May 11-June 1, 2026 with Jay VanderGaast & local guide Ghani Singh
In 2024, we ran the inaugural Field Guides tour to this fascinating region, and by all metrics it was a great success. It was also a learning experience, and based on the things we learned, we made a number of changes to the itinerary to try to enhance the experience even more. This year's follow-up run was also a bit of a learning experience. Would the tweaks we made achieve the desired results, improving on that already fine first run, or would they just not lead to the improvements we were hoping to see? Well, now that this tour is in the books, I am very happy to say that the changes did exactly what I was hoping they would, and more! The flow of the tour was better, we had more time in key birding areas, and visiting the cultural attractions of Uzbekistan at the end of the tour instead of at the start allowed everyone to get more out of their visits to these cultural highlights, rather than struggling to take it all in while also dealing with the inevitable jetlag from flying halfway around the world to get here. I couldn't have hoped for better results. Perhaps the biggest change we made was to basically turn this itinerary upside down, starting in northern Kazakhstan and ending in Uzbekistan, the complete opposite of what we did in 2024. We also moved the tour a couple of weeks earlier, which resulted in us hitting Uzbekistan over the exact same dates, while visiting all the other sites on the tour a couple of weeks earlier. We noted the benefits of this right off the bat, as the shorebird migration at Korgalzhyn Reserve was much more evident than in 2024, though flooding across the steppes also played a part in the reduced number of shorebirds on that tour.
Starting off in Astana, we made another change by adding a night in a basic guest house near the Korgalzhyn Reserve in order to have more time to explore this rich area. But our first birding stop came not far from the city, where an hour or so along the Karasu River turned up some great finds including a trio we would not see again on the tour: Eurasian Penduline-Tit with a nest among the willows, a lone Fieldfare, and several very obliging and lovely Bluethroats. We also scored some nice looks at Paddyfield, Booted, and Common Grasshopper warblers, as well as our first handsome Azure Tit! Continuing on our way to Korgalzhyn, we paused for the first of many ghostly male Pallid Harriers hunting the roadside ditches, sometimes right next to the van, as well as our first elegant Demoiselle Cranes. As we neared the reserve, we started to pick up a good variety of waterfowl and shorebirds, including Marsh and Wood sandpipers, Temminck's Stints, and the first of what would be thousands of showy, breeding-plumaged Ruffs in a great variety of color combinations! Further along we came across our first wonderful White-winged Larks, a local steppe specialty, followed by several dapper Red-footed Falcons and a Short-eared Owl that perched obligingly near the road for us! We eventually came to Maishukur Village, one of the local hotspots, where we added numerous shorebirds--Pied Avocets, Black-bellied and Common Ringed plovers, Terek Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper, and Dunlin among them, plus huge Pallas's Gulls, Black-winged Pratincoles, and our first of many, many Black Larks, another steppe specialty. A few Passerine migrants were also hanging about, and we picked up a trio of Twites, several Common Redstarts, and a European Pied Flycatcher, a rare migrant here, and a lifer for Ghani! We continued our exploration of this region the next day, tracking down a couple of local rarities in the form of a pair of Critically Endangered Sociable Lapwings and a quartet of Near-Threatened Saiga Antelopes before working our way back to Astana, then flying to Almaty to begin the second leg of the tour.
Heading east from Almaty, the habitat was significantly different from what we'd seen in the north. Agricultural areas gave way to dry desert scrub and rocky canyons. An initial stop in the arid Kokpek Canyon provided few species, though Chukar, Rock Bunting, and our first Himalayan Griffon were all good to see here. A lunch stop beyond the canyon turned up a huge colony of several hundred Rosy Starlings, loads of Isabelline Wheatears feeding young at the entrance to their nesting burrows, and both Lesser Gray and Great Gray shrikes. After lunch, a wait at a nearby artesian well rewarded us with Eurasian Linnet, Mongolian Finch, Gray-necked Bunting and more. Further along, at a spot with lots of scrub as well as a grove of taller trees, Red-tailed Shrike, Common Nightingale, and a pair of chunky Barred Warblers were tallied. Then, driving back out across the desert, a stop alongside a wadi gave us great looks at a pair of often elusive Asian Desert Warblers, our only Desert Wheatear, and several Pallas's Sandgrouse flying past. Scanning the plains as the afternoon waned, we were surprised to see a large gathering of 85+ Goitered Gazelles plus numerous Red-tailed Jirds emerging from their burrows as the day's heat slowly began to dissipate.
