Turkestan May 2004 (Birdquest)

TURKESTAN 11th - 29th MAY 2004 TOUR REPORT This was the first Birdquest for many years to include Uzbekistan, and it was a very successful addition to the Kazakhstan circuit that we have been operating for some years. We managed to see almost everything we had hoped for, a tour total of 274 species that included a mouth-watering list of rare birds! Tribute must also be paid to our select team of Birdquesters who with good knowledge and sharp eyes made sure we saw as much as possible! Our trips into the deserts, mountains and steppes of this region yielded Himalayan Griffon Vultures, Pallid Harriers, Steppe and Imperial Eagles, Saker, Lesser Kestrel, Himalayan Snowcock, Demoiselle Cranes, an abundance of Macqueen's Bustards (with nine seen in an afternoon!), Ibisbill, Caspian Plover and Sociable Lapwings, numerous Greater Sand Plovers, Pallas's Sandgrouse, Yellow-eyed Doves, White-winged Woodpecker, a total of eleven species of Lark including Hume's Short-toed, White-winged and of course many Black Larks. We watched a colony of Pale Martins, saw Altai, Black-throated and Brown Accentors, enjoyed Rufous-tailed Scrub Robins, White-throated Robin, White-tailed Rubythroat, Eversmann's, Blue-capped and Güldenstädt's Redstarts, Eastern Olivaceous, Booted, Sykes's, Desert and Eastern Orphean Warblers, the stunning Severtzov's Tit-Warbler, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Songar, Rufous-naped, Azure, Yellow-breasted and Turkestan Tits, Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Saxaul Sparrow, Desert and Mongolian Finches, Red-mantled Rosefinch, Pine, White-capped, Grey-necked and the abundant Red-headed Bunting. And then there were the Pander's Ground Jays, a truly amazing bird that proved to be locally common thus providing numerous opportunities for leisurely viewing! We arrived in Tashkent and made a short journey into the nearby foothills of the Tien Shan, where our first hotel was perfectly positioned in mixed forest where Rufous-naped, Turkestan, Yellow-breasted and White-capped Penduline Tits all made their introductions. A family of Tawny Owls were also in residence, overhead we saw Eurasian Black and Himalayan Griffon Vultures, and just nearby were White-winged Woodpecker, Hume's Lesser Whitethroats, Greenish and Hume's Leaf Warblers, noisy Common Nightingales, Blue Whistling Thrush, Grey-capped Goldfinch and White-capped Buntings. We headed for the fabled city of Samarkand, along the way finding Variable Wheatears, Rosy Starlings, Long-tailed Shrikes and a Shikra. A days birding in the nearby Zerafshan hills was very productive, we found Eurasian Griffon Vultures, Short-toed Eagle, a migrant Wryneck, White-throated Dipper, White-throated Robin, Pied Wheatears, Eastern Olivaceous and Eastern Orphean Warblers, a gorgeous pair of Asian Paradise Flycatchers, Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Hume's Short-toed Larks and a Rock Sparrow. Moving deeper into arid country, we drove to Bukhara and explored the nearby Lake Tudakul that was alive with birds such as Pygmy Cormorants, Purple Heron, a lone Glossy Ibis, Red-crested Pochards, White-tailed Lapwings, Kentish and Greater Sand Plovers, Collared Pratincoles, Caspian Gulls, Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, smart calcarata Citrine Wagtails, Pied Bushchats, Clamorous Reed, Moustached, Caspian Reed and Sykes's Warblers, Bearded Reedlings and some of the 'parrot-billed' pyrrhuloides race of Common Reed Buntings. We made a very early start to reach the Kyzyl Kum desert from Bukhara, and at dawn saw our first Pander's Ground Jay at the roadside! This was the first of some two dozen we saw during the course of the day, and we had ample opportunities to study this beautiful yet strange bird, running about around watering holes and gliding between bushes on stiff wings to expose its wing pattern of brilliant white trimmed with black. We saw Long-legged Buzzards at a nest, another White-winged Woodpecker, Lesser Short-toed Larks, our first Isabelline Wheatears, Desert Whitethroats and Desert Warblers, Desert Wheatear, Lesser and Southern Grey Shrikes, Brown-necked Raven, many Desert Finches, migrant Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush and Ortolan Buntings, and a Spanish Sparrow. We continued our journey with a short flight to Almaty in Kazakhstan, and drove east towards another type of desert on the Sugaty plain. We watched the passage of seven Crested Honey Buzzards along the way, studied a colony of Pale Martins by the road and as we drew deeper into the wide open spaces we saw our first Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Horned Larks. Our lodgings in a shady wood of Ash trees was also home to some confiding Azure Tits, and a roding Eurasian Woodcock to punctuate our outdoor bird-list sessions. As dusk fell, Eurasian Scops Owls began calling and we watched a female receiving some tasty insect morsels from a very attentive male! The area around the Charyn river is wonderful for seeing birds against a backdrop of stunning landscapes. In riverine