The Altai Mountains Where Four Worlds Meet A Greentours Trip Report 19th July to 3rd August 2001 Led by Paul Cardy, Vladimir Kolbintsev, and Alexander Lukhtanov Trip Report by Paul Cardy Day 1 Thursday 19th July Journey to Almaty The flights were on time, with a very good connection at Frankfurt as our arrival and departure gates were next to one another. Entry formalities at Almaty were made more enjoyable by the fact the immigration booth was packed with eight young ladies who were being trained as immigration officials. Vladimir met us and we transferred to the hotel. After settling in to our rooms we all met in the café on Floor 4 for beer and vodka. Day 2 Friday 20th July Cimbulak and journey to Ust-Kamenogorsk We ate a welcome buffet breakfast before a minibus arrived to take us up to Cimbulak for the day. Our flight to Ust-Kamenogorsk was not until the evening, so it was good to have the opportunity to visit the mountains above Almaty, the eastern end of the Tien Shan range. We drove up past the Medeo ice-rink, and the ski-centre. Common Mynas were noted on the journey. We passed a great variety of flowers including Sedum hybridum and Aconitum leucostonum. Our first stop was to explore some of the flower rich meadows. Nepeta pannonica, Mentha asiatica, Gentiana barbata, and Parnassia palustris were all in flower. An Apollo was nectaring on a lovely Rhodiola semenovii. The Marjoram also proved very attractive to butterflies. Pedicularis dolichorrhiza and Dactylorhiza umbrosa were going over but the Delphiniums were in good bloom. Silver-washed and High Brown Fritillaries flew rapidly over the hillside, and several Apollos were seen. Melanargia parce, a central Asian marbled white, was a pleasing find, as we would not see it in the Altai. Eastern Bath White, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow and Chazara enervata were also here. The rhubarb relative Rheum wittroecki was impressively large. Greenish Warblers called, whilst Grey-headed Goldfinch landed in the top of a Tien Shan Spruce giving very good views. Cuckoo was seen. Vladimir glimpsed a Blue Whistling Thrush. We ascended through the Tien Shan Spruce covered hillsides, but were stopped further up by a group of officials (?) who wouldn’t let us go any further. This didn’t matter too much as we were more or less where we wanted to be. This is where we were to eat lunch. Hume’s Yellow- browed Warbler was located nearby and the first of several False Commas was found. The attractive Gentiana karelini and Gentiana turkestanorum were flowering, with the gorgeous Erigeron aurantiacum. We ate lunch with the horseflies, and saw White-winged Grosbeak across the stream. Proclossiana erubescens, a Bog Fritillary relative, flew over the grassy hillside, in the company of Erebia meta subspecies alexandra. Coal Tit and Sparrowhawk were also here. After lunch we walked some way up towards the pass, in the direction of Kirghizstan. Red Pika, a delightful rabbit like mammal, was the first thing of interest. We watched it for some time as it moved in and out of a pile of rocks. A stunning male Blue-headed Redstart gave superb views. Common Rosefinches were much in evidence. The track was lined with interesting plants. Here we recorded the Edelweiss, Leontopodium fedschenkoanum and Codonopsis klematidea, Papaver croceum, various Alliums, and Potentilla fruticosa. The highlight amongst the butterflies was Erebia usgentensis, a significant record as it extends the known range of a very restricted range endemic. A very fresh Camberwell Beauty was here, together with Queen-of- Spain Fritillary, Coenonympha sunbecca, and Tesselated Skipper. We watched a Grey Marmot for some time in the scope, some of the group thinking it should be renamed Red Marmot due to its colour! Among the many other plants here were Cystopteris fragilis and Gentiana kaufmanniana. We returned to Almaty, and to a café for a snack before the flight. At the airport we checked in at a very small and quiet terminal. One young girl had no luggage other than a large tyre. The flight on the Yak took about two hours. The cloud formations were incredible during the whole journey. Vladimir and I sat opposite a mafiosi with his bodyguard carrying a rifle in a case. We arrived punctually and were met by Andrei, and transferred to the hotel for a welcome sleep. Day 3 Saturday 21st July Journey to the Zaissan Desert Following breakfast, and once we had regained our passports from the local police formalities, we set off at ten forty heading over the Irtysh River, and south-east towards the Zaissan. The journey took us initially through steppe, and then into the Kalbinskiy Hills. Nepeta pannonica