Trip report: Turkmenistan, 3 rd to 14 th May 2012

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1 Trip report: Turkmenistan, 3 rd to 4 th May 202 Thomas Pettersson Participants Krister Mild, Sweden Thomas Pettersson, Sweden Bjørn Svendsen, Denmark Michael Westerbjerg Andersen, Kyrgyzstan Summary The trip was very well organized, thanks to Michael at Miksture 2 and the ground agent Owadan Tourism 3. Our guide, Jabbar, as well as the drivers, Aslan and Misja, was very cooperative, knowledgeable and kind. We knew beforehand that we would not get any permission to visit protected areas, and this was the main reason for not visiting the south east corner, the Kugitang Range with some Tien Shan species, not to be found elsewhere in Turkmenistan. But we were prepared with satellite images and did fairly well anyway. Regarding areas the most regrettable was that we couldn t visit Repetek Nature Reserve nor did reach higher altitudes in the Kopet Dag. All in all we recorded 84 species, but we can t say that we made any major discoveries, although a few sightings were well out of known distribution, e.g. Bay-backed Shrike near Repetek and Calandra Lark in the Kopet Dag. Nevertheless there were some disappointments regarding species that we did not encounter and that we had hoped for (for good reasons, we thought): Lesser Kestrel, Saker Falcon, Caspian Snowcock, Macqueen s Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Eurasian Eagle-owl, Scaly-bellied Woodpecker, Greater Short-toed Lark, Water Pipit (coutellii), Radde s Accentor, Desert Wheatear, Cetti s Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Paddyfield Warbler, Plain Leafwarbler, Desert Warbler, Black-headed Penduline-tit, White-crowned Penduline-tit, Zarudny's Sparrow, Trumpeter Finch, White-winged Grosbeak, Grey-necked Bunting. Phew, that was a rather long list, but, to be fair, we saw a number of species that we are very happy with, in particular Bearded Vulture, White-tailed Lapwing, Yellow-eyed Pigeon, Pallid Scops-owl, Egyptian Nightjar, White-winged Woodpecker, Oriental Skylark, Citrine Wagtail (calcarata), Variable Wheatear, Red-tailed Wheatear, Hume s Whitethroat, Cinereous Tit, Bay-backed Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Pander s Ground-jay and Saxaul Sparrow. We also enjoyed the abundance of many species, such as Common Cuckoo, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, European Roller, Oriental Skylark, Pied Bushchat, Blyth s Reed-warbler, Sykes s Warbler, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Rosy Starling and Red-headed Bunting. thomas.pettersson@bredband.net

2 Introduction The idea Initially Krister came up with the idea to make a trip to this rarely visited country, at least by western birdwatchers. Not much ornithological information is available, but Turkmenistan seem to hold several mouth watering species that might be easier to track down there, than in any other neighbouring country, e.g. White-tailed Lapwing, White-winged Woodpecker and Pander s Ground-jay. Also the fact that European, Middle East and Central Asian avifaunas somewhat meet here was intriguing and of course that there was a possibility to make new discoveries. And above that one could expect loads of migrants to Siberian breeding grounds. Krister established contact with Michael, very much experienced with travelling and bird watching in Central Asia. Bjørn and Thomas joined in and it was decided that we should go in early May 202. Michael made thorough research and all the arrangements with the local agent. However, it stood soon clear that we should not be allowed to visit any protected areas, e.g. nature reserves. One will need a special permit in order to visit a nature reserve, and usually it would have been approved, but obviously an ongoing internal dispute between two ministers about the responsibility of the reserves made that impossible. But that didn t let us down, as Krister s thorough study of satellite images on Google Earth showed that there were a lot of interesting habitats to be found, without visiting restrictions, just outside the reserve boundaries. We decided to concentrate on the southern and eastern parts of the country, with desert (Karakum), river valleys (Tejen, Murgab, Amu-Darya) and mountains (Kopet Dag). But the problems mentioned above also meant that we gave up trying to visit the Kugitang Mountains of Tien Shan in the easternmost part of Turkmenistan. Also some wetlands, such as reservoirs and fish ponds, were on the list. The country Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia with a population of about 5 million, and an area around km², or almost the size of Spain. Neighbouring countries are Iran and Afghanistan to the South, and Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to the North. It has a coast on the Caspian Sea, but is otherwise landlocked. About 80 % of Turkmenistan's surface is covered by the biggest desert in Central Asia, the Karakum (Black Sand), which forms together with the Kyzylkum (Red Sand) in Uzbekistan the fourth biggest desert in the world. The Karakum covers about km². Although largely covered by desert, there is intensive agriculture located in irrigated - 2 -

3 oases. One-half of its irrigated land is planted with cotton, making it the world s tenth largest producer. The Kopet Dag ( Many Mountains ) in Southern Turkmenistan forms the border to Iran. Turkmens represent 85 % of the population with large minorities of Uzbeks and Russians. Official language is Turkmen, but Russian is widely spoken and also Uzbek. English is rarely spoken. How to get there Most all nationalities need a visa to enter Turkmenistan. Owadan Tourism helped us getting a Letter of Invitation (LOI) which is needed for visa application on arrival. You will get a green Entry Travel Pass with places covered by the visa stated. On arrival you have to register at some authorities, so spare one day for that before venturing out. That was in our case efficiently handled by Owadan Tourism. We travelled with Turkish Airlines from Stockholm via Istanbul to Ashgabat. The cost from Stockholm was SEK (c. 850 ). There are also other ways to enter Turkmenistan. Organisation Our trip included everything, such as transports by car, driver, guide, all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner; in the field prepared by the Owadan team) and all accommodation (hotel, tent, sleeping bag). The cost was SEK (c ) per person. Internet and mobile phones Do not expect that your mobile phone will work! Ours didn t during the entire stay, with one exception very close to the Iranian border where we managed to make some calls and send text messages via an Iranian operator. It might be possible to buy a SIM-card in Turkmenistan, but we didn t try that. Once we borrowed our driver s mobile phone, only to know that international calls were impossible. International phone calls might be possible at some of the hotel receptions, but in our case that worked only once, at Hotel Margus in Mary. Access to Internet is possible at some hotels (WiFi or Internet cafés) but not always. At Hotel Ak Altyn in Ashgabat it worked once (out of three times). Note also that access is restricted by the authorities, e.g. Facebook is blocked. Useful references Internet Wikitravel: Miksture: Owadan Tourism: Embassy of Sweden:

