Köyceğiz & Mugla area - SW Turkey (1 Viewer)

[angusmcoatup]

01/01/2023
New Year’s Day. Against my better judgement, after a very late night and feeling a little creased & at less than peak fitness I did a NYD count. I cycled way past Hamitkoy towards Sultaniye, scrambled around a stony crumbling hillside in search of Krupers Nuthatch (unsuccessfully), then meandered back to the Siğla forest edge via a couple of cafes. Not a bad day but nothing stand out either.

1. Black Redstart, 2. House Sparrow, 3. Hooded Crow, 4. Blackbird, 5. Chaffinch, 6. Greenfinch, 7. ChiffChaff, 8. Raven, 9. Laughing Dove, 10. Collared Dove, 11. Starling, 12. Black Headed Gull 13. Yellow Legged Gull, 14. Little Grebe, 15. Black Necked Grebe, 16. Great Cormorant, 17. Mallard, 18. Tufted Duck, 19. Grey Heron, 20. Great White Egret, 21. Little Egret, 22. Goldfinch, 23. Water Rail, 24. Spanish Sparrow, 25. Siskin, 26. Song Thrush, 27. Steppe Buzzard, 28. Long Legged Buzzard, 29. Marsh Harrier 30. Sparrowhawk, 31. Corn Bunting, 32. Reed Bunting, 33. Zitting Cisticola 34. Moorhen, 35. Coot, 36. Great Tit, 37. Blue Tit, 38. Coal Tit, 39. Common Kingfisher 40. White throated Kingfisher, 41. Water Pipit, 42. Meadow Pipit, 43. Skylark 44. Serin, 45. Crested Lark, 46. Common Snipe, 47. Green Sandpiper, 48. Pygmy Cormorant, 49. Middle Spotted Woodpecker, 50. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 51. Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 52. Cetti’s Warbler, 53. Robin, 54. Woodpigeon 55. Linnet, 56. Teal, 57. Syrian Woodpecker, 58. Crag Martin, 59. Grey Wagtail, 60. White Wagtail 61. Stonechat, 62. Blackcap, 63. Magpie, 64. Jay, 65. Chukar, 66. Woodlark, 67. Wren, 68. Goldcrest, 69. Great Crested Grebe, 70. Tawny Owl, 71. Little Owl.

Also a Dice Snake basking on a ditch bank.

 

[angusmcoatup]

09/01/23

Had to look for a new home this week. Pretty sold on one place today with a Lesser Whitethroat , Sardinian Warbler, plus Blackcap & ChiffChaff in the orange grove and trees around. Also Corn Bunting and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

 

[angusmcoatup]

15/01/23

Yesterday a local resident posted on Fb a few photos of Marsh Harriers which she’s familiar with. The last picture however was a Greater Spotted Eagle in flight. A bit of messaging confirmed where she saw it so this morning I biked it over to Nasuhdede which is largely flooded and soggy meaning virtually no disturbance.

A gentle mooch around the area showed 30 Little Egrets, 3 Great white Egrets, 1 Cattle Egret and a couple of Grey Herons. A few Common Teal dabbled off the reedbeds , Little Grebes in small flocks, 4 Black Necked Grebes, 3 Great Crested Grebes all visible on the lake. 25 Coot also - which is low compared to the big flocks this time last year. Locals apparently eat Coot, although I believe shooting is illegal here. Fortunately the sound of gunshots is relatively rare and sometimes it’s more likely to be a scaring tactic for the Cormorants.

Meanwhile up to 4 Marsh Harriers, 1 Peregrine female, a Common Kestrel, 3 Sparrowhawks and Steppe Buzzards moved across the wetland and forest-scape. Finally from across the lakeside of Eskikoy an obviously darker & heavier bird appeared. Greater Spotted Eagle unless a more qualified can confirm otherwise. The photo posted hadn’t been too clear on colouring but the light was good enough to show darker coverts than flight feathers, and the white patches were reasonably clear.(Photo:Maria Jonker)
The bird soared over the woodland towards town. Hopefully a few more encounters to come.
Other than that a few Corn Buntings, Common Kingfisher, Water Pipits, Serin, Spanish Sparrow flock and a Raven pair added to the notables before I had to shoot off.

