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Turkey - 2nd - 11th of May 2009 (1 Viewer)

Pariah

Stealth Birder
Turkey - 2nd - 11th of May. Owen, Connor and Donal Foley.

We flew from Dublin with Turkish airlines to Istanbul, connecting to Antalya for 300 euros.
Car hire of a Renault Megane 1.6L diesel, cost 500 euros for the 11 days, (split 3 ways = 170 euros). Diesel prices were expensive in Turkey at between 1.25 and 1.50 Euro per litre.

We used the Gosney Guides for Gen and the Lonely planet guide for Accomodation.

We flew out on Friday the 1st in the afternoon. A delay in Dublin meant we had a very quick sprint between terminals in Istanbul. Our seats to Antalya had been sold, but the helpful staff at Turkish airlines upgraded us to business class at no extra charge, and we flew in luxury for the rest of the way. We grabbed our car at the terminal in Antalya and made straight for Akseki for dawn.

Day 1 – Saturday 2nd of May – Akseki – Karapinar

Began working Akseki at first light, our first bird being a Steppe buzzard leaving roost. It didn’t take us long to find our first Krupers Nuthatch, and these birds showed amazingly well all morning. A single flight view of a green woodpecker was the only woodpecker species we had at this site unfortunately, however we did manage to tick Sombre tit here.

After a few hours of hearing distant drumming, but no White backed, Grey headed, or Middle spotted woodpeckers, we moved down to the area around Akseki village itself. Here we ticked our first Black headed buntings, singing from every hedge, as well as seeing good numbers of Masked shrikes, Corn buntings, Red Rumped Swallows, Spotted Flycatchers, More Sombre tits, and various phyloscopus warblers.

We then moved on to the “walled plantation” described by Gosney. This was a fantastic site, literally dripping with migrants, including dozens of eastern bonelli’s warblers singing, Lesser whitethroats, Blackcaps, Wood warblers, Willow warblers, Spotted flycatchers and Tree pipits. This site also produced our first Lesser Grey Shrikes, Red Fronted Serin, Western Rock Nuthatch, Eastern Orphean Warblers, and Middle Spotted Woodpecker. We also had close encounters with both Booted and Short toed eagle here.

We then moved on to the “new” White backed woodpecker clearing, a fabulous area, but unfortunately again dipping this and other woodpecker species despite intensive searching. Middle spotted woodpecker, Cuckoo, European nuthatch and eastern bonelli’s warbler were present here.

We then undertook a drive from Akseki to Konya and Karapinar, seeing many White and Black Storks en route, as well as Long legged Buzzards, Marsh harriers, European Bee-eaters and various herons near Beyshehir.

Found ourselves a fairly dodgy motel in karapinar to stay the Night for 25 YTL each (12 Euro).



Day 2 – Sunday 3rd of May – Karapinar – Eregli – Demirkazik

Up early and headed for the Hotamis area in the hopes that Marshes here still existed. They did not, unfortunately; however we did manage to see our first Calandra Larks here, with the area just off the Karapinar – Konya road having excellent numbers of Issabeline wheatears. Whilst searching for larks around Hotamis, a small accipiter flew in front of the car, and began circling nearby. It was a stunning male Levant’s Sparrowhawk! This bird was soon joined by 30 more! Forming a kettle with Honey Buzzards, Lesser kestrels, and Red footed falcons. An awesome sight and our first taste of raptor migration on the trip.

We then moved on to Eregli. Again there are no marshes left here, however the artificial reservoir at Ayranci did have some herons (purple, night, little bittern, little egret etc) with the wooded areas having lots of migrants including, Wood warbler, Willow Warbler, Great reed warbler, Pied flycatcher, Nightingale and Lesser whitethroat. Here we encountered our first Thrush Nightingale (the only one of the trip) and our first Syrian Woodpeckers. Other birds included more Levant’s sprawks, Black kite, Honey Buzzard, Hobby, an Unidentified Aquila eagle, Long legged Buzzard, Golden Oriole, Western Rock Nuthatch, Garganey, Wood and Common Sandpipers, Rock Sparrow and White stork.

We then drove on to Demirkazik for the afternoon; this now famous site for Caspian Snowcock produced a number of Ticks for us in very quick succession. First off we stopped at Demirkazik gorge, picking up a couple of Wallcreepers, and Crimson winged finches. We then drove up the track behind the ski centre, finding Finsch’s wheatears and Snowfinch with ease. Other birds encountered here included red fronted serins, Golden eagle, Black eared wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Black redstart, Rock bunting, Alpine and Red billed Choughs, Shorelark and Common Sparrowhawk.

