The first record at Sorbulak confirmed by photography. Previously, there is record of two vagrant birds here of June 5, 2011 (Belyalov, Karpov, 2012). The nearest known breeding range is the Alakol system of lakes, where the first nests were found in 2000 (Berezovikov, 2004, Berezovikov, Levinsky, 2008).

For the first time ever recorded in the Northern Pre-Caspian. Breeding in Kazakhstan is known only for Kyzylkum. Several vagrants were recorded to the east of the breeding range: at Bilikol (Gubin, 1991, oral report); at Aksu-Jabagly (Kolbintsev, 1999); at Chokpak (Gavrilov & Gavrilov, 2005); at Sorbulak (Kovalenko, 2007, www.birds.kz), and to the west from the breeding range: in Mangyshlak (Gubin, Vilyaev, 2012, www.birds.kz). The northernmost until this day record is the report about male of May 14, 1882, near Orenburg (Zarudny, 1897).

The Menetries Warbler breeds in Kazakhstan along the valley of the Syrdarya river. However for a long time Oleg Belyalov suggested that Menetries Warblers regularly caught at the Chokpak station can breed much to east from the known breeding range. After more than 10 years these assumptions were confirmed. This is the first record of a Menetries Warbler proving its breeding on the Chu river, at 400 km to the east of the previously known breeding spots.

And then one even more eastern record of the Menetries Warbler confirming its habitat in the floodplain of the Ile river. That expands the range of the habitat for more than 600 km to the east of the previously known breeding spots in Kazakhstan.

The first vagrant confirmed by a photography. In addition to this record there are several more ones are known: in 1900-1901 birds were observed on the Irtysh in autumn (Yablonsky, N.I, 1904); on August 27, 1998 a flock was observed on the Sorkol lake, on May 4, 1999 single bird was observed in the mixed flock between the Bozshakol and Pyatikhatka lakes (Erokhov SN, Berezovikov N.N, 2000); on February 13, 2006, on Shoshkakol lakes 6 Barnacle Gees were observed (A.V Kovalenko, SA Kravchenko, 2006).

For the first time Common Oystercatcher breeds in Sorbulak last year. But the eggs were not measured, and the history of the nest was not traced. This year the birds made the clutch in the same place. The size of the eggs and the behavior of the bird confirmed their breeding.

For the first time recorded on Altay. The nearest records are known from Alakol depression (Berezovikov,2008).

Two birds were observed on Sorbulak.

First record from Sorbulak.

The first record in Semirechye confirmed by photography. The spring records are known in two places: on Ile in the mouth of Khorgos (Alferaki, 1891) and in the delta of Tentek river (Berezovikov, 2002). On Sorbulak it was previously recorded once in the beginning of winter (Belyalov, Karpov, 2012).

First winter record in western part of Kazakhstan. Earlier only several records were in Southern Kazakhstan, Zhambyl and Almaty oblasts.

First record of Laughing Dove on Mangyshlak.

First winter record in Kazakhstan confirmed by photos. Earlier the latest records in Ural river delta were in the third ten days of October (Gistsov, 2012). There is the information about December record in foothills of Western Tien Shan (Kolbintsev, 1997).

First confirmed by photos record of Great Rosefinch in Kazakhstan part of Altai. Earlier at July 20 of 2005 Raffael Aye observed couple in upper of Katun river near the border with Russia (KOB-2005, p183).

New species of fauna of Kazakhstan. First birds were shot in Zhabagly (Southern Kazakhstan) at January 12 2014 by E.Belousov. In same place at 8-9 of February A.Isabekov, A.Kovalenko and V.Fedorenko also photographed these birds. Previously known in localities of Uzbekistan bordered to Kazakhstan territory, nests in Ugam and Pskem ridges.

The first photos of this species on the site. In the Kazakhstan’s part of Altai the nesting of Pallas’s Rosefinch is known only in several sites. In winter time was observed in foothills.

First winter record in Ile Alatau. In this ridge only three observations of the little flocks (15, 25 and 27 of October 2003) in Middle Talgar (3000-3400 m) was known (Dzhanyspaev, 2004). The nearest breeding sites are in the Kyrgyzstan part of Kungei Alatau. In Kazakhstan was found in Terskei Alatau, Kyrgyz Alatau, Talas Alatau and Ugam ridges (Gavrilov, 1974). Probably this record shows to the nesting on the southern slope of the Ile Alatau which is almost unexplored by scientists.