Poplar woods we found the much sought-after Yellow-eyed Doves and Saxaul Sparrows, and in open country we saw Golden and Booted Eagles, Common Pheasants, Barred Warbler and Bluethroats, Mongolian Finches and Grey-necked Buntings. A Saker soared against a deep blue sky and Greater Sand Plovers ran about with their chicks. We visited the spectacular Charyn canyon, and saw our first Demoiselle Cranes and an adult Imperial Eagle grounded by some rough weather. A vigil at a waterhole produced our target of Pallas's Sandgrouse, which gave us a close fly-by, and a Rufous-tailed Bush Robin play hide and seek with us in the tamarisks. We headed for a different landscape next, and ascended the snowy wall of the mountains to our lodgings at the Tien Shan Observatory. Another suite of great birds awaited us, and it wasn't long before we were enjoying dapper Eversmann's Redstarts, Songar Tit, Black-throated Accentor, Red-mantled Rosefinch and White-winged Grosbeaks, all nearby the Observatory itself. We drove up to 3300m to the semi-abandoned Cosmostantsia that was covered with fresh snow, and saw striking Güldenstädt's Redstarts, Altai and Brown Accentors, Alpine Choughs and Plain Mountain Finch. The eerie Curlew-like calls of Himalayan Snowcocks drifted across the mountainsides, and we managed to six during our stay here. Singing from the tops of the dense juniper bushes we saw White-tailed Rubythroats, and the normally furtive Severtzov's Tit-Warbler gave us incredible views, as it repeatedly came to within three meters of us as we stared in awe at its plumage of violet, blue and ginger. We also found Blue-capped Redstarts singing from tall spruce trees, Spotted Nutcracker, Brown Dipper, Sulphur-bellied Warblers, Water Pipits and Red-fronted Serins. Around the dammed lake we saw three different Ibisbills, a pair of Merlins, and a family of Ruddy Shelducks with nine chicks. The snow-fall came just as we had finished our birding there, and on our way out of the mountains we found a Common Grasshopper Warbler and the rubicola race of Common Whitethroat. We headed out onto the open steppes towards the Taucum desert, pausing en-route to watch hundreds of Dalmatian Pelicans on a lake. The fragrant prairie around us was coloured a startling red with the profusion of poppies, and was full of noisy Calandra Larks plus the now familiar Red-headed Buntings, Rosy Starlings, European Rollers and Bee-eaters. Arriving at Kanshengyal and turning off the highway to reach our Yurt camp, we ran into a pair of that rare beauty, the Caspian Plover, the male running about on the short sward showing off his gorgeous chestnut breast. The evening became even more exciting as four different Macqueen's Bustards emerged from the dunes to show us their bizarre displays, head back and plumes waving. Our camp was really set amid the bird life, with Greater and Asian Short-toed Larks singing overhead, Isabelline Wheatears and Greater Sand Plovers scurrying by nervously. We visited the local water holes where we counted 470 Black-bellied Sandgrouse coming for their post-breakfast drink, we saw migrant Demoiselle Cranes and Eurasian Honey Buzzards, both Steppe and Imperial Eagles, Long-legged Buzzards, Black-eared Kites and Bimaculated Larks. In a bushy wadi we found a good concentration of Rufous-tailed Bush Robins and a European Nightjar roosting on the ground. On our return journey we saw five more Macqueen's Bustards, and then back at camp we found that there were another four visible, running out into the open desert! Nine for the day! This is such a wonderful landscape in which to be birding, it was a great favourite for us. The next part of the adventure was to fly north to Astana and the more temperate steppe country. We were assisted once again by Alexander Pivovarov, the local birding guide here. His tales of woe regarding the ever-decreasing Sociable Plovers meant we had to re-adjust our expectations, although fortunately it wasn't for long as we spotted some from the bus not far outside Astana! A flock of ten birds feeding in a roadside pasture, looking like recent arrivals and allowing fairly close approach. It was wasn't long after this that we saw our first Black and White-winged Larks, and a visit to a small orchard revealed Booted Warblers in song, migrant Common Redstarts and Willow Warblers, and a roosting Long-eared Owl that made a quick exit on our approach. The myriad lakes in this area were alive with bird life and we saw Black-necked and Red-necked Grebes, a large number of Greater Flamingos, both Mute and Whooper Swans, many Palaearctic duck species including White-headed, smart male Pallid Harriers, the Siberian pallidus form of Merlin, Oriental Turtle Doves and Red-footed Falcons lining up along the wires and shelter belts, Grey Partridges and Common Quail, Demoiselle Cranes stalking about the fields in pairs, and Black-winged Pratincoles active over their colonies. A wide variety of wader species included summer-plumaged Marsh Sandpipers and hordes of Ruff, Red-necked Phalaropes scattered across the surface of the lakes like insects, Terek