After some early morning birding around our lodging the next day (where we'd spotlighted European Scops-Owls the night before), we were back on the road on our way to Kyrgyzstan. Of course, there were birding stops along the way, which netted us a Long-legged Buzzard nest with several fluffy fledglings, a colony of Lesser Kestrels in a roadside cemetery, Black Storks, and Bearded and Cinereous vultures soaring overhead, Spanish Sparrows gathering nesting material along the roadside, and Meadow Buntings along a quiet side road. By lunchtime we had crossed the border into Krygyzstan, with Citrine Wagtail and Richard's Pipit among our first country ticks as we enjoyed lunch with snow-capped mountains looming in the distance. As we continued on our way to Karakol, roadside stops netted us looks at Pale Martin, Corn Bunting, and Gray-crowned Goldfinch before we rolled into town and our cozy hotel that would be home for the next three nights.
The next two days were simply spectacular as we birded high up into the Tien Shan Mountains along the Barskoon Mine road and the Chon-Ashuu Pass. The scenery here is absolutely breathtaking, and would be enough to visit these areas even if there were no birds to be found. But of course, it was the birds that we came for, and they did not disappoint. Along the Barskoon Mine road we enjoyed a sneaky pair of White-browed Tit-Warblers, several delightfully confiding Himalayan Rubythroats, Red-billed and Yellow-billed choughs, a White-throated Dipper fishing in an icy stream, Black-throated Accentor, Red-mantled Rosefinch, Fire-fronted Serin, and more. We also added a chunky Brown Dipper gathering food for some hungry nestlings along another clear mountain stream on our way back into Karakol. The next day started with numerous Ring-necked Pheasants and singing Pine Buntings in a verdant valley on our way to the Chon-Ashuu Pass. Entering into the dense pine forest at the base of the mountains, we picked up Mistle Thrush and a surprise White's Thrush singing from the tops of the conifers before we continued further up the valley. As the valley widened further up, so did the river, and we scoured the braided channels for our main target, the unique Ibisbill, eventually getting wonderful looks at a pair of these striking birds! Rufous-backed Redstarts, Sulphur-bellied Warblers, and White-winged Grosbeaks were among the other prizes amidst the stunning scenery of the pass, as was a charming little Turkestan Red Pika we found sunning itself on a boulder! As we worked our way back down in the afternoon, an unexpected Northern Nutcracker was something of a bonus, a great way to cap our two wonderful days in this beautiful region! The next day was primarily a travel day as we worked our way back across the border into Kazakhstan and onwards to Almaty, though a hard-earned Corn Crake did provide a significant birding highlight for the day!
Though we'd left Kyrgyzstan behind, we were not yet done with the Tien Shan Mountains, as we still had a planned visit to Big Almaty Lake in Ile-Alatau National Park, just south of Almaty. That was a good thing, too, as one of our high priority montane targets, Himalayan Snowcock, had not even been heard to this point in the trip. With that bird in mind, we worked our way up to the Cosmos Station, high above Big Almaty Lake to begin our search. A snowcock was calling beyond the station, but too distant to spot in that vast mountain landscape, so we began to work our way down the road. Numerous Blakiston's Water Pipits strutted about in the grass, a stonking male White-winged Redstart posed atop a derelict building, and a bold Altai Accentor sat on a roadside guardrail, but snowcocks remained silent and out of sight. As the lake came back into view, Ghani approached me and told me that it was our last chance for snowcock. What followed was one of the most exciting/frustrating 60 minutes of the entire trip. Not long after Ghani had announced that it was now or never, the squealing call of a Himalayan Snowcock echoed down from the mountain slope above us. Long minutes passed as we scanned every rocky outcrop for the bird, a daunting task given the immense search area, but just as our hopes were fading, we suddenly had it, and everyone enjoyed super scope views of this much-wanted species! After the bird had flown, I scanned the slopes once again, trying to relocate a Siberian Ibex I'd seen crossing a patch of snow behind the snowcock. As I swept my scope across the mountainside, some movement caught my eye, and I watched in disbelief as a large, long-tailed cat suddenly emerged from the rocky shadows then just as quickly disappeared- a Snow Leopard!!! The excitement levels ramped up significantly when not one, but two, leopards were spotted further up the slope, but that was short-lived as only a couple of people saw them before they vanished again. We spent a long time afterward scouring the slopes for another glimpse of the cats, but though we did manage to find the ibex again, the leopards had been swallowed up by the mountains. Still, with the snowcock under our belts, and bonus birds like Goldcrest and Blue-capped Redstart, the day was most definitely a success!
