Georgia - 12th > 26th September 2019... (1 Viewer)

Swissboy said:

We then witnessed an osprey being shot by one member of the group. It may have been the guy depicted here, but we were not sure as they were all behind the cars when the shot happened. The osprey fell, still alive, but could not be recovered from the water. Thus a simple waste.

Click to expand...

Despite the spectacular migration,the sight of raptors falling from the sky is, unfortunately, my enduring memory of my days at Batumi.

Sickening memories of two Black-winged Pratincoles downed at the delta, then a Marsh Harrier spiralling out of control as it tumbled downward from the ridge in front of the count station. Even worse was a Steppe Eagle - an amazing bird, low over our heads at the ridge, but already the counters were muttering 'too low, too low'. And sure enough, shots rang out, the bird was no more.

For me, regardless of how many birds pass over, no matter how dramatic the big 50,000 raptor days, it is still a shooting range for trigger happy Georgians ....and for that, I just can't say it is an enjoyable experience to be at Batumi.

rollingthunder said:

………………….
...........…. the next time i visit it will be the last 2 weeks of September and you can quote me on that!:t:

………….
Laurie -

Click to expand...

We obviously simply lucked out. But on Sunday, our only major rainy day, my brother who was with me, also said that one should have at least 7 days available as there can easily be more than one rainy day. And the second half of September is the time to go if you want to see eagles. Just don't be disappointed if you can't identify them all. I would also not bet on the numbers reported, at times things simply go too fast. There are also raptors that do not make it into the counting list. Most notably, sparrowhawks are not counted, and there were more and more of them as our days went on. The "falcon sp." that made it on to the Shuamta count on 30 Sept was in my opinion clearly an Eleonora's, so there can be excitement even without being official. Why pigeons make it on to the list, but not hobbies and sparrowhawks eludes me. But these are details one can easily accept.

On our second day, the first one at Shuamta, the weather looked decent when we started out at Batumi in the morning. But by the time we arrived, rain had started to fall. There is a shelter a bit below which we thankfully occupied then. Fortunately, the rain stopped again after about an hour or so, and the migrants quickly flooded the sky.

Some words to the watchpoints: #1 Sakhalvasho now has a fairly large observation building. Its only problem comes into play after heavy rains when the water does not drain properly from the upper floor. The new stairs Laurie criticized are definitely not optimal, at least when one descends.

As for #2 Shuamta, its main problem is the limited capacity when there are visitors in addition to the counting crew. I think more than three to five visiting guests will quickly become a problem. We tried to keep a low profile, and we never felt hostile feelings by the crew, though.

rollingthunder said:

......….including both birding and military aviation so i draw the line at chuff-choughs.....
……………………....

...........Eilat Spring Festival an event that has been bucket-listed since a friend went there in the early-80’s. I have to do it whilst a couple of marbles are still rolling around. I said i would do it at 60 and am now 63 so the clock is ticking.

Good Birding -

Laurie:t:

Click to expand...

Laurie, I had to become over 77 before making it to Batumi! So I hope you still have lots of fine years to travel. I had been to Eilat twice in the past, much depends on the winds where the masses migrate through. Batumi seems relatively clear, at least one can see the masses even if they are far away at times.
I recall our first day at Eilat (also with my brother), we saw the constant flow of raptors from the hotel and assumed it was going to be like that for the rest of our stay. So we took it easy and only later realized that we half missed the best day of our time there.

By the way, we seem to share more hobbies, I'm also into military aviation and steam trains (among others).

Thankfully NOT steam trains but birds and aviation (not surprisingly really) seem to be a common association - some birders just seem to have an endless supply of ‘Anorak’ storage facilities

I picked an optimum week at Batumi as i can only spend 1 out of 2 due to other plans and not being fair on the bride. She came up to Sak on 2 out of 4 days and the Argo Cafe. She enjoyed the Obs experience and liked chatting, after a fashion, to the local lady in charge of the refreshments and another female birder.