4 Travel information (in Swedish) from Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs: Turkmenistan-sys/ Reference Ayé, R., Schweizer, M. & Roth, T Birds of Central Asia. Helm. Not used by us during the trip as it was published afterwards. Accommodation We used hotels in major cities such as Ashgabat, Mary and Türkmenabat, for a total of six nights. The remainder five nights we camped. Hotels Ak Altyn Plaza Hotel, Ashgabat: a four star hotel at a cost of US$ 25 for a double room, including breakfast. No international phone calls possible during our stay and Internet connection (WiFi) apparently only random. Hotel Margus, Mary: a three star hotel. No Internet connection, but international phone calls possible from reception

5 Jeyhun Hotel, Türkmenabat: a three star hotel. No international phone calls possible during our stay but there is an Internet café in the building. With Russian keyboards. Weather The weather was hot and calm throughout the stay. Of course it s cooler at higher altitudes, especially at night, but still pleasant. Beware not to burn yourself! During our first three nights in tent we were surprised by thunder and rain Maximum and minimum air temperature at Ashgabat Degrees ( C) Date Itinerary Thursday, 3 rd May Bjørn, Krister and Thomas arrived at Ashgabat International Airport at 0635 hrs. After passport control, visa application (05 US$) and customs, all smooth and friendly procedures, we were met by Jabbar, our guide, and Aslan, our driver, from Owadan Tourism. We swiftly (40 km/h in a Chevrolet Suburban!) transferred to Hotel Ak Altyn, where we met Michael who had arrived the day before. As our mobile phones did not work, we tried to make an international phone call from the hotel, but in vain. But today Internet connection worked (5 US$ per hour) so we could let our relatives know that we were still alive. We had breakfast and rested to about 200 hrs. We enjoyed a lunch at Owadan Tourism s office (N , E ), from where we headed straight to Gurtly Reservoir, just north of the city, for some initial birding

6 Lunch at Owadan Tourism; from left to right: Michael, Krister, Jabbar and Bjørn. Thomas Pettersson Our first stop, hrs, was at a spot (N , E ) at the southern shore where after we moved to another spot (N , E ) in the north eastern part of the reservoir. On the latter spot we strolled around from 600 to 80 hrs. We met a guard (fishing), also keen on bird watching, who invited us for tea. He and his dogs escorted us back to the car in case of meeting cobras! Some noticeable sightings from this rather hot afternoon at Gurtly Reservoir: Pygmy Cormorant, Greater Flamingo 23, Western Osprey, Black Kite (ssp. lineatus), White-tailed Lapwing 4, Little Tern 40, Black Redstart (ssp. phoenicuroides), Pied Bushchat 20, Blyth s Reed-warbler 30, Great Reed-warbler, Cinereous Tit (ssp. intermedius) 6 and Rosy Starling 40. Our first day was rounded up at a Russian restaurant in downtown Ashgabat. Turkmens don t seem particularly interested in running restaurants, so most of them are run by either Russians or Uzbeks. With the overnight flight from Istanbul still in mind, we slept in early at Hotel Ak Altyn, a hotel of high standard. Friday, 4 th May Early rise and we left Ashgabat at 055 hrs, heading south east

7 Jabbar seems to wonder And Krister is ready for sound recording. Thomas Pettersson Just after dawn we arrived at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds (N , E ), where we had breakfast and birded hrs. Some of the ponds were full of birds, mostly migrants, but also the surrounding scrub and dried out ponds held some interesting birds. E.g. we found several breeding pairs of Menetries s Warbler (ssp. turcmenica) as well as Siberian Stonechats (ssp. maurus). Four Oriental Skylarks were in song and Sykes s Warblers were abundant. Among passerines also a few Redheaded Buntings were present as well as one Isabelline Shrike and one Red-tailed Shrike, a few Eastern Olivaceous Warblers (ssp. elaeica) and Blyth s Reed-warblers in abundance. Wildfowl were sparse but four each of Red-crested Pochard and Ferruginous Duck are worth mentioning. In particularly one of the ponds, one of the farthest from the main road, there were a lot of resting waders, e.g. Little Stint 50, Black-winged Pratincole 5 and Red-necked Phalarope 550. After that encouraging experience we continued, trying to reach Tejen River area before dusk. Although roadside birding made the journey somewhat slow, and at one stop (N , E ) we enjoyed a Golden Eagle (ssp. daphanea), Black Stork, Common Buzzard (ssp. vulpinus) 3, Rosy Starling c. 000 and a Brown-necked Raven. At this point, very close to the Iranian border, we in fact managed to make some calls with our mobile phones, via an Iranian operator. But on the way back a few days later, at the very same spot, it didn t work at all We had lunch in the town of Tejen (N , E ), hrs. In late afternoon we approached Tejen River and made a random stop and did some birding hrs at a spot near Tedzhenstroj with a dense thicket that looked promising (N , E ). Although there were not many birds, at least not detectable in the heat. We found a decent site (N , E ) near Tejen River at 745 hrs, where we put up the tents (one tent each!). Jabbar and Aslan made up fire and prepared dinner for us while we strolled around for birds. One of the most interesting sightings was a family party of Streaked Scrub-warbler - 7 -