Before saying goodbye to Kazakhstan, we had one more birding stop, the remote Taukum Desert where we would be staying in an outfitted yurt camp. We were expecting hot, dry, typical desert conditions for our visit, but that isn't at all what we got, as a cool front was moving in as we made the long drive north from Almaty. It was a rather trying day as the rain almost prevented us from getting to the camp, with the final drive in being on greasy tracks across the desert. We did actually get stuck for a while, until our driver somehow coaxed the vehicle out of the muck and on to camp, which was a bit of a muddy mess, but at least we made it! But the day was a washout, and about the only thing we had to show for it was a soggy Imperial Eagle perched on a post along the highway during the drive in. Happily, the next day dawned clear and sunny, though the tracks were still too wet to drive on, so we began the day with an early walk in the dunes behind the camp, adding some key target birds like Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Greater Sand-Plover, a trio of Egyptian Vultures, Brown-necked Raven, and Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin. To give the tracks more time to dry out, after breakfast we decided to make the long drive up to the Turanga Poplar groves well to the north, with a stop for several dapper Saxaul Sparrows at a known stakeout along the way. One we reached the poplar habitat, we made short work of finding our main targets--Yellow-eyed Pigeon and White-winged Woodpecker--then, on a whim, we decided to try for the scarce Pallid Scops-Owl. Surprisingly we got a quick response, and shortly after tracked this cryptic bird down to a day roost, an unexpected bonus! Returning to the desert, we visited an area of very short grass to look for another rather rare species, Caspian Plover, ultimately getting nice looks at a pair, a great finale to a productive day! The next morning was spent looking for one final key target, Asian Houbara, but muddy tracks prevented us from getting to the best area, and we headed back to Almaty empty-handed, but ready to move on to Uzbekistan for the final leg of the tour.
Upon arriving in Uzbekistan, we made a quick overnight stop in Tashkent before hitting the road the next morning on our way to Samarkand, one of the country's famous Silk Road cities. Though a good deal of the morning was spent in the bus, we did find some time for a couple of quick stops. First, in the lush floodplains of the Syr Darya River, where we marveled at the many multilevel White Stork nests on virtually every electrical tower, with Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, and a sparkling pair of Common Kingfishers other nice additions to our lists. Then once again in the dry hills around Jizzakh, to track down Variable Wheatear in the only reliable area for it on the tour route. The afternoon was devoted to visiting a couple of the incredible historical sites around the city: Amir Timur Mausoleum and the stunning madrassas in the wonderful Registan Square, though of course we had our binoculars handy to enjoy the aerial acrobatics of the many Alpine Swifts around the historic buildings. Early the next day found us heading south of the city to the Takhta-Karacha Pass, with number of target birds to search for. Our first stop just over the pass rewarded our efforts with Eastern Rock Nuthatch, a couple of sneaky White-throated Robins, Finsch's Wheatear, and a handsome White-capped Bunting, while back on the ridge we added Indian Golden Oriole and Eastern Orphean Warbler, missing only Hume's Lark among the target species. Back in the city, we once again joined our cultural guide, Nadir, to tour a couple more impressive historical sites, the Bibi Khanym Mosque, and the breathtaking Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis.
After another morning of travel en route to Bukhara (with a stop for White-tailed Lapwing and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater along the way), we checked into our delightful hotel near the historic city center before joining Shaknoza, our charming cultural guide, for an enjoyable guided walk through the beautifully preserved heart of this vibrant city. The following morning saw us up incredibly early for the long drive into the Kyzyl-Kum Desert, aiming to arrive before the inevitable heat of the day suppressed any bird activity. Our efforts paid off with excellent looks at several Turkestan Ground-Jays, as well as a handful of the often elusive Scrub Warbler and a bunch of Lesser Whitethroats. A stop at a nearly dry series of ponds gave us Kentish Plover, Sykes's Warbler, and Desert Finch, before we headed back to the city to join Shaknoza and continue our exploration of the city's cultural highlights. With our final morning at Bukhara, we visited the Jeyran Ecocenter, a renowned conservation area dedicated to breeding and reintroduction of some of the region's rarer hoofed mammals. Stopping at an overlook of the huge reserve, we saw plenty of Goitered Gazelles and a handful of Onagers or Asian Wild Ass, two of the focus species of the facility. We also picked up several Little Owls and a distant, but easily identifiable Asian Houbara, a nice find after missing it in Kazakhstan. A walk into one of the ponds in the reserve was probably as good for dragonflies as it was for birds, but we added a handful of species including Collared Pratincole, Little Tern, and Menetries's Warbler before returning to Bukhara to hop onto the bullet train to return to Tashkent. We had one final day of birding remaining in the Chimgan Hills east of Tashkent, where Short-toed Snake-Eagle, Long-tailed Shrike, the local Rufous-naped Tit, and the distinctive yellow-breasted race of Azure Tit were among the final new birds for the trip.
