wolfbirder
Well-known member
Graeme / Chris,
It really gives me pleasure to feel the reports help other birders. Thank you for your kind words.
Chris, it takes about an hour to get to Antalya from Side/Manavgat then its dual carriageway all the way, though through Antalya it inevitably gets a bit busy. Keep to the right or at least middle of the 3-lane dual carriageway as you go past the airport to your left. Several kms later as you feel you are getting to the heart of Antalya the dual carriageway splits once (from memory), you need to go right where it says Burdur (maybe also Ankara) and NOT "Merkesi Sehir" (city centre). Anyway once on that dual carriageway it takes some time heading out of Antalya's suburbs, its probably about 15-20kms until Korkutelli is signposted. Sat in the central reservation to turn left off the dual carriageway for Korkutelli is one of those moments you need to be very careful crossing the opposite lanes, irrespective of the traffic light colour check for potentially lethal oncoming traffic ignoring lights! Then the roads are fast and relatively free of traffic.
So it will be 3 hour journey - 45 mins to 1 hour to Antalya, 45 mins to 1 hour through Antalya, 30 mins to Korkutelli (with no stops), 45 mins to Elmali (with no stops), then the birding starts after Elmali. I would say it is worth it, but of course that is based on my one visit. The drive at Gogubeli pass is superb and easy for birding, making a crucial difference.
This is the problem, there surely is some good birding areas around Korkutelli but I imagine not close to a fast flowing dual carriageway. You need time to investigate. Gogubeli Pass and Seki (for the WT Robins) are in "my opinion" the best areas and easiest areas to bird, areas which instantly deliver. It would be a long day, but it was by far my most enjoyable one. Set off at 6am-7am, be there for 9-10am, you would have 5 hours birding before heading back. It took me 3-4 hours travelling the 15-20km between Elmali & Seki as you stop and start for roadside birds, barely leaving the car. I just slowly drove along, stopping several times to listen for song and check out the very best areas such as the steep ravines at the start & the plateau.
Follow signs for Alanya in Antalya to get back to Side.
Graceful Warblers are easier than I initially thought but must find suitable habitat. Listen for their 'tapping' call. The Dutch birder I spoke to had only managed to see them at Lara Beach, but he had not tried Titreyen Golu. The drainage ditches around Manavgat for this species were very hard to find though at stages they did run next to the busy dual carriageway, but I think the days when Gosney birded there 20 years ago traffic would have been relatively free on single roads.
The Dutch birder also said there were Krupers Nuthatch in the forest around Oymapinar which could save you going to Akseki, but where? They could be commonplace as far as I know. He also said Syrian Woodpeckers were the most common, but I have always struggled with woodpecker species.
It really gives me pleasure to feel the reports help other birders. Thank you for your kind words.
Chris, it takes about an hour to get to Antalya from Side/Manavgat then its dual carriageway all the way, though through Antalya it inevitably gets a bit busy. Keep to the right or at least middle of the 3-lane dual carriageway as you go past the airport to your left. Several kms later as you feel you are getting to the heart of Antalya the dual carriageway splits once (from memory), you need to go right where it says Burdur (maybe also Ankara) and NOT "Merkesi Sehir" (city centre). Anyway once on that dual carriageway it takes some time heading out of Antalya's suburbs, its probably about 15-20kms until Korkutelli is signposted. Sat in the central reservation to turn left off the dual carriageway for Korkutelli is one of those moments you need to be very careful crossing the opposite lanes, irrespective of the traffic light colour check for potentially lethal oncoming traffic ignoring lights! Then the roads are fast and relatively free of traffic.
So it will be 3 hour journey - 45 mins to 1 hour to Antalya, 45 mins to 1 hour through Antalya, 30 mins to Korkutelli (with no stops), 45 mins to Elmali (with no stops), then the birding starts after Elmali. I would say it is worth it, but of course that is based on my one visit. The drive at Gogubeli pass is superb and easy for birding, making a crucial difference.
This is the problem, there surely is some good birding areas around Korkutelli but I imagine not close to a fast flowing dual carriageway. You need time to investigate. Gogubeli Pass and Seki (for the WT Robins) are in "my opinion" the best areas and easiest areas to bird, areas which instantly deliver. It would be a long day, but it was by far my most enjoyable one. Set off at 6am-7am, be there for 9-10am, you would have 5 hours birding before heading back. It took me 3-4 hours travelling the 15-20km between Elmali & Seki as you stop and start for roadside birds, barely leaving the car. I just slowly drove along, stopping several times to listen for song and check out the very best areas such as the steep ravines at the start & the plateau.
Follow signs for Alanya in Antalya to get back to Side.
Graceful Warblers are easier than I initially thought but must find suitable habitat. Listen for their 'tapping' call. The Dutch birder I spoke to had only managed to see them at Lara Beach, but he had not tried Titreyen Golu. The drainage ditches around Manavgat for this species were very hard to find though at stages they did run next to the busy dual carriageway, but I think the days when Gosney birded there 20 years ago traffic would have been relatively free on single roads.
The Dutch birder also said there were Krupers Nuthatch in the forest around Oymapinar which could save you going to Akseki, but where? They could be commonplace as far as I know. He also said Syrian Woodpeckers were the most common, but I have always struggled with woodpecker species.
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