First time photographed in Kazakhstan. Before only one record was known in Kazakhstan - in the upper Bukhtarma river at August 27, 1987 Boris Scherbakov (1990) observed the brood.

Very rare vagrant to Kazakhstan. Earlier recorded on Caspian sea (Dolgushin I.A.., 1962), at 30 of October 1969 on Ile river (Gavrilov E., Gavrilov A., 2005), at 1st of October, 2006 on Koibagar lake (Berezovikov N.N., 2007) and at January of 16, 2009 in Aktau (Kovshar V., 2009)

Rare resident occurring at long intervals. The first record at December 15, 1938 (Kovshar, 1966). Next winter observations was in 1970/71 and 1971/1972 years. (Gubin, 1989). Later observed in 1989, 1991, 1995, 2003. (Chalikova, 2004; Kolbintsev, 2004). The last records was at March 7 and 16, 2011 - (E.S. Chalikova, unpublished information).

The 6th record in Kazakhstan.

The 10th record of Red-throated Thrush in Almaty oblast and the 4th in 2013. This year Red-throated Thrush was observed at January 19 (Dyakin G., Isabekov A., Kovalenko A., www.birds.kz) , at February 17 (Isabekov A., Fedorenko V., www.birds.kz) and at February 23 (Fedorenko, V., www.birds.kz). Earlier the six records (Nikolsky, 1887, Shnitnikov, 1949, Gavrilov, 1970) and several unpublished records were known.

The fifth record of White-winged Crossbill in Kazakhstan, but the first record confirmed by the photos. Previous records: in 20s of November 1971 near Semipalatinsk (Kovshar A.F., 1974); at August 19, 1999 on the lake Sultankeldy (Heinicke, 2006); at August 30, 2002 at the lake Shangin (Belyalov O.V., 2002); at January 27, 2008 in the upper river Tautekeli (Starikov S.V., 2009).

The first winter record in Kazakhstan. Breeds only on Lineisky and Ivanovsky ridges of Altai (Scherbakov, 2002). In all the rest territory only six autumn records are known: in 1920 near Kustanai (Geptner, 1925); in 1925 near Semipalatinsk (Selevin, 1930); in 1960 at Kurgaldzhino (Krivitsky et al, 1985); in 2011 at Aktobe steppes (Timoshenko, 2012) and near Sorbulak (V.Fedorenko, www.birds.kz); in 2012 at Betpak-Dala (A.Vilyaev, www.birds.kz).

Only few winter observations are known for South-Eastern Kazakhstan (Gavrilov, 1999). The third winter record in Sorbulak vicinity, the previous two were at December 09, 2000 and February 20, 2011 (Belyalov, Karpov, 2012).

Very interesting record. The nearest nesting sites were on Zaysan lake and Black Irtysh river, but the reality of nesting in recent years is unknown. (Starikov, 2002; Gistsov, 2012). Spoonbill is rare bird of fauna of Kazakhstan. Despite the widespread breeding, its total number is least than 1000 pairs.

Lives in the distant parts of the Kyzlkum desert and rare recorded by researchers. The subspecies transcaspius (Zarudny Kudashev, 1916) was described from this area, but later combined to P. p. panderi.

The latest date record in Kazakhstan. In prior only some records were known in the south of the country, but all of them belonged to the end of October (Kovshar, 1966; Gavrilov, Gistsov, 1985). That the latest date record was the observation by Severtsov N.A. at October 26 in Shymkent, but it was about 150 years ago.

The first record from the western part of Kazakhstan was confirmed by the photos.

The first record on the Ustyurt plateau. The closest recording sites are on the Peninsula Mangishlak, where it was observed by only three ornithologist - Dolgushin I.A. (10 May 1947), Korelov M.N. (8-16 September 1964) and Kovshar A.F. (17 May 1990).

The first photo was taken from the territory of Kazakhstan. On Sorbulak alone birds were seen at December 25, 2004; March 7, 2005 and October 9, 2011 (Belyalov, Karpov, 2012), but none of them has been confirmed by photography.