The situation at Chorokhi smacks of the bad old days that Jos alluded to. This is at odds with last year when i saw soldiers enforcing the No Hunting policy:C
Indeed i had severe apprehensions over visiting that area as i am no shrinking violet and the Bride was already having palpatations over a potential fracas. Consequently the news of a anti-hunting enforcement policy was a relief all round. Accordingly i paid a visit to the Tourist Information office in Batumi and was assured. I also contacted the Adjura Head Office online and was asked to send them any details/images if i see any transgression. I will contact them again and remind them of this and that it is NOT acceptable that ILLEGAL hunting is taking place whilst paradoxically people are using migrant birdwatching facilities paid for by them:C A group of English birders that were part of a Caucasian Birding tour bumped into a trio of locals with guns down on the delta and despite the guide urging them not to get involved they explained the situation in their ‘robust’ Lancastrian style This took place with armed soldiers only 500 yards away involved in some other sort of road work!

I will post your pictures and vent my spleen as the Adjara have a duty to enforce the law and protect migrant birds that belong to everybody else - these birds have enough to contend with around the corner in the Levant:C

With regard to the Observatory - i have been involved with practical conservation projects, access, construction and habitat management for 40 years both professionally and as one of these new-fangled and trendy ‘Citizen Scientists’ and so have one or two thoughts - which will be passed on to the BRC...

Suffice to say:

The steps are potentially very dangerous. The retaining sheet metal is already rusting and will rot in 3-5 years. The infill material is unsuitable and is already spilling out thus exposing a dangerous razor-sharp lip. The bottom 2 and top few steps are infilled with concrete - they all should be and the retaining metal removed and then the steps painted with anti-slip paint.

Most of the concrete paths etc need finishing properly.
When the shuttering was removed it would have been easy to round off the edges with a specialised trowel or something improvised.
The terrace has anti-slip paint the lower standing area does not at present.
The upper terrace drainage has been highlighted - it doesn’t drain as the pipes
are not only in the wrong place but they are far too small. They appear to be about 1/2” ID they need to be about 2”ID imo as not only do they not do the job properly they already clog with fine particulates from peoples shoes.

The sub-tropical climate of Adjara, moist conditions and high seasonal precipation means that Batumi is a smorgasbord for Ferric Oxide. Look at the amount of galvanised rooves, gutters etc. The annual climate cycle just eats up anything that is not coated etc...

This brings me finally to the metal balustrade of which there is a lot!
It is all fabricated in box-section Carbon Steel. Curved sections are cut and welded and then overpainted - at present the downstairs is Black and the terrace is White. I presume the latter is a primer? If so i would have used a proper Red Oxide primer, i suspect none of the metal is primed. Consequently Rust is bleeding through on most of the welding joint this means the rot and therefore decay and weakness has started - bad news.

I do not know what the budget was but in a situation where maintenance is difficult then i think all of the metal should have been either high quality Galvanised or Zinc-coated or my personal favourite.....Stainless Steel:t:

The toilets and wash-basin had not been plumbed in yet.

There also a series of totally useless cheapo pedastal lights scattered around to trip over which seems rather pointless for a daytime bird observatory - who needs it lit up at night causing light pollution and competing with the casinos and fleshpots of nearby Batumi. The seals and bolts etc on all of them were already falling apart.

This sounds like a very negative tirade but it is constructive criticism. It seems to have been thought out by people who do not have to use it. I have no doubt that the bird counters were consulted but if they have little practical experience you end up with a Sows Ear which now needs a Silk Purse to fix it when it could and should have been done properly from the outset:C

As stated the migration has dropped off dramatically with only a few hundred each day consequently a White-backed Woodpecker was the noteworthy bird at Shuamta:eek!:

I will post final thoughts and a raptor list over the weekend.

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

rollingthunder said:

............….exposing a dangerous razor-sharp lip. The bottom 2 and top few steps are infilled with concrete - they all should be and the retaining metal removed and then the steps painted with anti-slip paint.

Most of the concrete paths etc need finishing properly.
When the shuttering was removed it would have been easy to round off the edges with a specialised trowel or something improvised.
The terrace has anti-slip paint the lower standing area does not at present.
The upper terrace drainage has been highlighted - it doesn’t drain as the pipes
are not only in the wrong place but they are far too small. They appear to be about 1/2” ID they need to be about 2”ID imo as not only do they not do the job properly they already clog with fine particulates from peoples shoes.

........................I do not know what the budget was but in a situation where maintenance is difficult then i think all of the metal should have been either high quality Galvanised or Zinc-coated or my personal favourite.....Stainless Steel:t:

..………………….
This sounds like a very negative tirade but it is constructive criticism. It seems to have been thought out by people who do not have to use it. I have no doubt that the bird counters were consulted but if they have little practical experience you end up with a Sows Ear which now needs a Silk Purse to fix it when it could and should have been done properly from the outset:C

...............Laurie:t:

Click to expand...

