'Turkestan' (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan & Kazakhstan) May 2005 (Birdquest)

TURKESTAN 15 MAY - 3 JUNE 2005 TOUR REPORT LEADER: DAVE FARROW GROUP MEMBERS: JUDITH CHAWNER, RICHARD CLIFFORD, ROSEMARY COOK, RAINER ERTEL, NOEL LOCK, ROSEMARY ROOKE and DAVE SERGEANT This was a great adventure through a wide part of Central Asia, we birded our way from Repetek in the sand deserts of Turkmenistan, through the deserts and mountains of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, to Astana that sits on the wide open steppes that drain into the Arctic Ocean. We enjoyed great successes, seeing 20 Pander’s Ground Jays, 18 Pallas’s Sandgrouse and 16 Sociable Lapwings, eight Macqueen’s Bustards and a wonderful spread of first-class birds that included Himalayan Snowcock, Pallid Harrier, Imperial and Steppe Eagles, Little and Baillon’s Crake, Ibisbill, Black-winged and Collared Pratincoles, Caspian Plovers with chicks, Yellow-eyed Dove, White-winged Woodpecker, eleven species of Lark that included Oriental Skylark, Black and White-winged Larks, and Hume’s Short-toed Lark, Brown, Altai and Black-throated Accentors, White-tailed Rubythroats, White-throated Robins, Blue-capped and Güldenstädt’s Redstarts, Asian Desert, Menetries’s, Eastern Orphean and Sulphur-bellied Warblers, Songar, Rufous-naped, Azure, Yellow-breasted and Turkestan Tits, Saxaul Sparrow, Red-fronted Serin, Desert and Mongolian Finches, Red-mantled Rosefinch, and White-capped, Grey-necked and Pine Buntings. What a delicious selection of birds! We began our fun around our hotel in the Chimgan hills near Tashkent, where Rufous-naped and Yellow-breasted Tits were top of the menu. We ambled through the green valleys and wooded hillsides, finding Oriental Turtle Dove, our first European Bee-eaters and Rollers, Masked Wagtails, Hume’s Lesser Whitethroats, White-capped and Rock Buntings, Turkestan Tit, Blue Whistling Thrush, some stunning Rufous-tailed Rock Thrushes and a surprise pair of Blue-capped Redstarts feeding young. Overhead we were entertained by Booted Eagles, Long-legged Buzzard, Eurasian Black and Himalayan Griffon Vultures. After catching up on some sleep we headed westwards to Samarkand, pausing occasionally at the roadside to study Variable and Pied Wheatears, White Storks festooning the electricity pylons at the roadside, Oriental Skylarks, and our first Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, Lesser Grey Shrikes and Rosy Starlings. On arrival at the city we paid a visit to the marvellous Registan, alive with the sounds of Alpine Swifts to accompany the visual feast of the decorated buildings. We spent a day birding the Zerafshan Hills south of the city, where the scrub-dotted hillsides yielded a host of exotic avifauna. We found White-throated Robins singing from rocky song posts, Chukar, Egyptian Vulture, a close fly-past by a Lammergeier, Eastern Olivaceous and chunky Eastern Orphean Warblers, Grey-capped Goldfinch, Eastern Rock Nuthatches, Hume’s Short-toed Larks, a furtive pair of Asian Paradise Flycatchers and abundant Red-headed Buntings. We left Samarkand for Bukhara, with roadside stops providing close views of agitated White-tailed Lapwings, calcarata race Citrine Wagtails and Clamorous Reed Warblers, and after pausing for lunch in the heart of old Bukhara we proceeded southwards to the desert frontier with Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan let us leave with a modicum of bureaucracy, then the Turkmen border guards welcomed us with cheery smiles, our guide was waiting, and we were whisked into the country without further ado. We headed towards the city of Turkmenabat (a.k.a. Chardzhou) by crossing the great Amu Darya River on a floating bridge. We paused for dinner in the city, before driving out to the desert reserve of Repetek and our accommodation for two nights. Excited at being here in this famous and seldom-visited reserve, the dawn was heralded by our first White-winged Woodpecker, loudly drumming on a telephone pole. We climbed into the back of a big Russian truck that would take us far out into the sandy wastes. Rich desert with three metre tall Saxaul bushes was the first area to be explored, and we found numerous Scrub and Sykes’s Warblers, Saxaul Sparrows, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robins and Southern Grey Shrikes. Around the Field Station we found Desert Finches coming to drink and migrant Blyth’s Reed Warblers in the bushes. Heading into the more sparsely vegetated sand dune areas we found our first Pander’s Ground Jay, perched up on a prominent bush calling loudly. As we moved to get closer, it decided it would help out and run towards us! Over the next half an hour, it came closer and closer, eventually running around our feet scolding! The reason for such intimate behaviour became apparent when we found four chicks and the other parent hiding in the shade of a bush, which the original bird had rather ineptly led us to! As the shadows lengthened, more of these fantastic creatures emerged, skipping along the tops of sand dunes like brightly patterned Roadrunners! We also found Desert Whitethroats and Brown-necked Raven here, many of the bright bactrianus House Sparrows and a couple of very sandy Little Owls. That evening we enjoyed a memorable barbecue, provided by caterers bussed in from the city for us. There was, however, no sign of the enigmatic Turkestan Sparrows, but a last search on our final morning here yielded enough Pander’s Ground Jays to take our total to 20 birds! Re-crossing the border back into Uzbekistan we paused by the great canal fed by the Amu Darya, where we found some perky Menetries’s Warbler and numerous Pied Bushchats. Reaching Bukhara we finished off our sightseeing before flying on to Tashkent, where we squeezed in some final Uzbek birding. Along the Chirchik river near the city we found Black-crowned Night Herons, Little Terns, numerous Clamorous Reed Warblers and Eastern Olivaceous Warblers, a roadside flock of Collared Pratincoles and a magnificent male Montagu’s Harrier. We arrived in the more temperate climate of Almaty, and set off into desert areas once more, heading east towards China. Booted Eagles dodged the Rooks along the highway, and we stopped by a rushing river where we found White-capped Penduline Tit. Nearby was a colony of Pale Martins, busy around a sand cliff that was still mined by local people. We headed for the riverine Turanga woodland where we found two Yellow-eyed Doves, enjoying lengthy views of this demure bird at close range. Add to that our first Grey-necked Buntings, Ruddy Shelducks and a song-flighting Barred Warbler, it was a great day packed with good birds. Our lodgings in a shady wood by the Charyn River was also home to some confiding Azure Tits, a roding Eurasian Woodcock, and as dusk fell Eurasian Scops Owls called loudly and were visible right above our rooms! With rain threatening we headed out onto the desert plain, unsure what Sandgrouse do in such conditions. We reached a waterhole where numerous Black-bellied Sandgrouse could be seen flying into a swampy outwash, and then speeding into view came - Pallas’s Sandgrouse! Front, back, side, it showed all in a fly-by that showed all the hallmarks of a curious bird! More appeared, saturating us with multiple views, then as we retraced our steps across the plain we found a pair on the ground, skulking among the low desert vegetation. Bushy wadis yielded Desert Wheatears scolding a snake, an Asian Desert Warbler sang its scratchy song from the top of a bush, and