The Caucasus Mountains, Georgia

I'm just back from 6 days in Kazbegi, near the Georgian-Russian border in the Greater Caucasus mountains. The landscapes were phenomenal:

There are bird species found here and nowhere else on Earth. Caucasian Snowcock:

As the old Georgian saying goes: "თქვენ იცით, რომ თქვენ არ გადაძვრა მაღალი როცა შურთხი ფრენა ქვეშ თქვენ". Or: "You know you have climbed high when the Snowcock fly beneath you". 
This is a more typical view from underneath the bird of the mountain tops:

Caucasian Grouse:

Some stunning mountain residents, Güldenstädt's Redstart: 

Great Rosefinch:

Mountain Chiffchaff:

Plus a fabulous selection of local residents and migrants on the East Africa-Asian flyway:

Red-throated Pipit:

Caucasian Water Pipit:

Tree Pipit:

Red-backed Shrike:

Caucasian Ring Ouzel:

Chough:

Migrating Bee-eaters:

"Turkish" Twite: 

Ortolan:

Red-breasted Flycatcher:

Rock Bunting: 

Rock Thrush: 

Red-fronted Serin:

Northern Wheatear:

There were also some great raptors. Migrants included many hundreds of Honey Buzzard and Steppe Buzzard; Sparrowhawks, Hobbies, Long-legged Buzzard and one Steppe Eagle. Locals included this incoming Griffin Vulture...

... and Lammergeier:

One of three adult Lammergeiers that circled low over me, as I pretended to be a rock while I photographed Great Rosefinch. These huge vultures have a 2 meter wingspan, the sky literally turned dark, before I fled for my life. 

All this, and Wallcreeper too. Highly recommended :-)