Laurie, you have obviously studied the details much better than I did, but from all of what I have seen, I can only fully concur with what you have mentioned.

One should always remember, however, that the present things are already a vast improvement over what there was previously. I think the most urgent amelioration needed now is the dangerous situation regarding the steps of the stairs.

Agreed but my overall impression is of a half-finished edifice much like the buildings you can find in Greece that are in that condition because the siphoned-off EU funds ran out

One thing that stands out, to me, is the ad-hoc building process. There are very few of what i would call ‘hamlets’. If you look from Sakhalvasho hill the lower elevations are dotted with single buildings each with their little track for access. To my eyes it gives an impression of random jerry-built development which takes the edge off of the otherwise stunning scenery. I wonder what the planning process is in Adjara and what regulations apply?

I will pass on my thoughts to the powers that be before somebody falls down the steps and bleeds out - in addition to whoever it may concern re: shooting at Choroki FWIW. I will post any relevant replies...

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

A few pics.....

Lesser Spotted Eagle overhead.
Peregrine on approach.
Damned graffiti - i blame Banksy.
The legs look a bit thick on that wader

Laurie:t:

rollingthunder said:

T
This sounds like a very negative tirade but it is constructive criticism. It seems to have been thought out by people who do not have to use it. I have no doubt that the bird counters were consulted but if they have little practical experience you end up with a Sows Ear which now needs a Silk Purse to fix it when it could and should have been done properly from the outset:C

Click to expand...

Don't you mean construction criticism?

Nice report (the birding one I mean ;-) ) Only been to Kazbegi but did manage to come across a raptor movement en route - absolutely awesome. I'm sure Batumi on an ok day must still be quite good?!?

Nice one Dan - if/when you visit you will see what i mean:t:

When one has been heavily involved in this sort of thing it is difficult not to get distracted by the new infrastructure and inevitably you start looking for faults.....

An OK day is far better than anything over here in Blighty but then again it is going to be. Despite my 5 days being decidedly quiet by Batumi standards i would not hesitate to go the same week next year and indeed have it pencilled in along with an initial week spent split between the mountains around Gori or thereabouts and a few days South between Batumi and the Turkish border.

The week or so since my return saw 2 days of huge movement approaching 90k a day but the rest of the time has seen birds only in the hundreds or less than 5k. Still the quality of the movement is salivating with many, many Aquila sp the larger % being big ones. As stated in an earlier post the weather was stunning so i am not moaning - the last few days has seen temperatures maintained in the mid-30:eek!: consequently lots of birds are streaming higher over Sakhalvasho but Shuamta is having a Purple patch with many Eagles kettling around the watchpoint giving excellent views.....

Good birding -

Laurie -

Swissboy said:

We have a Turkish Airlines flight directly to Batumi, but need to change planes at the Istanbul mega airport. Booking two separate flights instead of one with a stop-over reduces the price considerably despite the planes being the same ones.

Click to expand...

There was a decided pitfall with our separate booking of the two legs. In order to have the luggage checked through in this situation, there must be a stopover time of at least two hours. We only learned about this rule when at the airport, ready to check in. We only had an hour and 45 minutes, in Istanbul, so Turkish Airlines did not do it. Though they would have done it with the same planes if we had booked a through ticket! Thus, with the oversized new airport, that meant having a rough time getting to the bag claim (there are some "conveyor belts" that speed up getting ahead, but by far not enough), then going though security and checking the luggage in for the second part. Somewhere along the line I lost my orientation and thus lost valuable time. It must have been a matter of less than a minute or so for me to get this done in time. Missing the flight would have meant paying again for it! So, I can't really recommend our strategy.

On the return trip, we had enough time, so the luggage was checked through and we had time to waste.

I recall a terrorist incident at the airport a while back maybe that is a reason for checking already checked baggage but it is something to bear in mind if flying to Batumi via Istanbul...

