Birding trip report Kazakhstan 1-16 May 2015 |
John van der Woude - www.jvanderw.nl - private report of a BirdingBreaks.nl trip |
See also photo
sections: Kaskelen, Kokpek, Charyn (sites 1-6) Taukum desert (sites 7-13) Tien Shan mountains above Almaty (site 14) Astana steppe area (sites 15-17) |
This wonderful trip covered both the region around Almaty (mountains, semi-desert, desert) and the steppe near Astana. Both visited areas (see map below) form only a small part of this huge country in Central Asia. Kazakhstan is an attractive country for birders as it holds, at least in May, an enormous array of species, with many of them being rare or uncommon in Western Europe. In May both the breeding birds and the northern migrants are present. The breathtaking scenery is as impressive as the bird species diversity. Of course it is the large variation in landscapes, from snowy mountains to semi-deserts, deserts and steppe with many wetlands in between, that makes the bird life so diverse. |
Besides Nollie and me there were only two other participants (Hans en Monique) so we had the luxury of near personal guidance and plenty of space in the bus. Birdingbreaks tour leader was Sander Bot, who had done research in Kazakhstan some years before. Local guide for the Almaty region was Machiel Valkenburg who has lived here for several years, knows the birds and the birding sites, and speaks Russian, the de facto common language in Kazakhstan. For the Astana steppe our local guide was nature reserve employee Aleksej with whom we could speak German but we had the youthful Aliya from modern Astana as translator as well. The bus drivers in both regions were very good, and in the yurt camp in the Taukum desert there was friendly personnel as well. Bota, Machiel's wife, handled the permits etc. in the first part of trip. All in all, the four participants were well served! I am glad that BirdingBreaks got on with the trip despite the low number of participants. A special thank-you for our bus driver in the main part of the trip, Leonid from Kirgystan, for his careful and considerate driving and pleasant company. |
We flew Amsterdam-Almaty and Astana-Amsterdam with Turkish Airlines, and Almaty-Astana with Air Astana. For the Almaty region we used one good hotel in Almaty as a base, and returned there after each loop of a few days into the surrounding region with often less luxury accommodation. In the yurt camp, both couples had their own yurt tent, a luxury which is not possible with more participants (then there are yurts for men and yurts for women). Also remarkable were the accommodations near the Charyn canyon (a very secluded small lodge) and the cosy pension in Korgalzhyn. In the mountains above Almaty we stayed in the Alpine Rose hotel, situated at a still pleasant altitude. Lunches were mostly served from the bus and, when going out very early, breakfast as well. |
The weather was generally pleasant and of course a bit cool in the mountains and in the early mornings. We did well on nearly all target species, but somehow the waders were in low numbers in the Astana region (which can hold large numbers in this time of year). So we often heard our local guide Aleksej saying "Wo sind die Limikolen?!" (Where are the waders?!). That was a pity but none of the waders there was a real target. In general on this trip, we were lucky to see some of the most important and not 100% guaranteed species very quickly, like Pallas's Sandgrouse, Sociable Plover, Ibisbill and MacQueen's Bustard. Often the songbirds took some more time to find (as is usual for them), but we found practically all the specialties. |
Below, the trip is summarized in a few maps, photos of birding sites and the species list. More details of the trip are in the separate photo sections of this report (see links on top). |
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Sites visited around
