Panorama Pass.

Weather is changed every 15 minutes from cloudy to sunny and back. I reached the Panorama pass with expecting of Brandt’s Mountain Finch which was observed here two week ago by my wife. I didn’t find it but further I know that it is need to search it in the rocks which I bypassed.

Away from the rocks and in the right slope of the Chimbulachka peak I saw mostly Mistle Thrushes and Hodgson’s Finches. Mistle Thrushes were rather careful, they approached close but immediately flew out. Finches also were shy, I took photos of only two birds, one of them behaved as near the nest, not flew far and sounded alarm calls. Also I saw three Finches together, I didn’t recognize colour of all birds, but probably it was brood with adult bird. Near the spots of snow one juvenile Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush looked for the food. The couple of Himalayan Accentors filled beaks by caterpillars finding them in the grass. By the way beaks were filled in very short time. In the stones I saw Stoat which was chased by Kestrel. Also Kestrels chased Raven (I saw two Raven, they are common residents of Panorama pass). Birds are a rather bit, less than in same altitude near Cosmo station in Big Almaty Gorge.

At the bottom of Chimbulachka I saw many bush birds (little brown birds) and juvenile Redstart. Near Medeo the Kestrel chased dark morph Long-legged Buzzard which considered as hybrid between B.rufinus and B.hemilasius. But why it is not Upland Buzzard?