A few more pics from Sak. Mainly BK but LSE and a photobombing Raven:t:

Laurie -

After several very quiet days this week including a no-go day at Shuamta due to heavy rain things picked up ystda with nearly 10k Steppe Buzzards:eek!: Despite falling numbers there is still a good variety with ca18 raptor species noted most days. The 2nd ‘fulvescens’ Greater Spotted Eagle of the season was noted yesterday - they must be very impressive, talk about gilding the Lily:eek!: A smart adult Pallas Gull was seen by observers at both stations - they refer to the species as the ‘Bimbo’ bird. I would quite happily settle for this much-sought species:t:

Good birding -

Laurie -

Things are winding down by the looks of it with weather becoming more changeable and counter numbers also declining - it will be interesting to see who and how many remain until this year’s effort closes. It has been extended this year and there is still another 10 days to go...

Despite this 10k days are still taking place at both Stations with an average of 15 raptor species being recorded. Large Eagles are predominating i.e. hundreds (not including the several thousand Steppe Buzzards that comprise at least 75% of the daily toll). Lots of Steppe and double figures of Imperial on some days with Greater Spotted notching several dozen. Yesterday saw an immature Goldie, the first of the season. This last gasp should see more of this species with White-tailed also expected. Non-raptor species such as Wallcreeper are a distinct possibility.

The latter species reminds me of a birder that i made the acquaintance of when working in Norfolk in the early 80’s. He was known as ‘Jim Butty’ due to his habit of only being seen eating Jam butties:-C He also struck a distinctive sight being slim usually clad in dark clothing topped with a Black beanie hat and sprouting a bushy ‘mad Mullah’ type beard in which was set a double-row of contrasting White teeth!

What has all this to do with the Georgia thread i hear the more discontented say? Well, i remember Jim getting the Magic Bus service from Camden Town to Istanbul for 2 months of bird migration Sept/Oct inclusive. He had a great time spending a month or so daily up at the distinct Camlika Hills. Whilst there he teamed up with a foreign birder and they took a 30 hour bus trip around the Southern Black Sea to mountains bordering the Georgian border. This would have been around Sarpi i presume. He said it was all on a hunch based on possible migration around the Eastern Black Sea. They had lots of raptors including WTE’s and parties of Wallcreepers:eek!: in addition stuff like Demoiselle Cranes and Bustards. Had his jaunt been these days with social media then they could have been trail-blazers in the same way that the group of birders that put Batumi on the map 15 years ago...

I never saw Jim after the mid-80’s and often wondered what he was up to. Do any other birders.....of a certain age.....that were around during the 80’s ‘Nancy’s’ era know of him?

Laurie -

Yesterday was quality with, on queue, a WTE at both Stations and a Griffon at Shuamta which also recorded a record 69 ID’d Steppe:eek!: several dozen Greater Spotteds. Another 7 Eastern Imps were shared and to each a Long-Legged Buzzard pickd out from several thousand Steppe - to think that by mid-morning at Shuamta they already had Bird of the Day down as a very obliging Kruper’s Nutchatch!

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

Today is the last day of this years’ Autumn count at Batumi. Things have wound down considerably over the last week or so and only about a dozen hardy counters remain. Yesterday saw 400+ Sprawks seen from Shuamta so in addition to the large Eagles there are impressive day counts of my favourite UK raptor:t:

I will post my BOP list and some final thoughts after today.

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

Probably the final post from me until i hopefully return next year - if i get feedback from either BRC or the Adjara Tourism Dept i will post accordingly:t:

The season ended, predictably, with a whimper and not a fingers-crossed bang:C

The dedicated and to be congratulated observers recorded in excess of 1,138k raptors:eek!: Yet another year of hitting the 1M mark - not bad for a site that was a blip on the birders radar 15 years ago. The record of 1.4M several years ago will take some beating. It does make me wonder how many birds were displaced in the Northern Greater Caucasus during the period of bad weather that dogged my 4 visits to Sakhalvasho? Maybe stats over at the Bosphorous might shed some light.

Flights from the UK are more than reasonable particularly if you fly to Kutaisi rather than Batumi via Istanbul. Kutaisi is only 2 hours in a Minibus at less than 3 quid or a 0.75p 4-hour train ride in former Soviet ‘Cattle-class’ rolling stock!
We have paid about £125 return Luton>Kutaisi. Our 7 nights in a lovely hostel in Old Quarter Batumi was £130 including en-suite and a kitchen if required. The Georgians are lovely welcoming people with a varied cuisine and the oldest Wine cultivation in the World at 6000BC - need i say any more. There is a burgeoning ecofriendly accommodation scenario in Sakhalvasho or ypu can stop in Batumi and taxi up as we do because of more evening options.