8 (ssp. platyura). We had dinner at dusk accompanied by some Green Toads and howling Jackals. Just after we had gone to bed a dust storm came over us. A lot of dust blew in through the mosquito nets, and covered us. Well, the storm passed over and shaking the dust off could very well be done next morning, we thought. Only moments later we woke up to the too familiar sound of thunder and it started to rain. The rain made the dust into mud before our tents could be covered. The tents, our sleeping bags and the rest of the equipment never got really clean from this. So, even if the sky is clear when you go to sleep be prepared for everything! Saturday, 5 th May We woke up to clear skies at 0530 hrs and birded around the camp site. Worth mentioning are Whitetailed Lapwing 5, Red-wattled Lapwing and White-throated Robin. After breakfast we left at 0905 hrs. We made a short stop at the bridge over Tejen River (N , E ), hrs, where Michael flushed a Little Bittern. After that we searched for tracks to reach some riverside forest with woodpeckers and pigeons in mind. On that detour, hrs, we spotted three different Little Owls (ssp. bactriana), a very pale subspecies. Eventually we reached the flooded river by some trees (N , E ). Almost immediately we saw a Yellow-eyed Pigeon and heard the song from another. We didn t find any woodpeckers, but in all we encountered superb views of at least five Yellow-eyed Pigeons. We left that spot at 30 hrs and headed for lunch at Hauz- Han where we enjoyed grilled carp at a roadside restaurant hrs. Digesting grilled carp (or waiting for it) and taking notes. From left to right Michael, Bjørn, Thomas and Aslan. Krister Mild Ekulf s plastic toothpicks became popular after that carp. Left to right: Jabbar, Krister and Michael. Thomas Pettersson At this time the air condition system in the car had broke down which made travelling long distances hardly unbearable. Therefore we decided to go to Mary to get the car repaired. We had refreshments in Mary hrs, when we left with two replacement cars and with two new drivers. Now we headed south to Murgab River, where we intended to camp and explore the area next morning. The road was a pothole nightmare and we found a place to camp just before dusk, 2000 hrs, near Krasnoe Znamja (N , E ). Guess what, thunder and rain again! Along the road the sight of Red-necked Phalaropes in flooded ditches was odd. Sunday, 6 th May We woke up at 0540 hrs and birded around camp site until 0745 hrs. Then we headed further south, trying to find some good spots in Murgab River basin. The river was flooded, and so most of the roads and tracks (N , E ), and made it very difficult to reach e.g. riverside forests

9 Among birds seen hrs, we could mention Cinereous Vulture, Little Stint 500 and one hundred migrating Slender-billed Gulls. Murgab River flooded, the village of Tashkepri to the right. Thomas Pettersson A short stop were made at a large flooded area (N , E ), hrs, where we saw e.g. Common Shelduck, Black-tailed Godwit. Still having woodpeckers in mind, in particular Scalybellied Woodpecker, we walked around in the village of Tashkepri (N , E ), hrs, which held a lot of large trees. But no woodpeckers were seen there. Apparently our guide felt a little bit uneasy with us strolling around the village with binoculars and cameras, so we didn t stay long. After that we had a five hour journey on potholes to Mary, where we checked in at Margus Hotel at 900 hrs. Monday, 7 th May We left Mary already at 0440 hrs heading for Karakum desert and hopefully Pander s Ground-jay. During the night another Chevrolet Suburban was delivered to our service and also a new driver, Misja. Misja had driven from Ashgabat during the night and was rather tired. On the way to Repetek area we had to stop for a power nap. Approaching the village of Repetek we headed out on tracks in the saxaul desert at 0750 hrs. We visited a couple of farms with sparrows in mind. We did not find any Zarudny s Sparrows but at one of the farms (N , E ) we saw a few Saxaul Sparrows and Desert Finches hrs. At another farm (N , E ), hrs, a Kazakh family invited us to taste fermented camel milk. Very refreshing in the heat! Michael and Thomas enjoying fermented camel milk. Krister Mild We had lunch at a roadside truck stop restaurant (N , E ), hrs, where we also spotted a few more Saxaul Sparrows. We also visited the entrance to Repetek Natural Reserve (N , E ), hrs, just for chance. But there were no possibilities that we could sneak in

10 Trying to enter Repetek Natural Reserve in vain. Left to right: Krister, local boss, Jabbar, Bjørn and Michael. Thomas Pettersson So plan B was to find a place in the desert for camping and spend the next day in the field. While waiting for dinner to be prepared for us to bring from the truck stop, we strolled around and found e.g. Long-tailed Shrike. Driving away, Krister spotted a Pander s Ground-jay at roadside (N , E ), but we chased it for 20 minutes, hrs, without anyone else seeing it. They are apparently good runners We continued on tracks into the desert and just about dusk, 205 hrs, we found a place to camp, next to a strange open area with small craters and a peculiar smell. Perhaps a former shooting ground? Someone mentioned chemical weapons, nuclear weapons Well, the story repeats itself, just after bedtime it started to rain and thunder making more or less all of us wet again. The rain ceased and we were rewarded by hearing displaying Egyptian Nightjars from our tents, no less than three birds. Also a European Nightjar was heard as well as an over flying Eurasian Bittern. Tuesday, 8 th May We rose at 0545 hrs and started to track down a Pander s Ground-jay. We were thoroughly rewarded with at least five birds seen well and song also heard. Krister spotted a White-winged Woodpecker and the rest of us saw a male Bay-backed Shrike, well out of known range. Also a couple of Steppe Grey Shrikes (ssp. pallidirostris) were spotted and Great Tit (ssp. bokharensis) as well as Streaked Scrubwarbler were common. We left the camp site at 00 hrs and spent some time near the village of Repetek, birding near a derelict railway station (N , E ), hrs. The only European Honey-buzzard of the entire trip flew over