Golden Eagles hunted over the rocky tops. Crossing the stunning landscapes of the Sugaty plain we reached the Red Canyon, where a Black Stork soared against a backdrop of thunderclouds, Pied Wheatears fed their nestlings and Mongolian Finches flew about calling. We found Greater Sand Plovers huddled in flocks, Horned Larks, Isabelline Wheatears, Tawny Pipits and more Grey-necked Buntings. We reluctantly left this special landscape, heading westwards back to Almaty along the foot of the snowy wall, and then steeply uphill to reach our lodgings at the Tien Shan Observatory. A casual stop produced a White-throated Dipper on the rushing river, and then on reaching our objective at 2700m we became set in a endless sequence of hourly snow, sleet, hail and rain showers! Refusing to let the inclement weather dampen our enthusiasm, we set about finding the wonderful suite of great birds here. A foray down to the Bolshoi Almatinskiy lakeside was productive, with Red-fronted Serins, Songar Tit, Water Pipits, Blue-capped Redstart and Sulphur-bellied Warbler, on the shingle ‘delta’ we found one of the resident Ibisbills, and saw our first Himalayan Snowcock calling from a high crag. A break in the weather at the higher altitudes gave us a chance to quickly shoot up to 3300m and the semi-abandoned Cosmostantsia, where we stumbled about in the snow drifts long enough to see two pairs of Güldenstädt’s Redstarts, one of which were carrying food to and from a nearby nest, Brown Accentors sang from piles of scrap metal and two Altai Accentors made a roadside appearance before the weather closed in again. Flocks of Plain Mountain Finches buzzed about, and in the juniper thickets we found White-tailed Rubythroats, Black-throated Accentor, White-winged Grosbeaks and Red-mantled Rosefinches. The weather continued in its wintry vein, but a good walk through the Spruce and Juniper-clad slopes produced some excellent views of another Himalayan Snowcock, Hume’s Leaf and Greenish Warblers, and as we made our way out of the mountains we found Brown Dippers and enjoyed a fine showing by a Grasshopper Warbler. Our first halt as we headed out towards the Taucum desert was a Rosy Starling colony in farm buildings that hummed with activity. Our progress to the nearby Sorbulak Lake was rudely interrupted by a ‘puncture booby trap’ that took out two of our tyres, however we were right at the lakeshore and in full view of the distant island festooned with Dalmatian Pelicans. Caspian Gulls and Black-eared Kites patrolled the lakeshore, while on the water itself were Red-crested Pochards and Garganey. We made repairs and continued, and the roadside ahead was busy with Calandra Larks and Red-headed Buntings. From our Yurt camp in the Taucum desert we scoured the endless desert plain, and quickly found a Macqueen’s Bustard, followed by a ‘stag party’ of four more birds scurrying about in the open. Further searching resulted in the find of a pair of Caspian Plovers, lit up by the low sun and running about on the short sward in the company of two chicks! It was great to be able to watch the dawn come up out here, while all around the desert came alive with bird life. We found several more Pallas’s Sandgrouse and Greater Sand Plovers, plus a Marbled Polecat that was ferreting about in Gerbil holes. We stood and watched the action around a busy waterhole, where numerous Black-bellied Sandgrouse came to drink, a single Pin-tailed flew past, and then a Pallas’s flew in calling, loaded up with H2O and shot off into the endless desert (and presumably some thirsty chicks awaiting its return.) In nearby trees we found Spanish Sparrow, Desert Finch and Common Redstart, while all around our camp we could find Isabelline Wheatears, Bimaculated, Greater Short-toed and Lesser Short-toed Larks. In a bushy wadi we found Rufous-tailed Scrub Robins, Steppe Grey and Turkestan Shrikes, a lone White-capped Bunting, and Brown-necked Raven and Short-toed Eagle overhead. The desert tracks were littered with Horsfield’s Tortoises, many of which had to be carried out of danger! As we went to leave this dusty plain, we found one more beautiful creature to gaze at; a Karaganda Pit Viper, coiled and ready to strike! The next part of our adventure was to fly to the temperate north, to Astana and the steppes. Assisted once again by our local birding guide here, we headed out onto the Kurghalzhin steppe. The bad weather seemed to have caught up with us when it became wet and stormy, however we were still able to locate a pair of Sociable Lapwings with two chicks lurking in the grass. Further surveying of this area revealed another 11 Sociable Lapwings in an animated flock, plus there were the other delights of this area such as numerous Black Larks lining the road, and White-winged Larks zipping past our bus. On small roadside flashes we found Great Bitterns, Black-necked Grebes, Whooper Swans, Marsh Sandpipers and Pallid Harriers, while along the shelter belts Red-footed Falcons and Long-legged Buzzards balanced precariously in the wind. We had some great looks at several beautiful Pallas’s Gulls among the more abundant Steppe Gulls, and found a drake White-headed Duck bobbing about on a small lake. Another visit to this area began with some roadside reedbeds where we found Little Crake, Paddyfield and Great Reed Warblers, before we reached the shallow steppe lakes. We found noisy colonies of Black-winged Pratincoles, thousands of Red-necked Phalaropes dotting the surface of the lakes like insects, hundreds of White-winged Terns dancing low over the shallows, Sykes’s Wagtails, Twite, and once again Black and White-winged Larks abounded. We watched Demoiselle Cranes stalking about, and along the lakeshores we found Terek Sandpipers, Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stints, Kentish Plovers, noisy Black-tailed Godwits and impressive Caspian Terns. For our last morning of birding in this fantastic area, we began in an area of riverine scrub that was alive with singing Bluethroats and Common Rosefinches, and we found two handsome male Pine Buntings singing away in the morning sunshine. We also saw Booted Warblers singing from the low bushes, Siberian Chiffchaff, Common Quail, Cetti’s Warbler and Fieldfare. A final quick trip to the city reedbeds yielded our target of Savi’s Warbler, then some speculative luring produced a superb male Baillon’s Crake that flew towards us and scuttled about just three metres in front! Wow! What a way to end a great trip! What a splendid trip it was, from the Amu Darya and the Karakum desert through to the steppes of Northern Kazakhstan on the same latitude as London, we had experienced such a wealth of fantastic Palaearctic birds they will surely remain in memory for a long time to come! SYSTEMATIC LIST Species which were heard but not seen are indicated by the symbol (H). Species which were not personally recorded by the leader are indicated by the symbol (NL). PODICIPEDIDAE Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus: Plenty seen at Sorbulak and on the Astana lakes. Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis: Six summer-plumage birds showed well on a roadside flash near Kurghalzhin as we sheltered from the wind and rain. PHALACROCORACIDAE Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo: Plentiful at Sorbulak and on the Astana lakes, plus a single seen near Charyn. Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus: One seen near Tashkent on the Chirchik river, and another along the Amu Darya canal near the Turkmen border.. PELICANIDAE Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus: A colony of 300 or so at Sorbulak provided some good close looks at flying and swimming birds. We also had great views of airborne birds in the Astana area. ARDEIDAE Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris: Three were seen in flight in the Astana area. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax: Three were seen lurking in lagoons along the Chirchik river near Tashkent Little Egret Egretta garzetta (NL): Rosemary R saw one near Tashkent. Great Egret Egretta alba: A handful were seen around Lake Sorbulak, the Astana lakes and more notably in the waterhole area near Charyn. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea: A scattering of sightings, most numerous in the Astana area. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea: Two were seen at a roadside stop between Tashkent and Samarkand, then another two close to the Turkmenistan border.. CICONIIDAE Black Stork Ciconia nigra: A single distant individual was seen soaring over the Red Canyon at Charyn. White Stork Ciconia ciconia: We saw plenty along the road from Tashkent to Samarkand, with the colony of 60+ nests visible on roadside pylons. ANATIDAE Mute Swan Cygnus olor: A quartet on the lake at Sorbulak plus a scattering of birds on the Astana steppe lakes. These are the ‘real thing’ here in Kazakhstan and not part of the introduced population of western Europe. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus: Several seen on two days on the Kurghalzhin steppe. Greylag Goose Anser anser: Numerous on the Astana steppe lakes where some had chicks. These pink-billed birds are of the eastern rubrirostris race Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea: Seen at Charyn, Sorbulak, on the Bolshoi Almatinskiy lake and by the waterhole at Kanshengyal where a pair had four chicks. Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna: Numerous on the Astana steppe lakes, plus a single at Sorbulak. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope: One was seen near the Ili river and another couple on the Astana steppe lakes. Gadwall Anas strepera: A fair number of pairs seen at Sorbulak and on the Astana steppe lakes. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos: Odd birds encountered, at Sorbulak, Astana, and along the Chirchik river near Tashkent. Northern Pintail Anas acuta: A few were seen around the Astana steppe lakes. Garganey Anas querquedula: Pleasingly numerous around the Astana steppe lakes, plus a dozen were seen at Sorbulak. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata: Fairly common around the Astana steppe lakes. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina: Five were seen near Charyn, a few pairs at Sorbulak and then plenty more around the Astana steppe lakes. Common Pochard Aythya ferina: Numerous around the Astana steppe lakes. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula: Several seen on the Astana steppe lakes, plus two at Sorbulak. Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula: A single drake was seen on the Astana steppe lakes. White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala: A single blue-billed male was seen on a windswept lake near Astana. ACCIPITRIDAE Black-eared Kite Milvus lineatus: A few were seen in the Charyn and Astana areas, and large flocks of moulting birds were seen at Sorbulak and around Kanshengyal. Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus: A superb encounter with a low flying bird at Aman Kutan, then another was seen in the Tien Shan. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus: Singles were seen at Aman Kutan and near the Red Canyon. Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus: Four were seen at Beldersay and a single at Aman Kutan. Himalayan Griffon Vulture Gyps himalayensis: The only two of the tour were seen soaring over the Chimgan mountains on our first day. Eurasian Black Vulture Aegypius monachus: A few were very visible around Beldersay, plus a single was seen the following day at our lunchstop. Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus: A fairly distant bird was seen soaring over the desert near Kanshengyal. Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus: Frequently seen around wetland habitats. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus: Only seen on the Astana steppe where we saw several males and a couple of females, one pair performing a food exchange over their nest site. Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus: A single male gave us a nice fly-by near Tashkent. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus: Singles were seen at Aman Kutan and in the Tien Shan. Shikra Accipiter badius: The only sighting of the tour was a bird soaring over Bukhara. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo: Several seen on the Astana steppes. Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus: More plentiful than the above, typically on the open arid plains with many great views of this handsome raptor. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis: An adult and an immature were seen near Kokpek, plus an immature at Kanshengyal. Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca: An adult was seen perched at considerable range at Kanshengyal. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos: Some good examples were seen in Charyn area, plus another bedraggled bird seen perched in the snow and fog of the Tien Shan. Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus: A few birds of both phases were seen around Beldersay, and then we saw several birds along the highway between Almaty and Charyn. FALCONIDAE Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus: Seen regularly throughout the tour. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus: Some wonderful views of birds close to their nests in roadside shelter belts near Astana. Merlin Falco columbarius: We had a poor view of one in the mist at Bolshoi Almatinskiy. Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo: A few were encountered, most of them in Uzbekistan. PHASIANIDAE Himalayan Snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis: One or two males were seen well as they sat up and made their eerie calls across the snowy slopes of the Tien Shan, allowing some fine scope views. Chukar Alectoris chukar: Our first ambled across the road as we left Beldersay, then we saw at least three more at Aman Kutan. Grey Partridge Perdix perdix: A handsome individual was seen at the roadside near Astana, here at the eastern extremity of its range. Common Quail Coturnix coturnix: We had flight views of at least two on the steppe near Astana, and another was heard at a breakfast stop east of Almaty. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus (H): Various birds were heard calling in the distance in the Charyn area, on the lower slopes of the Tien Shan, and also at Sorbulak. RALLIDAE Water Rail Rallus aquaticus (H): Grunting and squealing in the reedbeds at Astana. Little Crake Porzana parva: A great view of one of these by the roadside near Astana, showing itself shamelessly as it scuttled along the edge of a reed-fringed pool. This bird looked like a female yet had grey around the head and upper breast, so perhaps it was a first-summer male? Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla: The last bird of the tour! A speculative search in the Astana reedbeds produced a splendid individual emerging close to where we were standing, allowing us to fully appreciate its delicate plumage. A second bird also appeared briefly at the same place. