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CENTRAL ASIA 2003

“The superb views we had of a male Servertzov's Tit Warbler no doubt contributed to it being generally considered to be the bird of the trip. This beautifully marked sprite sat right up just in front of us allowing for frame filing views and even some photographs.

In fact good views of so many of the specialities typified the tour. A pair of Himalayan Snowcocks proved too remarkably tame for what is normally such a shy species. Likewise the Sulphur-bellied Warbler singing from a tree-top and later carrying nesting material during a purple patch with Songar Tit, Eversmann’s and Blue-capped Redstarts also showing really well.

Equally remarkable were the sightings of the Ibisbill. After locating a single bird, as usual, way across the other side of the lake we were surprised when it took off and flew right towards us, landing at the edge of a small pool just below us to give unprecedented views. Indeed our time in the mountains could not be faulted with all the birds we wanted showing really well and a very welcome surprise in the form of a couple of Brandt’s Mountain Finches.

Waking up in the Taukum Desert to the amazing sound of hundreds Lesser Short-toed, Greater Short-toed, Calandra, and Bimaculated larks filling the dawn with their songs was another unforgettable experience. We also had great views of two displaying male Macqueen's Bustards, Black-bellied Sandgrouse by the dozen, a single Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, handsome Greater Sand Plovers in breeding plumage, a migrant Baillon's Crake creeping around a small pool, Demoiselle Cranes, and a great mix of migrants in this wonderful habitat. The visit to the turanga woodland was blessed with virtually no wind, which allowed us great views of Yellow-eyed Stock Dove, Saxual Sparrow, White-winged Woodpecker and Azure and Turkestan Tits.

Up at Astana the sheer number of birds was overwhelming, in particular the incredible concentrations of Ruff, Red-necked Phalaropes and White-winged Black Terns. The very active Sociable Plovers were a real treat and,of course, the sight of all those Black Larks and White-winged Larks will not easily be forgotten.

The new camp east of Almaty proved to be a success although we had little time to really savour the setting with Lesser Kestrel, Pallas’s Sandgrouse, Shore Lark, Desert Warbler, Desert Wheatear, Rock Sparrow, and much more waiting to be found.

Our time in Uzbekistan was, as usual, a mix of birds and culture with the hills outside of Samarkand giving us White-throated Robin, Hume’s Short-toed Lark and Asian Paradise Flycatcher among others, and the ancient buildings providing us with an insight to what was once a truly remarkable city.

Around Bukhara rain threatened to wash out the day but it eventually cleared allowing us to get to grips with skulking Ménétries Warbler as well as the more showy Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters and White-tailed Plovers. The wetlands were full of birds, from flights of Pygmy Cormorants to a single Marbled Duck and hundreds of Clamorous Reed Warblers. Our views of Pander’s Ground Jay were about as good as they get, and the migrants at that small stand of trees were full of surprises. As was the town itself – a real delight to wander around.

Our final birding session in the hills above Tashkent was a fitting one with White-capped Buntings and Yellow-breasted and Rufous-naped Tits all showing well before a last look around Tashkent and the flight home. “ by Steve Rooke.

Bird List

There have been six Central Asia tours to date. Below is a list of all the species recorded on these trips.

As there is still no single recent guide covering the region, many recent taxonomic changes will not be found in older books like Flint’s Field Guide to the Birds of Russia. A set of taxonomic notes explaining some of the species given below will be sent with the daily checklist nearer departure.

Column A = Number of tours this species has been recorded on.

Column B = Number of days this species was seen on the last tour.

Column C = Maximum daily count for this species on the last tour.