11 Habitat for Pander's Ground-jay near Repetek. Krister Mild We had lunch in an Uzbek restaurant in Türkmenabat (N , E ), hrs. After that it was time to try to find some good areas for birding near Amu-Darya River. Initially we found ourselves birding in a garden and small farm (with permission from the owner, of course; N , E ; hrs). From that area we can mention Common Kingfisher 2, Common Chiffchaff (ssp. tristis) 3 and Barred Warbler. As we didn t have permission to visit Amu Darya Nature Reserve, nor were allowed to pass over the bridge to the northern bank of the river, we tried to find some good spots with the help from satellite images. We looked in particular for riverside forests to the north west of Türkmenabat. After a random stop at the river bed (N , E ), hrs, with no particular birds, we found an area with riverside forest near Tash-Akyi that looked very promising (N , E ), hrs. As daylight was fading it was decided to visit the place early next morning. After a two hour transfer back to Türkmenabat we checked in at Hotel Jeyhun for two nights. Wednesday, 9 th May Victory Day On this day Turkmenistan still celebrates the victory of Soviet Union in World War II, although the celebrations did not affect our birding or else. We departed from the hotel at 0435 hrs and arrived to the spot from yesterday (N , E ) at 0620 hrs. At this time it stood clear to us that we were in fact visiting the Amu Darya Nature Reserve! Although there were no signs at all and people we met did not seem to have any objections. The forest was alive with birds and we birded there for about four hours. There were a lot of (5) Greenish Warblers in song as well as Common Nightingales. A couple of White-winged Woodpeckers were seen well and also heard drumming. Great Tits (ssp. bokharensis) were abundant. Of more odd birds an Oriental Turtle-dove (ssp. meena), Eurasian Wryneck and Savi s Warbler are worth mentioning. We made a brief stop for lunch at Amu-Darya riverside (N , E ), hrs. From that spot we saw our only Caspian Gull, a couple of Carrion Crows (ssp. orientalis) and a male Ring-necked Pheasant (ssp. zarudnyi). The latter had a large white wing patch and no visible neck collar. - -

12 We transferred back to Türkmenabat hrs and had a rest at the hotel hrs. On satellite images we had found a complex of small ponds and wetland just south of the town (N , E ), where we birded hrs. The area is vast and difficult to view, so to fully explore you probably need a whole day. The abundance of Sykes s Warbler and Eastern Olivaceous Warbler were striking and we estimated the density to 25 birds per hectare and 5 birds per hectare, respectively. Otherwise it was rather quiet, but perhaps we never reached the best ponds; Mallard 6, Glossy Ibis 2, Purple Heron 6, Little Egret 4, Grey Heron 9. The team, except for the photographer, at the wetlands near Türkmenabat. From left to right: Krister, Misja, Jabbar, Michael and Bjørn. Thomas Pettersson Thursday, 0 th May We left Türkmenabat at 0540 hrs and this day we aimed to reach Ashgabat in the evening, but with a few stops for some birding. Firstly we stopped at Repetek village hrs, searching in vain for Zarudny s Sparrows. We had lunch at Hauz-Han, in the very same fish restaurant as a few days ago. This restaurant can be recommended. On the 70 km stretch from Hauz-Han to Tejen hrs, we counted some roadside birds from the car and this reflects the abundance of some species: Western Marsh-harrier 9, Shikra 3, Common Cuckoo 29, European Roller 48, Pied Bushchat 69. Next stop was not until Gevers Pivot Fields (N , E ), where we birded hrs. This area held quite a few interesting birds, but the highlight was the incredible density of Oriental Skylarks. We counted to at least 75 birds, 55 of them in song! Other birds worth mentioning were Black-winged Pratincole 3, Common Quail 2, Red-throated Pipit 2 and Upcher s Warbler. We arrived at Ashagabat at 900 hrs and checked in at Hotel Ak Altyn. Jabbar left us tonight, and we thanked him heartedly for some very pleasant days! - 2 -

13 Friday, th May The remaining days of our trip were dedicated for Kopet Dag Mountains and we left Ashgabat at 0500 hrs, this time without a guide, except for Misja, our driver. After dawn we made a short ( hrs) random stop in the foothills at about 400 meters above sea level (N , E ). At that spot we heard a couple of See-see Partridges, our one and only Desert Lark and a handful of Woodlarks. We had no given spots to head for, so we relied heavily on Krister s study of satellite images. The aim was to reach higher altitudes with Juniper. And eventually we did, thanks to Misja s skilled driving techniques on rough tracks. At a point where the track was no more, we had reached (0850 hrs) a level of 220 meters above sea level, just where Junipers start to occur. This was also decided to be the campsite for the night (N , E ). Kopet Dag seen from our first campsite there. Thomas Pettersson We birded in the area until dusk. The slopes were very steep and we reached only 30 meters a.s.l. on foot. Rock Buntings (ssp. par) were common as well as Red-fronted Serin, Bimaculated Larks and Tawny Pipits. At the higher mountain ridges we saw c. 30 Red-billed Choughs and some Chukars. There were also some (c. 0) Pale Rockfinches in the area. In a vegetated wadi we found no less than about 50 Eastern Orphean Warblers, many of them in song and also chasing each other, perhaps recently arrived. In that area we also found three Hume s Whitethroats. Among wheatears we spotted Northern Wheatear, Variable Wheatear 8 and Red-tailed Wheatear. Also one single over flying Eurasian Crimson-winged Finch and small parties of European Goldfinches of the grey-headed subspecies paropanisi can be mentioned. After dusk we heard European Nightjar as well as Eurasian Scops-owl. The night was clear and calm, for a change. Saturday, 2 th May We birded around the campsite hrs with not much news, except for two Common Woodpigeons (ssp. iranica). We headed slowly downhill and birded en route hrs. We found - 3 -

