Hi folks just back from another fantastic family holiday in Turkey. Birding highlights were 3 Brown Fish Owl at the big canyon at Oymapinar lake. We turned up at 10am and jumped on one of the tourist boats, paying only 40 euros for myself and the wife, with our boy going free ! I made sure the skipper knew exactly where the Owls were before we set sail, otherwise you stand no chance of finding them yourself.
Bee-eater movement was incredible especially in the 1st week, and 1 evening during the rain there was spectacular arrival of Swifts with several thousand going through in less than an hour.
Here is an idea of what you can see on the Cimikoy track and plateau. At the beginning were Cretzschmars and Black Headed Bunting, Rupells and Orphean Warbler, Serin and Red fronted Serin, Sombre Tit, Short toed eagle, Long legged Buzzard, Rock Nuthatch, Finsches and Black eared Wheatear. Lots of Bonellis Warbler on the way up the track and Alpine Chough in good numbers. Around the plateau area were 2 Crimson winged finch, 2 Horned Lark, a nice male Rock Thrush, loads of Ortolan Bunting, Tawny Pipit, Isabelline Wheatear, Rock Sparrow, Short toed lark, Masked Shrike and Red backed Shrike. ( Martin I never found any W.T.Robin, glad you got them at Korkuteli )
The area to the west of the walled plantation near Akseki was very productive. 2 Golden Oriole, 2 Roller, 2 Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Hoopoe, Great Spotted Cuckoo, loads of Bee eaters, Spanish Sparrow, 2 Lesser Grey Shrike, Blue Rock Thrush, different Wheatears and other Shrikes. A little further up the road towards Ibradi I was really pleased to find a pair of Olive Tree Warbler.
The area east of the Manavgat river was good for Rufous bush chat, Shrikes, Graceful Warbler and Spur winged plover. I also had Little Bittern and Calandra Lark. The flooded wasteland between the D400 and Titreyengol held less water than last year but still a few waders around, lots of Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron, Little Egrets and a Whiskered Tern.
Bulbuls are everywhere you go and Laughing Dove fairly common around Side.
I found a Black Francolin somewhere near Turkler which eventually showed itself very briefly.
Near our base in Incekum I found Barred Warbler, Syrian Woodpecker and loads of Shrikes. An Icterine Warbler was in the hotel grounds for a few days.
I didn't get chance to visit Bogazkent but would be good to hear what Martin saw there.
In a nutshell May was obviously quieter near the coast but the mountain areas were superb.
Cheers Jim.