H = Heard only

(H) = Species seen, but most birds only heard

N = Nesting evident

A		B	C
6	Little Grebe	5	22		Tachybaptus ruficollis
6	Great Crested Grebe	4	20		Podiceps cristatus
6	Red-necked Grebe	1	15		Podiceps grisegena
5	Slavonian Grebe	1	3		Podiceps auritus
5	Black-necked Grebe	2	30		Podiceps nigricollis
6	Great Cormorant	6	12		Phalacrocorax carbo
6	Pygmy Cormorant	1	100	N	Phalacrocorax pygmeus
6	Dalmatian Pelican	2	120		Pelecanus crispus
1	Great White Pelican				Pelecanus onocrotalus
6	Eurasian Bittern	3	2		Botaurus stellaris
4	Little Bittern				Ixobrychus minus
5	Black-crowned Night Heron	1	10		Nycticorax nycticorax
6	Little Egret	1	2		Egretta garzetta
6	Great Egret	4	1		Casmerodius albus
6	Grey Heron	4	12		Ardea cinerea
6	Purple Heron	2	6		Ardea purpurea
4	Black Stork				Ciconia nigra
6	White Stork	1	60	N	Ciconia ciconia
6	Glossy Ibis	1	15		Plegadis falcinellus
5	Spoonbill	1	2		Platalea leucorodia
4	Greater Flamingo				Phoenicopterus ruber
6	Mute Swan	2	20		Cygnus olor
5	Whooper Swan	1	3		Cygnus cygnus
6	Greylag Goose	3	15		Anser anser
6	Ruddy Shelduck	8	12		Tadorna ferruginea
6	Shelduck	1	25		Tadorna tadorna
6	Gadwall	7	15		Anas strepera
3	Common Teal				Anas crecca
6	Mallard	5	6	N	Anas platyrhynchos
6	Northern Pintail	4	2		Anas acuta
1	Wigeon	3	15		Anas penelope
6	Garganey	7	40		Anas querquedula
6	Northern Shoveler	5	12		Anas clypeata
5	Marbled Duck	1	1		Marmaronetta angustirostris
6	Red-crested Pochard	5	40		Netta rufina
6	Pochard	4	50		Aythya ferina
6	Ferruginous Duck	2	2		Aythya nyroca
6	Tufted Duck	2	30		Aythya fuligula
6	Common Goldeneye	2	20		Bucephala clangula
6	White-headed Duck	2	10		Oxyura leucocephala
2	European Honey-buzzard				Pernis apivorus
6	Black-eared Kite	7	6		Milvus migrans lineatus
6	Lammergeier	2	1		Gypaetus barbatus
5	Egyptian Vulture	1	2		Neophron percnopterus
4	Himalayan Griffon				Gyps himalayensis
6	Eurasian Griffon	3	20		Gyps fulvus
6	Black Vulture	5	4		Aegypius monachus
4	Short-toed Eagle				Circaetus gallicus
6	Western Marsh Harrier	6	50		Circus aeruginosus
6	Pallid Harrier	3	30		Circus macrourus
6	Montagu's Harrier	3	3		Circus pygargus
1	Hen Harrier	1	1		Circus cyaneus
6	Northern Sparrowhawk	5	3		Accipiter nisus
6	Shikra	2	5		Accipiter badius
1	Goshawk				Accipiter gentilis
5	Common (Steppe) Buzzard	2	1		Buteo buteo vulpinus
6	Long-legged Buzzard	9	30		Buteo rufinus
5	Golden Eagle	6	5		Aquila chrysaetos
6	Steppe Eagle	2	2		Aquila nipalensis
2	Imperial Eagle				Aquila heliaca
2	Great Spotted Eagle				Aquila clanga
5	Booted Eagle	2	2		Hieraaetus pennatus
5	Lesser Kestrel	5	20		Falco naumanni
6	Common Kestrel	12	12		Falco tinnunculus
6	Red-footed Falcon	2	6	N	Falco vespertinus
4	Merlin	1	1		Falco columbarius
6	Eurasian Hobby	8	7		Falco subbuteo
1	Peregrine Falcon				Falco peregrinus
6	Himalayan Snowcock	3	10		Tetraogallus himalayensis
3	Grey Partridge	1	4		Perdix perdix
6	Chukar	6	15		Alectoris chukar
6	Common Quail	3	1	(H)	Coturnix coturnix
6	Common Pheasant	3	2		Phasianus colchicus
5	Water Rail				Rallus aquaticus
1	Little Crake				Porzana parva
1	Baillon's Crake	1	1		Porzana pusilla
6	Common Moorhen	3	4		Gallinula chloropus
6	Coot	6	50		Fulica atra
6	Demoiselle Crane	3	20		Anthropoides virgo