14 a good set of birds, such as Bearded Vulture 2, Long-legged Buzzard (dark morph), Golden Eagle adult, Finsch s Wheatear c. 0 (ssp. barnesi), Eastern Rock Nuthatch 4 (ssp. iranica) and Pale Rockfinch 20. Further on our way we found a gathering of 50 Northern Ravens (ssp. tibetanus), all of them adults, moulting primaries. In a small village we also saw a snake on a dust road, and it looked really nasty, about one meter long and thick as an arm. We speculated heavily about what kind of venomous species this would be, and cobra was mentioned. Well, after hand we figured out it to be a European/Russian Glass Lizard Pseudopus apodus, i.e. not a snake! The Glass Lizard, mentioned in the text. Thomas Pettersson We moved on further uphill, trying to reach higher altitudes again. This time we reached 800 meters a.s.l. (N , E ), but managed to climb in wadis to about 050 meters a.s.l., but not reaching any Juniper habitat. From this area ( hrs) a Red-breasted Flycatcher can be mentioned. After that we transferred downhill to find a place for camping in a valley, where we arrived at 735 hrs (N , E ; 500 m a.s.l.). We birded in the area until dusk and the following sightings are worth mentioning: Black Stork 3, Black Kite 2 (one of each race, migrans and lineatus), Tawny Owl pullus, Alpine Swift 0 and Blue Rock-thrush. At a short walk after dusk a Pallid Scops-owl was heard

15 Our second campsite at Kopet Dag. Krister Mild Sunday, 3 th May We birded around camp site hrs with the following highlights: Peregrine Falcon, See-see Partridge 5, Common Cuckoo 40, Finsch s Wheatear 30, Isabelline Wheatear 50 and Reed Bunting, the latter a female presumably of the subspecies korejewi. We decided to go to Germab village at a high plateau in the Kopet Dag. Germab oasis. Krister Mild En route hrs we made a few random stops, e.g. at a barren area where we surprisingly found a Calandra Lark. Being in the vicinity of the Iranian border, there was no surprise with military presence. At a checkpoint with young and insecure soldiers it took a while for Misja to convince them that we were harmless birdwatchers. While waiting for things to sort out, we enjoyed good views of a Little Owl. Germab (N , E ) is a wonderful place, 770 m a.s.l., a lush oasis with - 5 -

16 several freshwater wells in an otherwise barren landscape. It s not hard to imagine that this could be a magnet for migrating birds. We birded there hrs and saw some good birds, such as Redfooted Falcon ( male) and a couple of Citrine Wagtails (ssp. calcarata). A local farmer told us about when he found a Grey Wolf and three Striped Hyenas feeding on one of his cows! There it was where I found my cow. See text. Krister Mild We transferred back to Ashgabat hrs and checked in at Hotel Ak Altyn for a final night in Turkmenistan, although Michael and Bjørn stayed for another night. Monday, 4 th May Krister and Thomas departed from Turkmenistan at 0740 hrs, back to Sweden via Istanbul-Atatürk

17 Annotated species list I follow the systematic adopted by IOC 4.2. See also a summary of sightings in Appendix.. Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna (LINNAEUS 758). One sighting: 2 at Murgab River on 6 th May. 2. Mallard Anas p. platyrhynchos LINNAEUS 758. Two sightings: at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 6 at wetlands just S of Türkmenabat on 9 th May. 3. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata LINNAEUS 758. Two sightings: 3 (2, ) at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 6 at Murgab River on 6 th May. 4. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina (PALLAS 773). One sighting: 4 (3, ) at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May. 5. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (GÜLDENSTÄDT 770). Two sightings: 4 (2, 2 ) at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; at Murgab River on 6 th May. 6. Chukar Alectoris chukar koroviakovi (ZARUDNY 94). Up to 5 birds heard at Kopet Dag daily th to 3 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 7. See-see Partridge Ammoperdix griseogularis (J. F. BRANDT 843). Three sightings: 2 in song at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on th May; in song at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 2 th May; 5 seen at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 3 th May. 8. Common Quail Coturnix c. coturnix (LINNAEUS 758). One sighting: 2 in song at Gevers Pivot Fields on 0 th May. 9. Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus principalis P. L. SCLATER 885. Four sightings: 3 (2, ) at near Tedzhenstroj on 4 th May; 2 in song at Tejen River on 5 th May; 8 in total at Murgab River on 6 th May; near Mary on 7 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus zarudnyi BUTURLIN 904. Three sightings: in song at Amu-Darya River on 8 th May; c. 0 seen or heard in song at Amu-Darya River on 9 th May; 5 at wetlands just S of Türkmenabat on 9 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. Only one male seen, at Amu-Darya River on 9 th May, having large white wing patch and seemingly lacking white neck collar. 0. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis capensis (SALVADORI 884). One sighting: 2 (+) at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only.. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps c. cristatus (LINNAEUS 758). One sighting: c. 50 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May. 2. Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus PALLAS 8. Two sightings: 23 at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May; at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May. 3. Black Stork Ciconia nigra (LINNAEUS 758). Three sightings: soaring en route (N , E ) Ashgabat to Tejen on 4 th May; +2 on cliffs in Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 2 th May. 4. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus (LINNAEUS 766). Five sightings of 59 birds in total: 8 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 8 at Tejen River on 5 th May; 5 at Murgab River on 6 th May; 6 at Amu-Darya River on 8 th May; 2 at wetlands just S of Türkmenabat on 9 th May. 5. Eurasian Bittern Botaurus s. stellaris (LINNAEUS 758). One sighting: heard ( krau ) over flying at night in Repetek area on 8 th May. 6. Little Bittern Ixobrychus m. minutus (LINNAEUS 766). One sighting: flushed at Tejen River on 5 th May. 7. Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis (LINNAEUS 758). One sighting: over flying at Tejen River on 4 th May. 8. Grey Heron Ardea c. cinerea LINNAEUS 758. Three sightings: a few at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 5 at Murgab River on 6 th May; 9 at wetlands just S of Türkmenabat on 9 th May. 9. Purple Heron Ardea p. purpurea LINNAEUS 766. Seven sightings of c. 25 birds in total: at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May; 4 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; at Tejen River on 5 th May; c

