Explorations into Central Asia, this trip to southern Kazakhstan is my first to the region (following an aborted attempt about four years ago, when my flight was cancelled midway!) and will focus on the high Tian Shan mountains and the vast expanses of semi-desert that stretch to the north. With potential species including Pallas's Sandgrouse, Ibisbill, Saxual Sparrow and Altai Accentor, not to forget a faint glimmer of a hope of Pander's Ground Jay (virtually impossible in Kazakhstan I fear), this should be a truly memorable trip.
Traveling from the 4th to 20th July, I don't expect much in the way of internet access, so updates probably only on return.
4 July. Kiev, Ukraine.
Stop-over on route to Kazakhstan, only had a couple of hours free, so I nipped out from the airport, incurred the wrath of a couple of local police by wandering around scrubland adjacent to the airport fences, but in the process notched up a few nice morsels to get the trip underway - I was primarily seeking out butterflies, but the typical east European mix of birds also included several Red-backed Shrikes, a Wryneck, one Marsh Harrier quartering adjacent to the runways, plus plentiful Whinchats, a couple of Northern Wheatears and a Black Redstart. Almost back in the airport terminal, a small patch of woodland produced one Syrian Woodpecker, one Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and several Spotted Flycatchers.
Then had some work to do, but already finished this, so may just take a wander back to the scubby area ...flight to Almaty in three hours.
Traveling from the 4th to 20th July, I don't expect much in the way of internet access, so updates probably only on return.
4 July. Kiev, Ukraine.
Stop-over on route to Kazakhstan, only had a couple of hours free, so I nipped out from the airport, incurred the wrath of a couple of local police by wandering around scrubland adjacent to the airport fences, but in the process notched up a few nice morsels to get the trip underway - I was primarily seeking out butterflies, but the typical east European mix of birds also included several Red-backed Shrikes, a Wryneck, one Marsh Harrier quartering adjacent to the runways, plus plentiful Whinchats, a couple of Northern Wheatears and a Black Redstart. Almost back in the airport terminal, a small patch of woodland produced one Syrian Woodpecker, one Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and several Spotted Flycatchers.
Then had some work to do, but already finished this, so may just take a wander back to the scubby area ...flight to Almaty in three hours.
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