6	Houbara (Macqueen’s) Bustard	2	2		Chlamydotis (undulata) macqueenii
6	Ibisbill	1	2		Ibidorhyncha struthersii
6	Black-winged Stilt	7	15		Himantopus himantopus
5	Pied Avocet	1	20	N	Recurvirostra avosetta
6	Collared Pratincole	2	4		Glareola pratincola
6	Black-winged Pratincole	2	25		Glareola nordmanni
6	Little Ringed Plover	8	4		Charadrius dubius
2	Ringed Plover				Charadrius hiaticula
6	Kentish Plover	1	6		Charadrius alexandrinus
4	Greater Sand Plover	2	7	N	Charadrius leschenaultii
3	Caspian Plover				Charadrius asiaticus
4	Sociable Plover	1	8		Vanellus gregarius
5	White-tailed Plover	3	30	N	Vanellus leucurus
6	Lapwing	7	20		Vanellus vanellus
1	Stone Curlew	1	1		Burhinus oedicnemus
2	Sanderling				Calidris alba
6	Little Stint	2	10		Calidris minuta
4	Temminck’s Stint	5	7		Calidris temminckii
6	Curlew Sandpiper	1	50		Calidris ferruginea
4	Dunlin	1	100		Calidris alpina
6	Ruff	2	‘000s		Philomachus pugnax
2	Common Snipe				Gallinago gallinago
6	Black-tailed Godwit	2	40		Limosa limosa
3	Whimbrel	1	10		Numenius phaeopus
4	Curlew	1	1		Numenius arquata
2	Spotted Redshank	1	30		Tringa erythropus
6	Common Redshank	2	15		Tringa totanus
6	Marsh Sandpiper	2	8		Tringa stagnatilis
4	Greenshank	1	1		Tringa nebularia
3	Green Sandpiper	1	3		Tringa ochropus
4	Wood Sandpiper	2	30		Tringa glareola
6	Terek Sandpiper	1	5		Xenus cinereus
6	Common Sandpiper	6	6		Actitis hypoleucos
6	Oystercatcher	2	6		Haematopus ostralegus
1	Turnstone	1	3		Arenaria interpres
6	Red-necked Phalarope	3	100	N	Phalaropus lobatus
5	Caspian Gull	1	100	N	Larus (cachinnans) cachinnans
6	Caspian (Baraba) Gull	3	‘00s		Larus (cachinnans) barabensis
6	Great Black-headed Gull	1	30		Larus ichthyaetus
6	Black-headed Gull	1	10		Larus ridibundus
6	Slender-billed Gull	1	5		Larus genei
4	Common Gull	1	6		Larus canus
6	Little Gull	1	6		Larus minutus
6	Gull-billed Tern	9	30		Sterna nilotica
6	Caspian Tern	2	50	N	Sterna caspia
5	Common Tern	9	30		Sterna hirundo
6	Little Tern	2	50	N	Sterna albifrons
2	Whiskered Tern				Chlidonias hybridus
6	Black Tern	3	50		Chlidonias niger
6	White-winged Black Tern	3	‘000s		Chlidonias leucopterus
6	Black-bellied Sandgrouse	7	100	N	Pterocles orientalis
4	Pin-tailed Sandgrouse	1	1		Pterocles alchata
6	Pallas's Sandgrouse	1	3		Syrrhaptes paradoxus
6	Rock Dove	13	30		Columba livia
4	Stock Dove	3	2		Columba oenas
6	Yellow-eyed Stock Dove	1	12	N	Columba eversmanni
6	Wood Pigeon	3	4		Columba palumbus
6	Collared Dove	10	10		Streptopelia decaocto
6	Turtle Dove	5	20		Streptopelia turtur
6	Oriental Turtle Dove	8	50		Streptopelia orientalis
6	Laughing Dove	7	20		Streptopelia senegalensis
6	Eurasian Cuckoo	15	20		Cuculus canorus
1	Tawny Owl	1	2		Strix aluco
3	Scops Owl				Otus scops
1	Eagle Owl				Bubo bubo
6	Little Owl	1	2		Athene noctua
4	Short-eared Owl	1	1		Asio flammeus
4	European Nightjar	1	1		Caprimulgus (europaeus) unwini
6	Alpine Swift	5	100		Apus melba
6	Common Swift	6	‘000s		Apus apus
6	Common Kingfisher	1	1		Alcedo atthis
6	Blue-cheeked Bee-eater	4	50		Merops persicus
6	European Bee-eater	11	12		Merops apiaster
6	Eurasian Roller	11	100		Coracias garrulus
6	Hoopoe	9	6	N	Upupa epops
1	Eurasian Wryneck				Jynx torquilla
6	White-winged Woodpecker	1	6		Dendrocopos leucopterus