18 at Murgab River on 6 th May; 2 at Repetek on 7 th May; 6 at wetlands just S of Türkmenabat on 9 th May; en route Hauz-Han to Tejen on 0 th May. 20. Great Egret Ardea a. alba (LINNAEUS 758). Three sightings: at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 5 at Tejen River on 5 th May; at Murgab River on 6 th May. 2. Little Egret Egretta g. garzetta (LINNAEUS 766). Six sightings of 7 birds in total: 3 at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May; 5 at Murgab River on 6 th May; at Amu-Darya River on 8 th May; 2 at Amu- Darya River on 9 th May; 4 at wetlands just S of Türkmenabat on 9 th May; en route Hauz-Han to Tejen on 0 th May. 22. Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus (PALLAS 773). Three sightings: at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May; 4 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; at Murgab River on 6 th May. 23. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (BLUMENBACH 798). One sighting: 6 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May. 24. Western Osprey Pandion h. haliaetus (LINNAEUS 758). Two sightings: at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May; at Tejen River on 4 th May. 25. Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus aureus (HABLIZL 783). One sighting: 2 adults at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 2 th May. 26. Egyptian Vulture Neophron p. percnopterus (LINNAEUS 758). Two sightings: adult near Repetek on 7 th May; adult en route Tejen to Ashgabat on 0 th May. 27. European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus (LINNAEUS 758). One sighting: adult over flying at Repetek on 8 th May. 28. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus (LINNAEUS 766). One sighting: soaring at Murgab River on 6 th May. 29. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos daphanea SEVERTSOV 888. Two sightings: 2 nd calendar year en route (N , E ) Ashgabat to Tejen on 4 th May; adult at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 2 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 30. Shikra Accipiter badius cenchroides (SEVERTSOV 873). Eight birds seen: in Ashgabat on 3 rd May; en route Tejen River to Mary on 5 th May; 3 (2, ) at Amu Darya River on 9 th May; 3 en route Hauz-Han to Tejen on 0 th May. 3. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus subsp. (LINNAEUS 758). Three sightings: 2 at Murgab River on 6 th May; at Repetek on 7 th May; at Amu-Darya River on 8 th May. Subspecies not assessed, but could be either nominate A. n. nisus or A. n. nisosimilis (TICKELL 833). 32. Western Marsh-harrier Circus ae. aeruginosus (LINNAEUS 758). Seen daily and throughout except at higher altitudes in Kopet Dag. Highest daily count is c. 25 on both 4 th May (Ashgabat to Tejen River) and 6 th May (Murgab River). 33. Black Kite Milvus migrans migrans (BODDAERT 783). One sighting: at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 2 th May. Black Kite Milvus migrans lineatus (J. E. GRAY 83). Three sightings: at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May; at Amu-Darya River on 9 th May; catching insects on slope at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 2 th May. 34. Long-legged Buzzard Buteo r. rufinus (CRETZSCHMAR 827). Eight birds seen: 3 in total at Murgab River on 6 th May; en route Tejen to Ashgabat on 0 th May; 2 ( dark morph, intermediate morph) at Kopet Dag on 2 th May; 2 ( dark morph, intermediate morph) at Kopet Dag on 3 th May. 35. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus GLOGER 833. One sighting: 3 together in flight over agriculture area, most probably migrating, en route Ashgabat to Tejen on 4 th May. Subspecies assessed on behaviour and habitat. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo menetriesi BOGDANOV 879. Three sightings of altogether 8 birds th to 3 th May, all in Kopet Dag area, most probably on breeding grounds. 36. Common Moorhen Gallinula ch. chloropus (LINNAEUS 758). One sighting: at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May

19 37. Common Coot Fulica a. atra LINNAEUS 758. Only seen in low numbers at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May and at Murgab River on 6 th May. 38. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus (LINNAEUS 758). Seen almost daily at various wetlands, except at Repetek area and at Kopet Dag. Highest daily count is c. 30 on 5 th May at Tejen River. 39. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus aigneri (LAUBMANN 93). One sighting: at Tejen River on 5 th May. 40. White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus (LICHTENSTEIN 823). Nine sightings of altogether 48 birds: 4 at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May; 4 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 6 at Tejen River on 4 th May; 5 at Tejen River on 5 th May; 0 at Murgab River on 6 th May; at wetlands just S of Türkmenabat on 9 th May; en route Repetek to Hauz-Han on 0 th May; 2 en route Hauz-Han to Tejen on 0 th May; 5 en route Tejen to Ashgabat on 0 th May. White-tailed Lapwing at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May 202. Thomas Pettersson 4. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius curonicus GMELIN 789. Three sightings: 4 at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May; noted at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 3 at Murgab River on 6 th May. 42. Kentish Plover Charadrius a. alexandrinus LINNAEUS 758. One sighting: 0 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May. 43. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa l. limosa (LINNAEUS 758). One sighting: 3 at Murgab River on 6 th May. 44. Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus (PALLAS 764). One sighting: 5 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May. 45. Common Redshank Tringa totanus subsp. (LINNAEUS 758). Seen and/or heard in low numbers on five days at various wetlands: Babadurmaz Fish Ponds, Tejen River, Murgab River, Amu-Darya River. Subspecies not assessed but could be either nominate T. t. totanus or T. t. ussuriensis BUTURLIN Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis (BECHSTEIN 803). Two sightings: at Tejen River on 5 th May; at Murgab River on 6 th May. 47. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus LINNAEUS 758. Two sightings: 3 at Tejen River on 5 th May; also noted at Murgab River on 6 th May. 48. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola LINNAEUS 758. Recorded on seven days at various wetlands such as Babadurmaz Fish Ponds, Tejen River, Murgab River and Amu-Darya River. Highest daily count is c. 300 at Tejen River on 5 th May. 49. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos (LINNAEUS 758). Recorded on five days in low numbers. 50. Little Stint Calidris minuta (LEISLER 82). Recorded in high numbers at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds, Tejen River and Murgab River. Highest daily counts are c. 50 at Tejen River on 5 th May and c. 500 at Murgab River on 6 th May. 5. Temminck s Stint Calidris temminckii (LEISLER 82). Two sightings: 2 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; c. 5 at Murgab River on 6 th May

