Uzunagach. Thrushes Day 2.

We were going to visit silverberry groves in east of Almaty today, but drive in opposite direction, because yesterday in Uzunagach village I found rare for us species of Thrushes, which would be new species for Gennady and Victoria. Birding spot is snake-shaped river with a few silverberry trees, in which different species of birds are foraging, mostly Thrushes, majority of which is formed by of course Black-throated ones. Not immediately but we found firstly Red-throated Thrush, and then Dusky one, and even Redwing. Victoria and Gennady have two new birds each. I also was happy due guys saw rare birds I found yesterday. More than my today photos exactly better than yesterday ones. Before the lunch time we found all we wished, but Victoria couldn't photograph Redwing, but it hid somwhere. Have to say Redwing today was th most shy of all six species of local Thrushes, and seems it was a single bird. We discussed the probable reasons of presence of rare Thrushes. Gennady guessed the one of the reason may be the huge snowfalls and heavy frost of last time in Siberia and north part of Kazakhstan. It may well be. Until a lot of snow in north, these Thrushes may stay some time in our locality.

Once one of my familiar Dutch birdwatcher said that true birding is when you stay during several hours near the tree which is full the birds, and they are appeared gradually, not all in one time, and even after two hour of watching you have a chnce to view the new bird which all this time hid in the leaves. So we had this true birding before the lunch. But after lunch we turn to photo safari mode familiar for us. In Sorbulak lake it means driving and taking photos directly from the open windows of car. We drove from Uzunagach to Degeres. In a beginning birds were a bit, then we met large flocks of Corn Buntings, Bramblings, Crested and Calandra Larks, and single Long-legged Buzzards too. In summer time this habitat is much richer of birds, but today we have a photos of birds in nice warm light, that's also very good.

1. Dusky Thrush

2. Red-throated Thrush

3. Black-throated Thrush

4. Fieldfire

5. Common Starling

6. Greemfinch

7. Ruddy Sheducks

8. Calandra Lark

9. Laughing Dove

10. Pine Bunting

11. Long-legged Buzzard

12. Crested Lark

13. Black-throated Accentor

14. Zhetyzhol ridge

15. Voctoria and Gennady in Degeres