Almarasan, Ile.

Birding trip with Javier Piedra and Mark Ashcroft. In the beginning we visited Almaran (Ile Alatau National Park). The weather was mist and cold. In two places snow slips crashed the pathway and the bridge. In Prokhodnaya river we observed only common local birds - some Grey Wagtails and pair of Brown Dipper. The male Dipper sang the song. In the rocks the pair of Blue Whistling Thrush flew from one rock to another. Also we noticed one Black Kite. Probably birds were a bit because of the weather was cold and mist.

At afternoon we arrived to Ile river over the Kapchagai reservoir. During the road we saw the Black Kites and Rooks, but over Kapchagai the Rollers too. Weather at Ile river was sunny and warm. Rosy Starlings as yet were not arrived to the rocks. We saw one Golden Eagle but the last year's nest of Golden Eagles wasn't inhabited. In large rock canyon many Lesser Kestrels and Common Jackdaws were flying, sometimes Hobbies were noticed. As usual there were a lot of Chukar Partridges which were viewable and especially well hearable. It is need to say about little passerines, we saw Pied Wheaters, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Sparrow and Grey-headed Buntings. Blue Rock Thrush and Rock Sparrow already fed nestlings.

In the semi-desert zone there were a lot of Calandra Larks and Red-headed Buntings singing the songs. Once Montagu's Harrier flew by.