20 52. Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea (PONTOPPIDAN 763). Two sightings: 6 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 0 at Tejen River on 5 th May. 53. Dunlin Calidris a. alpina (LINNAEUS 758). Two sightings: noted at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; c. 30 at Tejen River on 5 th May. 54. Ruff Philomachus pugnax (LINNAEUS 758). Two sightings: 5 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 2 at Murgab River on 6 th May. 55. Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus (LINNAEUS 758). Two sightings: c. 550 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; also a few seen in ditches (!) at roadside en route Mary to Murgab River on 5 th May. 56. Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni FISCHER 842. Six sightings of at least 3 birds in total: 5 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; noted at Tejen River on 5 th May; at Amu-Darya River on both 8 th May and 9 th May; 2 en route Tejen to Ashgabat on 0 th May; 3 at Gevers Pivot Fields on 0 th May. 57. Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei (BRÈME 839). Three sightings: 7 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 35 at Tejen River on 5 th May; c. 00 migrating north at Murgab River on 6 th May. 58. Common Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus (LINNAEUS 766). Three sightings: 5 at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May; at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; also noted on 5 th May. 59. Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans PALLAS 8. One sighting: immature at Amu-Darya River on 9 th May. 60. Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon n. nilotica (GMELIN 789). Three sightings: 3 at Murgab River on 6 th May; 0 at Amu-Darya River on 8 th May and 2 there also on 9 th May. 6. Little Tern Sternula a. albifrons (PALLAS 764). Rather numerous at various wetlands such as Gurtly Reservoir, Babadurmaz Fish Ponds, Murgab River and Amu-Darya River. Highest daily counts are c. 40 at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May and c. 25 at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May. 62. Common Tern Sterna hirundo subsp. LINNAEUS 758. Seen in low numbers at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May, Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May, Amu-Darya River on 8 th and 9 th May and at Hauz- Han on 0 th May. Highest daily count is 6 at Gurtly Reservoir on 3 rd May. Subspecies not assessed, but could be either nominate S. h. hirundo or S. h. minussensis SUSHKIN Whiskered Tern Chlidonias h. hybrida (PALLAS 8). Seen in low numbers at various wetlands such as Gurtly Reservoir, Babadurmaz Fish Ponds, Murgab River and Amu-Darya River. Highest daily count is 5 at Murgab River on 6 th May. 64. White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus (TEMMINCK 85). Two sightings: at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; at Tejen River on 4 th May. 65. Black Tern Chlidonias n. niger (LINNAEUS 758). One sighting: 2 at Tejen River on 5 th May. 66. Rock Dove Columba livia gaddi ZARUDNY & LOUDON 906. Feral Rock Doves seen throughout, but small flocks of seemingly pure wild birds seen at Kopet Dag th to 3 th May, at most 0 on 2 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 67. Yellow-eyed Pigeon Columba eversmanni BONAPARTE 856. One sighting: 5 (2 in song) at Tejen River (N , E ) on 5 th May. 68. Common Woodpigeon Columba palumbus iranica (ZARUDNY 90). One sighting: 2 flying by at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 2 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 69. European Turtle-dove Streptopelia turtur arenicola (HARTERT 894). Three sightings: 5 at Tejen River on 5 th May; at Murgab River on 6 th May; 3 at Amu-Darya River on 9 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 70. Oriental Turtle-dove Streptopelia orientalis meena (SYKES 832). One sighting: at Amu-Darya River on 9 th May. Subspecies assessed on plumage characters. 7. Eurasian Collared-dove Streptopelia d. decaocto (FRIVALDSZKY 838). Commonly seen throughout except at higher altitudes at Kopet Dag