was abundant along the roadsides, and a very attractive large flowered Globe Thistle drew attention to itself. Two Steppe Eagles, an Imperial Eagle, Hoopoe, and Wheatear were noted en route. We broke the journey by some remnant Scots Pine forest, and open heathy meadows. Despite the dull weather and light drizzle as soon as we alighted we started to see butterflies. Esper’s Marbled White, Ringlet, and Hipparchia autonoe were noted, with no fewer than three species of Plebejus - Plebejus idas, Plebejus argus and Plebejus pylaon. Among the many flowers were Sedum hybridum, Bupleurum longifolium, Galium verum, and a white-flowered Dianthus. Red- backed Shrike and Tree Pipit were also noted here. Viper’s Bugloss, Melilots and a tall white Hollyhock lined the roadsides on the way to the yourta where we were to have lunch. By now it was pouring with rain, but we kept perfectly dry in the yourta. Lunch was pirmeni, a local speciality reminiscent of ravioli. It was filling and tasty. The weather was a real disappointment as this had been an excellent site for butterflies in June. We did managed to see Idas Blue, and find a dead Wood White and Chequered Blue. We pressed on towards the ferry that we had to take. In the desert here we found several of the fascinating endemic Zaissan Toad-headed Agama sitting alongside their burrows. Yellow- legged Gull, Gull-billed Tern, and Great Crested Grebe were seen on or over the water. In the fringing reeds were Yellow Wagtails of the feldegg race, and Blyth’s Reed Warbler. The ferry crossing passed without incident, and we were soon back in the UAZs. Swallows seemed to be resident on the ferry. Continuing south we stopped at a filling station and saw a female Cuckoo. A desert pond supported some 30 Ruddy Shelduck, Avocets, Black-winged Stilt, Redshank, Wood Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover. More Steppe Buzzards were seen en route, and a Saker. Those in the first bus saw a Greater Jerboa on the road. After some time we left the tarmac and set off across the desert towards the shore of Lake Zaissan. Skylarks, Short-toed Larks, and a few Black Larks flew up from the short vegetation as we flushed them. Hobby was seen, and Dalmatian Pelicans down by the lake. Millions upon millions of tiny flies were swarming over the vegetation, but thankfully these were not biting insects. The journey to the camp took a long time, but we did arrive just before dark, to find quite a contingent from Altai Adventures there to meet us. A row of walk-in tents had been erected in a sandy gully, a short distance from the lake shore. We arranged ourselves into our separate tents, and regrouped for the first of Olga’s delicious meals. Day 4 Sunday 22nd July Zaissan Desert The day started overcast. Around the camp were huge numbers of Starling and Rose-coloured Starlings. Sand Martin was abundant. Pied Wheatear was here in small numbers, and Greylag Goose and Little Tern were noted down by the lake. Suddenly the heavens opened and torrential rain ensued. The gully that had been chosen for our camp turned quickly into a stream and then a river. The water gushed through the floors of the tents, but thankfully we were there to put all our belongings on the beds, and out of harms way. We sheltered in the vehicles, or in our tents, and patiently waited for the rain to stop. This really was a rare occurrence here, we were in a desert. Sadly this unprecedented heavy rain was to become commonplace during the trip. The rain abated, and we were keen to get walking. The road was now a river and even our superb vehicles couldn’t negotiate it, so we walked from the camp. An Eagle Owl feather was found near the camp. A family of Pied Wheatears was observed and a group of Pintail flew over. A lone Demoiselle Crane was spotted, and we were able to observe it in the telescope. Vladimir found some wolf dung, a pleasing sign that they were certainly in the area of the camp. Rheum micrantha was found in seed, and a species of Limonium was here. Isabelline and Northern Wheatear were both seen. The desert was covered in Jerboa burrows. Odile found Phrynocephalus helioscopus, a fascinating lizard called a Sunwatcher from its habit of looking skywards with one eye at a time. It didn’t have much to watch today! A grasshopper with a royal blue prothorax was an interesting find. A marshy area down by the lake supported Rose- coloured Starlings, Little Tern, Great Black-headed Gull, Redshank, and Greenshank. Five Dalmatian Pelicans were seen, and Cormorant and Grey Heron were noted here too. Walking back along the beach to camp we saw Small White. After an excellent lunch we drove to the Kiin Kerish Canyon.