Photographed for the first time in South-Eastern Kazakhstan. On Sorbulak previously not observed. In the region there are only old records: November's observation near Dzharkent in 1899 (Zarudny, Koreev, 1905); record at 20-21 April 1907 in the meadows near Otar; the river Chu at October 1, 1915; and at river Lepsy (Shnitnikov, 1949). Of course the rarity of observations because the Meadow Pipit does not stand out in the mass of other Pipits passing through Kazakhstan.

A rare encounter and the first photo of this species on the site. Over the past few years, known several meetings of Yellow-browed Warbler in Kazakhstan: 13.09.2001 and 27.09.2002 ensnared by st. Chokpak, Jambul region (Kovalenko A.V. and others), and several times was fixed at Kanshengel village, Almaty region. - 14,18.05.2002 and 26.05.2003 (Kovshar A.F.) and 19-20.05.2002 (Kovshar V.A.) noted twice in western Kazakhstan 17-18.10.2002 and 29.04.2005 in the Fetisovo village, Mangystau region. (Gubin B.M.).

One of the rarest birds of the fauna of Kazakhstan. It’s 12th record of this species. Previous records: 1. Mass passage migration in Aksu-Zhabagly at October 7-23, 1960, one bird obtained at October 7th (Kovshar, 1966); 2. Mass passage migration in Aksu-Zhabagly at October 3-17, 1960, one bird obtained at October 3th (Kovshar, 1966); 3. Mass passage migration in Aksu-Zhabagly at November of 1970 (Gubin, 1989); 4. Mass passage migration in Aksu-Zhabagly at November of 1971 (Gubin, 1989); 5. Observed in Ust-Kamenogorsk at October 31, 1981 (Starikov, Tsikh, 1990); 6. Caught in lower Sarysu at September 27, 1986 (Khrokov ect,1991); 7. Observed in Kapchagai city vicinity at May 22, 1990 (Kovalenko, 2002); 8. Caught in Kurgalzhini reserve at September 18, 1999 (Koshkin, 2002); 9. Caught in Chokpak at October 21, 2001 (Gavtilov E., Gavrilov A., 2005); 10. Caught in Chokpak at October 24, 2002 (Gavtilov E., Gavrilov A., 2005); 11. Observed in Aksu-Zhabagly reserve at April 13, 2004 (Chalikova, 2005).

Pygmy cormorant was photographed for the first time on lake Balkhash. Previously it was recorded in Ile river delta on october 21, 2007 (Panov, 2008). There are records from Sorbulak lake on May 30, 1995 (Erokhov, 2002), April, 11, 1999 - 2 birds (Grachev, 2002). Winters on river Chu close to Kurday pass (Karpov, Belyalov, 2009).

The first meeting on the Sorbulak lake. Two birds were observed on the west side of the lake near the dam. Nearest famous meeting occurred in the lower reaches of the Ili river on June 24 (I.A. Dolgushin, 1962) and in Karachengil hunting farm on July 21 and 23 2006 (I.A. Bevza, 2007).

This is the first photographic record of this species in Kazakhstan on this website. Dunnock was recorded in Kustanay oblast previously only several times. N.M. Smetana (1974) E.A and T.M. Bragin (2002). The breeding range in Western Siberia (per Ryabitsev 2008) comes very closely to Kazakhstan border - in the forested areas close to Ural mountains. Also recorded on migration along Ural river near the Caspian and the Mangyshlak peninsula (Gavrilov, 1999).

This is the first record of the sociable lapwing in the Sorbulak lake system over more than 50-years of ornithological observations in this area. There are irregular records close to this location. On river Kaskelen (by Shnitnikov, 1949), Itzhon plateau, right-side bank of Ile river (Dolgushin, 1962) and at the edge of the Taukun desert in Kanshengel (Berezovikov et al., 1999). Two broods have been recorded in Kanshengel on June 21, 2003 (Belyalov, Karpov, 2004).

This is the first photographic record at lake Yazevoye (Listvaga mountain range). In July 2006 two broods each of brown and red-backed shrikes (Chelyshev, Nagibina, 2007). In Kazakhstan brown shrike has also been noted for Western Altay (Kuzmina, 1948; Sherbakov 1986) and Markakol Lake Depression (Berezovikov, 1989).

Earlier breeding of Ibisbill only supposed in this region, but until now there was no significant findings.