We stayed at Ali’s panysion that night for a mere 25 YTL with good food and beer. Ali is famous for getting the Snowcocks for birders, and we would be up early the following morning with him to nab these amazing birds.

Day 3 – Monday 4th of May – Demirkazik - Tarsus Delta

Up for 6 am and straight up to the Snowcock site, seeing Shorelarks and Finsch’s Wheatears along the way. A 2 hour stake out in bad weather produced our first Alpine accentor but no Raddes accentors. We could hear the curlew like call of the snowcocks up on the cliffs, but were having no luck picking any up. By about 8 am we were starting to lose hope. Ali spotted this, and began to disseminate Tea and Cake to the weary in our time of need. With a cup of tea in one hand and a big lump of cake in the other, I suddenly picked up to blips descending down the mountain at rapid speed. SNOWCOCKS!! (……there may have been some expletives).
Two birds flew in directly over head and gave amazing views, the male throwing back his head fully and calling before us. After the birds had gone, with weather worsening, we left a few minutes later, bound for the Tarsus delta.

Once out of the mountains, the weather improved dramatically and we made it into the Tarsus delta for the afternoon. Driving around the various agricultural areas produced our first Spectacle bulbuls and Graceful prinias, as well as Reed and Eastern Olivaceous warblers. We then began driving around the Eucalyptus plantations in search of Smyrna kingfisher. After seeing a few Stunning male Red backed shrikes and a Black francolin we came across a cracking Smyrna out on a fencepost along a ditch. This bird gave brilliant views before flying off into the groves. Amazing bird.

We then drove around to the other side of the delta and Tessu lake. Here we had lots of Gull billed and White winged black terns, Whiskered terns, Spur winged, Kentish and ringed plovers, Dunlin, Little stint, Wood, Green and Broad billed Sandpipers and the two star birds, Caspian Tern and White Pelican. I had always wanted to see a pelican…and I wasn’t disappointed by them. Monster birds.

We then drove on towards Birecik, staying in Osmaniye. We stayed in the Sihan hotel, which was quite a comfortable 3 star hotel costing us 120 YTL (60 Euro) for 3 people.

Day 4 – Tuesday 5th of May – Birecik

Drove to Birecik for the early morning and drove up the Euphrates towards the Orchards described in Gosney. Several Bald Ibis were present on the cliffs just outside the town, with a Pygmy cormorant drying itself on the gravel islands.
The orchard area instantly produced many Dead Sea sparrows (little crackers!), Desert finch and Menetries warblers as well as Syrian woodpeckers. We came across no Yellow throated sparrows in the orchards; however, amazingly, I found a flock of 12-16 in the grounds of the Ibis breeding centre itself, frequenting the pines. Very nice birds.

We then proceeded to work the gravel pits, seeing more Pygmy cormorants with flyover Honey buzzards and Egyptian Vultures but failing to see any Iraq babblers….I now feel like I am destined never to see a babbler species after missing Fulvous in Morocco last year.

Back around to the Wadi, we began our search for the elusive See-see partridge, eventually finding 4 birds. We then moved on to the Pale Scops owl garden, hoping to find the bird in daylight. We did manage this, with the bird perching grumpily just feet above us in the usual café. Cracking little beast! And easily one of the top birds of the trip!

After a celebratory dinner in the Kiyi restaurant (highly recommended), we then undertook a long overnight drive to Van…not for the fainthearted.

Day 5- Wednesday 6th of May - Van hills/Marshes – Ishaak Pasa Palace

Crap weather in the hills badly hampered us in our search for Grey Necked bunting in Van hills, however we did manage to see various forms of Yellow wagtail, Ruddy Shelduck, Ferruginous duck (Ercek golu) Armenian gulls (everywhere), and various waders including redshank and Lapwing and Moustached warbler and Bimaculated lark.

We then descended down to the marshes where the weather was better and bagged more moustached warblers, Paddyfield warbler, and Citrine wagtails. Other birds included numerous Tree and Red throated pipits, Griffon vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Marsh sandpiper, Coot (of some strange pale winged form), White winged black terns, Garden warblers, lesser whitethroats, Savi’s warbler ( out of habitat in the plantation!) and Red backed shrikes.

We then drove on to Ishaak pasa palace, however despite several hours searching we saw no Mongolian Finch, Grey necked bunting or Lammergeier here. We did however manage a migrating mountain chiffchaff and golden eagles and the local race of Twite (which is more arctic redpoll like than Twite!)