 

[angusmcoatup]

18/02/23
Hen Harrier (Hamitkoy reedbeds) , 2 Marsh Harriers, Great Bittern (Riverside woodland- same area as 2022),3 Green Sandpiper, 7 Crag Martins, 1 Woodlark, 3 GW Egret, 1 Slender Billed Gull, Long Legged Buzzard, Steppe Buzzard

19/02/23
1 House Martin - Fethiye old road , Goshawk male

 

[angusmcoatup]

22/02/23
Goshawk - Gokova
24/02/23
5 House Martins, 2 Slender Billed Gulls (beach roost) , Long legged Buzzard, Middle Spotted, Lesser Spotted, Green , Syrian Woodpeckers, Little & Tawny Owl, 12 Crag Martins, Spanish Sparrow, 7 Black Necked Grebes, Water Rail, 2 Sombre Tit ( Hamitkoy/Sultaniye road), Corn Bunting, Reed Bunting, Linnet, 5 Great White Egrets, 7 Little Egrets. 2 Water Pipits.

 

[angusmcoatup]

02/03/23
A pleasant surprise this morning as a Hoopoe flew through the garden across to an Olive tree in the field opposite.
Small numbers of House Martins around town now and a Barn Swallow this evening. Blackcaps, ChiffChaffs & Cetti’s Warblers all loudly singing and presumably the same Sardinian Warbler male on the land next to the flat. Serins also in earshot everywhere.
Goshawk male & female hunting around the orange groves on a fairly regular basis. Both Buzzard Sp seen occasionally too.
Unfortunately been too busy to get beyond town much. The lighter mornings should give me a couple of hours on the bike round the lake again.

 

[angusmcoatup]

08/03/23
2 White Storks have just circled over. Long Legged & Steppe Buzzard regular over local fields and towards foothills. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker pair watched from the kitchen window most days this week. Middle Spotted & Green also in the garden. 7 Rock Sparrows on hillside beyond Yeşilköy. Also a Blue Rock Thrush pair. Raven pair over Toparlar.
Lots of spring activity- Serins, ChiffChaff singing.

 

[angusmcoatup]

10/03/23
Spring is in full bloom!

This week- Lots of Hoopoes , usually when least expected, flying over or past. Barn Swallows & House Martins everywhere, with a few Crag Martins over the remnants of the river. White Storks drifting through with stop offs in marsh and fields.
Highlights of a few hours around the outskirts of town.
2 Isabelline Wheatears- town dump , 2 Spur-Winged Plovers on the decimated river bank, 1 Osprey - Hamitkoy, 2 White Breasted Kingfishers - Hamitkoy & Dump , Zitting Cisticola, Long Legged Buzzard- Hamitkoy tree top, Middle, Lesser, Greater, Green & Syrian Woodpeckers- riverside wood & dump side wood , Bittern - deep in riverside wood (flooded) , 2nd time this year and same place last year, all 3 Egrets, Grey Heron, 3 Penduline Tits, Corn Buntings, 4 Common Snipe, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Water Rails, 3 + Water Pipits, Stonechats, Common Kestrel, Sombre Tit- Hamitkoy bridge hillside, Common Kingfisher, Reed Warbler, Laughing Dove , Black Redstarts galore, Spanish Sparrow flock, 1 pink Slender Billed Gull, 4 Black-Necked Grebes, 2 Pygmy Cormorants, 1 Whip Snake, 1 Dice Snake.
As ever I’m sure I’ve missed recording something good. Long day.

 

[angusmcoatup]

12/03/23

3 Garganey over the old Fethiye road. Possibly linked ,though I hope not, to gunshots I heard that way in the Siğla Wood/ lake area.
Syrian Woodpecker male from the kitchen balcony. 5 Woodpecker Sp in a month from the garden, Green heard only. They’re shy here.
A ringed ChiffChaff amongst a huge number spread throughout the orange grove & line of Mulberry’s behind the flat.
1 Reed Warbler also.
Hoopoe in the field opposite again.

 

[angusmcoatup]

13/03/23

Highlights.
60 (ish) Garganey flushed from reedbed behind the dump. Flew across towards Siğla wood side. Flushed presumably by male Hen Harrier which was followed shortly after by a Marsh Harrier pair.
On the dump itself was a large number of Yellow Wagtails. Black headed , 2 Blue headed & a bird as close to Superciliaris as I could see. I do enjoy these Wagtail flocks, so much easier on the eye than Gulls.1 x Isabelline Wheatear. 2 Common Kingfishers, 5 Penduline Tits, Spanish Sparrow flock.
Riverside wood & marsh - 1 White Stork, 1 White Throated Kingfisher, 5 Siskins, brief view of possible Common Nightingale, Greenshank, Little Owl.

