'Turkestan' - Kazakhstan & Uzbekistan May 2007 (Birdquest)

TURKESTAN 7 MAY – 26 MAY 2007 TOUR REPORT LEADER: DAVE FARROW GROUP MEMBERS: MARTIN EDWARDS, GEOFFREY FIELD, KEN JENSEN, DICK JONES and JO JONES. Once more this tour excelled at providing a thrilling Palearctic spring birding experience, with a mouth-watering list of exciting birds that typify this Birdquest tour. We travelled from the hills and deserts of Uzbekistan, up into the deserts and mountains of Kazakhstan, before finishing up on the steppes of Astana, a more temperate climate sharing the same latitude as London. We found 269 species, and among our many successes were seeing sixteen adult Sociable Lapwings plus a chick, two male Caspian Plovers also with chicks, nine Pander’s Ground Jays, a Macqueen’s Bustard, three Himalayan Snowcock, Yellow-eyed Doves, White-winged Woodpeckers, eleven species of Lark that included Black, White-winged, Hume’s Short-toed Lark and Oriental Skylark, Brown, Altai and Black-throated Accentors, Blue-capped, Güldenstädt’s and Eversmann’s Redstarts, Finsch’s and Variable Wheatears, and gorgeous Saxaul Sparrows. Additionally we saw a wonderful spread of first-class birds such as White-headed Duck, Pallid Harrier, Demoiselle Cranes, Ibisbill, White-tailed Lapwing, Black-winged and Collared Pratincoles, Pale Martin, White-tailed Rubythroats, White-throated Robins, a plethora of interesting Warblers that included Desert and Hume’s Whitethroats, Paddyfield, Sykes’s, Booted, Asian Desert, Eastern Orphean and Sulphur-bellied Warblers plus Severtzov’s Tit-Warbler, Songar, Rufous-naped, Azure, Yellow-breasted and Turkestan Tits, White-crowned Penduline Tits, Red-fronted Serin, Desert and Mongolian Finches, Red-mantled Rosefinch, Red-headed, White-capped, Grey-necked and Pine Buntings, and hordes of Rosy Starlings. What a feast for the eyes! We began our tour with a dawn arrival in Tashkent, and drove out of the city into the foothills of the nearby Tien Shan, to the splendidly located Beldersay Hotel set amid mixed forests of broad-leaved trees and Juniper. After stoking up with a large breakfast we strolled the environs of our lodgings, finding Red-rumped Swallows and Common House Martins around the hotel itself, while the bushes were alive with the cacophany of Common Nightingales, Hume’s Whitethroat, Greenish and Hume’s Leaf Warblers. There is a great selection of Tits here, and we found delightful Yellow-breasted Tits, Turkestan Tit and our main target of Rufous-naped Tit that appeared right beside us and approached to within 2m! White-capped Buntings sang from wires, while overhead on rising thermals we saw Lammergeier, Eurasian Griffon and Eurasian Black Vulture, Common and Long-legged Buzzards. Mistle Thrushes and Blue Whistling Thrushes, and at the foot of the higher mountains we found Eurasian Crag Martin, our first Masked Wagtails, Siberian Stonechat and Rock Bunting. High over the distant tops we saw Alpine Choughs circling, aloof to the more mundane Oriental Crows. The following morning, we had a last look around Beldersay finding a Common Nightingale building a nest, before setting off on the long drive to Samarkand. Our journey was punctuated with Short-toed Eagle, European Bee-eaters, Lesser Grey Shrikes, our first Rosy Starlings and our only Spanish Sparrows, and a colony of White Storks strewn messily over a series of roadside pylons. Our picnic lunch was also attended by Eurasian Hobbies, and on rocky slopes by the road we found a confusing mixture of Pied and Variable Wheatears, our first Red-headed Buntings and our only Golden Eagle of the trip. Some last bushes before reaching the fabled city introduced us to Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaff and White-crowned Penduline Tits. We enjoyed a full day in the Zerafshan Hills to the south of the city, a fantastic area for birding that did not disappoint. In the fresh morning air on hawthorn-covered slopes we found Lammergeier and Eurasian Griffon Vulture, vocal Chukars, Blue Rock Thrush, elusive Eastern Rock Nuthatches, Turkestan and Lesser Grey Shrikes and Common Raven. The hillsides were alive with the songs (and songsters) of White-throated Robin, Eastern Olivaceous and Upcher’s Warbler, Eastern Orphean Warbler and Hume’s Whitethroat, White-capped and the abundant Red-headed Buntings. Rosy Starlings poured northwards over the pass in their thousands, and on the barren tops we found the demure Hume’s Short-toed Lark. In wooded valleys we found a pair of White-winged Woodpeckers, stunning Asian Paradise Flycatchers, more Turkestan Tits and the recently split Indian Golden Oriole. A last look on some very plain hillsides was rewarded with a family of Finsch’s Wheatears, the male posing at length in his monochrome dress. An early morning along the Zerafshan river yielded a Little Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron and some great views of Alpine Swifts feeding low over the bushes. Then it was time to visit the stunning monuments of this ancient city, to see the marvellous Registan, the Gur Emir and the mausoleum of Bibi Khanum, each place alive with screaming Alpine Swifts. For something a little different we visited the Natural History Museum, where we spent a few minutes looking at stuffed local avifauna, plus a Turan Tiger, long since gone. A less birdy afternoon followed as we drove to Bukhara, although we did pick up our first Sykes’s Warbler along the way. Bukhara was our launch point for a long drive out into the sandy wastes of the Kyzyl Kum desert, and starting before dawn we were deep within the desert when the sun rose. It wasn’t long before we found our target here, Pander’s Ground Jay, with a confiding family party of both parents and four fledged young running about on the dunes, with the adult birds periodically perching up and yelping warnings to the young. Other birds along the road included some odd migrants such as Collared Pratincole and European Turtle Dove, while on a pool we found a single Red-necked Phalarope, Citrine and White Wagtails, plus resident Desert Finches dropping in to drink. Other desert species we found were some obliging Desert Whitethroats, Steppe Grey Shrikes, our first Rufous-tailed Scrub Robins, another Upcher’s Warbler, many Sykes’s Warblers and some furtive Scrub Warblers. Bushes and trees around isolated buildings attracted Spotted Flycatchers, Common Redstart, Red-backed and Long-tailed Shrikes. As we returned to Bukhara we paused at some roadside flashes where we enjoyed good views of Pygmy Cormorants, Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Purple Herons and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters. A Greater Spotted Eagle that decided to drop in was aggressively seen off by the local Western Marsh Harriers. A rather shorter journey the following morning took us to the nearby Lake Tudakul, and our first stop by pools and reedbeds revealed lively Moustached, Caspian Reed and noisy Indian Reed Warblers in abundance, along with Bearded Reedlings, Common Reed Bunting of the pyrrhuloides form and Pied Bushchats. Around the rich wetlands and bushes we found Great Crested and Black-necked Grebe, Great and Pygmy Cormorants, some huge Dalmatian Pelicans, Little and Great Egrets, Grey and Purple Herons, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Red-crested and Common Pochards, Ferruginous and Tufted Ducks, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Collared Pratincole, Grey Plover, Temminck’s Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Wood Sandpiper, and more Red-necked Phalaropes. A Marbled Duck was a nice surprise, and Gulls and Terns were represented with Slender-billed and Caspian Gulls and Caspian Terns, plus we found a Kentish Plover with its nest of three eggs. A confiding White-tailed Lapwing stalked around the marshy margins where we also found Oriental Skylark, Black-headed Wagtail, Western Grey-headed Wagtail, and two Little Owls emerged in drier areas. We retreated from the heat to the city, re-emerging for some sightseeing later in the afternoon, to view the many madrasahs and exquisitely decorated buildings around this fascinating old city. Our time in Uzbekistan was coming to a close, but a last morning near Bukhara was very enjoyable with some confiding Menetries’s Warblers in the tamarisks, bold Rufous-tailed Scrub Robins that sang from overhead phone wires, abundant Sykes’s Warblers, our first Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Montagu’s Harrier, numerous Shikras posing for us and their mates, European and Oriental Turtle Doves sitting side by side, Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, and last but not least, a cock Common Pheasant calling from a post, showing off his white wings. We flew from here, via Tashkent, to Almaty in Kazakhstan, saying goodbye to our excellent Uzbek crew and hello to our new team. They sped us from the airport eastwards, and en-route we stopped to view a colony of Pale Martins in a roadside sand cliff. We added Black-eared Kite, European Bee-eaters, Tawny Pipit and Common Linnet, but by now the hot winds had picked up and further birding was abandoned. We reached our sheltered accommodation by the Charyn river as the winds reached gale force, glad that we weren’t in tents tonight, and hoped for better to come! The following morning the storm had abated somewhat, though rain doesn’t really help desert birding! We drove out to the Ili river and walked through the riverine Turanga woods, eventually finding our target of Yellow-eyed