Almaty in the south of Kazahstan: 1. Almaty (where we had a hotel as a base for four short trips). 2. Kaskelen, a valley to get used to some commoner birds, and for Azure Tit. 3. Kokpek pass plus birding along the road from Almaty to Kokpek pass. 4. Sogety valley (Pallas's Sandgrouse, Grey-necked Bunting). 5. Charyn canyon (Grey Wolf!). 6. Kegen area. 7. Sorbulak lake. 8. Wish tree (migrant passerines). 9. Yurt camp in Taukum desert (Caspian Plover) 10. Topar lakes and bush. 11. Zheltorangly riverine woodland (White-winged Woodpecker) 12. Stony desert (Bimaculated Lark). 13. Tamgaly prehistoric rock paintings (Eastern Rock Nuthatch). 14. Tien Shan alpine mountains (Ibisbill, White-browed Tit-Warbler). |
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Korgalzhyn steppe area
near Astana: (Black Lark, White-winged Lark) A. Astana, the modern city in the central north of Kazakhstan. 15. Korgalzhyn village, centre for the steppe nature reserve. 16. different sites in and at the border of the nature reserve. 17. good area for White-winged Lark. |
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Photos of some sites (more in the separate photo sections, see links on top) |
Near the Kokpek pass. Stony semi-desert. White-capped Bunting. |
View from the hills at site 4. Grey-necked Bunting (Steenortolaan). Tien Shan mountain range still white. |
Semi-desert plains near site 4. Pallas's Sandgrouse (Steppehoen). |
Charyn canyon. Sleeping Wolf spotted in centre of photo. See photo section. |
Lone 'wish tree' along road to Kaukum desert. Rufous Scrub Robin (Rosse Waaierstaart) and other migrant songbirds. |
In the now green Taukum desert. Our temporary yurt camp on the horizon. Caspian Plovers. |
Zheltorangly riverine woodland near Topar. White-winged Woodpecker and other specialties. |
Tamgaly prehistoric rock drawings. Eastern Rock Nuthatch (Grote Rotsklever). |
Tien Shan alpine mountains above Almaty. Delta in Big Almaty lake (Ibisbill) . |
Searching accentors above Cosmic Ray station in Tien Shan mountains. At station Güldenstadt's Redstart. |
Near the observatory in Tien Shan mountains. White-browed Tit-warbler. |
Korgalzhyn steppe nature reserve. (Common Cranes visible left.) |
Korgalzhyn steppe nature reserve. Pallas's Gull colony (Reuzenzwartkopmeeuw). |
Species list |
This list has been derived
from the excel list that was used and updated by our tour leader
Sander Bot during the roll call in the evenings. The
numbers in the colums refer to the dates, which are the days of May
2015. The sites visited on these dates are: 2. Kaskelen and Ili Alatau NP 3. East of Almaty to Kokpek pass and beyond 4. Charyn canyon and surroundings 5. as 4 and back to Almaty 6. on our way to Taukum desert 7. Taukum desert NE of the yurt camp (Topar etc.) 8. Taukum desert from yurt camp along Tamgaly back to Almaty 9. Tien Shan mountains above Almaty 10. as 9 11. as 10 and back to Almaty 12. morning in Almaty, travel to Astana and Korgalzhyn 13. steppe area near Korgalzhyn 14. as 13. 15. as 13, afternoon back to Astana * = lifer for Nollie and me. H = heard. |
Mute Swan 1314 Cygnus olor Whooper Swan 131415 Cygnus cygnus Greylag Goose 13 Anser anser rubrirostris Greater White-fronted Goose 13 Anser albifrons albifrons Ruddy Shelduck 2 5 6 8 9 Tadorna ferruginea Common Shelduck 6 1314 Tadorna tadorna Red-crested Pochard 6 131415 Netta rufina Common Pochard 131415 Aythya ferina Ferruginous Duck 6 Aythya nyroca Tufted Duck 1314 Aythya fuligula White-headed Duck 6 13 Oxyura leucocephala Gadwall 6 121314 Anas strepera strepera Eurasian Wigeon 6 Anas penelope Northern Shoveler 6 121314 Anas clypeata Mallard 2 6 1314 Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos Northern Pintail 1314 Anas acuta Garganey 6 7 12131415 Anas querquedula Common Teal 6 Anas crecca crecca Common Goldeneye 13 Bucephala clangula clangula * Himalayan Snowcock H 10 Tetraogallus himalayensis sewerzowi Chukar 3 H 5 Alectoris chukar falki Common Quail H H H Coturnix coturnix coturnix Common Pheasant 2 H 7 Phasanicus colchicus mongolicus Black-throated