It was a true pleasure to travel with you all on this jaunt through Central Asia, and I want to thank you all for joining me on the tour. Thanks too, to everyone along the way that helped to make this a successful and memorable trip: Machiel and Bonnie, our ground agents at Rubythroat who made certain everything ran smoothly, our various drivers along the way (especially Andrei in Kazakhstan and Mahsoud in Uzbekistan), cultural guides Nadir and Shaknoza for bringing their respective cities to life, and the translators who kept us from being totally lost along the way: Alma, Rus, Gizat, and Ibrahim. And a special thanks to Ghani for his excellent guiding skills and engaging personality. Hope to work with you again, my friend!
Birds of the trip:
1) tied Himalayan Snowcock & Ibisbill
3) Himalayan Rubythroat
4) tied: Corn Crake, Sociable Lapwing, White-winged Woodpecker, Azure Tit, Desert Finch & Pallid Scops-Owl
Mammals:
Turkestan Red Pika (Ochotona rutila): one in the Chon-Ashuu Pass
European Hare (Lepus europaeus): one at Korgalzhyn
Tolai Hare (Lepus tolai): several in the mountains along Barskoon Mine road, and a couple around Bukhara
Bobak Marmot (Marmota bobak): Numerous at Korgalzhyn
Gray Marmot (Marmota baibacina): Common in the Tien Shan Mountains
Yellow Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus fulvus): one in the Taukum Desert, then plenty in Uzbekistan.
European Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris): A couple at Big Almaty Lake
Common Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus): Introduced with singles seen at Korgalzhyn and the Topar region.
Libyan Jird (Meriones libycus): aka Red-tailed Jird. Lots in the Sogeti Valley.
Great Gerbil (Rhombomys opimus): a few at the Jeyran Ecocenter. Initially misidentified as Midday Jirds.
Northern Small Five-toed Jerboa (Scarturus elater): One near the yurt camp at the end of the night walk.
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes): one at Korgalzhyn, another in the Sogeti Valley.
Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia): Two above Big Almaty Lake!!! Sorry that more of you didn't see them.
Goitered Gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa): a big group at Sogeti, some close at the yurt camp and many at Jeyran.
Saiga (Saiga tatarica): a quartet at Korgalzhyn. A bit distant, but distinctive.
Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica): a female or young male above Big Almaty Lake.
Onager (Equus hemionus): several at the Jeyran Ecocenter.
Herps:
Turkestan Rock Agama (Paralaudakia lehmanni): sunning on rocks in the Takhta-Karacha Pass.
Steppe Agama (Trapelus sanguinolentus): quite numerous in the Kyzyl-Kum Desert.
Sunwatcher Toadhead Agama (Phyrnocephalus helioscopus): a couple in the Taukum Desert.
Lichtenstein's Toadhead Agama (Phyrnocephalus interscapularis): a few in the Kyzyl-Kum Desert.
Horsfield's Tortoise (Testuda horsfieldii): A couple on the road as we returned from the Turanga Poplars.
Marsh Frog (Pelophylax ridibundus): heard in the wet area at our Charyn Canyon lodging.
Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis): one in the steppe at Korgalzhyn.
Turkestan Thin-toed Gecko (Tenuidactylus fedtschenkoi): a few on the walls of the Silk Road cistern near Navoi.
Common Wonder Gecko (Teratoscincus scincus): one on the night walk near the yurt camp.
Rapid Racerunner (Eremias velox): in the Taukum and Kyzyl-Kum Deserts.
Dragonflies:
White-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum albistylum): roadside stop as we returned from the Turanga poplars
Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum): a mating pair at the entrance to Jeyran Ecocenter.
Slender Skimmer (Orthetrum sabina): a few around the pond at Jeyran.
Broad Scarlet (Crocothemis erthraea): the fat bright red ones during the stop for the strok colony.
Black Pennant (Selysiothemis nigra): fairly common in the Kyzyl-Kum Desert.
Nomad (Sympetrum fonscolombii): one bright yellow female perched along the track at Jeyran.
Bladetail (Lindenia tetraphylla): a couple along the track at Jeyran.
Butterflies:
European Peacock Butterfly (Aglais io): along the track at Kaskelen NP.
Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae): sunning on a rock above Big Almaty Lake.
Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi): feeding on flowers in the Kokpek Canyon.
Scarce Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis xanthomelas): several feeding in front of us at the artesian well at Sogeti.
Oriental Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lupinus): at the stop north of Almaty en route to the yurt camp.
Large Copper (Lycaena dispar): at the stop north of Almaty en route to the yurt camp.
Lesser Fiery Copper (Lycaena thersamon): along the track in the Kokpek Canyon.
You can see my complete trip report on eBird at this link: https://ebird.org/tripreport/534321
You can download a combined PDF of this page and the eBird report at this link: https://fieldguides.com/triplists/kaz26TRIPLIST.pdf
-- Jay