We start early, drive to the lakes and take the floating hides to the water. At 5.30, when the sun rises, we are all ready to shoot! Temminck’s Stints put up quite a show on the sandy shore as they chase each other between two meals. Above the Tern Pond, a whirlwind of stunning White-winged Terns puts our skill to the test as they grab insects from the surface and eat them in the air. The sheer number of birds, combined with their absence of fear, offers many opportunities to try, fail and re-try within minutes. When the sun is high in the sky, and the light is harsh, we leave the water and head back to Korgalzhyn for a delicious breakfast followed by a nap. A few hours later, we have lunch and then return to the steppe. The evening light is ideal for capturing the elegant Marsh Sandpiper as it wades in shallow water. We can create beautiful backgrounds for our images by placing the hide near the shore. Right after sunset is the best time to photograph the shy Pallas’s Gulls, as they seem to forget we are here and instead focus on catching insects from the water’s surface. We enjoy our packed dinner in the field and then head back to our guesthouse for some well-deserved rest

NIGHT | Basic guesthouse in Korgalzhyn village.

We leave the village early to be in the field for sunrise. While some of us go in the water again, others set up low-lying tents on another lake’s muddy shore. Dry and comfy, we lie down out of sight and wait for flocks of waders to stride in front of us. As it’s spring, they sport their most colorful plumage. Among Dunlins and Little Stints, the Curlew Sandpipers shine the brightest, with their rusty belly and curved bill.

Further but well within reach of our cameras, small groups of Common Shelducks display with much splashing and posturing. In the evening, we can return to the exact location to try our hand at backlit imagery. If we are lucky, the iconic Terek Sandpiper will nicely pose, allowing us to highlight its silhouette with delightful rim light. Creative photography makes us forget how tired we are, but soon it’s sunset, so we leave for a short night in Korgalzhyn.

NIGGHT | Basic guesthouse in Korgalzhyn village.

Early morning is an excellent time to photograph Pallid Harriers as they glide above the steppe, searching for a meal. We know a meadow they seem to favor, so we stand there with tripods and camouflage and wait for them to come to us. This is a unique opportunity to capture this exciting long-distance migratory raptor in typical habitat. Hopefully, we can photograph a successful hunt! While we wait for the harriers, Western Yellow Wagtails will probably perch on shrubs around us, singing and surveying their environment. We witness a pair of bonding Gull-billed Terns from the floating hide, one flying in to gift voles and lizards to the other, which sometimes doesn’t accept them! The evening photoshoot is exciting, as hundreds of Red-necked Phalaropes are dancing on the water, fearlessly feeding or taking off in a frenzy only to land back a minute later. These small endearing waders don’t mind humans, so they can be photographed up-close, even from the shore.

NIGHT | Basic guesthouse in Korgalzhyn village.

Windy days are not uncommon in the steppe, and choppy waters are not a photographer’s best friend when one uses a floating hide. Fortunately, we have a few tricks to continue making images. We can hide in the reedbed, a bit further from the main action. We may find a Red-necked Grebe, a Paddyfield Warbler, or a Black-tailed Godwit. There might even be a Eurasian Bittern booming there! Another option is to strand the hide on the muddy shore. What we lose in mobility, we gain in stability. Chosen well, the location may yield a pair of Terek Sandpipers or a spectacular group of Ruffs in a complete breeding extravaganza. If it’s too windy, or if one wants a change of scenery, it is much recommended to spend an evening with the Black Larks. By then, they will be pretty used to us parking in the same spot every day, so they will use their favorite mound as if we weren’t there. Singing, feeding, showing off: these cute creatures are a show of their own and one big reason to visit the Kazakh steppe in spring. Lying down near their spot, under camouflage, allows us to create stunning images of them without disturbing them. It’s also an excellent opportunity to try backlit situations for our last day near Korgalzhyn.

NIGHT | Basic guesthouse in Korgalzhyn village.