YesilUzumlu, Incerkoy and Cadianda areas. (2 Viewers)

[Bananafishbones]

I may as well start a thread now I am staying here for longer periods. I have a full summer here and a few weeks in late October, so will add updates as often as I can depending on the variety of bird life.

I am situated SE of the village of YesilUzumlu, along a dead end road that becomes a regularly cultivated field. Currently it has a full crop of corn. An olive grove to the right of this field and some Barron scrubland, then to the back of the crop field a few hundred meters of dwellings and the base of a large forested hill.

Temperatures are a few degrees cooler here at 700m altitude which attracts large numbers of hirundines, particularly Red-rumped Swallows.
Barn Swallow and of course Housemartins.

21st July did an early morning walk along the Cadianda Road trying to beat the sunrise at least on the outward journey. Unfortunately was followed all the way by two street dogs so I felt the need to pick up and carry a stick, they turned out to be dosile enough not to use it but was a pain carrying it along with binos and water.

Highlights were at least 6 perched and calling Turtle Doves, all quite near or in the Cemetery. Further along the road another called but I couldn’t see it.
Masked Shrike on wires but retreated to a tree, Somber Tit, Corn Bunting, and at least 2 Kruipers Nuthatch and slightly surprising a pair of Rock Sparrows fairly close on the way back to the outskirts of the village.

Numerous Jay and a few Syrian Woodpecker which are residents around the area.

Back home for 9am where the temperature was well on the rise to 38c

 

[Bananafishbones]

Two images from my balcony:
the olive grove to the right of the field
the crop field leading to the forested hill
Third picture showing our apartment block with Geyran mountain as the magnificent backdrop for YesilUzmlu

 

[Bananafishbones]

22nd July
Left it as long as possible in the evening to let the sun loose a little of its temperature and did a short Cadianda road walk. Set off at 19:15 and returned by 20:30 when the Sun had dipped and the trees became silhouetted.
Headed to the first Cemetery really in search of a flycatcher as it has a few deciduous type trees as well as the very abundant pines.

Only 2 Turtle Doves heard in the Cemetery also a Laughing Dove. Nothing else outstanding on the walk until I got back to my lane where I added a female Eastern Black eared Wheatear to the garden list as it flew along the rooftops.

Usual Jays, Syrian Woodpecker, Collared Doves, a few Hooded Crows, Blackbirds and a scarce Blue Tit. There are a few Oliveacous Warblers around and a Scops Owl called from somewhere close by.

Earlier in the afternoon from the balcony I got myself a lifer with a European Honey Buzzard.

 

[Bananafishbones]

23rd July
No birding away from the garden today. However 6+ Alpine Swifts in with the many Swallows.
Was interesting to watch the hirundines coming to the pool to drink. The pool is situated in almost a courtyard with one open end allowing easy access to the pool but they have to turn sharply on themselves to make the decent to the water then quickly gain height to fly over the wall.
Housemartins make it look easy and are very agile in a tight area.
Barn Swallows make a few false dives and have to come round again to get a connection with the water,
Red-Rumped Swallows have far more failures often not getting down to the water quick enough.

All very fascinating

2 Eastern Oliveacous Warblers the only other interest today

 

[Bananafishbones]

26th July
Walked half of the Uzumlu to Incekoy road at 7:30 this morning (left it a little late to start).

Small flock of Greenfinch beside the football pitch along with an Alpine Swift overhead. Beside the resident species my first of the week Red-backed Shrike, two Eastern Black eared Wheatear and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

A few Crested Larks and Hooded Crows and Laughing Doves in the stubble fields.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Walked along the Uzumlu to Cadianda road with the wife
Passed the large cemetery with 4 Turtle Doves calling but couldn’t spot one. Grabbed a sighting of a Cirl Bunting, the first of my summer, new for the summer was also a Somber Tit and Coal Tit.

The two dogs from the village square again followed us all the way out and back.

Found a Hummingbird hawk moth on a beautiful Caper flower, photographed the flower but missed the moth.

Passing the large cemetery on the way back managed to see one of the Turtle Doves high up on a pine.

Enjoyed a chai at a roadside cafe and picked up Eastern Orphean Warbler and Kruipers Nuthatch. Plenty of Jays, Syrian Woodpecker and Red Rumped Swallows all along the walk

Images: Caper Flower, morning walk scenery, Kap Serbati cafe

 

[turkeylandman]

look forward to your posts, where exactly are you? .. nearest town

 

[turkeylandman]

Fehtiye way

 

[Bananafishbones]

look forward to your posts, where exactly are you? .. nearest town

Fethiye nearest town 20 minutes downhill
We are at 700m above in a large village called YesilUzumlu

 

[Bananafishbones]

This morning walked Uzumlu to 1km from Incakoy and back, about 2.5hrs.

