Kazakhstan Birdtours

   Steppe  

Steppe is defined as a plain without trees (although some occur near lakes and rivers). This definition in no way encompasses the vastness of the steppe of central Kazakhstan. Mile upon mile of flat, open grassland, but not by any means all the same. The grass species vary and sometimes very small shrubs are found. There are also areas of bright green that turn out to be shallow marshes, ideal for migrant waders and breeding terns. There are also signs of the industriousness of the people of the former USSR in the form of many telegraph poles marching across the landscape - ideal for perching raptors. Much of the Steppe has been lost to agriculture but about 150km south-west of the Kazak capital Astana lies Korgalzhynsky Zapovednik, a nature reserve where true, undisturbed steppe, and its inhabitants, can still be found. This reserve, which admits visitors only by prior booking, contains huge grasslands and many lakes, both large and small. In 2004 Kazakhstan Bird Tours in conjunction with Birdfinders, were the only tour group to stay in the reserve, and we had the services of the knowledgable local guide Alexi, who took us directly to the birds we wanted to see.

The vastness of the Steppe	Reserve board

Accomodation within the reserve is basic but comfortable and the local people are very welcoming and friendly. Wooden huts house two or four people whilst meals are taken in the comfort of a traditional yurt, amazingly good at keeping out the wind and rain should the weather turn.

Reserve buildings situated on the lake shore	Comfortable accomodation for visitors

Some may find it surprising that the steppe contains many lakes of varying sizes. These attract shorebirds on migration and hold many breeding species. Many lakes are edged with extensive reed beds.

A few small bushes on the edge of a large reedbed, itself on the edge of a lake	Large numbers of Slender-billed Gulls and Curlew Sandpipers were found in 2004

In 2004 Kazakhstan Bird Tours found many bird species associated with the lakes in the reserve. The highlights were Black-throated Divers with young, breeding-plumage Red-necked Grebes, many hundreds of Great Cormorants and Whooper Swans, the world's most northerly breeding Greater Flamingoes, booming Great Bitterns, Western Marsh-harriers, many ducks including White-headed Ducks, Garganey and Red-crested Pochards, hundreds of Slender-billed Gulls and Steppe Gulls, plus Caspian and Black-headed Gulls and many Caspian Terns.

Shorebirds included Black-tailed Godwit, Marsh, Green, Wood, Terek and Curlew Sandpipers, Dunlin, Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers, Little and Temminck's Stints, Ruff, Ruddy Turnstone, Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, and the highlight for many, hundreds of summer-plumaged male and female Red-necked Phalaropes.

In the reedbeds can be found 'Caspian' Reed Warbler, Savi's Warbler and Moustached Warbler and Bearded Parrotbills, and on the bushes, Isabelline Shrike, Citrine and Sykes's Wagtails, Grasshopper Warbler and Bluethroats.

A key species to see on the Steppe is the endangered Sociable Lapwing. In 2004 we saw 13 of these beautiful birds thanks to local knowledge.

Sociable Lapwings