Sandpipers and noisy Black-tailed Godwits. The lakes are home to colonies of Pallas's and barabensis Yellow-legged Gulls, and Caspian and White-winged Terns patrolled the margins. Passerines out here were largely made up of the hundreds of Black Larks that lined the dirt roads, Yellow Wagtails of the race beema, a few of the Central Asian form of Twite, and we found a delightful nest of a Booted Warbler with four eggs. Bushy areas in this vast landscape produced some lovely singing Pine Buntings, Bluethroats, an Azure Tit, and in the reedbeds we saw Paddyfield and Great Reed Warblers. What a splendid trip that was, and it had to end eventually, but suffice to say it will remain in memory for a long time to come! Such a wide variety of 'high-end' quality birds, there is perhaps no better way to enjoy a Palaearctic spring! PODICIPEDIDAE Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis PHALACROCORACIDAE Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus PELECANIDAE Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus ARDEIDAE Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris (H) Great Egret Egretta alba Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Purple Heron Ardea purpurea CICONIIDAE White Stork Ciconia ciconia THRESKIORNITHIDAE Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus PHOENICOPTERIDAE Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus ANATIDAE Mute Swan Cygnus olor Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus Greylag Goose Anser anser Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope Gadwall Anas strepera Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Northern Pintail Anas acuta Garganey Anas querquedula Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina Common Pochard Aythya ferina Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala ACCIPITRIDAE European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus Black-eared Kite Milvus lineatus White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus Himalayan Griffon Vulture Gyps himalayensis Eurasian Black Vulture Aegypius monachus Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Shikra Accipiter badius Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus FALCONIDAE Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Merlin Falco columbarius Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo Saker Falco cherrug PHASIANIDAE Himalayan Snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis Chukar Alectoris chukar Grey Partridge Perdix perdix Common Quail Coturnix coturnix Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus RALLIDAE Corn Crake Crex crex (H): Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Eurasian Coot Fulica atra GRUIDAE Common Crane Grus grus Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo OTIDIDAE Macqueen's Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii HAEMATOPODIDAE Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus IBIDORHYNCHIDAE Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha struthersii RECURVIROSTRIDAE Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta GLAREOLIDAE Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni CHARADRIIDAE Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaulti Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus SCOLOPACIDAE Little Stint Calidris minuta Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Dunlin Calidris alpina Ruff Philomachus pugnax Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Spotted Redshank Tringa erythrops Common Redshank Tringa totanus Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia (NL) Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus LARIDAE Pallas's Gull Larus ichthyaetus Little Gull Larus minutus Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus Mew Gull Larus canus Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans STERNIDAE Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica Caspian Tern Sterna caspia Common Tern Sterna hirundo Little Tern Sterna albifrons Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus Black Tern Chlidonias niger White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus PTEROCLIDAE Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis Pallas's Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus COLUMBIDAE Rock Dove Columba livia Yellow-eyed Dove Columba eversmanni Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto CUCULIDAE Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus STRIGIDAE European Scops Owl Otus scops Little Owl Athene noctua Tawny Owl Strix aluco Long-eared Owl Asio otus CAPRIMULGIDAE European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegytius (NL) APODIDAE Common Swift Apus apus Alpine Swift Apus melba ALCEDINIDAE Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis MEROPIDAE Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus European Bee-eater Merops apiaster CORACIIDAE European Roller Coracias garrulus UPUPIDAE Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops PICIDAE Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla White-winged Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucopterus ALAUDIDAE Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata White-winged Lark Melanocorypha leucoptera Black Lark Melanocorypha yeltoniensis Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla Hume's Short-toed Lark Calandrella acutirostris Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens Asian Short-toed Lark Calandrella cheleensis Crested Lark Galerida cristata Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris HIRUNDINIDAE Sand Martin Riparia riparia Pale Martin Riparia diluta Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica Common House Martin Delichon urbica MOTACILLIDAE Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Masked Wagtail Motacilla [alba] personata CINCLIDAE White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii TROGLODYTIDAE Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes PRUNELLIDAE Brown Accentor Prunella fulvescens Black-throated Accentor Prunella atrogularis Altai Accentor Prunella himalayana TURDIDAE Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas galactotes Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos Bluethroat Luscinia svecica White-tailed Rubythroat Luscinia pectoralis White-throated Robin Irania gutteralis Eversmann's Redstart Phoenicurus erythronota Blue-capped Redstart Phoenicurus coeruleocephalus Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus Güldenstädt's Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogaster Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maura Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti Variable Wheatear Oenanthe picata Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus Common Blackbird Turdus merula Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus SYLVIIDAE Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides Common Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum Caspian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus fuscus Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata Sykes's Warbler Hippolais rama Desert Warbler Sylvia nana Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca Hume's Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia althaea Desert Whitethroat Sylvia minula Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides Hume's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus tristis Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Goldcrest Regulus regulus Severtzov's Tit-Warbler Leptopoecile sophiae MUSCICAPIDAE Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi TIMALIIDAE Bearded Reedling Panurus biarmicus PARIDAE Songar Tit Parus songarus Rufous-naped Tit Parus rufonuchalis Coal Tit Parus ater Azure Tit Parus cyanus Yellow-breasted Tit Parus flavipectus Great Tit Parus major Turkestan Tit Parus bokharensis SITTIDAE Eastern Rock Nuthatch Sitta tephronota CERTHIIDAE Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris REMIZIDAE European Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus (H) White-crowned Penduline Tit Remiz coronatus ORIOLIDAE Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus LANIIDAE Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis CORVIDAE Eurasian Magpie Pica pica Pander's Ground Jay Podoces panderi Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Western Jackdaw Corvus monedula Rook Corvus frugilegus Carrion Crow Corvus corone Hooded Crow Corvus cornix Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis Common Raven Corvus corax STURNIDAE Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus Common Myna Acridotheres tristis PASSERIDAE Saxaul Sparrow Passer ammodendri House Sparrow Passer domesticus Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia FRINGILLIDAE Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Red-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Grey-capped Goldfinch Carduelis caniceps Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina Twite Carduelis flavirostris Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra Plain Mountain Finch Leucosticte nemoricola Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta Mongolian Finch Bucanetes mongolicus Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus Red-mantled Rosefinch Carpodacus rhodochlamys White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes EMBERIZIDAE Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos White-capped Bunting Emberiza stewarti Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana Grey-necked Bunting Emberiza buchanani Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus Red-headed Bunting Emberiza bruniceps Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra MAMMALS Corsac Fox Vulpes corsac Goitred Gazelle Gazella subgutturosa Eurasian Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris (NL) Bobak Marmot Marmota bobak Long-tailed Marmot Marmota caudata Long-clawed Suslik Spermophilus leptodactylus Yellow Suslik Spermophilus fulvus Great Gerbil Rhombomys opimus Turkestan Red Pika Ochotona rutila Cape Hare Lepus capensis

Image Galleries:
 'Turkestan' (Uzbekistan & Kazakhstan) May 2004 (Birdquest)