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus: A couple were along the Chirchik river, also seen near Astana. Eurasian Coot Fulica atra: A few were seen at Sorbulak then a few more on the Astana steppe lakes. GRUIDAE Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo: Our first sighting was of a bird flying over our yurt camp at Kanshengyal, then on the Astana steppes we saw a few, including a pair walking their two chicks across the windswept steppe. OTIDIDAE Macqueen’s Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii: Our first evening sortie at Kanshengyal revealed our first of these walking out onto the plain, then we found four birds emerging from the dunes and running about together as if in a loose lek. A ‘Bustard-cruise’ on our second evening yielded an additional three birds, all beautifully lit by the warm evening sun. The Central Asian population, recently split from Houbara Bustard C. undulata on the basis of morphological and behavioural differences, is now highly endangered due to excessive hunting by wealthy Arabs both in the Gulf region and Pakistan. HAEMATOPODIDAE Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus: Several of these ‘old friends’ were seen on the Astana steppes. IBIDORHYNCHIDAE Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha struthersii: A single bird was present on the shingle plain at the Bolshoi Almatinskiy lake, acting furtively in the driving rain and sleet! It was reported that there was a nest nearby, the other of the pair obviously sitting tight in the rank weather! RECURVIROSTRIDAE Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus: A few were seen along our route, though in biggest numbers around the Astana steppe lakes. Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta: At least four on the Kurghalzhin lakes. GLAREOLIDAE Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola: Two were seen flying over Repetek in the early morning, then we had some good looks at ten or more hawking over the road near Tashkent. Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni: Plentiful on the Kurghalzhin steppe where they zipped about noisily over their colonies, scolding any bipeds who approached their well-hidden nests. CHARADRIIDAE Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius: Several were encountered in various wetland habitats in Uzbekistan, then more were seen around the Astana steppe lakes. Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula: A few were seen on the Kurghalzhin lakes. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus: At least three individuals were seen on the Kurghalzhin lakes. Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaulti: Our first were a flock of 17 birds on the Sugaty plain, then we had numerous contacts at Kanshengyal by the waterholes and out on the flat plain, where we saw 20 or so in a day. Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus: We found a pair with two chicks running about on the endless plain at Kanshengyal, our first views at some range although perfectly lit by the setting sun. A return visit the following morning found them loosely associating with Greater Sand Plovers, and I hope their chicks survived the attentions of the Marbled Polecat! Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius: A grim morning of cold and rain on the Kurghalzhin steppe hampered our search for a while, until a bird was seen powering upwards to see off a passing Steppe Gull. We found a pair here with three chicks in close attendance, heartening to see successful breeding of these drastically declining bird. A short drive down the road we found another, and while we were watching it another ten birds flew in to join it! We had some splendid views, tempered only by the thought that these may all have been failed breeders. White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus: We found a very aggressive and vocal pair at the roadside near Bukhara, with another five birds seen around the adjacent marsh. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus: Plentiful in the Astana area, with odd individuals encountered near Sorbulak and Charyn. SCOLOPACIDAE Little Stint Calidris minuta: Two were seen on desert pools at Repetek, and then dozens more were crowding the shores of the Astana steppe lakes. Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii: Three flew over us as we explored the waterholes near Charyn, then we saw two or three more around desert pools at Kanshengyal. Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea: We found three dozen or more lovely summer-plumaged birds around the Astana steppe lakes. Dunlin Calidris alpina: We found a few around the Astana steppe lakes, although there were surely more out there in the haze! Ruff Philomachus pugnax: A score of birds were seen around the Astana steppe lakes. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago: The only one of the tour was seen ‘drumming’ over a small marsh near Charyn. Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola: A roding bird was seen by our lodge at Charyn, and another was flushed from the edge of woodland in the Tien Shan Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa: Quite numerous around the Astana steppe, and very vocal near to where they were presumed to be nesting. Common Redshank Tringa totanus: Also present around the Astana steppe lakes. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis: Some very nice encounters with these birds, all in summer plumage, around the various ponds and lakes on the Astana steppe. Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus: At least two seen around the lakes on the Kurghalzhin steppe. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos: Odd birds encountered along our route, often along rivers. Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres: A good showing by summer-plumaged examples around the Astana steppe lakes, where we saw up to 40 birds in a day. Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus: At least 2000 estimated on the Kurghalzhin lakes, where they dotted the surface of the water like insects! LARIDAE Pallas’s Gull Larus ichthyaetus: One of the highlights of the Kurghalzhin lakes, although a previously busy colony was mostly vacant. We enjoyed some great flight views as adult birds foraged over the steppe. Little Gull Larus minutus: At least a dozen seen around the Astana lakes, in their dapper summer plumage. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus: Common around the Astana lakes, also at Sorbulak and near the Ili river. Mew Gull Larus canus: A few individuals seen around the Astana steppe lakes. Caspian Gull Larus [cachinnans] cachinnans: We saw quite a few at Sorbulak, with some very nice close views on the shore there. Steppe Gull Larus [cachinnans] barabensis: All the birds seen around Astana were of this form, showing darker upperparts than the above, a less brutal looking bill and a more rounded head, and a smaller white mirror on the underside of the wingtip. STERNIDAE Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica: Two were seen by the floating bridge across the Amu Darya in Turkmenistan, then another two on the Astana steppe lakes. Caspian Tern Sterna caspia: A healthy showing on the Astana steppe lakes where we saw two dozen. Common Tern Sterna hirundo: Seen frequently throughout the tour, on lakes, rivers and canals. Many of the birds showing much black on the bills, which is typical of the form minussensis. Central and eastern Kazakhstan is an area of intergradation between this form (breeding from central Siberia and the Altai eastwards) and the nominate race. Little Tern Sterna albifrons: A few seen around the Astana steppe lakes, and also along the Chirchik river near Tashkent. Black Tern Chlidonias niger: Plenty around the pools and lakes at Astana, plus a couple seen at Sorbulak. White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus: We enjoyed some great displays of hundreds dancing over the steppe, marshes and ponds of the Astana region. Birdquest)'> PTEROCLIDIDAE Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis: We saw our first 30 near a waterhole in the Charyn desert, then we found flocks of up to 50 loafing in the Taucum desert, with dozens visiting the waterholes there. Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata: A single bird was seen in flight at a Kanshengyal waterhole, calling as it sped away with one of the above. Pallas’s Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus: One of the big successes of this year’s tour, we found at least eleven in and around the waterhole near the Ili river, where one gave us our first look by doing a superb close fly-by and circuit as we stood trembling with excitement! Birds were continually coming and going here, and we had some brief views of a pair on the ground among the sparse desert plants. We then saw another six on the open plains of Kanshengyal in the early morning, and finally a calling bird zoomed in over our heads and landed by the waterhole, loaded up with H2O and took off again. COLUMBIDAE Rock Dove Columba livia: Available! Yellow-eyed Dove Columba eversmanni: Some great looks (and photos) of two in the riverine Turanga woods near Charyn, calling and perching on telephone poles in the rich afternoon sun. A real speciality of this tour. Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus: Odd birds encountered at Beldersay, Astana and along the Chilik to Almaty road. European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur: Several encountered around agriculture in Uzbekistan, with others seen in the desert at Repetek. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis: We saw scattered individuals, at Beldersay, near Almaty, in the Taucum desert and near Astana. These all refer to the race meena. Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis: Common in Uzbekistan plus a few seen in Turkmenistan Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto: Often seen throughout the southern half of our route, plus a handful seen on our first day in Kazakhstan. CUCULIDAE Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus: Seen virtually throughout, with a nice hepatic female on our first day at Chimgan, and good numbers in the Charyn area. STRIGIDAE European Scops Owl Otus scops: A great encounter with one at the Ash Tree Copse at Charyn, where a very vocal bird surrendered to our hungry torch beam! [Eagle Owl Bubo bubo: No bird seen unfortunately, but some fine specimens of pellets assumed to be from this species were found atop rocky hillocks on the Sugaty plain.] Little Owl Athene noctua: A total of five sandy-coloured birds were seen in the desert at Repetek Also heard from our Kanshengyal yurt camp. Tawny Owl Strix aluco (H): Heard calling at Beldersay and at Repetek.. CAPRIMULGIDAE European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus: Heard from our Repetek accommodation, and one flew past our yurt camp at Kanshengyal. APODIDAE Common Swift Apus apus: Numerous around the cities we passed through, except for Astana where just one was seen. Alpine Swift Apus melba: A delightful accompaniment to the Registan in Samarkand, where numerous noisy birds sometimes drew our attention away from the wonderful buildings! ALCEDINIDAE Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis: Only seen on the Chirchik river near Tashkent and at Charyn. MEROPIDAE Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus: Plenty of these beauties seen along the roadside wires in Uzbekistan, plus a few at Repetek. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster: Regularly encountered, most numerously in Uzbekistan. CORACIIDAE European Roller Coracias garrulus: Seen commonly during the southern part of our route with some very nice birds at Beldersay, and finally a handful were seen around Astana. UPUPIDAE Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops: Seen regularly throughout the tour. PICIDAE White-winged Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucopterus: Some great views of this Central Asian endemic at Repetek, where a noisy drumming bird entertained us at right by our lodgings, even hammering away at metal lamp fittings! They were fairly numerous in the tall stature Saxaul desert. ALAUDIDAE Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra: Numerous around Kanshengyal and along the road out there. Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata: Less numerous than the above but present in good numbers around Kanshengyal, with at least one mimicking Red-wattled Lapwing and Green Bee-eater! White-winged Lark Melanocorypha leucoptera: A good number seen on the steppe around Astana, with 80 or more seen in a day. Black Lark Melanocorypha yeltoniensis: One of the spectacular highlights of this tour with hundreds of individuals seen in the Kurghalzhin steppes, where they lined the roads and took to the air to attempt their ‘rowing’ displays over the wide open plains, a little hampered by the strong winds at times! Somewhat difficult to photograph though! Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla: A small number were found in the deserts around Charyn, but they were very numerous around Kanshengyal, singing over our camp near to which we discovered a nest with some very young chicks. Hume’s Short-toed Lark Calandrella acutirostris: Some good looks at four birds near Aman Kutan, songflighting and running about on a barren upland pasture. Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens: We found several around the waterhole at Kanshengyal. The identity of these birds has been the subject of some debate, and following a ringing expedition here in 2000, many of these were trapped and were thought to be Asian Short-toed Lark C. cheleensis, but now opinion has now reverted to calling them Lesser Short-toed Larks. (Just in case you weren’t confused!) We also saw one or two birds in the Charyn area, one of which seemed to have a rather bulbous yellow bill! Crested Lark Galerida cristata: Often seen along our route, particularly at the roadsides. Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula: We found two at roadside stops in Uzbekistan, both in songflights, and both favouring the vegetated patches close to shallow sandy pools. Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis: The second most numerous lark on the steppes around Astana. Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris: Only seen on the higher and stonier areas of the Sugaty plain, where we found one or two in songflight and a couple feeding out on the plain. HIRUNDINIDAE Sand Martin Riparia riparia: Seen in a couple of places in Uzbekistan, Sorbulak, and most numerously on the Astana steppes. Pale Martin Riparia diluta: A colony near Chilik was in a working sand pit, with 80+ birds busying themselves around their nest holes in the low cliff. They are clearly quite different from Sand Martins, with a diffuse breast band, broad at the sides but tapering to nothing in the centre, and with a dirty wash on the throat. The upperparts are clearly pallid and they show some scalloping on the uppertail. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica: Seen almost daily. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica: Only seen at Beldersay, and en-route to Samarkand and Aman Kutan. Common House Martin Delichon urbica: Seen in a few places in Uzbekistan, such as the Beldersay Hotel in particular. MOTACILLIDAE Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris: Several seen, often in songflight, in the Charyn and Sugaty plain areas, with singles noted at Kanshengyal and Astana. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis: A couple braved the Tien Shan weather to carry on with their songflights. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta: Plenty still in flocks around the Bolshoi Almatinskiy lake, they look much more brown and buff than western European birds and relate to the race coutellii. Sykes’s Wagtail Motacilla [flava] beema: Good numbers of these on the Astana steppes, we had some great looks at them around the Kurghalzhin lakes. Black-headed Wagtail Motacilla [flava] feldeggi: Our first were at a roadside stop near Bukhara, with a few more seen along the way up until the Charyn area. Grey-headed Wagtail Motacilla [flava] thunbergii: A single bird was feeding by the waterhole at Kanshengyal. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola: We saw several of the black-backed calcarata race at a roadside stop near Bukhara plus a single near Charyn, and around Astana we saw many of the grey-backed nominate race. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea: A small number encountered along our route. Masked Wagtail Motacilla [alba] personata: An endearing bird, most frequently seen in Uzbekistan with a few more in Southern Kazakhstan. CINCLIDAE White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus: It was a nice surprise to find one of the white-bellied leucogaster race carrying food at 1600m (rather low I thought), on the way up into the Bolshoi Almatinskiy. Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii: A pair were seen on a typical rushing river in the Tien Shan, about 400m higher than the above species! TROGLODYTIDAE Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes: One was seen in the Tien Shan, with others heard there. PRUNELLIDAE Brown Accentor Prunella fulvescens: Just two were seen at the Cosmostantsia, singing and carrying food in a rare break from the weather! Black-throated Accentor Prunella atrogularis: Numerous in the junipers around the Tien Shan observatory, emerging whenever it stopped raining/sleeting/snowing! Altai Accentor Prunella himalayana: A good view of two shuffling along at the roadside close to the snow-covered Cosmostantsia. (Al - what was it?) TURDIDAE Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas galactotes: A bird that was in evidence at Repetek, where we saw eight or so in a day, all quite showy and vocal. We then saw another four in a productive wadi near Kanshengyal. Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos: Plentiful and noisy around Beldersay, Aman Kutan and our Charyn accommodations, with odd birds seen at Kanshengyal and Astana. These birds of the race hafizi visibly differ from western populations by being greyer with a more contrastingly rusty tail, and having pale edges to their wing coverts and a pale supercilium, also their songs sounds rougher. Bluethroat Luscinia svecica: Very visible and vocal around the Astana area, all having red throat spots. White-tailed Rubythroat Luscinia pectoralis: Fairly numerous and vocal in the junipers of the Tien Shan, one put on a fine display of angry tail-flaring for us. White-throated Robin Irania gutteralis: At least five males and two females of these attractive chats were enjoyed at Aman Kutan.. Blue-capped Redstart Phoenicurus coeruleocephalus: A big surprise to find a pair at Beldersay, carrying food to a nest hidden in a grassy bank. We found another two in the more typical location of the Bolshoi Almatinskiy at 2600m. Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus: A splendid male was seen at our breakfast stop between Almaty and Chilik, plus a single migrant female at Kanshengyal farm. Güldenstädt’s Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogaster: Two different pairs, one of which was carrying food to a hidden nest, performed well for us around the Cosmostantsia. Lucky that we went when we did, as the weather closed in once more and the road up became snowbound! Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maura: Five were seen in a mountain valley at Chimgan, and then not seen again until we reached the Kurghalzhin steppe. Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata: Plenty were seen along a short stretch of the Amu Darya canal near the Uzbek/Turkmen border. Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina: Plentiful around the Sugaty plain and out to the Taukum desert region. Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe: Seen in the snow at the highest altitudes in the Tien Shan, and then commonly on the steppes around Astana. Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka: Found in typical ‘rocky hills’ habitat near Samarkand, at Aman Kutan and around the Charyn area. Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti: Only found in the Charyn deserts where we encountered some splendid individuals. Variable Wheatear (Eastern Pied W) Oenanthe picata: A pair of the race capistrata were seen in a roadside quarry as we travelled to Samarkand, although strangely Pied Wheatears were also present causing some confusion, particularly with our local ornithologist! Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius: The only two of the tour were seen at Aman Kutan. Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis: Two males and a female were enjoyed at leisure in a rocky valley at Chimgan. Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus: A couple were seen fleetingly at Beldersay, and then again in the Bolshoi Almatinskiy area although usually seen fleeing into the spruces. Common Blackbird Turdus merula: Scattered sightings throughout, most commonly at Beldersay and Aman Kutan where they are represented by the race intermedius.. Fieldfare Turdus pilaris: A single bird appeared on a wire near Astana on our last morning. Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus: Seen at both ends of the Tien Shan, at Bolshoi Almatinskiy and Beldersay, and also at Aman Kutan. SYLVIIDAE Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti: Heard in several places, and seen along the Ishim river near Astana. Scrub Warbler Scotocerca inquieta: Rather common around Repetek, singing and calling from the Saxaul bushes. Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides: Two ‘reeling’ birds were seen in the reedbeds near Astana. Common Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia: A splendid look at one in full voice at 2000m in the Tien Shan. Also heard near Charyn and Astana. Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola: Several were seen well in sheltered spots in the reedbeds around Astana. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum: Plenty of migrants seen though more often heard, at Aman Kutan, Repetek and around the farm at Kanshengyal, with a few more near Astana assumed to be on their breeding grounds. Caspian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus fuscus: A couple of migrants were seen at Aman Kutan and Repetek, then one or two were glimpsed in a windy reedbed at Astana. Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus: Noisy and easy to locate, we found our first at a roadside marsh near Bukhara, saw a single in the desert at Repetek, then had multiple sightings along the Chirchik river near Tashkent. Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus: A handful were seen perched up and croaking away in the Astana reedbeds. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida: One sang and skulked in a roadside tree at Aman Kutan, and we found another two showing well in riverine bushes near Tashkent. Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata: Not really the weather for these during our stay in Astana, however we had a great look at one singing his bubbling little song by the Ishim river. Sykes’s Warbler Hippolais rama: The southern counterpart of the above, preferring trees and shrubs and having a very different song. We saw our first at Repetek where they were quite numerous in the Saxaul, then we saw a handful more in the Turanga woods of the Charyn area. Menetries’s Warbler Sylvia mystacea: A pair, with a showy male in good voice, by the Amu Darya canal in Uzbekistan. Asian Desert Warbler Sylvia nana: A single songster showed well near Charyn, before disappearing into thin air! Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris: At least four of these big fellows were seen at Aman Kutan, one of which performed superbly in a close view on his song perch. Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria: Odd migrants were seen at Aman Kutan and Kanshengyal, and territorial birds engaging in song-flights were seen near Charyn and Astana. Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca: Some birds apparently of this curruca form were seen around Astana. In the Taucum desert we saw a couple that refer to the form halimodendri, which for some reason is not treated separately in the ‘Sylvia Warblers’ book. It has a distinct warbling song, like the next species, and is found throughout the semi-deserts of southern Kazakhstan. Should it be split, then I expect the name ‘Steppe Lesser Whitethroat’ could be used… Hume’s Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia althaea: Common around Beldersay and at Aman Kutan, the most striking difference between this and the European birds is the loud warbling song, instead of a harsh rattle. It prefers mountains and its breeding range extends through to northern Pakistan. Desert Whitethroat Sylvia minula: A couple of these diminutive sandy fellows in the desert at Repetek. Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis: Several seen, at Chimgan, Aman Kutan, Repetek, Charyn and the Bolshoi Almatinskiy. These very grey birds should be of the race rubicola. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides: A scattering of sightings throughout the tour, at Aman Kutan, Repetek, Bolshoi Almatinskiy, and the best views of all of two on a telephone pole near Kanshengyal. Green Warbler Phylloscopus nitidus: A retrospective addition, having consulted the literature, of a bird around our Repetek accommodation (just prior to our museum visit) that showed strong yellow tones on the face and supercilium. Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei: Common in the Bolshoi Almatinskiy (living up to its German name of ‘Tien Shan Warbler’), with others seen scattered about particularly at Kanshengyal farm. Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus: Hard to find this year, we were lucky to find a vocal and responsive bird near the Bolshoi Almatinskiy lake. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus tristis: A couple of migrants were seen at Aman Kutan, then many more were found in the Astana area, singing their very un-Chiffchaff like song! Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus (H): One heard by our accommodation at Repetek. Goldcrest Regulus regulus: A couple were seen and heard in the Bolshoi Almatinskiy spruces. MUSCICAPIDAE Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata: Quite a few migrants encountered in suitable localities during the trip. Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi: Hard to find at Aman Kutan. We did locate two but unfortunately they didn’t stick around. TIMALIIDAE Bearded Reedling Panurus biarmicus: A few singles were seen zipping over the reedbeds at Astana. PARIDAE Songar Tit Parus songarus: Great looks at three different inquisitive fellows in the spruces at Bolshoi Almatinskiy. Rufous-naped Tit Parus rufonuchalis: We found two of these handsome birds around our well-appointed hotel at Beldersay, here at the western edge of their range that extends as far east as Nepal. Coal Tit Parus ater: A small number noted in spruce forest at Bolshoi Almatinskiy. Azure Tit Parus cyanus: A pleasing addition to the delights of our Ash Tree Copse accommodation, where birds of the tianschanicus race called loudly all around the camp. We also met them on our way up to the Bolshoi Almatinskiy, and in a roadside shelter-belt not far from Sorbulak. Yellow-breasted Tit Parus flavipectus: Good numbers of these delightful birds at Beldersay, and we saw a few more at Aman Kutan. Great Tit Parus major: Just a few seen, around Charyn, Almaty and Astana. Turkestan Tit Parus bokharensis: This Central Asian endemic was seen frequently at Beldersay and Aman Kutan, plus a single at Repetek. SITTIDAE Eastern Rock Nuthatch Sitta tephronota: At least four birds were seen in classic rocky habitats around Aman Kutan. CERTHIIDAE Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris (H): Heard in the Bolshoi Almatinskiy. REMIZIDAE European Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus (H): Heard along the Ishim river near Astana. White-crowned Penduline Tit Remiz coronatus: Good views of one along a river valley near Chilik. ORIOLIDAE Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus: Seen frequently in Uzbekistan, with a handful more in Kazakhstan. LANIIDAE Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus: Some splendid examples of the race phoenicuroides, a.k.a. Turkestan Shrike were seen at Aman Kutan, the Charyn area, and in the bushy wadi near Kanshengyal. Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio: Odd single migrants were seen along our route through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach: A few were seen along the roadsides in Uzbekistan, plus a single by our accommodation at Repetek. Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor: Commonly found wherever trees adjoined open country, such as the roadside shelter belts between Almaty and Chilik. Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis: We saw numerous examples in the deserts around Repetek, the birds here showing large areas of white extending from the primaries to the wing root and big black bills. We saw just a single bird on the Sugaty plain, which probably was of the race pallidirostris a.k.a. Steppe Grey Shrike. However, three birds seen near Kanshengyal were more convincing for pallidirostris, with a sexual dimorphism I first noticed on birds near Charyn last year, one of the pair (a female?) showing a paler base to the lower mandible and pale on the lores, and both showed a white wing patch restricted to the primaries. CORVIDAE Eurasian Magpie Pica pica: Recorded daily! Pander’s Ground Jay Podoces panderi: What a charismatic bird! The bird voted ‘Bird-of-the-trip’ by this group, we had an exquisite first encounter at Repetek with a scolding bird running towards us then keeping in close formation with us but always staying up-sun, until it inadvertently led us to its mate sheltering with four chicks! We saw another five scampering about on the sand dunes there, and birding along the road the following morning revealed another 13 individuals. Not uncommon! Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax: Just two seen around the Cosmostantsia, plus another pair there pushed lower in a snowstorm. Western Jackdaw Corvus monedula: Seen regularly in suitable habitat and commonly on the Astana steppes, all were of the silver-necked soemmerringii race. Rook Corvus frugilegus: Common, no doubt benefiting from all the trees planted in shelter belts. There were especially numerous around Astana, which is bad news for Sociable Lapwings and indeed this may be contributing to the decline of the Lapwings as Rooks extend their range into the open steppe. Oriental Crow Corvus [corone] orientalis: These were encountered throughout the tour except in the north, this bird is geographically separated by a wide gap from the west and central European corone and differs by having a smaller bill. Hooded Crow Corvus cornix: Taking over from the above around Astana. Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis: One was seen out in the Repetek desert, and then another bird was near Kanshengyal. Common Raven Corvus corax: Seen at Beldersay, Aman Kutan and in the Charyn area. STURNIDAE Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris: Seen throughout except in open desert or high mountains, always less numerous than the following species! Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus: Seen in big numbers, with mouth-watering flocks of migrants swirling about in numerous localities, most notably between Almaty and Kanshengyal and near Chilik. We watched a busy colony on a farm building near Sorbulak, where we were presented with some lovely bread by the locals! Common Myna Acridotheres tristis: Seen daily, even up in the Tien Shan, until we shook them off by flying to Astana! PASSERIDAE Saxaul Sparrow Passer ammodendri: Some wonderful looks at a dozen or so of these dapper fellows around Repetek, nesting in telephone poles and even coming to drink by our accommodation. Restricted to Central Asia. House Sparrow Passer domesticus: We saw a great number in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and also in the Kazakh deserts, this form is significantly brighter and smarter with a big black bill. This is the migrant bactrianus, which tends to avoid human habitation. Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis: At least three males seen at Kanshengyal farm. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus: A scattering of sightings along the way, most commonly on the southern part of our route. FRINGILLIDAE Red-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus: Some good numbers and close encounters with these delightful finches around the Tien Shan Observatory. Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs (H): I know it’s a bit cheeky to include this, but I found one singing in the background of a recording I made, at our picnic lunch stop between Chilik and Almaty! European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris: Two at Beldersay and a single near Charyn. Grey-capped Goldfinch Carduelis caniceps: We saw our first at Aman Kutan, then several small flocks were seen in the Bolshoi Almatinskiy. Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina: A few were encountered in the Charyn area. Twite Carduelis flavirostris: We found two on the Kurghalzhin steppe. These birds are of one of four races of ‘Central Asian’ Twite, namely korejevi. Plain Mountain Finch Leucosticte nemoricola: Several flocks of these biscuit-coloured birds were seen dodging the squalls in the Bolshoi Almatinskiy. Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta: A good number were seen coming to water at Repetek, another single was seen near Charyn, and then a dozen or more gave good views around the waterholes at Kanshengyal. Mongolian Finch Bucanetes mongolicus: Always flying, even singing, but never landing! We saw up to a dozen on the Sugaty plain, plus another flew by at the Red Canyon. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus: Regularly encountered in Kazakhstan, with some exquisite examples singing away on our last morning near Astana. Red-mantled Rosefinch Carpodacus rhodochlamys: A handful of these fine finches popped out of the junipers near the Tien Shan Observatory between showers! White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes: Numerous, vocal and confiding in the junipers of the Tien Shan. EMBERIZIDAE Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos: Once Rosemary C had run this elusive fellow to ground on our second attempt at finding it, we enjoyed two different two males singing (just like Yellowhammers!) in riverine scrub near Astana. This is the furthest western part of their range. White-capped Bunting Emberiza stewarti: A couple were in residence around our hotel at Beldersay, and we found two more at Aman Kutan and a single male in a bushy wadi near Kanshengyal. Rock Bunting Emberiza cia: At least four showed well in the valley at Chimgan on our first day. Grey-necked Bunting Emberiza buchanani: Our first bird sang from the hillside at Kokpek, then we saw many more in rocky areas of the Sugaty plain and the Red Canyon. Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus: Several were seen in the reedbeds around Astana. Red-headed Bunting Emberiza bruniceps: Most numerous at Aman Kutan and along the road to Kanshengyal, with a scattering of other sightings throughout the southern part of our route. MAMMALS Long-tailed Marmot Marmota caudata: Some nice views of these furry fellows emerging between snow showers in the Tien Shan. Long-clawed Suslik Spermophilus leptodactylus: I must confess to be a little under-resourced when it comes to identifying these, but this is supposed to be the one found at Repetek. Great Gerbil Rhombomys opimus: Some in the Repetek desert, and plenty on the Sugaty plain where their numerous burrows meant one had to walk carefully! Turkestan Red Pika Ochotona rutila: Some nice looks at this cute animal in the Tien Shan. European Hare Lepus europaeus: Odd ones seen, near Charyn and Astana. Marbled Polecat Vormela peregusna: An all too furtive animal was watched scurrying about on the open plain at Kanshengyal, keeping its head down as the sun came up, until it finally disappeared into the ground never to re-appear! Easy to identify from its black and white banded head and marmalade pelage, there are good illustrations and photos in various publications and on the internet. REPTILES Horsfields Tortoise Agrionemus horsfieldi: A single at Repetek preceded a good twenty of them near Kanshengyal, most of which presented a driving hazard and had to be helped out of the way! Karaganda Pit Viper (Siberian P V) Gloydius halys caraganus: A beautiful example of this fellow, coiled to strike and quivering it’s tail at us, close to our yurt camp at Kanshengyal. It was a good job you didn’t step on it, Noel! It’s venomous! Tartar Sand Boa Eryx tataricum: A benign fellow that chose to burrow into the sand rather than face the cameras, at the waterhole near Charyn. Steppe Ribbon Racer Psammophis lineolatum: Our first of these thin, fast snakes was seen in the Saxaul desert at Repetek, then Noel spotted one near Charyn being mobbed by a female Desert Wheatear.

Image Galleries:
 'Turkestan' (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan & Kazakhstan) May 2005 (Birdquest)