Loon 13 Gavia arctica arctica Great Cormorant 6 7 1314 Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis Great White Pelican 6 Pelecanus onocrotalus Dalmation Pelican 1314 Pelecanus crispus Great Bittern 13 Botaurus stellaris stelllaris Great Egret 6 1314 Casmerodius albus albus Grey Heron 3 7 12131415 Ardea cinerea cinerea Greater Flamingo 1314 Phoenicopterus roseus Great Crested Grebe 6 7 131415 Podiceps cristata cristatus Red-necked Grebe 13 Podiceps grisegena grisegena Black-necked Grebe 131415 Podiceps nigricollis nigricollis Horned Grebe 13 Podiceps auritus autritus European Honey Buzzard 12 14 Pernis apivorus Black-eared Kite 2 3 4 5 6 7 111213 15 Milvus lineatus Lammergeier 2 11 Gypaetus barbatus aureus Eurasian Griffon Vulture 4 Gyps fulvus fulvus Eurasian Black Vulture 2 Aegypius monachus Western Marsh Harrier 6 7 131415 Circus aeruginosus aeruginosus Pallid Harrier 8 12131415 Circus macrourus Eurasian Sparrowhawk 2 4 5 6 7 9 1011 Accipiter nisus nisus Shikra 7 Accipiter badius cenchroides Steppe Buzzard 2 4 9 10 1415 Buteo buteo vulpinus Long-legged Buzzard 3 4 5 6 7 8 1415 Buteo rufinus rufinus Booted Eagle 12 Aquila pennata Golden Eagle 2 3 5 Aquila chrysaetos canadensis Steppe Eagle 3 4 13 Aquila nipalensis Lesser Kestrel 4 Falco naumanni Common Kestrel 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415 Falco tinnunculus tinnunculus Merlin 10 Falco columbarius lymani Eurasian Hobby 3 5 6 7 8 12 14 Falco subbuteo subbuteo Water Rail H Rallus aquaticus korejewi Common Moorhen 6 7 1213 Gallinula chloropus chloropus Eurasian Coot 6 7 12131415 Fulica atra atra Common Crane 13 Grus grus lilfordi * Demoiselle Crane 3 6 7 8 12131415 Grus virgo Little Bustard 14 Tetrax tetrax Macqueens Bustard 7 Chlamydotis macqueenii Eurasian Oystercatcher 13 Heamatopus ostralegus longipes Ibisbill 9 Ibidorhyncha struthersii Black-winged Stilt 6 7 131415 Himantopus himantopus himantopus Pied Avocet 6 1314 Recurvirostra avosetta Black-winged Pratincole 13 15 Glareola nordmanni Little Ringed Plover 6 7 Charadrius dubius curonicus Common Ringed Plover 1314 Charadrius hiaticula tundrae Kentish Plover 1314 Charadrius alexandrinus alexandrinus Greater Sand Plover 7 8 Charadrius leschenaultii crassirostris Caspian Plover 8 Charadrius asiaticus Grey Plover 13 Pluvialis squatarola Sociable Lapwing 13 Vanellus gregarius Northern Lapwing 3 7 12131415 Vanellus vanellus Temminck's Stint 6 1314 Calidris temminckii Dunlin 1314 Calidris alpina alpina Ruff 6 12131415 Philomachus pugnax Common Snipe H Gallinago gallinago gallinago Black-tailed Godwit 1314 Limosa limosa limosa Eurasian Whimbrel 1314 Numenius phaeopus phaeopus Eurasian Curlew H Numenius arquata arquata/orient. Common Sandpiper 6 9 Actitis hypoleucos Spotted Redshank 6 1314 Tringa erythropus Common Redshank 6 1314 Tringa totanus ussuriensis Common Greenshank 6 Tringa nebularia Marsh Sandpiper 131415 Tringa stagnatilis Green Sandpiper 6 7 12 Tringa ochropus Wood Sandpiper 6 131415 Tringa glareola Red-necked Phalarope 14 Phalaropus lobatus Slender-billed Gull 1314 Chroicoceplalus genei Russian Common Gull 1314 Larus canus henei Black-headed Gull 3 6 7 12131415 Chroicocephalus ridibundus Pallas's Gull 12131415 Larus ichthyaetus * Steppe Gull 12131415 Larus barabensis Caspian Gull 6 7 Larus cachinnans Gull-billed Tern 14 Gelochelidon nilotica nilotica Caspian Tern 12131415 Hydroprogne caspia Black Tern 7 131415 Chlidonias niger niger White-winged Tern 7 12131415 Chlidonias leucopterus Common Tern 7 121314 Sterna hirundo hirundo Black-bellied Sandgrouse 4 6 7 8 Pterocles orientalis arenarius * Pallas's Sandgrouse 4 6 7 8 Syyrhaptes paradoxus Feral Pigeon 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1112131415 Columbia domesticus Rock Dove 4 5 Columba livia neglecta * Yellow-eyed Dove 7 Columba eversmanni Common Wood Pigeon 5 12 Columba palumbus palumbus 2 3 casiotis Eurasian Collared Dove 3 5 Streptopelia decaocto decaocto Oriental Turtle Dove 6 8 1213 15 Streptopelia