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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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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) |