 

[angusmcoatup]

On the off-chance there’s anyone visiting Köyceğiz over spring there’s a nice area of Sweetgum woodland seemingly become accessible along the dirt track from the river bridge. Basically keep walking on the meadow side of the river, until just before the first farmhouse.
It previously had a few strands of barbed wire preventing access, which as a newcomer I respected. It now looks like that was just a half hearted cars pulling in there (illicit lovers & boozers usually).
Yesterday it was full of birdsong (Serins, finches, ChiffChaffs everywhere, 4 Woodpecker Sp) and is prime habitat for Nightingales, Flycatchers etc. Lots of courting Tortoises yesterday and aside from discarded evidence of visitors I was the only person there.

 

[angusmcoatup]

17 & 18/03/23
Highlights
Bike rides from Gelişim - Sultanıye & back.
1 Black Winged Stilt, 4 White Storks, several Red Rumped Swallows, Alpine Swifts , Sand Martins, a few Crag Martins, several Common/Pallid , 2 separate pairs of White Throated Kingfisher at Hamitköy Bridge & the Siğla Wood area, 1 Common Kestrel, 1 Cirl Bunting, several Corn Buntings, 3 Isabelline, 1 Northern Wheatear, 17 Penduline Tits , 1 Bearded Reedling (Male, nearest range is a little further East according to Collins though habitat is ideal), Sombre Tit, Western Rock Nuthatch, Blue Rock Thrush , flock of Long tailed Tits (not seen often by me), all 5 local Woodpecker Sp, Green Sandpiper, 5 Pygmy Cormorants, 14 Black necked Grebes,Spanish Sparrow , 2 Cattle Egrets, 5 Great White Egrets, 2 Water Pipits, 1 Sardinian Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, several Zitting Cisticola , several Yellow Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, several Stonechats, Marsh Harrier pair, 1 Steppe Buzzard, 2 Buzzard Sp, 1 Slender Billed Gull (beach roost), 2 Mediterranean Gulls (beach roost).
Also 1 Adult Imperial Eagle. Watched circling both days from just beyond 1st small bridge after river, until start of village. Coverts, tail, shoulder patch all nice and clear in good light.

I’ve probably said this before but the number of birds to be seen on this bike route is phenomenal and it’s difficult to keep moving as there’s always something else to be checked out. At this time of year there are innumerable ChiffChaffs, Chaffinch’s , Jay, plus the usual Crested Larks which distract often enough that you have to be a little mercenary on occasion and keep on. This undoubtedly results in lots of birds missed.

 

[angusmcoatup]

22/03/23

Mainly spent the day around flat & garden plus a bike trip to the local shops. Still not a bad list. The flat overlooks fields, forest nearby, a long row of mature trees, orange grove, and there’s a big expanse of sky leading to foothills then mountains.

2 White Storks, 7 Lesser Whitethroats, 1 Greater Whitethroat, countless ChiffChaffs , 1 Black-Eared Wheatear, 1 Isabelline Wheatear, Spanish Sparrow flock, 1 Goshawk , 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard Sp, 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Middle Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Hoopoe, Red Rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow, Alpine Swifts , House Martins, 3 Crag Martins, Yellow Legged Gull, 3 Black Redstarts, 2 Ravens, 7 Meadow Pipits, Linnet flock, 2 Siskins, 5 Serins, White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail , 1 Grey Heron .
Also rescued an old Spur thighed Tortoise from an ill advised road crossing, saw a Rough tailed Agama in the garden and disturbed a small amber coloured Scorpion.

 

[angusmcoatup]

23/03/23
A superb Great Spotted Cuckoo in the garden.

Late afternoon- 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Hoopoe , 1 Woodlark.

 

[angusmcoatup]

24/03/23

Glorious sunny day for a birding bike ride. Took in a loop of Toparlar, Hamitkoy, Zaferler and the lake front.

Generally lots of Barn Swallows, House Martins , Corn Buntings, Serins, Cettis Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, ChiffChaffs, Little Egrets, Meadow Pipits, Crested Larks.

