Georgia, Kazbegi and Lake Jandari, 24th - 29th April 2016

Wednesday, 27th

Clouds were hanging low over mountains

We started by checking buckthorns in first light

Sunrise at 6.00, +7°C, light breeze and dark lead grey clouds hanging above, but no rain yet. Woke up 5.40 and started birding at sunrise, from the same spot as yesterday. Two Caucasian Snowcocks were calling (didn't see any) and two male Caucasian Black Grouses were lekking. 13 Griffon Vultures were flying low overhead very early at 6.15 and two Mountain Chiffchaffs were singing. Soon Jouni spotted a very nice male Rock Thrush at buckthorns. I climbed up a little bit to the lower end of a snowpatch. A pair of Great Rosefinches feeding at the edge of melting snow, two Alpine Accentors, a male ochruros Black Redstart and a Grey Wagtail there. Also 30+ Red-fronted Serins flying here and there. At 6.40 started pouring rain and I got soaked wet before reaching the car. Back to the hotel to get some dry clothes and for breakfast next. After breakfast it was still raining, so we decided to take an hours nap.

Caucasian Mountain Chiffchaff ssp. lorenzii

Caucasian Mountain Chiffchaff

Black Redstart, nominate ochruoros, male.

Around 10.30 there was just light rain, so we headed to check the buckthorns once again. This time we parked by the last stone wall in position 42.654041, 44.653643, giving us a straight view to the buckthorn row below us. We started scanning tops of buckthorns, and at 10.36 there it was, a splendid male Güldenstadt's Redstart about 300m ahead of us! After few minutes it vanished in the buckthorns, so we decided to get closer, parking by the track in position 42.652920, 44.655302, and walked towards buckthorns. The G-start appeared on a fence by a pasture again, but shortly flew up towards mountaintops. We did some birding around buckthorns, but couldn't spot the G-start anymore. After an hour pouring showers started over, leaving us the best choice to discover area by car.

A superb male Güldenstadt's Redstart

First we drove north towards the Russian border, which lies less than 12 km's north of Stepantsminda. Being a rainy day, we were somewhat worried when we noticed roadsigns cautioning rock slides, together with a VW Beetle -sized loose boulders on both sides of the road. This traditional route through Caucasus along Terek river valley is known from antiquity and has been used by traders and invaders for ages. The road itself, the historic Georgian Military Road E117 or S3, dates back from late 1700's and is main fairway connecting Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaidzan to Russia. Like Schengen -residents, Russians don't need visas to Georgia anymore, and Russian tourists are common sight along route. We made occasional stops every now and then, but didn't see any notable birds. However, in many places there were rows of buckthorns along river Terek, so finding G-starts might be possible here, too. About 500m before border crossing we turned over.

Slippery road with caution for rock slides

Scenery South over Terek river valley, north of Stepantsminda

Monastery complex of St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Dariali is under renovation

South of Stepantsminda we noticed a chap watching birds by roadside. I drove closer, opened window, cheered and asked "Have you seen anything interesting"? Well, to our surprise he was a Finnish birder, so we continued conversation in Finnish. He had seen a Wallcreeper at steep cliff by the road just north of village Sno. After a few minutes chat we headed south, but couldn't locate the Wallcreeper. The rain was pouring again, though.

Occasional meeting at Caucasus

We turned South-East towards village Sno, and right after village found a flooded area by the Snostskali river in position 42.595690, 44.652504. Just two Grey Herons, a Little Grebe, four Mallards and a Common Sandpiper there. However, this pond is well worth checking and might host anything, bearing in mind this valley must be corridor for thousands and thousands of birds on migration. A little bit further we found a vast pasture in position 42.595751, 44.651049. A male Red-backed Shrike, four Mistle Thrushes, 50 Water Pipits coutellii, some Goldfinches were the only birds, but again this place looks very promising to check out for migrants.