Dove with several of these rare birds seen flying back and forwards from exposed perches. We also found a pair of Shikra with a nest, a single Pallas’s Gull, ‘Steppe’ Lesser Whitethroats and Turkestan Tit. Nearby some superb ginger-headed Saxaul Sparrows performed around their nest holes in pylons. Pressing on into the wide-open desert spaces we found a vocal pair of Asian Desert Warblers in a shallow wadi, some dapper Desert Wheatears, a pair of Greater Sand Plovers with a chick, Greater Short-toed and Horned Larks. Rocky hills provided us with multiple Grey-necked Buntings and a beast of a Saker that crossed our path. A marshy corner held Tawny Pipit, Citrine Wagtails, Bluethroats, a singing Barred Warbler and a pair of Turkestan Shrikes, while overhead we saw our only European Honey Buzzard and our first Demoiselle Crane, a rather lost looking singleton. In the wood around our lodgings we found delightful Azure Tits, and as dusk fell a noisy European Scops Owl was tracked down and watched at close range as he called from the entrance to a nest-box. Still searching for Sandgrouse, the next morning we found that water was lying everywhere in pools on the sodden desert ground, nevertheless we found a few Black-bellieds but nothing like the concentrations one can sometimes find here. We enjoyed some Goitred Gazelles and a Red Fox, male Montagu’s Harriers, Eurasian Hobby, a Lesser Short-toed Lark and several Isabelline Wheatears. Returning westwards, we paused for a picnic among shelter belts and found Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Great Tit, White-capped Penduline Tit, Indian Golden Oriole, Lesser Grey Shrike, Red-headed and Corn Buntings. The foul weather meant that we ascended the bumpy road to the Tien Shan Observatory in thick fog, to find our accommodation blanketed in fresh snow. This set the scene for the next two days! Our first day was remarkably productive given the continual snow and rain, interspersed with fog and low cloud. We began at the highest altitudes around the semi-abandoned Cosmostantsia, finding a pair of Güldenstädt’s Redstarts, plus Brown and Altai Accentors, Water Pipit, Alpine and Red-billed Choughs. As more snow arrived we dropped lower, and around the Bolshoi Almatinskiy lake we found the curious Ibisbill, feeding in the river shallows. Here we also found Brown Dipper, Ruddy Shelducks, a bright Merlin of the pallidus race, Tree Pipit, Blue-capped Redstart, Goldcrest, Winter Wren, Spotted Nutcracker and hordes of Plain Mountain Finch that had descended from higher elevations. My worries about finding the scarce Eversmann’s Redstart were soon dispelled when we found a gorgeous male – one of seven birds that we saw! In junipers by the Observatory we found Red-mantled Rosefinches, White-winged Grosbeaks, Black-throated Accentor and handsome White-tailed Rubythroats. The weather did not improve overnight, so our birding the following day was rather difficult, with calling Snowcocks frustratingly just beyond visual range in the low cloud. The Plain Mountain Finch flocks got bigger, Eversmann’s and Blue-capped Redstarts both seemed to be more showy in these conditions, plus we found another Brown Dipper, Grey Wagtail, and a very welcome Songar Tit that performed in the snowy spruces at very close range. Apart from that, all we could do was just wait for the weather to improve! On the morning we were to leave, (as so often happens) the skies began to clear and the mists lifted. We hurried around, finding no less than three Himalayan Snowcocks, yodelling their eerie cries from a steep mountain slope, then we found a pair of Severtzov’s Tit Warblers in the juniper, along with numerous Hume’s Leaf Warblers, a pair of White-tailed Rubythroats and a rather brief Sulphur-bellied Warbler. A flock of Grey-capped Goldfinch heralded our last quarry, Red-fronted Serin, and we had a great encounter with several of these singing and chasing each other around, full of the joys of spring. As we descended to the plains and headed towards our next destination, the rain returned. We made a brief stop by some roadside pools where we found Ferruginous Duck, Garganey, Black-winged Stilts, Northern Lapwing, Spotted Redshank, Caspian Gulls and White-winged Terns, before the rain forced us back inside the vehicles. As we headed further from the mountains the skies cleared once more and remained that way - finally we were to have some good weather! The roadside wires were adorned with Isabelline Wheatears and Red-headed Buntings, periodically interspersed with European Rollers. We saw our first Calandra Larks as we neared our destination, before finally arriving at our austere but comfortable yurt camp sitting like a pimple on the surface of the Taucum desert flatness. Birds were evident immediately upon arrival, with hordes of Rosy Starlings around a new colony, while around a waterhole we found a splendid summer-plumaged Curlew Sandpiper, Collared Pratincole, Western Grey-headed and Citrine Wagtails, and a flock of Mongolian Finches that came to drink. On the open plain we searched through numerous Black-bellied Sandgrouse that dotted the landscape, and found two splendid male Caspian Plovers, wardening some small chicks around the short vegetation, and running towards us to ensure we didn’t trespass any closer. Woken long before dawn by a cacophany of Calandra, Greater and Lesser Short-toed Larks singing around our camp, we enjoyed a gentle morning sitting around the Artesian wells that are found here. They were home to a pair of Ruddy Shelducks and their eight tiny chicks, plus numerous migrant Temminck’s Stints, while the neighbourhood Larks that included Bimaculated, plus Desert Finches, all came in to drink as the day warmed up. Of course the main spectacle here is the flights of Sandgrouse coming to load up with H20, and we counted 420 Black-bellieds during the morning. A fine day meant raptor migration, and joining the loafing Black-eared Kites we saw several Steppe and Imperial Eagles, Montagu’s Harrier, Shikra, Long-legged Buzzards, plus Common Kestrel and Eurasian Hobby. Migrant traps heaved with Blyth’s Reed Warblers, Hume’s Leaf Warblers, a single Barred Warbler and Red-backed Shrike. Isabelline Wheatears held territory by mimicking all and sundry (including the whinnying of horses!) and we found a flock of 50 Demoiselle Cranes that dropped in for a drink before continuing northwards. Further explorations of this area revealed Brown-necked Ravens and several Greater Sand Plovers, one of which had a nest with three eggs. Bushy areas were very productive with Rufous-tailed Bush Robins, Sykes’s Warblers, two pairs of Steppe Grey Shrikes (one of which had three fledged young), plus several Turkestan Shrikes. We disturbed a female European Nightjar that allowed brief views on the ground before it did a disappearing act. And finally, as the sun dropped low in the sky, we found a single Macqueen’s Bustard, running across the plain. This was only one of the tour, and Arab falconers have reportedly leased the Kanshengyal area for hunting, so the sudden scarcity of these birds is surely due to that fact. I think the time is due for Borat to pay them a visit! A last al-fresco breakfast in the Taucum desert was disturbed by a migrant male Black-throated Thrush that buzzed around our camp, dropping in briefly to feed behind the yurts. We headed back towards Almaty, and towards the mountains that were visible in the clear air. From a range of more than 200 kilometres, the flat top of Mount Talgar was clearly visible from Kanshengyal! We flew northwards to our next destination, the new capital Astana. Here the steel and glass skyscrapers were in stark contrast to the huge building site that surrounds them, with big orange tipper trucks filling the roads already crammed with 4x4s and ‘bling’. We extracted ourselves from this construction and began our birding in nearby shelter belts where we found our first Booted Warbler, plus Hooded Crows and Common Rosefinches, and once we had donated enough blood to the local mosquitoes, two splendid male Pine Buntings, chasing each other in a dispute over territories. South-west of Astana lies the Kurghalzhin steppe and its many shallow lakes. Heading out to explore this area, it wasn’t long before we ran into the first of many Black Larks, using the elevated highway as a launch pad for their eye-catching song-flights. The scrappy looking shelter belts along the road were home to many pairs of Red-footed Falcon, and we got close to some very active and vocal examples of this beautiful raptor. We paused by roadside pools where we found Red-necked Grebe, Black-tailed Godwit, singing Marsh Sandpipers, the first of many White-winged Terns and Sykes’s Wagtail, and in an area of short-grazed grass, we found a group of five Sociable Lapwings that occasionally powered upwards to see off any passing predators. Further out we reached the lakes, where we found Dalmatian Pelican, Greylag Goose, Common Shelduck, bright White-headed Ducks idly bobbing about, numerous Pallid Harriers, Demoiselle Cranes, Little Stint, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Common Greenshank, teetering Terek Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstones, Pied Avocets, Mew and Slender-billed Gulls, Gull-billed, Caspian and Black Terns. Some lakes were infested with hordes of migrant Red-necked Phalaropes on their way north, with an estimated 8000 were present! Another exciting spectacle were the noisy colonies of Black-winged