[pandachris]

Just a quickie because we're not long back from Dalyan after a 4 a.m. flight.

We picked up both Finsch's Wheatear and juv Ortolan within about 300 metres of each other yesterday in the village of Alan which is a good old drive into the mountains from Beyobasi, which itself is just off the main Izmir-Antalya road near the turn-off to Dalyan. If anyone is visiting the area soon and needs directions, let me know and I'll provide more details.

[Ruby]

Originally Posted by pandachris

Just a quickie because we're not long back from Dalyan after a 4 a.m. flight.

We picked up both Finsch's Wheatear and juv Ortolan within about 300 metres of each other yesterday in the village of Alan which is a good old drive into the mountains from Beyobasi, which itself is just off the main Izmir-Antalya road near the turn-off to Dalyan. If anyone is visiting the area soon and needs directions, let me know and I'll provide more details.

Hi,

Haven't got a specific trip in mind, but we do find ourselves in the Dalyan area from time to time and may well be out there next Spring....

You'll probably not be surprised to hear that neither of the places that you mention appear on the map of the area that I have, so wouldn't mind directions if you have them....


Thanks.... Ray

[pandachris]

Hi Ray

Not surprised at all. I'm away for a few days and don't kow if I'll get on-line this evening (packing and stuff) but I have a map that we bought in Dalyan that does have the villages on, so I'll give you the details, but if you know the area then you're likely to have a good idea about where to go.

Leave Dalyan in the Koycegiz direction and when you get to the main road, turn left (i.e. in the direction on Koycegiz). Take the first right which is perhaps 200-300 metres - I think there is a restuarant on the corner - and then look for the road signs which are surprisingly good - although I think that it's just a case of following your instincts.

Alan is an unusual place - it's a small and presumably fertile plain high in the hills and in a hollow surrounded by hills. The road runs behind the village where the hills start again and it was along here that we saw the Ortolan (and Kruper's Nuthatch) and the Wheatear was at the first hairpin after leaving the village.

Pics here ...

http://avengerpenguins.com/gallery2/...346&g2_page=54

Alan OK, Ortolan, not bad, Wheatear a bit distant.

[Ruby]

Thanks..... On a previous trip, we drove up to the Korkuteli hills to see (lots of!) Wheatears and the odd Bunting, but it is a bit of a trek - I may well give this place a go next time I'm out there....

When you say the road to Koycegiz, presumably you mean the short cut (can't recall the name of the little village it pops out near...) rather than the main road through Ortaca??


Thanks... Ray

[pandachris]

Tepearasi. The road is narrow in parts and passes through lots of wooded areas.

The map is called "A Map of Ancient Lycia" and it's pretty good for roads, although it doesn't have Alan on at all. It does have Beyobasi, though and it really is just a case of follow the obvious road up hill. There's no website on the map but it says 'Prepared and distributed by Sabri Aydal, sabriaydal@mynet.com' so might be worth a try. It's also excellent for ancient sites and might be good for the 3000m mountains east of Fethiye.

We bought it in Dalyan of course. If you think of the main tourist drag, where it come out near the square with the mosque, there's a cafe with cheap fast food, kebabs, pizzas etc. on the corner - I've a feeling it's got yellow signage and is one of the less tarted up places in town. There's a tourist shop opposite selling loads of clothes and the usual stuff - also on the corner, I think, and they had quite a few copies of this map, though you had to search a bit. Only a few lira. It's far from perfect but it's as good a map of a part of Turkey as I've seen.

[Ruby]

Thanks - I'll have a look next time I'm out there....


All the best... Ray

[pandachris]

Let me know how you get on. Looks an interesting bit of habitat that might be worth more time than we could give it.

[Ruby]

Hi Chris,

Just got back last night from another great week in Dalyan, and I found time (some, but not enough!) to try your suggested route up into the hills off the main road.

Didn't quite make it as far as Alan, but still found some great habitat about 5km or so short - loads of Ruppell's Warbler (#1 target for the week) a stunning Black-eared Wheatear, Black-headed Bunting and Ortolan Bunting. Unfortunately, it started to rain and looked like the heavens were going to open any minute, and I didn't much fancy trying to slither down those dodgy roads in a downpour, so didn't spend as much time as I would have liked. Now that I have had a taste though, I will definitely go back next year, but for a 1/2 day trip rather than just trying to zoom up there and back before breakfast!

In addition to the birds that I saw, I would imagine that other Wheatears, Buntings and Pipits would be highly likely, as well as Rock Thrush and not to mention raptors....

Don't know if you would be able to help with a Warbler id that I posted last night - I feel sure that it was a reasonably common Turkish bird, but not one that I've heard before.....

Thanks for the directions - it's a great place (and a good deal closer that Korkuteli!!)


All the best.... Ray

[pandachris]

Hi Ray

Just saw your query on the ID forum. Looks like you got an answer ... and more importantly it looks like you made it worth me bothering to mention this location in the first place. Sounds like you had a pretty good time there. Ruppell's Warbelrs are super birds and I've seen so few Ortolans that I always find them exciting. On the basis of what you saw, I reckon it's well worth a trip for anybody in the area.

Interesting that you mention BH Bunting. I was in Dalyan twice in the 1990s and we found them very easy to see, but didn't find any in 2009. We were there a month earlier on our first two visits, so perhaps that makes a difference.

I've no plans to return to Dalyan in the near future, but if I do, I'm definitely heading up to Alan and beyond, preferably for a full day.

Cheers

Chris