[Askar Isabekov]

Please help to id birds from Northern Kazakhstan. First birds is raptor. is it Steppe Eagle (A.nipalensis)? Second bird is Warbler. I don't have any guess.

[Askar Isabekov]

Third bird is unknown thrush (probably juvenile Black-throated Thrush T.atrogularis).

[Jane Turner]

You are right on the thrush. That warbler is hard! I was thinking it might be Paddyfield on the first photo , then I switched to Blyth's Reed Warbler.... then Idecided it was one of these

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=10729

in other words, really not sure

[KenM]

Askar Hi, I think the Eagle(s) are out of the Steppe/Spotted group...can't say which though, and I believe your right with the BTThrush, as for the warbler....my first impression on the middle image was Booted...but once again can't commit without seeing the UTC's and more profile. cheers

[lou salomon]

the eagle looks like a younger (3cy?) aquila clanga.

[Askar Isabekov]

Thanks Jane. After your answer I guess more to Paddyfield Warbler - reddish rump, rounded tail and contrasted fly feathers.

[Askar Isabekov]

Additional photos of Eagle.

[Askar Isabekov]

Originally Posted by lou salomon

the eagle looks like a younger (3cy?) aquila clanga.

I think you are right. Thanks.

[The_Partridge]

Booted Warbler

[Askar Isabekov]

Originally Posted by The_Partridge

Booted Warbler

Why?

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

Look to me like Spotted Eagle, Booted Warbler and BT Thrush. The warbler does look quite different in the first photo, but the second and third certainly suggest a Booted type, and the head/bill profile and length of bill probably suggest Booted rather than Sykes (though obviously they're rather more complicated than this and I'm not sure which are found there)

Jan

[Askar Isabekov]

Thanks Jan-Paul

[The_Partridge]

Originally Posted by Askar Isabekov

Why?

Hi Askar,

Sorry to be brief but it was the end of my lunch hour and I had to get back to work

Compare the middle/second of your warbler photos to the Booted Warbler in the photograph I attach below (an excellent educational juxtaposition from Hugh Harrop)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_90oyWFBpxo...po-Overlay.jpg

It's not for me or anyone else to tell you what it is, so, what do you think ?

it's not clear where your photo was taken but I remember that Booted has a northerly distribution in your country and Sykes a southerly distribution. Your photo was taken in the north so that is a good sign for Booted. Anyway I think you can see from comparing the photo that it's not a Sykes ?

I hope life's good in Kazakhstan. That was probably my favourite birding trip I've been on. The Tien Shan was a brilliant place

best wishes

[Askar Isabekov]

Thanks The_Partridge.

[Askar Isabekov]

Other two birds from Kazakhstan. Tien-Shan 3000 m

[Jane Turner]

The first bird appears to be a pipit, presumably Water of a race that I'm not used to!

I'm running away from the Rock Sparrow like thing - I'm sure that someone else will be able to help

[Askar Isabekov]

Thanks Jane. I also think Water Pipit and Rock Sparrow.

[china guy]

Number 2, with that white on the coverts and streaky back looks better for Plain Mountain Finch - we get this species at 3000m although during breeding season it easier to find them higher up.

[Askar Isabekov]

Leucosticte nemoricola was my first guess. But later I saw photos of nemoricola and didn't find photo with raised crown feathers. But Petronia does it often. I understand that photo is not good to id bird. Next time I will try to do more detailed one.

[china guy]

Just start with picture 1 at OBC for Plain Mountain finch and you get a bird with raised crown feathers
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search...Family_ID=&p=3

We regularly run into both Plain Mountain Finch and Rock Petronia Your picture is certainly good enough for me to stick with the Mountain Finch ID.

[norwichbirder]

I'm not entirely sure on distribution off the top of my head, but the last one made me think Crimson-winged Finch. Admittedly, I have no experience of Plain Mountain Finch.

[The_Partridge]

Originally Posted by china guy

We regularly run into both Plain Mountain Finch and Rock Petronia Your picture is certainly good enough for me to stick with the Mountain Finch ID.

I think this is indeed the enigmatic Roy Hodgson's Mountain Finch, also known as Plain Mountain Finch. Ruffled feathers probably just due to the wind

I don't remember seeing Blakiston's Water Pipit up there (not that I'd have been looking very hard with some superb target birds to find instead) but I can't see what else it could be

[Askar Isabekov]

Thanks all. Now I am sure that Pipit is really Blakiston's Water Pipit. In the meadow I saw both Tree and Water Pipit so I wasn't sure that time. And I wonder that so bad photo of finch was gave possibility to id the bird so confidently.

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

Is there any chance it's a Mongolian Finch, with the bill shape just affected by the angle?

[china guy]

What about reasons why the bird shouldn't be a Plain Mountain Finch???????
Here's a pic of a group of these birds we took this December - a couple of birds showing white on the coverts - the same shaped bill and one of the birds even has slightly raised crown feathers.