3	Great Spotted Woodpecker	1	1		Dendrocopos major
4	Three-toed Woodpecker	1	1		Picoides tridactylus
6	Calandra Lark	5	40		Melanocorypha calandra
6	Bimaculated Lark	3	20		Melanocorypha bimaculata
6	White-winged Lark	1	100		Melanocorypha leucoptera
6	Black Lark	1	500		Melanocorypha yeltoniensis
6	Short-toed Lark	4	20		Calandrella brachydactyla
6	Hume’s Short-toed Lark	1	3		Calandrella acutirostris
6	Lesser Short-toed Lark	1	1		Calandrella rufescens
6	Asian Short-toed Lark	4	50	N	Calandrella cheelensis
6	Crested Lark	9	15		Galerida cristata
6	Skylark	2	50		Alauda arvensis
4	Oriental Skylark	2	3		Alauda gulgula
4	Shore Lark	1	2		Eremophila alpestris
6	Sand Martin	6	‘000s	N	Riparia riparia
3	Pale Martin	1	50	N	Riparia diluta
5	Crag Martin				Hirundo rupestris
6	Barn Swallow	13	40		Hirundo rustica
6	Red-rumped Swallow	4	4		Hirundo daurica
6	Common House Martin	4	15		Delichon urbica
6	Tawny Pipit	3	4		Anthus campestris
6	Tree Pipit	7	6		Anthus trivialis
6	Water Pipit	2	20		Anthus spinoletta
6	Yellow Wagtail	2	20		Motacilla flava
4	Yellow Wagtail	4	50		Motacilla (flava) thunbergii
6	Yellow Wagtail	4	12		Motacilla (flava) feldegg
6	Yellow Wagtail	2	100		Motacilla (flava) beema
3	Yellow Wagtail	2	2		Motacilla (flava) supercilaris
5	Citrine Wagtail	1	2		Motacilla (citreola) werae
3	Citrine Wagtail	1	10		Motacilla (citreola) calcarata
5	Citrine Wagtail				Motacilla (citreola) citreola
6	Grey Wagtail	9	10	N	Motacilla cinerea
6	Masked (White) Wagtail	8	10		Motacilla (alba) personata
2	White Wagtail	3	20		Motacilla (alba) leucopsis
6	Brown Dipper	2	2		Cinclus pallasii
5	(White-Bellied) Dipper	2	1		Cinclus cinclus
1	Waxwing				Bombycilla garrulus
6	Wren	3	3		Troglodytes troglodytes
5	Altai Accentor	1	4		Prunella himalayana
6	Brown Accentor	2	3		Prunella fulvescens
6	Black-throated Accentor	3	6		Prunella atrogularis
6	Nightingale	9	8		Luscinia megarhynchos
6	White-tailed Rubythroat	3	6		Luscinia pectoralis
6	Bluethroat	3	10		Luscinia svecica
5	White-throated Robin	1	2		Irania gutturalis
6	Rufous Bush Robin	3	6		Cercotrichas galactotes
3	Common Redstart	3	2		Phoenicurus phoenicurus
4	Eversmann’s Redstart	3	2		Phoenicurus erythronota
6	Blue-capped Redstart	1	5		Phoenicurus caeruleocephalus
6	Güldenstädt's Redstart	1	2		Phoenicurus erythrogaster
6	Pied Bushchat	3	15		Saxicola caprata
6	Common (Siberian) Stonechat	5	20		Saxicola torquata maura
6	Isabelline Wheatear	7	‘00s	N	Oenanthe isabellina
6	Northern Wheatear	3	30		Oenanthe oenanthe
6	Pied Wheatear	7	20		Oenanthe pleschanka
4	Pied Wheatear	1	1		Oenanthe (pleschanka) vittata
6	Variable Wheatear	1	3		Oenanthe picata capistrata
6	Desert Wheatear	1	1		Oenanthe deserti
6	Blue Whistling-thrush	1	3	N	Myiophonus caeruleus
1	Blue Rock Thrush	1	1		Monticola solitarius
2	(Rufous-tailed) Rock Thrush	2	3		Monticola saxatilis
6	Blackbird	8	8		Turdus merula
3	Black-throated Thrush	2	4		Turdus atrogularis
5	Fieldfare	1	4		Turdus pilaris
6	Mistle Thrush	4	4		Turdus viscivorus
6	Streaked Scrub Warbler	1	3		Scotocerca inquieta
6	Cetti's Warbler	5	6		Cettia cetti
6	Grasshopper Warbler	1	2		Locustella naevia
6	Savi's Warbler	4	5		Locustella luscinioides
3	Moustached Warbler	1	3		Acrocephalus melanopogon
