Almaty. Republic Square, Little Almatinka river.

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 in the city. When I observed them in spring 2004 they allowed me to close. And today they also have fed very close to me. Birds sat aproximally on 3 metres from me. Female is some more scary but male as though specially posed. Grosbeacks ate thuja's nuts and berries. Grosbeaks eat rather loud. Nut's crushing is accompanied by crackle. I heard grosbeaks sound one time only. It was low “tchek-tchek”. I saw only two birds but may be soon them will be more.

Since Red-fronted Serins have appeared in the city then it is necessary to go to character birch places. Really I have found flock of Serins in one of such places. Serins were fed both on trees and on a snow. Small birdies from apart hard different from sparrows though Serins are much less. But practice eyes allocates them among other birds at once. Still Serins have very specific melodious singing. In winter Alma-Ata Red-fronted Serins eat almost exclusively birch seeds. Here they often meet in places where high birches grown. Also other birds are fed on birches with Serins together. More often it is Great Tits. In comparison with Serins Great Tits are larger and faster birds. Still today there were pair of Siskins in the flock of Serins, one male and one female.

It is a lot of Great Tits on Little Almatinka, probably some tens in one place. There are Blackbirds in the same place. Both of these species and Mynahs make the general bird's background. Other birds are not so evident. To see them it is necessary to gaze. Almost at once I have noticed Goldcrest. Chaffinches were fed together with Great Tits. Still there was one Azure Tit. Last years I already met Azure Tit on the same place. Perhaps it is the same bird. Quite probably Tit winters in this place annually. Saw Blue Whistling Thrush again. Thrush has gone down to winter in city again. In this place I met Blue Whistling Thrush, Azure Tit, Chaffinches, Red-fronted Serins. But I have seen Great Spotted Woodpecker first time in the city. Female woodpecker surveyed trees about a fence. The bird has seen my interst and has hidden behind a trunk, then has flown on the next tree, then on a cable column, and then has departed. The meeting has very much pleased me. Even so woodpeckers are not so popular in Almaty, as in Ust Kamenogorsk or Uralsk where I met woodpeckers in city permanently. Here fist time in Almaty.