orientalis meena Common Cuckoo H H 4 5 6 7 8 H H H 1415 Cuculus canorus canorus European Scops Owl 3 H H Otus scops pulchellus Little Owl 4 Athena noctua orientalis Long-eared Owl 6 Asio otus otus Short-eared Owl 12 1415 Asio flammeus flammeus Common Swift 6 8 Apus apus apus 4 6 9 pekinensis Alpine Swift 3 4 Apus melba tuneti Common Kingfisher 8 Alcedo atthis atthis European Bee-eater 6 8 15 Merops apiaster European Roller 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Coracius garrulus semenowi Eurasian Hoopoe 3 4 5 6 7 8 13 Upupa epops epops * White-winged Woodpecker 7 Dendrocopus leucopterus Calandra Lark 6 7 8 Melanocorypha calandra psammochroa Bimaculated Lark 8 Melanocorypha bimaculata torquata * White-winged Lark 131415 Melanocorypha leucoptera * Black Lark 12131415 Melanocorypha yeltoniensis Greater Short-toed Lark 5 7 8 1314 Calandrella brachydactyla longipennis Lesser Short-toed Lark 7 8 Calandrella rufescens heinei Crested Lark 3 6 7 Galerida cristata magna Asian Skylark 131415 Alauda arvensis dulcivox Shore Lark 4 5 Eremophila alpestris brandti Sand Martin 4 6 7 8 12131415 Riparia riparia innominata Barn Swallow 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 12131415 Hirundo rustica rustica Common House Martin 6 8 10 1314 Delichon urbicum urbicum Red-rumped Swallow 3 Cecropis daurica rufula Tawny Pipit 3 4 5 6 7 8 13 Anthus campestris Tree Pipit 2 3 H 8 9 15 Anthus trivialis haringtoni * Blakiston's Pipit 1011 Anthus spinoletta blakistoni * Sykes's Wagtail 6 12131415 Motacilla flava beema Grey-headed Wagtail 1314 Motacilla thunbergi Black-headed Wagtail 7 Motacilla feldegg * White-headed Wagtail 6 Motacilla leucocephala Masked Wagtail 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 Motacilla personata White Wagtail 6 7 12 15 Motacilla alba Citrine Wagtail 7 13 Motacilla citreola citreola Grey Wagtail 2 6 7 8 10 Motacilla cinerea cinerea White-bellied Dipper 2 Cinclus cinclus leucogaster Brown Dipper 2 9 11 Cinclus pallasii tenuirostris Black-throated Accentor 9 10 Prunella atrogularis huttoni Altai Accentor 1011 Prunella himalayana Rufous Scrub Robin 6 7 8 Cercotrichas galactotes familiaris Eastern Nightingale H H 5 H H H Luscinia megarhynchos golzii Red-spotted Bluethroat 7 8 131415 Luscinia svecica pallidogularis White-tailed Rubythroat 9 10 Luscinia pectoralis ballioni * Eversmann's Redstart 9 Phoenicurus erythronotus Blue-capped Redstart 9 10 Phoenicurus coeruleocephalus Common Redstart 6 8 131415 Phoenicurus phoenicurus phoenicurus * Güldenstädt's Redstart 1011 Phoenicurus erythrogaster grandis Siberian Stonechat 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 12131415 Saxicola maurus maurus Isabelline Wheatear 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 Oenanthe isabellina Northern Wheatear 1112131415 Oenanthe oenanthe oenanthe Pied Wheatear 3 4 5 8 Oenanthe pleschanka Desert Wheatear 4 5 Oenanthe deserti atrogularis Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush 3 4 5 Monticola saxatilis Blue Whistling Thrush 2 11 Myophonus caeruleus temminckii Chinese Blackbird 2 4 5 1112 Turdus merula intermedius Mistle Trush 2 9 1011 Turdus viscivorus bonapartei White's Thrush H Zoothera aurea aurea Cetti's Warbler H H 7 Cettia cetti albiventris Eastern Grasshopper Warbler 9 14 Locustella naevia straminea Savi's Warbler H 13 Locustella luscinioides fusca Paddyfield Warbler 7 8 13 Acrocephalus agricola Blyth's Reed Warbler 8 12 Acrocephalus dumetorum Booted Warbler 131415 Iduna caligata * Sykes's Warbler 6 7 8 Iduna rama Great Reed Warbler 6 Acrocephalus arundinaceus zarudnyi * Asian Desert Warbler 4 Sylvia nana Barred Warbler 6 8 Sylvia nisoria Lesser Whitethroat 12 1415 Sylvia curruca curruca H 4 5 6 7 8 halimodendri Common Whitethroat 13 Sylvia communis volgensis Greenish Warbler 8 H 131415 Phylloscopus trochiloides viridanus Hume's Leaf Warbler 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 101112 Phylloscopus humei humei Sulphur-bellied Warbler 2 5 Phylloscopus