Started off with a Spotted Flycatcher and Hoopoe. We pass a field of Sunflowers which are now past their best but are easy pickings for many Greenfinch and Goldfinch. Blue, Great and Coal tit and a lot of Crested Lark in either stubble fields or recently ploughed fields. A Woodchat Shrike sat on wires and flew to a barn rooftop.

On the turn back I found a pair of Eastern Black-eared Wheatear which seem to be in good numbers now (last year was the first time I came across them in the surrounding areas).

Syrian Woodpeckers everywhere and Jays almost in your face and in every field / tree / Garden.

Barn Swallows seem to dominate the western side of the village towards the flatlands where there are more arable fields, whereas the Red Rumped Swallow seem to prefere the more forrested and olive grove side of the village (but not exclusively).

As we approached our road another Hoopoe flew across at head height adding to this years garden list.

The farmer is currently harvesting the corn from behind our apartment which will be good to attract birds over the coming days

Two pictures of a sunflower field two weeks apart, in full bloom and now going to seed

 

[Bananafishbones]

Currently harvesting of the corn field
Should be good for larks etc in the coming days

He may even turn it over one night this week

 

[Bananafishbones]

2nd August
Same direction as the other morning but left it a little later so kept the walk shorter (38c at 9am)

I know it’s going to be pretty much the same set of birds this time of year but with hopefully a few additional species as the days go by.

Greenfinch still feasting on the dying sunflowers. Hooded Crow, Crested lark, Jay and House Sparrows dominate the many wheat stubble fields.

No Hoopoe this morning but close by the mosque a Little Owl called from a small tree ( I miss the pair of little Owl that roosted in our roof last year) so this is the first this summer.

This morning added Two other additions to my summer list and are surprisingly my first Chaffinch and White Wagtail. (Chaffinch we’re here in the thousands in the spring).

As we walked past the football ground a few more White Wagtail sat on the crossbar and a Eastern Black eared Wheatear chased critters across the patchy football field.

Syrian Woodpeckers are showing very well on this walk, unlike me not to have my camera but hands are full at the moment with dog sticks, Water, Sunglasses, Binos, and the wife’s bits and pieces that she can’t carry 😉

Today’s scenery and the football ground
You can make out the mosque minuet if you zoom in on picture 2

 

[angusmcoatup]

It’s interesting for me to see the differences & similarities in birds seen. Looks like the elevation you’re at influences this considering we’re relatively close. Lots of Chaffinches here, over a hundred along the garden path. No Black-eared Wheatears though, I have to go to Kaunos or up the hill villages for those. First Hoopoe in the grove next door for a while. Maybe due to the irrigating of the orange trees, lots of soft damp soil to probe.
Dog stick? Is that for chucking for a dog or waving at the odd growler? Lots of morning walkers carry one here as a deterrent against irritable street dogs.

 

[Bananafishbones]

It’s interesting for me to see the differences & similarities in birds seen. Looks like the elevation you’re at influences this considering we’re relatively close. Lots of Chaffinches here, over a hundred along the garden path. No Black-eared Wheatears though, I have to go to Kaunos or up the hill villages for those. First Hoopoe in the grove next door for a while. Maybe due to the irrigating of the orange trees, lots of soft damp soil to probe.
Dog stick? Is that for chucking for a dog or waving at the odd growler? Lots of morning walkers carry one here as a deterrent against irritable street dogs.

Haha
For fending off irritable dogs, only had to point it at dogs on two occasions to be fair

I do miss not having the waders on my daily walks.

This morning I had a few more Red Backed Shrikes a few more EBEW (which must like the slightly higher elevation this time of year), a few more Eastern Oliveacous warblers too.

The garden and area outside is extremely quiet but for the hirundines and the residents

 

[Bananafishbones]

Have been busy recently so not been able to get any morning walks done. Spent sometime around Uzumlu village today with a few nice sightings.
From my balcony 8am ish at least two lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling with one feeding in the closest tree by the garden wall. Apart from being disturbed a few times by Jays it fed in full view for 30 minutes or so.
Middle Spotted Woodpecker preened on top of a wooden telegraph pole, and a number of Syrian woodpeckers flew from tree to tree very close to the garden.

Blue tits and Blackbirds are always early on while the Oliveacous Warblets seem to like mid morning through late afternoon.

I heard Ravens calling and was slightly surprised to count 12 slowly flying across the sky high above the garden. 3 stuck around for ten minutes before moving through themselves.