Stayed in Van that night in the Buyuck hotel. 3 star and very reasonable (120 YTL for 3 people sharing. Good food and Breakfast.

Day 6 – Thursday 7th of May – Bendimahi marshes - Bulanik

Early morning at Bendimahi marshes produced Eurasian Bittern and 2 Caspian terns, White winged black terns, Night heron and Little Bittern. We then drove on towards Bulanik, seeing hundreds of Honey Buzzards Migrating across the lake and north over the mountains.

In the Murat valley we saw dozens of Gullbilled and White Winged terns, Montagu’s harriers and a Single female Pallid harrier and managed to find 2 Demoiselle Cranes in with 15 Common cranes.

We then drove on towards nemrut dagi (over some horrific roads), but again bad weather hampered us with snow and lightning storms making not worth the effort to even attempt the tracks up to the crater. This was our last chance at Raddes accentor and we saw none for the entire trip.

We then drove over night back to Gaziantep staying in the Yemmeck hotel. (3 star - 110 YTL for a triple room – 55 Euros) A very nice hotel, good food and breakfast.

Day 7 – Friday 8th of May - Yesilce – Isikli and Durnalik

Just 20 km west of Gaziantep, These areas produced birds such as White throated robin and Cinerous buntings easily for us in large numbers. There seems to be both races of the bunting present at these sites. Several Upchers warblers were seen in the orchards at Isikli with one Pale rock sparrow seen here. We couldn’t manage any red tailed wheatear at Isikli however, despite extensive searching. However Eastern Rock nuthatch was very common at both sites.

Durnalik was not much better on this occasion for the wheatear. The gosney guide seems somewhat dated here on this site. Indeed we managed very little here despite extensive searching other than numerous Silvias including Barred, Eastern orphean, Lesser Throat and Blackcap. We could locate no Desert finch, Olive tree warblers, Rosefinch or Upchers in this valley.

We did spot a likely looking track above the valley, near a quarry which looked good and decided to stay overnight to look for the wheatear in the morning. Stayed in same hotel.

Day 8 – Saturday 9th of May – Yesilce – Goksu delta

Straight up the track the next morning, and it was indeed worthwhile finding a pair of red tailed wheatears, numerous Cinerous buntings, Bimaculated Lark, Red backed shrike and lots of White throated robins. If looking for this track, From Durnalik village, head up hill (avoiding the track down into the valley) towards the quarry. About 250 meters before the quarry works there is a track off to the left which winds up and around the hill. This is driveable for a few kilometres through some amazing habitat to a radio station; however the wheatears were just 100meters up off the main road in an area of large boulders on your right as you go uphill. Easy…when you know where to look.

Moved on towards the Goksu delta that afternoon and explored the south of the delta. Lots of Spur winged plover, Broadbilled sandpiper, Curlew sandpiper, little stint, ringed plover, Whiskered, White winged and Black terns. Stayed in the Lades motel that night. A true birders motel, 100 YTL per room. A bit more expensive than usual, but worth it for the wealth of bird information available here.

Day 9 - Sunday 10th of May– Goksu – Urbunucuk

Up early and started off at the north side of the delta. The tower here produced 15 short toed eagles, Eleonoras falcon, Lesser Kestrel, Grey headed Swamphen, Great white egret, Red crested pochard, White Pelican and lots of common water species already encountered.

We then drove up to Urbunucuk, and area of ruined temples, in search of Olive tree warbler. Saw a couple of likely candidates, but failed to get any conclusive views. A very skulky species…more expletives were used frequently in search of this species.

We then set off early on the road to Alanya…this road is nightmarish and takes hours to cover a relatively short distance. Plenty of time should be given when tackling this stretch…especially if trying to make a flight!

We stayed in Side this night in the aim of trying an Olive tree warbler site the next morning.

Day 10 – Monday 11th of May - Manavgat

Up early to the Olive grove described by gosney. Failed miserably to find Olive tree warbler here (again a blip view of a candidate). Lots of masked shrike, Red backed shrike present. Icterine warbler, Olivaceous, Wood warbler and great reed warbler all seen here.

Carried on to the Koprulu canyon park, where we saw Goshawk and griffon vultures giving good views. Worked likely spots for olive tree along the way to Antalya but no joy.

Flew to Dublin via Istanbul on the 12th

Some poor shots added.
Over 240 species encountered on trip.
 

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And some more....the last two arent birds..;)
 

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