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Big Almaty Lake, about thirty kilometers south of the city of Almaty, is a glacial-fed lake situated at just over 2,500 meters in the Tien Shan Mountains.  During the summer it reflects the three peaks that surround it but when we visited in May it was still largely frozen.  The river that feeds the lake, [...]

Seeing any bird with the word “Himalayan” in its name is going to be a thrill.  Ditto for any bird named with any variation of “Rubythroat.”  So seeing a bird that combines those two words, the Himalayan Rubythroat, is pretty amazing.  Seeing that bird well, singing repeatedly from exposed perches in decent light while you [...]