Sarkand, Alakol

In morning near Aksu I watch one very dark almost black Upland Buzzard, three Kestrels, one Grey Heron, Mallard Ducks. In Aksu I saw one Wood Pigeon, in roadside thickets of Sarkand region - much of Hobbies and Kestrels, and over the dam on Lepsy river - the group of Rollers (not departed as yet).

At Ucharal ring there were common Kites, but in less number as in previous years. Over Ucharal two Marsh Harrier played one with another in the sky. On roadside till to foothills I saw Swallows, Eurasian Bee-eaters, Long-legged Buzzards, and once four Common Starlings. Between Alakol lake and foothills of Dzhungar Alatau there were a lot of Isabelline Wheatears. On coast of Alakol: Great Cormorants, Grey Heron, Caspian Gulls, one Relict Gull. On back way I saw pair of Black-bellied Sandgrouses, flock of Ruffs, and over Ucharal - wedge of Cranes. The Road to Ayaguz. As usually I wondered to birds' sensibility to geography, as soon as I passed Taskesken turning as I saw the Hybrid Crow, and later I saw only Hooded Crows.