Tarbagatai, Zaisan
19 photos
Day was hot, sunny and probably most lucky to birdwatcher. At morning the road from first foothills of Tarbagatai near Ai until Ayaguz didn't surprised me, I saw Rollers (single birds and once the group) and Lesser Kestrel on roadside elms. Before Ayaguz I watch male Pallid Harrier. Raptors behind Ayguz: Pallid Harriers, Long-legged Buzzards and Lesser Kestrels (at rock emergences, about 20 km over Ayaguz).
The road to Zaisan passes on northern foothills of Tarbagatai ridge. All around are dry and yellow, but sometimes roadside pools occur, on these pools it's possible to watch different interesting birds. Karazhal. A little pool 3x2 meters in size. Here I was about one hour and shot much beauty birds. I decided to make a pause mostly of flock of Twites moved around here and sometimes arrived to drink the water. In addition to Twites I also observed Masked Wagtails (probably hybrids), Citrine Wagtail, Ortolan Buntings, Jackdaws, Magpies, Hooded Crows, two Isabelline Wheatears, and two Common Snipes and one Ruff. Sometimes one Sparrowhawk and one Kestrel flew by and affrighted little passerines.
On other pools I noted group of Northern Lapwings near Aktubek, Terek Sandpiper and Little Stint near Tarbagatai village, and also numerous Hooded Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws. Over Kyzylkesek there are Zhagalbaily mountains when I saw some large flocks of Twites. Over Zhagalbaily the plain yellow steppe passes until Zaisan lake. Most viewable birds in steppe were Kesrels (birds perched in the shadow of almost each second pole, as Rollers in some countries) and Pallid Harriers which were a lot too. Also I watch much of Long-legged Buzzards. Near Aksuat I observed how Steppe Eagle attacked sitting on ground Long-legged Buzzard. The attack was probably bluff, Eagle flew off but Buzzard stayed on ground. I saw a little birds and next time mistook - I think that I found Winchats but birds were usual Stonechats.
Closer to lake near Uan the quite large and numerous pools occurred on roadside, on these pools there were a lot of Barn Swallows and Sand Martins which perched on wires by tens. Also on these pools I saw Common Starlings, one Grey Heron, Kites, Northern Lapwings. The large flocks of Black Larks contained from black males and yellow females arrived to drink water too. Raptors. Before the turning to Zaisan in the dry steppe zone I watched not less than 20 Pallid Harriers (no one adult male), and not less than 20 long-legged Buzzards. But when road passed during Zaisan lake coast I saw mostly Long-legged Buzzrds (plus about 15 birds). Once I saw Steppe Eagle. Near the cane thickets White, Yellow and Masked Wagtails were observed, one Great White Egret also was noted in canes.
The road to Zaisan passes on northern foothills of Tarbagatai ridge. All around are dry and yellow, but sometimes roadside pools occur, on these pools it's possible to watch different interesting birds. Karazhal. A little pool 3x2 meters in size. Here I was about one hour and shot much beauty birds. I decided to make a pause mostly of flock of Twites moved around here and sometimes arrived to drink the water. In addition to Twites I also observed Masked Wagtails (probably hybrids), Citrine Wagtail, Ortolan Buntings, Jackdaws, Magpies, Hooded Crows, two Isabelline Wheatears, and two Common Snipes and one Ruff. Sometimes one Sparrowhawk and one Kestrel flew by and affrighted little passerines.
On other pools I noted group of Northern Lapwings near Aktubek, Terek Sandpiper and Little Stint near Tarbagatai village, and also numerous Hooded Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws. Over Kyzylkesek there are Zhagalbaily mountains when I saw some large flocks of Twites. Over Zhagalbaily the plain yellow steppe passes until Zaisan lake. Most viewable birds in steppe were Kesrels (birds perched in the shadow of almost each second pole, as Rollers in some countries) and Pallid Harriers which were a lot too. Also I watch much of Long-legged Buzzards. Near Aksuat I observed how Steppe Eagle attacked sitting on ground Long-legged Buzzard. The attack was probably bluff, Eagle flew off but Buzzard stayed on ground. I saw a little birds and next time mistook - I think that I found Winchats but birds were usual Stonechats.
Closer to lake near Uan the quite large and numerous pools occurred on roadside, on these pools there were a lot of Barn Swallows and Sand Martins which perched on wires by tens. Also on these pools I saw Common Starlings, one Grey Heron, Kites, Northern Lapwings. The large flocks of Black Larks contained from black males and yellow females arrived to drink water too. Raptors. Before the turning to Zaisan in the dry steppe zone I watched not less than 20 Pallid Harriers (no one adult male), and not less than 20 long-legged Buzzards. But when road passed during Zaisan lake coast I saw mostly Long-legged Buzzrds (plus about 15 birds). Once I saw Steppe Eagle. Near the cane thickets White, Yellow and Masked Wagtails were observed, one Great White Egret also was noted in canes.
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