3	Sedge Warbler				Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
6	Paddyfield Warbler	4	30		Acrocephalus agricola
6	(Caspian) Reed Warbler	2	6		Acrocephalus scirpaceus fuscus
6	Blyth's Reed Warbler	11	6		Acrocephalus dumetorum
6	Great Reed Warbler	2	1		Acrocephalus arundinaceus
6	Clamorous Reed Warbler	3	100		Acrocephalus stentoreus
6	Booted Warbler	1	4		Hippolais caligata
6	Sykes's (Booted) Warbler	5	15		Hippolais (caligata) rama
6	Eastern Olivaceous Warbler	1	4		Hippolais pallida elaeica
6	Upcher's Warbler	1	6		Hippolais languida
3	Ménétries Warbler	1	3		Sylvia mystacea
5	Desert Warbler	2	1		Sylvia nana
1	Eastern Orphean Warbler				Sylvia hortensis
5	Barred Warbler	5	2		Sylvia nisoria
5	Lesser Whitethroat	5	20		Sylvia curruca halimodendri
6	Hume's Lesser Whitethroat	3	6		Sylvia (curruca) althaea
1	Small (Desert) Lesser Whitethroat				Sylvia (curruca) minula
6	Common Whitethroat	1	1		Sylvia communis icterops
5	Sulphur-bellied Warbler	1	3	N	Phylloscopus griseolus
6	Greenish Warbler	7	30		Phylloscopus trochiloides
4	Yellow-browed Warbler	1	1		Phylloscopus inornatus
6	Hume's Leaf Warbler	8	50		Phylloscopus (inornatus) humei
4	(Siberian) Chiffchaff	7	50		Phylloscopus (tristis) collybita
6	Severtov’s Tit Warbler	2	2		Leptopoecile sophiae
6	Goldcrest	2	2		Regulus regulus
6	Spotted Flycatcher	7	6		Muscicapa striata
5	Asian Paradise Flycatcher	1	4		Terpsiphone paradisi
1	Long-tailed Tit				Aegithalos caudatus
6	Bearded Tit	2	10	N	Panurus biarmicus
6	Songar Tit	2	3	N	Parus (montanus) songarus
6	Coal Tit	3	10		Parus ater
2	Rufous-naped Tit	1	4		Parus rufonuchalis
6	Great Tit	6	10		Parus major
6	Turkestan Tit	4	5		Parus bokharensis
6	Yellow-breasted Tit	1	20	N	Parus flavipectus
6	Azure Tit	1	2		Parus cyanus
6	Eastern Rock Nuthatch	2	6	N	Sitta tephronota
1	Treecreeper				Certhia familiaris
2	European Penduline-Tit				Remiz pendulinus
6	White-crowned Penduline-Tit	4	4	N	Remiz coronatus
6	Golden Oriole	5	20		Oriolus oriolus
2	Red-backed Shrike	2	3		Lanius collurio
6	Isabelline (Turkestan) Shrike	8	20		Lanius (isabellinus) phoenicuroides
4	Isabelline (Chinese) Shrike	1	1		Lanus (isabellinus) arenarius
6	Long-tailed Shrike	8	6		Lanius schach
6	Lesser Grey Shrike	8	20	N	Lanius minor
6	Southern (Steppe) Grey Shrike	4	4		Lanius meridionalis
6	Pander's Ground-Jay	1	12		Podoces panderi
6	Magpie	16	20	N	Pica pica
5	Eurasian Nutcracker	1	1		Nucifraga caryocatactes
6	Alpine Chough	3	20		Pyrrhocorax graculus
6	Red-billed Chough	1	1		Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
6	Jackdaw	12	100		Corvus monedula
6	Rook	12	‘00s	N	Corvus frugilegus
6	Carrion Crow	13	10		Corvus corone
6	‘Hooded’ Crow	2	4		Corvus (corone) cornix
6	Raven	2	3		Corvus corax
1	Brown-necked Raven	1	2		Corvus ruficollis
6	Common Starling	9	200		Sturnus vulgaris
6	Rose-coloured Starling	9	‘000s	N	Sturnus roseus
6	Common Myna	14	50		Acridotheres tristis
6	Saxaul Sparrow	1	10		Passer ammodendri
6	House Sparrow	6	5		Passer domesticus
6	Indian House Sparrow	9	‘00s		Passer (domesticus) indicus
6	Spanish Sparrow	7	6		Passer hispaniolensis
6	Tree Sparrow	9	20		Passer montanus
5	Rock Sparrow	1	1		Petronia petronia
6	Red-fronted Serin	3	20		Serinus pusillus
6	Greenfinch	4	1		Carduelis chloris