Pratincoles, with scolding birds taking to the air long before trespass had occurred, except for one individual that stayed by it’s nest with two eggs as we watched from inside the van. On an island on one of the lakes we watched a colony of 320 Pallas’s Gulls, with a lesser number of Steppe Gull nests scattered around it. Passerines were represented by many smart White-winged Larks (outnumbered though by the more obvious Blacks) and Eurasian Skylarks, while Northern Wheatear pairs busied themselves with nesting duties. We returned to Astana, dazed by the intensity of today’s birding and the spectacle of so many great birds. So, how to follow that? We began once again with Sociable Lapwings, with a party of ten birds at another site, where one of the group had a small chick that it was occasionally brooding. We found Red-necked Grebes nest-building, Black-necked Grebes in their summer finery, and two Great Bitterns that had forgotten to lurk and were stalking about in the open. There were Whooper Swans, a colourful collection of summer-plumaged Curlew Sandpiper and Dunlin alongside Spotted Redshank, yet more Red-necked Phalaropes and many Terek Sandpipers. In some of the few trees found here we watched a pair of Black-eared Kites at a nest, and had a great view of a roosting Long-eared Owl. Bushes were home to some confiding Cetti’s, Common Grasshopper, and vocal Barred Warblers, while numerous Booted Warblers enabled us to polish our identification skills. Add to this four noisy Common Quail, Siberian Chiffchaff, European Penduline Tit and Red-backed Shrike, this was great birding indeed! Our final morning was spent searching for reedbeds, scarce this year due to some very high water levels. In a small roadside patch of phragmites, we found several Paddyfield Warblers performing, a single Savi’s and a lone Great Reed Warbler. Also here were Bluethroats, plenty of Common Reed Buntings and Sykes’s Wagtails, while a last look in some bushy areas yielded three Azure Tits. That just about wrapped things up for us here, and it was time to leave, replete with a bellyful of wonderful birds and great experiences. All that was left was to navigate our way through a succession of airports that would eventually get us home. Once again, this exciting Birdquest that travels from the Kyzyl Kum desert in the south through to the Astana steppe in the north proved itself to be one of the finest Palaearctic birding adventures, with a fantastic wealth of quality birds. This tour remains a firm favourite of mine – just another year till the next one! 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 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis: Small numbers were noted at Samarkand, near Bukhara and at Sorbulak. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus: A couple were seen at Lake Tudakul, a single at Sorbulak and then many more on the Astana lakes. Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena: Good numbers around Astana this year, with ten or more seen in a day, including a pair building a nest near Pavlogradka. Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis: Our first were a pair at Lake Tudakul, eight on a roadside pool at Sorbulak, and then several small groups on the Astana steppe lakes, all in splendid breeding plumage. PHALACROCORACIDAE Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo: A few seen at Lake Tudakul, and then many more on the Astana lakes. Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus: Our first were flying around roadside canals en-route to Samarkand, then on pools around Bukhara we had some good views of several birds perched and in flight. PELICANIDAE Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus: A quartet of birds showed nicely at Lake Tudakul, near Sorbulak we saw a couple in flight (we couldn’t visit the nearby colony as hoped) then ten more were seen rather distantly around the Kurghalzhin lakes near Astana. ARDEIDAE Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris: Four in a day near Astana, with nice views of two birds stalking each other out in the open. Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus: A brief flight view of one on the Zerafshan river near Samarkand. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax: Odd singles were seen on the Zerafshan river near Samarkand and at Lake Tudakul. Little Egret Egretta garzetta: Four or so were seen around Lake Tudakul. Great Egret Egretta alba: Odd ones were seen around Bukhara, and in Kazakhstan we saw a handful more on the Shilik side of Almaty and also in the Astana area, many sporting the black bills of breeding plumage. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea: A scattering of sightings, most numerous at Lake Tudakul and some in the Astana area. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea: Seen around Lake Tudakul where we saw ten or more, also seen on pools by the road from the Kyzyl Kum. CICONIIDAE White Stork Ciconia ciconia: 70 were counted along the road from Tashkent to Samarkand, their colony of nests scattered along the roadside pylons. THRESKIORNITHIDAE Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus: Nine were visible on pools by Lake Tudakul. Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia: Nine birds seen circling then dropping in to the pools at Lake Tudakul. ANATIDAE Mute Swan Cygnus olor: A single at Lake Tudakul preceded more seen around 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: Six birds were seen on two days on the Astana steppe lakes. Greylag Goose Anser anser: Quite numerous on the Astana steppe lakes. These pink-billed birds are of the eastern rubrirostris race Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea: Regularly seen, our first was at Lake Tudakul, then more were out in the Charyn area, and in the Tien Shan they performed really well in the snow (even masquerading as Snowcocks!) A family with eight small chicks were on one of the waterholes at Kanshengyal. Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna: Numerous on the Astana steppe lakes. Gadwall Anas strepera: Ten were seen at Lake Tudakul, and then more on the Astana steppe lakes. Eurasian Teal Anas crecca: Eight were present on the pools at Lake Tudakul. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos: Often encountered around various wetlands we visited. Northern Pintail Anas acuta: Two were seen on Lake Tudakul, and a handful more around the Astana steppe lakes. Garganey Anas querquedula: This handsome fellow was found at Lake Tudakul, near Samarkand, on the Kanshengyal waterholes, and then more numerously around the Astana steppe lakes. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata: Two were at Lake Tudakul, and we found them fairly commonly in the Astana area. Marbled Duck Marmoronetta angustirostris: A surprise appearance of one of these at Lake Tudakul, typical that it should appear after I had said we had no chance of seeing it! Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina: Many of these exotic beasts seen along our route, with five near Bukhara, 25+ at Lake Tudakul, a large flock of 40+ on roadside pools at Sorbulak, and a few more around the Astana steppe lakes. Common Pochard Aythya ferina: A few at Lake Tudakul preceded big numbers of them around the Astana steppe lakes. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca: Our first two were on a roadside pool near Bukhara, another two at were seen at Lake Tudakul, three near Sorbulak and another single near Astana. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula: Two were at Lake Tudakul, and then a handful more were seen on the Astana steppe lakes. White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala: A couple of pairs were seen on the Astana steppe lakes, including some nice blue-billed males. ACCIPITRIDAE European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus: A single bird seen, flying over the plain in the Charyn area. Black-eared Kite Milvus lineatus: Rather numerous and visible this year, with single birds seen regularly patrolling the plains in the Charyn area, quite a few around Kanshengyal (migrants on the move?) and regularly seen in the Astana area where we observed a pair with a nest, one of the birds incubating on a tatty nest featuring plastic and sheep skin as building materials. Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus: A splendid example at Beldersay, then one or maybe two patrolling the hills at Aman Kutan at just 1700m. Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus: A single near Beldersay was one of the first birds of the trip, then another three were seen at Aman Kutan. Eurasian Black Vulture Aegypius monachus: Just three seen, all around Beldersay. Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus: Three singles were seen in Uzbekistan, the best view being one flying over our heads at Chimgan. Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus: Frequently seen around wetland habitats, particularly numerous around Samarkand and Bukhara, and also around the Astana area. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus: Plenty seen in the Astana region where we saw 25 or more in a day hunting over the steppe. Also Jo saw a migrant male at Kanshengyal. Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus: A respectable four birds seen, with a male at the Amu-Bukhara canal, two different males seen in the Charyn deserts on our last morning there, and an immature male by our camp at Kanshengyal. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus: Singles were encountered at Beldersay and in the Astana area, plus a pair soaring over the Tien Shan forest on our only snow-free morning there! Shikra Accipiter badius: Some good looks at plenty of these this year, by the Zerafshan river at Samarkand, at Aman Kutan, and at least six along the Amu-Bukhara canal. A pair with a nest were found near the Ili river in Kazakhstan, and a single was seen at Kanshengyal. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo: Two of the vulpinus race seen at Beldersay, a single at Aman Kutan, and then not again till we reached the Astana area. Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus: Many of these splendid birds were seen throughout the tour, from the very south in Uzbekistan to the northern steppes of Kazakhstan. Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga: A surprise but brief visit by one of these to some roadside pools near Bukhara, just as soon as he arrived he was chased away by three Marsh Harriers. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis: At least four migrants seen around the farm at Kanshengyal, all immatures, no doubt taking advantage of the good weather. Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca: Two immatures with the above species, soaring low over the Taucum desert. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos: Our only sighting was of an immature bird cruising over us near Samarkand. 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. There were nests in several areas and we saw some 20 in a day. Merlin Falco columbarius: We had a good look at a male of the ghostly pallidus race in the Bolshoi Almatinskiy. Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo: Quite a few were encountered, mostly in Uzbekistan and the Charyn area. A nest was viewed from below at our shashlik stop prior to reaching Samarkand. Saker Falco cherrug: A rare bird on this tour, only the second time we have seen it! A big beast of a bird was disturbed from its perch in the Charyn desert and proceeded to soar around, eventually briefly perching on some low rocky hills. PHASIANIDAE Himalayan Snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis: What a mission it was to find this one! Two days of snow/fog/rain in the Tien Shan didn’t stop them calling, but with visibility down to 200m we just couldn’t see them! On our final morning, despite continuing snow, the visibility extended somewhat and we were able to get good views of three birds on a steep mountainside. Phew! Chukar Alectoris chukar: A single was seen near Samarkand, then we saw five on the rocky hills at Aman Kutan. Common Quail Coturnix coturnix: As we tried to home in on their liquid calls we flushed them from our feet, getting good flight views of at least four in one small area near Astana. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus: Heard calling in several localities in Uzbekistan and also in the Charyn area, which would have been the typical encounter, except that we had great views of a white-winged cock (appropriatly of the race zerafshanicus) perched on a post in the early morning at the Amu-Bukhara canal. RALLIDAE Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus: Just one seen, near Samarkand, also heard near Astana. Eurasian Coot Fulica atra: Common on the Astana steppe lakes, also seen at Lake Tudakul and one or two other wetlands. GRUIDAE Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo: Perhaps the most attractive member of its family, our first encounter was with a solitary migrant over the Charyn deserts. In the Taucum desert we found a splendid flock of exactly 50 birds by a waterhole that lifted off in a tight northbound flock and spiralled upwards into the blue. Around Astana we saw few, perhaps they are arriving later this year due to the rubbish weather. OTIDIDAE Macqueen’s Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii: None seen in the Charyn deserts, we were lucky to see a single bird in the Taucum desert, a good prolonged view of a bird running across the flat plain. In previous years we have seen many more, and the sad truth is that the Houbara-hunting Arab falconers have moved into Central Asia, and this appears to be the net result. At the current rate of decline, I predict next year there will none! The Central Asian population is now highly endangered due to excessive hunting by these wealthy Arabs in the Gulf region, Pakistan, and now Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. HAEMATOPODIDAE Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus: A single seen at Lake Tudakul was a surprise, then we saw two more in the northern steppes. IBIDORHYNCHIDAE Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha struthersii: A single bird was found feeding by the river at the Bolshoi Almatinskiy lake, it’s partner perhaps sitting tight nearby in the continual rain and snow! A good view of a great bird. RECURVIROSTRIDAE Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus: Frequently seen on various wetlands along our route, most commonly around the Astana steppe lakes and Bukhara. Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta: A single at Lake Tudakul, then a loose group of 30 or so at Lake Ashikol on the northern steppes. GLAREOLIDAE Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola: Our first was a rather lost-looking bird standing on the tarmac in the Kyzyl Kum desert, then two were seen at Lake Tudakul, a single over the Amu-Bukhara canal and another single sat by a waterhole in the Taucum desert. Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni: One of the best birds in the Astana area, we had multiple encounters. Particularly memorable were the colonies around the shores of the Kurghalzhin lakes, where they were very vocal about our presence. A nest with two eggs was seen here, the parent flopping around nearby doing it’s distraction display. CHARADRIIDAE Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius: Pairs were seen frequently along our route, usually on open areas near waterholes. Twice we seemed to be very close to their nests, but we vacated the area to leave them in peace. Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula: Just three seen on the Kurghalzhin lakes. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus: Only seen at Lake Tudakul, with five or more seen. One male was spotted squatting over it’s nest, and a closer inspection revealed a very discreet little hollow of a nest, with three grey-green black-speckled eggs partly buried by tiny little fragments of stone. Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaulti: Our first were a pair with a chick on the Sugaty plain, and then several were seen around Kanshengyal. Akin to the encounter with the above species, we saw a female sit down on a nest among the glasswort, a hoofprint-type depression that also held three eggs, buff-coloured and blotched with black. Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus: Our first contact was at some distance, and after walking 700m closer, we enjoyed great views of two richly-coloured males, one of which ran towards us to within 15m, perfectly lit by a setting sun on the endless plain at Kanshengyal. Probably the best views that I’ve ever had! We also had brief glimpses of three chicks among the low vegetation, no doubt part of this male’s crèche. Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola: Single summer-plumaged birds were seen on the Astana steppe lakes and at Lake Tudakul. Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius: In spite of the well-known rarity status of this bird, we did remarkably well at finding them. On our first morning in the Astana area we found five together on a short-grazed sward near an old collective-type farm, and then the following day we found an amazing ten birds plus a small chick just an hours drive from Astana city. We added a further single later on that day, making 16 adults and a single chick seen. Not bad going! White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus: We saw two or three at Lake Tudakul including a very confiding bird, and another three were seen distantly at the Amu-Bukhara canal. As I write, the first one in Britain for 23 years has appeared, in Scotland of all places! Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus: Plentiful in the Astana area, with odd individuals encountered in the Charyn area and at Sorbulak. SCOLOPACIDAE Little Stint Calidris minuta: A single was seen at Lake Tudakul, and then hundreds more were seen on the shores of the Astana steppe lakes. Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii: Four were seen at Lake Tudakul, then we found many at the waterholes in the Taucum desert, with 20 seen in a day.. Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea: Lots of these lovely summer-plumaged birds to enjoy this year, starting with 15 at Lake Tudakul, a single on a waterhole at Kanshengyal, and many more around the Astana steppe lakes. Dunlin Calidris alpina: Two at Lake Tudakul, then scores more around the Astana steppe lakes, all big and very bright individuals. Ruff Philomachus pugnax: Ten or so we seen at Lake Tudakul, and around the Astana steppe lakes we saw hundreds of birds, the males already in their ‘jousting’ plumage, and hustling around each other in preparation for the lekking season. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa: Again we saw our first at Tudakul where there were three, then we found several vocal pairs of birds around the Astana steppe. Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica: Two errant birds were seen at Lake Tudakul. Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata: A single flew by at Tudakul. Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus: Two summer-plumaged birds were seen on roadside pools near Sorbulak, then we found several more around the Astana steppe lakes, including six together. Common Redshank Tringa totanus: Present around the Astana steppe lakes, and quite a few by Sorbulak. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis: Some very nice summer-plumaged birds around Astana, calling and singing over small wetlands. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia: A single seen on the Kurghalzhin lakes. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus: A single bird was seen by the river at Samarkand. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola: Two seen at Lake Tudakul were the only ones of the trip. The Russian name is ‘Fifi’! Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus: Some fifty birds were seen on the various steppe lakes near Astana, a good showing by a very enjoyable wader. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos: Odd birds encountered along our route, often along rivers. Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres: Four lovely summer-plumaged examples at the Astana steppe lakes. Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus: We started with a single on a roadside pool in the Kyzyl Kum desert, then 26 more at Lake Tudakul, but over two days around the Astana steppe lakes we must have seen over 10,000! A very good showing this year, they dotted the water like midges! LARIDAE Pallas’s Gull Larus ichthyaetus: Our first sighting was near the Ili river in the Charyn area, then no more until we visited the Kurghalzhin lakes where they were one of the major spectacles. In addition to odd birds seen foraging over the steppe, we counted 320 or so in a colony shared with Steppe and Mew Gulls, some pairs already with chicks. Little Gull Larus minutus: Two adults seen on the Kurghalzhin lakes. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus: Seen around all the major wetlands visited, particularly in the north. Slender-billed Gull Larus genei: At least 250 seen around the Kurghalzhin lakes, all in full breeding flush, plus a quartet were seen at Tudakul. Mew Gull Larus canus: Not uncommon on the Astana steppe lakes. Caspian Gull Larus [cachinnans] cachinnans: Quite a few seen at Lake Tudakul, and then many at Sorbulak where they nest. Steppe Gull Larus [cachinnans] barabensis: All of the many big gulls 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. Their individual nests, of a small mound of material, could be seen on the island with the Pallas’s Gull colony. STERNIDAE Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica: We saw five around the Kurghalzhin lakes. Caspian Tern Sterna caspia: We found three at Lake Tudakul, and then several on the Astana steppe lakes where we saw a group of eleven. Common Tern Sterna hirundo: Seen frequently in the Astana area, a couple near Sorbulak, and rather commonly at various localities in Uzbekistan. Many of the birds showed 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 good number were seen at Lake Tudakul, also found on other pools and rivers in Uzbekistan. Black Tern Chlidonias niger: Several seen about the pools and reedbeds of the Astana region. White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus: We had our introduction to these delightful birds at Sorbulak, then we saw hundreds more over the marshes and ponds of the Astana region. PTEROCLIDIDAE Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis: In the rain-soaked Charyn deserts we saw some small scattered groups, and then in the Taucum desert we counted 420 coming to two waterholes, surely accounting for most of the birds in the area. COLUMBIDAE Rock Dove Columba livia: Available! Yellow-eyed Dove Columba eversmanni: We struggled to find these on a wet and windy morning in the Turanga woods by the Ili river, but eventually managed multiple flight views of up to six and some scope views of a perched bird. A real speciality of this tour. Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus: Familiar birds encountered at Beldersay, Aman Kutan and the Astana area. European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur: A single jay-walking migrant in the Kyzyl Kum desert was our first, then we found them rather commonly along the Amu-Bukhara canal, posing alongside the following species for comparison. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis: First encountered at Beldersay, then plenty more seen along the Amu-Bukhara canal. They were regularly encountered in Kazakhstan, at the Ili River, Tien Shan, Kanshengyal and Astana. These all refer to the race meena. Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis: Common in the drier parts of Uzbekistan, with a nest with two eggs seen inside one of the monuments at Bukhara, plus a pair with a youngster staying in the same hotel as us. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto: Commonly seen in Uzbekistan, plus a few singles in southern Kazakhstan. CUCULIDAE Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus: Seen virtually throughout, commonest around Bukhara and between Almaty and the Charyn area. STRIGIDAE European Scops Owl Otus scops: A great encounter at our lodgings at Charyn, with a very close view of one sat in a nest box calling at us! Little Owl Athene noctua: Two very pallid examples seen in the middle of the day at Lake Tudakul. Long-eared Owl Asio otus: A regular roost near Astana provided some outstanding views of a very frosty-grey looking individual. CAPRIMULGIDAE European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus: We had a poor view of our first as it sailed past our Taucum yurt camp in the twilight, then the following day we flushed a female several times in a bushy wadi, briefly seen on the ground before it mysteriously disappeared. Another bird was also seen there. On range, this seems to be in an area of integration between the races sarudnyi and unwini. APODIDAE Common Swift Apus apus: Common in Uzbekistan especially around the ancient cities, but far fewer seen in Kazakhstan and only in the south. Alpine Swift Apus melba: A delightful accompaniment to the wonderful monuments in Samarkand, and also along the Zerafshan river where numerous low-flying birds gave some excellent views. ALCEDINIDAE Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis: A few singles seen in the Bukhara and Samarkand area. MEROPIDAE Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus: Plenty of these beauties seen around Bukhara and along the road to the Kyzyl Kum desert. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster: Regularly encountered, most numerously in Uzbekistan but also near Shilik at the Pale Martin colony. CORACIIDAE European Roller Coracias garrulus: Seen most frequently in Uzbekistan and in the south of Kazakhstan, a delightfully common roadside bird! UPUPIDAE Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops: Seen regularly throughout the tour, with some hidden nests indicated by food-carrying parents at the Kanshengyal waterholes. PICIDAE White-winged Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucopterus: We had great looks at a pair of this Central Asian endemic in the poplars at Aman Kutan. Also heard in the Turanga woods along the river Ili. ALAUDIDAE Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra: Plenty of these big noisy fellows in the Taucum desert, along the road out there and around our yurts. Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata: Less numerous than the above but present in good numbers around Kanshengyal, particularly along the ‘tortoise-track’ and around the bushy wadi. White-winged Lark Melanocorypha leucoptera: A good scattering of these pretty Larks on the Astana steppes, less numerous than the following species around Kurghalzhin. It always takes a while to get a good view though! Black Lark Melanocorypha yeltoniensis: One of the spectacular highlights of this tour, with hundreds of individuals seen on the Kurghalzhin steppes. Many males were seen along the roadside, taking to the air in their unusual ‘air-rowing’ displays. Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla: A small number were found in the deserts around Charyn, but they were very numerous around Kanshengyal with singing birds all around our camp where some started singing as early as 4am!. Hume’s Short-toed Lark Calandrella acutirostris: Some good looks at four near Aman Kutan, song-flighting and running about on a barren upland pasture. These demure birds showed the dark lores and dark culmen typical of this species, and sing a less elaborate song than the above species. Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens: We found only a handful in the Taucum desert, plus a single in the south-east near Nurly. The identity of these birds has been the subject of some debate, and the race involved is heinii or leucophaeus. Crested Lark Galerida cristata: Often seen along our route, particularly in the Bukhara region and the Kyzyl Kum desert. Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula: A single was seen song-flighting at Lake Tudakul, in it’s favoured habitat of vegetated patches close to water. Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis: The other numerous lark on the steppes around Astana. Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris: Three nice examples showing their horns on the Sugaty Plain, favouring the stonier areas over 1000m. The race here is brandti. HIRUNDINIDAE Sand Martin Riparia riparia: A reasonable number seen in the Bukhara region, also at Sorbulak, Kanshengyal, and more numerously around Astana. Pale Martin Riparia diluta: A colony in a sand pit near Shilik wasn’t so busy in strong hot winds, but we saw a dozen there, then another three were seen near Nurly. They are clearly quite different from Sand Martins, with a diffuse breast band, broad at the sides but tapering to nothing in the centre with a dirty wash on the throat and a more contrasting dark face. The upperparts are clearly pallid and they show some scalloping on the uppertail. Eurasian Crag Martin Hirundo rupestris: Four were seen over the rocky hills at Chimgan. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica: Seen almost daily. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica: Seen around the hotel at Beldersay, and several more noted around Samarkand and Aman Kutan. Common House Martin Delichon urbica: A happy colony at the Beldersay Hotel with some nesting in alcoves on our balconies. Also seen at odd places in southern Kazakhstan. MOTACILLIDAE Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris: Fairly numerous in the Charyn and Sugaty Plain area, usually visible as it performed its creaky song-flights. A couple were also seen around Astana. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis: One of the most frequently seen birds in the Tien Shan, singing away happily in the snow showers! Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta: A handful seen at higher elevations in the Tien Shan, 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 around pools and damp margins on the Astana steppe, we also saw a handful by waterholes in the Taucum desert. Black-headed Wagtail Motacilla [flava] feldeggi: Plentiful around Lake Tudakul where they were vocal and obvious. Western Grey-headed Wagtail Motacilla [flava] thunbergii: Two were seen at Lake Tudakul, then a flock of eight that dropped into a waterhole at Kanshengyal. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola: Our first was a migrant on a pool in the Kyzyl Kum desert, then three more were seen in the Charyn area, three at Kanshengyal waterholes and a single near Astana, all of the grey-backed nominate race. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea: A small number encountered along our route, at Beldersay, Aman Kutan, a migrant in the Kyzyl Kum desert, three more in the Taucum desert and a couple in the Tien Shan. White Wagtail Motacilla alba: Four migrants were seen by a pool in the Kyzyl Kum desert. Masked Wagtail Motacilla [alba] personata: An endearing bird, with a few encountered in southern Kazakhstan, but much more commonly in Uzbekistan. CINCLIDAE Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii: Our first was a distant bird on the river by the Bolshoi Almatinskiy lake, then a better view was had of one feeding in a small mountain stream. TROGLODYTIDAE Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes: One seen, plus other songsters heard, in the Tien Shan. PRUNELLIDAE Brown Accentor Prunella fulvescens: Three were seen at the Cosmostantsia, singing with gusto from dilapidated buildings. Black-throated Accentor Prunella atrogularis: Several seen in the junipers of the Tien Shan, although the weather did not favour our viewing of this dapper fellow! Altai Accentor Prunella himalayana: Some good views of two around the snow-covered Cosmostantsia, during a lucky break in the weather! TURDIDAE Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas galactotes: Multiple sightings this year of some very showy and vocal birds. We began with two in the Kyzyl Kum desert, two more at Lake Tudakul, and five at the Amu-Bukhara canal that performed as well as any could, singing from telephone wires above our heads! In Kazakhstan we found a further eight in a bushy wadi in the Taucum desert. Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos: Plentiful and noisy at Beldersay, where we observed a bird building a nest low in a bush, then they were with us all through Uzbekistan (except in the Kyzyl Kum.) In Kazakhstan they were very audible around our Charyn accommodation, seen at Kanshengyal farm and also in bushes near 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, plus their songs sounds rougher. Bluethroat Luscinia svecica: Three males were singing from exposed perches at a small marsh near Charyn, then a handful were seen in bushes and reedbeds in the Astana area. White-tailed Rubythroat Luscinia pectoralis: About six of these were seen despite the dreadful weather in the Tien Shan, emerging from the junipers to sing. We also saw a female on our last morning, unusual as they normally skulk. White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis: Just one of these attractive chats at Aman Kutan, a male singing from the top of bushes among the rocks. Eversmann’s Redstart Phoenicurus erythronota: Amazingly, despite (or because of?) the ghastly weather, we found the most I’ve ever seen here in seven visits! At least seven birds were seen, including one female, with frequent close views of this handsome chat. So much for being the ‘most-missable’ of the birds here! Blue-capped Redstart Phoenicurus caeruleocephalus: Again, despite the weather, these performed well this year with at least six seen, their rather scratchy song often audible among the spruces. Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus: A single migrant female was seen in the Kyzyl Kum desert, plus another near Astana. Güldenstädt’s Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogaster: A pair emerged among the snow-covered buildings at the Cosmostantsia, these hardy birds seemed little concerned with the snowy conditions! Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maura: Three were seen at Chimgan, a single at Aman Kutan, and then not again until we reached the Kurghalzhin steppe where we saw several. Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata: Quite a few being obvious and vocal around Lake Tudakul and the Amu-Bukhara canal, and also seen from our Bukhara hotel. The range of this bird stretches from Iran and Uzbekistan right across southern Asia to New Guinea! Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina: Our first were in the Kyzyl Kum desert, with more seen around the Charyn region, then commonly in the Taucum desert. They are a remarkable mimic, at Kanshengyal we heard them imitate Common Quail, European Bee-eater, Black Kite, Greater Short-toed Lark and whinnying Horse! Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe: Fairly common and visible on the steppes around Astana. Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka: Quite a few seen in rocky hills in Uzbekistan and south-east Kazakhstan, most numerously around Aman Kutan. Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti: Only found in the Charyn area where we found them in the sparsest desert habitat. A fine-looking fellow. Finsch’s Wheatear Oenanthe finschii: Just the second time this has been seen on this tour, we had a great encounter in rocky hills near Aman Kutan. At least five were seen, including two fledged young, but it was the handsome male that chose to show off the most. This must be the furthest north-western part of their range. Variable Wheatear (Eastern Pied W) Oenanthe picata: A male (or possibly two) of the race capistrata was seen in rocky roadside habitat as we travelled to Samarkand. Despite close scrutiny, they are a bit perplexing, but these seem to show a whiter and more restricted white cap, a more extensive black breast, a more regular tail pattern and a noticeably more compact and smaller shape. They also seemed to favour the actual rocky slopes while the Pieds seemed to stick to the tops of the hills. It has also been suggested that capistrata is part of a ‘hybrid-swarm’ with Pied Wheatear! A confusing collection of black-and-white birds! Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius: Three were seen at Aman Kutan. Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus: A pair were seen very well at Beldersay, aggressively chasing off Common Mynas! (Well it’s good to see someone doing that!) Also a single was glimpsed in the fog in the Tien Shan. Common Blackbird Turdus merula: Not uncommon at Aman Kutan, Beldersay, and in the Tien Shan forests where they are represented by the race intermedius. Also seen in Almaty city. Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis: A migrant first-year male circled our camp at Kanshengyal while we were eating breakfast, dropping down to forage behind the yurts before lifting off and heading northwards. Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus: Seen at both ends of the Tien Shan, in the Bolshoi Almatinskiy and at Beldersay, plus a single at Aman Kutan. SYLVIIDAE Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti: Great views of one in bushes near Astana, one of several heard there. Also heard at Aman Kutan, Sorbulak and by the Ili river. Scrub Warbler Scotocerca inquieta: Three typically furtive birds were found among the Saxaul bushes in the Kyzyl Kum desert. Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides: First heard at Lake Tudakul, then we saw one perched up ‘reeling’ on our last morning around Astana. Common Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia: A splendid look at one of two in full voice, in bushes near Astana. Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon: Several songsters lurked in the reedbeds at Lake Tudakul, with some of them showing well at close range. Interestingly, they completely ignored my recordings of the song of Spanish birds. Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola: With reedbeds in short supply around Astana this year, we had to wait till our last morning (and for the rain to pass!) before we had multiple good views of several songsters. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum: Very frequently heard along our route, we saw numerous migrants in Uzbekistan, a horde of them in the bushes at Kanshengyal, and at Astana we saw them on what can be assumed to be their breeding grounds. Caspian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus fuscus: Several were seen singing away in the reedbeds at Lake Tudakul, with others seen along the Zerafshan river. Although not greatly different to European Reed Warbler A. scirpaceus, the song seems simpler and less varied, more strangled and less ‘throaty’. Indian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus brunnescens: Noisy and easy to locate, we found dozens in the reedbeds around Lake Tudakul. Also seen near Samarkand. Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus: Our only contact was with a distant bird perched up in the Astana reedbeds. Unusual in their absence, maybe they just hadn’t arrived yet. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida: Two were seen singing and skulking in the trees at Aman Kutan, better views were had of several birds along the Zerafshan river. Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata: This demure fellow was seen well and fairly often in the Astana region, most numerously in bushy areas where we had great looks at multiple examples, singing their bubbling little song, often just a half-metre off the ground. Sykes’s Warbler Hippolais rama: The southern counterpart of the above, preferring trees and taller vegetation and having a very different song. We saw our first en-route to Bukhara, several in the Saxaul in the Kyzyl Kum desert, and very commonly in the Tamarisks at Lake Tudakul and along the Amu-Bukhara canal. A good concentration was also encountered in the lush wadi at Kanshengyal. Upcher’s Warbler Hippolais languida: A good year for these, we found three vocal songsters boldly holding territory at Aman Kutan, another was singing in the Kyzyl Kum desert and a single was seen at Lake Tudakul. Menetries’s Warbler Sylvia mystacea: A minimum of three birds seen along the Amu-Bukhara canal, with a fine showing by a pair as they circled us, plus another male singing well in the Tamarisks. Asian Desert Warbler Sylvia nana: A pair showed well as they actively buzzed around a sparse wadi in the Charyn desert, the male singing his scratchy little song. Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris: Just one of these big fellows were seen at Aman Kutan, giving us a good look as he sang throatily from the Hawthorn bushes. Birds breeding here are of the race jerdoni, which winters in India unlike other forms of Eastern Orphean Warbler which go to Africa. Another splat in the offing? Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria: Our first was a splendid songster at Charyn, then we saw a migrant first-year bird at Kanshengyal, and a further three or more on territory in bushes near Astana. Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca: Some birds seemingly of the curruca or perhaps blythi form were seen around Astana, then other migrant birds not specifically racially identified were seen in Uzbekistan around Samarkand and Bukhara. We saw a pair of the form halimodendri (Steppe Lesser Whitethroat) that has a distinct warbling song, in bushes by the Ili river in south-eastern Kazakhstan. Hume’s Whitethroat Sylvia althaea: Common around Beldersay and at Aman Kutan, the most striking difference between this and European curruca birds is the loud warbling song, instead of a harsh rattle. It prefers mountains and its breeding range extends from here through to northern Pakistan. Desert Whitethroat Sylvia minula: At least three, at home in the Saxaul bushes of the Kyzyl Kum desert, distinctively diminutive and sandy-coloured with a very different, almost tit-like, chattering call. Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis: A couple of sightings in Uzbekistan, one at Kanshengyal and a handful more in the Astana region. These grey-mantled birds should be of the race rubicola. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides: Plenty of migrants encountered in Uzbekistan, at Beldersay, the Samarkand area and even in the Kyzyl Kum desert. In Kazakhstan we found some in shelter belts along the Almaty-Shilik road, in the snowy Tien Shan, and in the bushes and trees of the Astana region. Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei: Common and vocal in the Bolshoi Almatinskiy (living up to its German name of ‘Tien Shan Warbler’) with a migrant swarm at Kanshengyal farm. Also seen at Beldersay and Aman Kutan. Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus: Hard to find in the snow this year, we heard two or three, and then had a fleeting view of one on our last morning there. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus tristis: A single migrant was seen near Samarkand, then we had further satisfaction with these in the Astana area, singing their very un-Chiffchaff like song! Goldcrest Regulus regulus: A couple were seen in the Bolshoi Almatinskiy spruces. Severtzov’s Tit-Warbler Leptopoecile sophiae: It was hard work but we finally saw these on our last morning in the Tien Shan, with a reasonable view of a female and a glimpse of a male in the juniper. MUSCICAPIDAE Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata: Many migrants encountered in Uzbekistan; at Aman Kutan, Tudakul, the Amu-Bukhara canal and in the Kyzyl Kum desert. Also seen around the farm at Kanshengyal. Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi: A total of four of these marvels seen at Aman Kutan. It seems strange to see this outside of a tropical forest! TIMALIIDAE Bearded Reedling Panurus biarmicus: Some half-a-dozen showed at Lake Tudakul, which is just as well because we ran short of reedbeds around Astana! PARIDAE Songar Tit Parus songarus: A great look at a confiding bird in the spruces close to the Observatory at Bolshoi Almatinskiy. Two others were heard. Rufous-naped Tit Parus rufonuchalis: Two of these handsome tits near our well-appointed hotel at Beldersay, here at the western edge of their range that extends as far east as Nepal. One was watching us very closely, at arms length! Coal Tit Parus ater: A small number noted in the spruce forest at Bolshoi Almatinskiy. Azure Tit Parus cyanus: A pleasing addition to the delights of the Ash Tree Copse ‘resort’, where birds of the tianschanicus race called loudly all around the camp and were seen entering a nest box just outside the main building. Also three were seen on our last morning at Astana, here of the brighter whiter hyperrhiphaeus race. Yellow-breasted Tit Parus flavipectus: Delightfully common at Beldersay, another two seen around Aman Kutan plus a single by the Zerafshan river. Great Tit Parus major: Just a few seen, in shelter belts along the road from Almaty, and also outside our hotel in Astana. Turkestan Tit Parus bokharensis: Our first examples of this Central Asian endemic were seen at Beldersay, then we found more at Aman Kutan, Samarkand and in the Ili valley poplar woods. SITTIDAE Eastern Rock Nuthatch Sitta tephronota: Two birds were seen in classic rocky habitats at Aman Kutan, rather furtive though and they took some finding! CERTHIIDAE Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris (H): Our only heard-only bird, calling from the Bolshoi Almatinskiy spruces. REMIZIDAE European Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus: One was seen in riverine bushes near Astana. White-crowned Penduline Tit Remiz coronatus: Good views of several during the tour, with three in bushes along the Zerafshan river, and another two by our lunch stop between Chilik and Almaty. ORIOLIDAE Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus: Our only sighting was of two flying past the bus near Astana! Indian Golden Oriole Oriolus kundoo: Differing from the above in having a big black teardrop behind the eye and much yellow in the wings, in Uzbekistan we saw this at Aman Kutan, and in Kazakhstan we saw a couple along the shelter belts between Almaty and Shilik. LANIIDAE Turkestan Shrike Lanius [isabellinus] phoenicuroides: We had a brief look at two at Aman Kutan, then more in Kazakhstan with several seen in the Charyn region, and five or more in a bushy wadi at Kanshengyal. Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio: A couple of migrants were seen in the Kyzyl Kum desert, a male in the Taucum desert and two more on the Astana steppe. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach: A handful were seen along roadsides in the Samarkand and Bukhara areas, all of the erythronotus race. Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor: Commonly found wherever trees adjoined open country, all the way from Bukhara to Charyn, plus a couple close to Astana. Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius pallidirostris: Two pairs seen near Kanshengyal, one of which was feeding three large chicks that were out of the nest. These were fairly convincing for this taxon, with both pairs showing some sexual dimorphism. One of the pair (the female?) showed a pale crescent of grey on the lores, greyer tones on the base of the lower mandible, softer plumage tones overall and a little buffy on the breast. Both showed a large white wing patch restricted to the primaries. In the Kyzyl Kum desert we saw eight birds, and although no pallidirostris bill or facial features were noted, it’s possible that this form is highly variable. There is more work to be done on the taxonomy of Central Asian Grey Shrikes! CORVIDAE Eurasian Magpie Pica pica: Recorded almost daily! Pander’s Ground Jay Podoces panderi: A splendid fellow that obliged us by appearing right on the roadside! In the vast landscape of the Kyzyl Kum desert we found a total of nine birds, including a pair with four juveniles, the adults periodically perching up and scolding us. (If you would like to see some video of one of the birds we saw, it’s posted on the Internet - simply go to Youtube.com and type in Pander’s Ground Jay!) Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes: Only seen twice, among the Tien Shan spruces. Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus: Five birds were seen very distantly flying about over the tops at Chimgan, then just two more were seen around the Cosmostantsia. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax: Four birds were seen around the Cosmostantsia, alongside the previous species, and almost certainly with nests judging by the unseen squawking coming from the old buildings. Western Jackdaw Corvus monedula: Seen frequently almost throughout the tour, all were of the silver-necked soemmerringii race. Rook Corvus frugilegus: Common throughout much of the tour. Around Astana they are blamed for the decline of the Sociable Lapwings, and indeed this may be a contributing factor, but I think it’s more to do with the Lapwings needing a very short-grazed sward, which is now scarce due to the lack of both domestic and wild herbivores. Oriental Crow Corvus [corone] orientalis: These were encountered regularly, particularly along the fringes of the Tien Shan and outlying hills. Hooded Crow Corvus cornix: Taking over from the above in the Astana region, though in smaller numbers. Singles were also near Charyn and Kanshengyal. Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis: Two were seen in the Taucum desert, showing paler feet than the next species and with flight feathers that usually appear greyer than the underwing coverts. Common Raven Corvus corax: Four seen at Aman Kutan, also a couple near Samarkand. 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: In Uzbekistan we saw large numbers on the move north-eastwards, most notably at Aman Kutan where 3000 were counted. There were perhaps 1000 in the Taucum desert, with a new colony in one of the recently constructed farm buildings providing us with the spectacle of hundreds of bubble-gum pink adults singing and getting generally festive. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis: Seen daily (even at 2750m in the Tien Shan) until we shook them off by flying to Astana! PASSERIDAE Saxaul Sparrow Passer ammodendri: Some wonderful looks in the Charyn deserts at seven individuals, the lovely males showing off their ginger-and-black head markings, peeking out of their nest holes and chirping away merrily. Restricted to Central Asia. House Sparrow Passer domesticus: We saw a great number of ‘non-House Sparrows’ in Uzbekistan and also in the Kazakh deserts, this is the migrant bactrianus form and is significantly brighter and smarter with a big black bill, and tends to shun human habitation. Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis: Two males seen by the roadside between Tashkent and Samarkand were the only ones of the trip. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus: A scattering of sightings along the way, between Bukhara and Almaty. FRINGILLIDAE Red-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus: Hard to find this year, not least because of the lousy viewing conditions! On our last morning in the Tien Shan we had multiple views of up to eight birds song-flighting and chasing each other with all the joys of spring. European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris: Ten seen at widely scattered localities. Grey-capped Goldfinch Carduelis caniceps: Odd ones and twos seen along our route, then full satisfaction was acquired on our last morning in the Tien Shan with several posing alongside the Red-fronted Serins. Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina: Ten or so were seen flying around in a strong wind at Kokpek! Plain Mountain Finch Leucosticte nemoricola: Some very big flocks seen in the Tien Shan, with 250 in one group, testament to the snowy conditions higher up. Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta: A dozen were seen in the Kyzyl Kum desert, our first views were of a pair standing in the road. Several were also seen coming to waterholes in the Taucum desert. Mongolian Finch Bucanetes mongolicus: Fleeting glimpses of six in the Charyn region, disappearing on the wing over rocky hills, then we had some good looks at a total of nine birds coming to drink at waterholes in the Taucum desert. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus: The most we saw were in the Samarkand area, with odd ones also seen at Beldersay, Kanshengyal and Astana. Red-mantled Rosefinch Carpodacus rhodochlamys: Four of these fine finches perched up in the junipers near the Tien Shan Observatory. Gorgeous! White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes: Vocal and bold in the junipers and spruce of the Tien Shan, even in the snow! EMBERIZIDAE Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos: We found two jousting males in a shelter belt near Astana, eventually tracking down the persistent songsters that were staying just out of sight, and then subjecting them to a close scrutiny! White-capped Bunting Emberiza stewarti: Two were singing away by our hotel at Beldersay, plus another two were seen at Aman Kutan. Handsome! Rock Bunting Emberiza cia: At least four showed well at Chimgan. Grey-necked Bunting Emberiza buchanani: Five or more seen singing away on a rocky hillside in the Charyn area, although our first attempts to see this at Kokpek were thwarted by strong winds! Common Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus: Three at Lake Tudakul were annoyingly only in flight, but would refer to the ‘parrot-billed’ pyrrhuloides form (with very fat bills and much less black/more white around the head and breast.) Plenty of more typical-looking birds were seen in the reedbeds around Astana. Red-headed Bunting Emberiza bruniceps: A prominent and vocal fellow, with many seen near Jizzax and in the hills at Aman Kutan, and very commonly en-route to and around Kanshengyal. Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra: A single bird was seen singing between Shilik and Almaty, and rather surprisingly we saw a stray at 2600m by the Bolshoi Almatinskiy lake! MAMMALS Turkestan Red Pika Ochotona rutila: Just a couple seen in the Tien Shan. Tolai Hare Lepus tolai: Several seen, in the Ili and Charyn area, and also near Kanshengyal. Eurasian Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris (NL): Jo saw one in the Tien Shan. Long-clawed Ground Squirrel Spermophilopsis leptodactylus: At least three in the Kyzyl Kum desert. Bobak Marmot Marmota bobak: Eight or more seen on the Astana steppe. Long-tailed Marmot Marmota caudata: Some nice views of several of these furry fellows in the Tien Shan, they were very confiding and appeared to be taking a shower in the rain!? Yellow Ground Squirrel Spermophilus fulvus: Seen frequently in the drier parts of Uzbekistan and southern Kazakhstan. Russet Ground Squirrel Spermophilus major: Some very cute fellows seen on the Astana steppe. Jerboa sp. Great looks at one in the Kyzyl Kum desert. On range, there are eleven different species to choose from! Without further information, this goes unidentified. Great Gerbil Rhombomys opimus: Plenty in the Charyn area. Coypu Myocastor coypus (NL): Ken saw one from the bus near Astana. Red Fox Vulpes vulpes: A very pallid fellow seen near Nurly. Stoat Mustela erminea: Excellent views of one in the Tien Shan, ‘squeaked in’ to 2m range! Goitred Gazelle Gazella subgutturosa: Some proper wild ones seen in the Charyn area, where we saw five in the desert. Released animals were also seen in the reserve at the Amu-Bukhara canal. Alpine Ibex Capra ibex: A solitary beast was scoped on a distant snowy slope in the Tien Shan. REPTILES Horsfield’s Tortoise Agrionemus horsfieldi: Five were seen along the Amu-Bukhara canal, then eight near Kanshengyal, presenting a driving hazard along the narrow dirt track! Steppe Ribbon Racer Psammophis lineolatus: A great look at a confiding example of this thin snake at Kanshengyal, zipping head up through the sparsest vegetation. Karaganda Pit Viper Gloydius halys caraganus: A small dead one at our yurt camp at Kanshengyal, but Geoffrey met a big live one at night at the Ash Tree Lodge Resort! Asian Glass Lizard (Sheltopusak) Ophisaurus apodus: Some good looks at one at Aman Kutan. Caspian Monitor Varanus griseus caspius: A great look at this huge beast at Lake Tudakul.

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 'Turkestan' = Kazakhstan & Uzbekistan May 2007 (Birdquest)