Steve Rooke from his on-going tour of Central Asia

We had a brilliant day today, birding in the hills south of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. There were stunning Red-headed Buntings everywhere (below), as well as the special local birds. In fact, White-throated Robin, Upcher's Warbler, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Hume's Short-toed Lark (below), Finsch's Wheatear - all lined up nicely for us. And with them there were Rollers (European, below) and Turkestan Shrikes to drool over, plus a constant stream of European Bee-eaters and Rose-coloured Starling passing overhead. 

Red-headed Bunting

Hume's Short-toed Lark

European Roller