A Hoopoe flew directly over my head so I went to check it out but didn’t relocate it but was a good miss as I got onto a Buzzard circling high up in front of Geyran mountain. Long and distinctly thinner winged with rounded edges. Could see distinct carpal patches. It dived into a fast stoop and out of eyesight before I could get s camera, guessing Rough Legged Buzzard??

Laughing Doves still numerous but still delight in watching the Red Rumped Swallows.

Hummingbird Hawk moths plentiful today.

Walking the 4 miles to Incerkoy market in the morning so hopefully will get to see a few more species early on (Bus back)

Todays Close up of the LSW from my balcony

 

[Bananafishbones]

With the wife we walked the full Uzumlu to Incekoy road to the market so couldn’t dwell too long. Although deciding when to stop and look for something different with large flocks of house sparrow makes it harder when you are on a time schedule for a bus back. It took about 90 minute to the market

Ended up with five new species for this summer trip.

First up was a Whinchat that was fairly easy to pick out after a huge flock of Housesparrows were dispersed by a boisterous Jay leaving it alone on a fence post. Greenfinch are reliable here while the sunflowers go to seed. Whinchat were abundant in the spring.

Lots of early morning Hooded Crows on the stubble fields and Syrian Woodpeckers do really well in this whole area and loads were seen throughout the walk.

Three warbler species were seen in a short stretch of bushes and dense vegetation, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat and an Eastern Orphean Warbler all showed well. Just a little further on a Common Nightingale also picked its way through bushes, another first for the summer although again a species that were easy to find in the spring.

I stopped at the place where I saw Eastern black eared Wheatear last week but no sign this morning.

Just before the rising road into Incekoy two Little Owls called to each other making spotting them easy.

Blue Tit, Great Tit and Collared Dove were dotted along the road.

When we left the house first thing 50+ Red Rumped swallows sat on the wires outside the balcony.

 

[angusmcoatup]

I’m a bit behind with my write ups, busy last week and a few days in Datça . Have to catch up. Good to see your updates- gives me a gentle prod to put mine down.
I’ve noticed the drop in temperature has livened the day up a little here though, still birds active at midday which wasn’t the case for a while.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Had a busy week but managed a good walk to Incerkoy yesterday morning. Was nice to be out before the sun got up, and the morning temperature seemed a little cooler, even some signs of morning dew on a car windscreen.

Many Crested Larks and hooded Crows shared the many harvesting fields. The Sunflower field has now also been harvested only leaving a few dried heads for the Greenfinch and Goldfinches which are now down in numbers.

Every 100 meters or so you can hear the tek tek of the Lesser Whitethroat, a species that is happy to forage on the outer branches of trees and hedges making viewing quite easy.

It’s an unusual habitat around here for Eastern black eared Wheatear so I am now used to seeing them on wires or roofs, two individuals on this walk.

Most notable was the increase of Red Backed Shrike, I gave up counting them at the halfway point, well over a dozen seen.

Syrian and Lesser Spotted woodpeckers are daily now although no Middle spotted in the morning.

Only had an issue with one boisterous young kangol (which is a massive species of dog), I may take a different route next time.

Back home Ravens still drifting through and three species of woodpecker in the same tree.

Red Rumped still sit on the wires outside the balcony and Masked Shrike very active early evening

 

[Bananafishbones]

The wife has now flown back home to work I have another week.
Did a 4 hr walk to Incerkoy and back with plenty of stops at good spots.

Got myself a lifer at the halfway point with a Collared Flycatcher. I stopped at a place where I have seen Golden Oriole in the past and my sound app picked it up. A quick Xeno Canto playback brought it out onto a wire.

The whole walk is dripping with Lesser Whitethroat, virtually every tree or bush often has multiples in them, a few Blackcaps too.

I counted 15 Red Backed Shrike, 10 Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Masked Shrike

Stubble fields full of Crested Lark and Hooded Crows and this time a few flocks of Common Woodpigeon which are not that common around here.

First Willow warblers of the summer with two very fresh looking individuals along the walk, and a single Eastern Oliveacous Warbler. No Middle spotted today but loads of Syrian and a single Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

While watching the Collared Flycatcher a Little Owl called but I couldn’t locate it, another called an hour later which was sat on a farmhouse rooftop.

4 Eastern Black eared Wheatear along the walk with two of them being very well plumaged males in the sunflower field.

Lots of Great tits, single Blue tit, Greenfinch and only a few Goldfinch.

Did manage to pick up a calling Golden Oriole later in the walk but couldn’t see it on private farmland.

Jay, Blackbirds, Collared Doves, Barn Swallows and Red Rumped Swallows plentiful.

Pics of this mornings walk, the collared Flycatcher was near the mosque pictured below.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Went back to look at getting some Black eared Wheatear photos however found this bird

Could it be an Isabelline wheatear? Or is it a Northern Wheatear