griseolus Siberian Chiffchaff 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 15 Phylloscopus collybita tristis Tien Shan Goldcrest 9 11 Regulus regulus tristis White-browed Tit Warbler 10 Leptopoecile sophiae sophiae Spotted Flycatcher 8 Muscicapa striata striata 6 7 neumanni Bearded Reedling 7 13 Panurus biarmicus russicus Azure Tit 2 Cyanistes cyanus tianschanicus H 5 7 koktalensis * Turkestan Tit 7 Parus bokharensis turkestanicus Great Tit 2 3 5 6 101112 Parus major major Coal Tit 9 1011 Periparus ater rufipectus Songar Tit 11 Poecile songara songara * Eastern Rock Nuthatch 8 Sitta tephronota tephronota Wallcreeper 2 Tichodroma muraria nepalensis Eurasian Treecreeper 9 Certhia familiaris tianschanica *White-crowned Penduline Tit 3 H Remiz coronatus coronatus Eurasian Golden Oriole H 14 Oriolus oriolus oriolis Red-backed Shrike 8 15 Lanius collurio collurio Red-tailed Shrike 3 4 5 6 7 8 Lanius phoenicuroides Daurian Shrike 6 Lanius isabellinus isabellinus Rufous-backed Shrike 5 Lanius schach erythronotus Lesser Grey Shrike 3 4 5 6 7 8 15 Lanius minor Asian Grey Shrike 7 Lanius lahtora pallidirostris Russian Magpie 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415 Pica pica bactriana Alpine Chough 1011 Pyrrhocorax graculus forsythi Red-billed Chough 1011 Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax centralis Russian Jackdaw 121314 Corvus monedula soemmerringii Rook 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 12131415 Corvus frugilegus frugulegus Oriental Crow 3 5 6 7 8 11 Corvus corone orientalis Hooded Crow 12131415 Corvus cornix sharpii Brown-necked Raven 6 7 8 Corvus ruficollis ruficollis Common Raven 2 4 9 1011 Corvus corax tibetanus Common Starling 12 1415 Sturnus vulgaris poltaratskyi 3 4 5 6 8 porphyronotus Rose-coloured Starling 6 7 8 14 Sturnus roseus Common Myna 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 1112 Acridotheres tristis tristis * Saxaul Sparrow 7 Passer ammodendri nigricans House Sparrow 3 4 5 6 7 121314 Passer domesticus domesticus Indian Sparrow 5 6 8 bactrianus Eurasian Tree Sparrow 12 15 Passer montanus montanus 3 5 dilutus Rock Sparrow 4 Petronia petronia intermedia Red-fronted Serin 9 1011 Serinus pusillus European Greenfinch H Chloris chloris turkestanicus Grey-crowned Goldfinch 2 3 5 10 Carduelis carduelis paropanisi Common Linnet 3 4 5 Carduelis cannabina bella Asian Twite 13 Carduelis flavirostris kirghizorum Common Crossbill 9 H 11 Loxia curvirostra tianschanica Plain Mountain Finch 1011 Leucosticte nemoricola altaica Asian Crimson-winged Finch 3 4 Rhodopechys sanguineus * Desert Finch 6 8 Rhodospiza obsoleta * Mongolian Finch 3 5 Bucanetes mongolicus Common Rosefinch 131415 Carpodacus erythrinus erythrinus 5 H 8 H ferghanensis * Red-mantled Rosefinch 9 10 Carpodacus rhodachlamys White-winged Grosbeak 9 10 Mycerobas carnipes carnipes White-capped Bunting 3 Emberiza stewarti Rock Bunting 2 3 4 H Emberiza cia par * Grey-necked Bunting 3 4 5 Emberiza buchanani neobscura Common Reed Bunting 121314 Emberiza schoeniclus incognita 7 pyrrhuloides Red-headed Bunting 6 7 8 Emberiza bruniceps Corn Bunting 3 Emberiza calandra buturlini Grey Wolf 4 Canis lupus Corsac Fox 6 7 8 Vulpes corsac Turkmen Gazelle 7 8 Gazella subgutturosa gracilicornis Red Squirrel 1011 Sciurus vulgaris Grey Marmot 1011 Marmota baibacina Turkestan Red Pika 11 Ochotona rutila Long-tailed Ground Squirrel 3 4 5 7 8 Urocitellus undulatus Tolai Hare 8 13 Lepus tolai Central Asian Tortoise 7 8 Agrionemys horsfieldii Little Ground Squirrel 13 15 Spermophilus pygmaeus Bobak Marmot 14 Marmota bobak number of seen taxa: 34 46 85 64 30 47 84 50 50 76 29 30 96 57 day: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415 The most important species that we missed are: Meadow Bunting (scarce/rare; new stake-out needed) Brown Accentor (altitudinal migrant; better understanding needed) Black-headed Penduline-Tit (scarce/rare; habitat lost; new stake-out needed and/or a longer search around Topar) |