting birds. [...... read more ]

Akkuduk. At morning time on roadside thickets I saw Wood Pigeons and Oriental Turtle Doves I noticed yesterday. The day was cloudy sometimes rainy. In northern Kazakhstan I always wait the little passerines which I could not observe on southern Kazakhstan, such as Yellow-breasted Bunting or Winchat. Therefore I always try to pay attention mostly to little birds. Unfortunately today was not lucky day, little birds were a bit and birds which I noticed were mostly Sparrows. Only once near Zhaksy in Akmola oblast I shot the little bird and hoped that bird was the female Winchat but it was common female Siberian Stonechat. In same places over Zhaksy and till Atbasar some times I watched the Demoiselle Cranes. [...... read more ]

Day was cloudy and warm. The road to Kustanai from the south. All around there were the little birch forests in steppe. In Proleski village I noticed one Collared Dove. At Konai village (almost near Kustanai) in roadside grove I saw female Bluethroat and Kestrel. Driving about 20 kilometers from Kustanai to Kokchetau side I stopped to walk in forest (which is probably part of large Arakaragai forest). I didn't find any birds only two Tree Pipits; though during the road I saw in forests Red-footed Falcons and Oriental Turtle Doves. Turtle Dove was shot at evening time in Auliekol region near Akkuduk. [...... read more ]

The first cool but some times cold day. In Aktobe oblast the wind was hard and stable, the dust was all around, sometimes wind was so hard that nothing was visible. From Belkopa small local rains began, dust in air decreased, sometimes weather was sunny, but wind didn't weaken. From Karabutak the road turns to north and then to north-east. Landscape is steppe with rare rocks; it is the western part of Turgai plateau. Weather became much overcast and rainy. Birds: rare Caspian Gulls, Marsh Harriers, Skylarks and once flock of White-winged Terns. In one place near tunnel under the road the little puddle was formed. On this puddle I watched Twites. Also Calandra Larks arrived to pool but fearing me didn't close to water and landed to the grass. The Twites in quite a large flocks (on 100-150 birds) I later watched on the road but the murky weather didn't give possibility to shoot them.At about 135 km from Karabutak the grain fields begin, in these places I saw Black Larks both adults and juveniles. [...... read more ]

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In north-west of Kazakhstan it was not so hot such as in Mangistau oblast. On roadside there were many raptors, Imperial Eagles perched on poles but Long-legged Buzzards and Steppe Eagels perched mostly on asian elms. Closer to evening I noticed some Grey Partridges. [...... read more ]

On exit from Kulsary there are some little rivers. In morning time on these rivers I watch Marsh Harrier, Caspian Gulls and Common Terns. Little passerines in the bushes on sides of rivers were House Sparrows, one Desert Finch and Desert Warbler. I noted Asian Desert Warblers some times but didn't shot and well watched them therefore I am not sure in identification. On Mukur turning I saw the pair of flying by Black-bellied Sandgrouses. I planned to go from Dossor to Aktubinsk directly, but when I went about 30 kilometers over Makat I understood that this road will be hard to me, and I decided to come back in Uralsk. Day was hot, near Makat on little paddle I saw large colony of Pratincoles not less than one hundred birds. On salines before Dossor (75 km) I again saw the Stone Curlew hid from heat under the bridge. I tried to come back quickly, didn't watch birds which were a bit because the day was very hot. Birds was at evening time in Western Kazkhstan oblast in roadside thickets. Red-footed [...... read more ]

The days become hotter. In Mangistau sands in this hot weather it is possible to see mostly Skylarks (probably other Larks because I didn't identify them) and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters. I hoped to watch different Wheatears but probably it's need to search them in other places. Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters were observed in all villages where wire are present. In Borankul village the Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters formed mixed colony with Sand Martins in sandy fall. But holes of Bee-eaters are large and rarer placed, but the holes of Martins are lesser and dense placed. Then holes of Martins and Bee-eaters located apart not together, on one side only holes of Martins but in another side only holes of Bee-eaters. On wires near colony the Eurasian Bee-eaters perches too but I didn't note that it entered to hole. Also today I saw raptors - Marsh Harriers and twice Steppe Eagle (but probably it was the same bird). [...... read more ]

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The one more hot day. The birds hid again, only rare Steppe Eagles perched on poles. Near Chapaev I saw the hovering Sacker Falcon (but probably I mistook). Country from Chapaev to south till Atyrau smoothly passes to semi-desert. Birds were not visible. Once from Ural to Zhangala lakes side the large flock of Great Cormorants flew by. That's all. At evening I arrived to Atyrau but didn't enter to city and turned to Dossor side. Landscape is semi-desert with a much of salines of variable colors from white and pinkish to greenish. Between Dossor and Kulsary I saw the Stone Curlews hidden in shadow under the bridge. In evening time (close to Kulsary) the birds were observed. Some times I saw Steppe Grey Shrikes. There were Bee-eaters, the number of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters increased but the number of Eurasian Bee-eaters decreased. I noted that Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters prefer the sandy desert landscapes. On little puddle near Kulsary I watched a group of Pied Avocets. [...... read more ]

Very hot day, the weather was so hot that even Bee-eaters and Rollers were not perch on wires. Birds somewhere hid, only hovering raptors sometimes occurred. In Yanaikino area I saw the pair of Levant Sparrowhawks chased the female Marsh Harrier, but probably they weren't Sparrowhawks but Red-footed Falcons, which were a lot in roadside thickets. I tried to search birds in one of Ural's old channels but found only Marsh Turtles which probably were one only animals basked on sun. Later I searched birds in roadside thickets but found only hiding in shadows Tree Sparrows, Hoopoes and Red-footed Falcons. Female Falcon began to cry but male flew off and soared over me.In Zhangala region in rare and low thickets there were many nests of Long-legged Buzzards and Steppe Eagles but in dense and high thickets there were many nests of Kestrels and Red-footed Falcons. Red-footed Falcons were really a lot, at evening time when the heat subsided the dozens of Red-footed Falcons hovered in the sky. Other [...... read more ]

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Kirov's park now is not comfortable and quiet place as it was 4 years ago. Now park is common entertainments place including beach, attractions, cafes. In first time I wanted to watch in park the Blue Tit, but didn't find even Great Tit. In my opinion park became too noisy to much of birds. In the woody part of park the birds were much more. In the shadows of high poplars I watched the female Eurasian Redstart, Wood Pigeons, many Chaffinches, Fieldfares and Spotted Flycatches. In light part of park on Chagan parkway trees there are much tree-holes made by Woodpeckers, but in all tree-holes the Tree Sparrows nest. [...... read more ]

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