River , riverside woods & meadow. 1 Great Spotted Cuckoo, 1 Hoopoe, 3 Siskins, Syrian & Lesser Spotted Woodpecker , 1 Water Pipit,

Rubbish dump, marsh & river.
1 Green Sandpiper, 15 Glossy Ibis, 3 Great White Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 5 Penduline Tits, 1 Northern Wheatear, 2 Black Eared Wheatears, 2 Marsh Harriers, Zitting Cisticola.

Zaferler & Hamitkoy loop inc woodland
2 Short toed Eagles , 1 Black Kite, 1 Long Legged Buzzard, 1 Steppe Buzzard, 2 Common Kestrels, 1 Marsh Harrier , 7 White Storks, 2 Cirl Buntings, Skylark, Black Redstart, 1 Sardinian Warbler, 2 Great Whitethroats, 1 Treecreeper Sp, large number of Alpine Swifts across the orange groves covering 3-4 miles, Pallid /Common Swifts (from the bike), 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Ruff.

Lake
1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Pygmy Cormorants, 3 Black Necked Grebes , 2 Slender Billed Gulls.

 

[Bananafishbones]

24/03/23

Glorious sunny day for a birding bike ride. Took in a loop of Toparlar, Hamitkoy, Zaferler and the lake front.

Generally lots of Barn Swallows, House Martins , Corn Buntings, Serins, Cettis Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, ChiffChaffs, Little Egrets, Meadow Pipits, Crested Larks.

River , riverside woods & meadow. 1 Great Spotted Cuckoo, 1 Hoopoe, 3 Siskins, Syrian & Lesser Spotted Woodpecker , 1 Water Pipit,

Rubbish dump, marsh & river.
1 Green Sandpiper, 15 Glossy Ibis, 3 Great White Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 5 Penduline Tits, 1 Northern Wheatear, 2 Black Eared Wheatears, 2 Marsh Harriers, Zitting Cisticola.

Zaferler & Hamitkoy loop inc woodland
2 Short toed Eagles , 1 Black Kite, 1 Long Legged Buzzard, 1 Steppe Buzzard, 2 Common Kestrels, 1 Marsh Harrier , 7 White Storks, 2 Cirl Buntings, Skylark, Black Redstart, 1 Sardinian Warbler, 2 Great Whitethroats, 1 Treecreeper Sp, large number of Alpine Swifts across the orange groves covering 3-4 miles, Pallid /Common Swifts (from the bike), 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Ruff.

Lake
1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Pygmy Cormorants, 3 Black Necked Grebes , 2 Slender Billed Gulls.

Great early spring list
I am back over to Uzumlu next weekend.
Would love to catch up with you for a days birding sometime if you could afford the time. I really don’t know your area at all
Dave

 

[angusmcoatup]

That would be cool- I’ll DM you. 👍🏼

 

[angusmcoatup]

26/03/23

A lazy Sunday around the flat & garden started early with another (or same from a couple of days ago) Great Spotted Cuckoo calling from the Mulberry trees outside.

Later whilst idly watching Lesser Whitethroats & ChiffChaffs bug hunting in a mature Orange tree a superb male Common Redstart joined them.

Both Redstart & Cuckoo were enjoyed by my landlord who grew up here and has a reasonable idea of bird life in the area. He’s assured me Common Nightingale are annual visitors to the garden , and Bee-eaters feed over the Orange grove next door.

 

[angusmcoatup]

26/03/23

1 Woodchat Shrike -early evening in the field opposite.

27/03/23

Masked Shrike - from the balcony, hunting the citrus grove behind.

Common Redstart - male still here.

1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - 06.30 am. It’s likely these birds have had the run of the Mulberry tree outside our kitchen balcony for the last 4 years as there were no tenants here then. Now, with care, then can be seen on a few dead boughs a couple of metres away.

1 Middle Spotted Woodpecker.

Great Spotted Cuckoo- I can hear it as I type.

 

[angusmcoatup]

Limited for the last few days by my back having its yearly breakdown. Couple of new arrivals locally- 2 x Collared Flycatchers, 1 x Common Nightingale locally. Also more Sardinian Warblers in the orange grove, 1 Goshawk male at near eye level, 1 Black Stork circling with 5 White Storks heading up the Yeşilköy valley, Woodchat Shrike in the field opposite.