21 72. Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis ermanni (BONAPARTE 856). Rather commonly seen except in Ashgabat area and at Kopet Dag. First sighting at Tejen on 5 th May. Subspecies assessed on plumage characters. 73. Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus subtelephonus ZARUDNY 94. Seen daily throughout, at some sites in high densities, apparently with reproduction behaviour (calling, chasing), e.g. 29 seen from car en route Hauz-Han to Tejen (70 km) on 0 th May and c. 40 at Kopet Dag on 3 th May. Plumage characters, especially thin barring below, indicate subspecies C. c. subtelephonus. 74. Pallid Scops-owl Otus brucei obsoletus (CABANIS 875). One sighting: in song at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 2 th May. 75. Eurasian Scops-owl Otus scops turanicus (LOUDON 905). Four sightings: in song near Repetek on 8 th May; 3 in song at three different locations at Kopet Dag on 2 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 76. Tawny Owl Strix aluco willkonskii (MENZBIER 896). One sighting: juvenile seen and heard food begging at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 2 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 77. Little Owl Athene noctua bactriana BLYTH 847. Seven sightings: 3 (++) seen at Tejen River on 5 th May; seen at Murgab River on 6 th May; calling at Repetek on 8 th May; calling near Türkmenabat on 8 th May; seen near Germab on 3 th May. All individuals seen were very pale which indicates assessed subspecies. 78. European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus unwini HUME 87. Three sightings: in song near Repetek on 8 th May; in song at 200 m a.s.l. at Kopet Dag on th May; 2 in song at Kopet Dag on 2 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 79. Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus ae. aegyptius LICHTENSTEIN 823. One sighting: 3 heard (2, ) at night near Repetek on 8 th May. 80. Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba tuneti (TSCHUSI 904). One sighting: 0 at Kopet Dag (N , E ) on 2 th May. 8. Common Swift Apus apus subsp. (LINNAEUS 758). Seen almost daily but in low numbers. Subspecies not assessed but could involve either nominate A. a. apus or A. a. pekinensis (SWINHOE 870). 82. European Roller Coracias garrulus semenowi LOUDON & TSCHUSI 902. Commonly seen throughout, except at higher altitudes at Kopet Dag, sometimes in high densities in agricultural areas. Highest count is 48 seen from car en route Hauz-Han to Tejen (70 km) on 0 th May. Subspecies principally assessed on distribution, but many birds were notably pale, indicating assessed subspecies. 83. Common Kingfisher Alcedo a. atthis (LINNAEUS 758). Two sightings: at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; 2 at Amu-Darya River on 8 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 84. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus PALLAS 773. Commonly seen throughout, except at higher altitudes at Kopet Dag. Highest daily count is c. 200 at Amu-Darya River on 8 th May. 85. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster LINNAEUS 758. Commonly seen throughout, even at moderate altitudes at Kopet Dag, but almost always in lower numbers than previous species. Highest daily count is c. 50 at Kopet Dag on 2 th May. 86. Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa e. epops LINNAEUS 758. Seen daily throughout in low numbers. Highest daily count is 0 at Kopet Dag on 2 th May. 87. Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla sarudnyi LOUDON 92. One sighting: at Amu-Darya River on 9 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 88. White-winged Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucopterus (SALVADORI 870). Two sightings: in saxaul desert scrub near Repetek (N , E ) on 8 th May; 2-3 in riverine forest at Amu-Darya River (N , E ) on 9 th May. All birds seen and heard calling, at one occasion also drumming

22 89. Common Kestrel Falco t. tinnunculus LINNAEUS 758. Seen almost daily but in low numbers. Highest daily count is 3 on 4 th May (Ashgabat to Tejen River). Not recorded on 7 th May (Repetek area) or on 9 th May (Amu-Darya River area). 90. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus LINNAEUS 766. Two sightings: at Kopet Dag on th May; at Germab on 3 th May. Both obviously on migration. 9. Eurasian Hobby Falco s. subbuteo LINNAEUS 758. in Ashgabat at dusk on 3 rd May. Also seen at three sites at Kopet Dag, 7 birds in total, on 2 th to 3 th May. 92. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus subsp. TUNSTALL 77. One sighting: passing quickly, chased by Hobby, at Kopet Dag on 3 th May. Subspecies not assessed, but in theory up to five different subspecies could be involved, including F. p. pelegrinoides TEMMINCK 829! 93. Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio subsp. LINNAEUS 758. Recorded on six days throughout, but more frequently at Kopet Dag on th to 3 th May. Also 4 seen from car en route Hauz-Han to Tejen (70 km) on 0 th May. Subspecies not assessed, but could be either nominate L. c. collurio or L. c. kobylini BUTURLIN 906, although Ayé et al. (202) propose nominate L. c. collurio. 94. Isabelline Shrike Lanius i. isabellinus HEMPRICH & EHRENBERG 833. Two sightings: at Babadurmaz Fish Ponds on 4 th May; at Tejen River on 5 th May. Subspecies assessed on plumage characters. 95. Red-tailed Shrike Lanius phoenicuroides (SCHALOW 875). Recorded on eight days throughout, more frequently at Kopet Dag on th to 3 th May, e.g. 5 on 2 th May. Subspecies assessed on plumage characters. 96. Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus nargianus VAURIE 955. One sighting: at Repetek on 8 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 97. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach erythronotus (VIGORS 83). Recorded on three days: near Repetek on 7 th May; at Amu-Darya River on 8 th May; 6 en route Hauz-Han to Ashgabat on 0 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 98. Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor J.F. GMELIN 788. Recorded on eight days throughout, in total c. 20 birds. 7 seen from car en route Hauz-Han to Tejen (70 km) on 0 th May. 99. Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius pallidirostris CASSIN 85. Two sightings of singles at Repetek on 8 th May. 00. Indian Golden Oriole Oriolus kundoo SYKES 832. Recorded on seven days, usually in low numbers, but more frequently at Kopet Dag, at most c. 5 on 3 th May. Unfortunately no males were studied well enough to assess species on plumage characters, but song differed slightly from O. oriolus (LINNAEUS 758) and on known distribution O. kundoo is the species occurring in Turkmenistan, at least in the northern and eastern parts. Although, according to Ayé et al. (202), breeding birds in southern Turkmenistan are supposed to be O. oriolus. 0. Common Magpie Pica pica bactriana BONAPARTE 850. Seen daily in low numbers throughout, except at higher altitudes at Kopet Dag. 02. Pander s Ground-jay Podoces p. panderi J. G. FISCHER VON WALDHEIM 82. Two sightings: near (N , E ) Repetek on 7 th May; 5-6 near (N , E ) Repetek on 8 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 03. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax centralis STRESEMANN 928. Two sightings: c. 30 at Kopet Dag on th May and 2 there on 2 th May. Subspecies assessed on distribution only. 04. Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula soemmerringii J. G. FISCHER VON WALDHEIM 8. Seen almost daily in low numbers throughout except at higher altitudes at Kopet Dag. 05. Carrion Crow Corvus corone orientalis EVERSMANN 84. Three sightings: 2 at Amu-Darya River on 9 th May; 4 at Kopet Dag on 2 th May; noted at Kopet Dag on 3 th May. 06. Hooded Crow Corvus cornix sharpii OATES 889. Recorded on six days, usually singles or in low numbers. Highest daily count is c. 0 on 3 rd May. 07. Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis LESSON 83. Two sightings: en route Ashgabat to Tejen on 4 th May; at Murgab River on 6 th May

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