My list of Raptors are as follows. The BRC counts do not generally include Sprawks or small Falcons on the day list but they along with passerines are recorded.

Egyptian Vulture - 2 birds, both Juv types recorded.

Osprey - half a dozen including a bird fishing.

Imperial Eagle - 2 individuals including an overhead smart Juvenile.

Lesser Spotted Eagle - several dozen ranging from birds at Shuamta to middle distance to very close birds.

Greater Spotted Eagle - nearly double figures including 2 close birds.

Steppe Eagle - a handful including a couple of close individuals.

Short-Toed Eagle - <50 a species nowhere near as abundant as at Tarifa where, in a good year, i saw in excess of 5k.

Booted Eagle - ca250 mainly juv/dark birds. I have read that the populations darken the further East they breed.

Red Kite - only 2 birds noted compared to several dozen last year although care must be exercised when claiming (or keep it to yourself).

Black Kite - several thousand. It is one of the key spp with usually about 250k being recorded.

Marsh Harrier - lots, certainly in excess of 200 but a lot less than last year.

Monague’s Harrier - 100+ as with the other Cirus spp Batumi is *the* place to experience Harriers:t:

Pallid Harrier - less than half a dozen for me but all relatively close but no adult males unfortunately.

Steppe Buzzard - <500 another key species at 300k his year and an excellent species to get to grips with this far East.

Honey Buzzard - 5k+ small beer by local standards as this bird at 500k+
outnumbers everything else. Always nice to look at no matter what plumage and the dusky juvenies almost look edible with a pot of cream. He locals did used to eat them by the way.....

Sparrowhawk - i never tire of this species and to see them thermalling with Bee Eaters is etched in my memory.

Goshawk - the closest views i have ever had of a non-nesting bird was a hunting individual less than 5M eyeball-to-eyeball at Tblisi.

Black-winged Kite - statistically the star bird of the Autumn with the 4th record for Georgia following hard on the heels of the 3rd this Spring down at Chorokhi Delta. Again this bird was an ‘Eastern’ type with dusky secondaries.

Kestrel - only a handful and probably local birds.

Lesser Kestrel - as only a handful of ‘Kestrels’ were seen i scrutinised every one of the buggers and was satisfied with a female-type Lesser (honestly).

Red-Footed Falcon - 5 birds including 3 adults hawking above the Station.

Hobby - 20+ and all were juveniles that i saw.

Peregrine - ca15 individuals noted.

22 species in total beating last years by 1 and my previous best at Sariyer on the Bosphorous one Spring 10myears ago with 19 species for the day.

In addition the following extra species were recorded at both stations...

Griffon Vulture.
Black Vulture.
White-Tailed Eagle.
Golden Eagle.
Hen Harrier.
Long-Leggd Buzzard.
Crested Honey Buzzard.
Levant Sparrowhawk.
Merlin.

That makes 31 species:eek!:

Again i did not click with Roller which had several good day counts of upto 700.
Or Ortolan with 600+ day count.
Both species of Stork were down in numbers but lots of Bee Eaters particularly inland where i saw little else. I did not make it to Choroki this year and my only new bird was Mountain Chiffchaff.

Bi for now and good birding -

Laurie:t:

rollingthunder said:

Probably the final post from me until i hopefully return next year - if i get feedback from either BRC or the Adjara Tourism Dept i will post accordingly:t:

...........

Again i did not click with Roller which had several good day counts of upto 700.
Or Ortolan with 600+ day count.
Both species of Stork were down in numbers but lots of Bee Eaters particularly inland where i saw little else. I did not make it to Choroki this year ............Bi for now and good birding -

Laurie:t:

Click to expand...

Laurie, thanks for your most enjoyable lively reporting. Just accidentally it also suited me for our own tour. While we had larger numbers, over all, I would think the main experience is similar whenever one visits from mid September. We had more individuals of eagles, but the species were pretty much the same. Missed Be-eaters (my brother at least heared some at a distance), and the Rollers must have passed earlier as well. Interestingly, we mostly had male Pallid Harriers, so they might pass a bit later, maybe.
My personal highlight was probably the Eleonora's Falcon passing at some distance, seen from Shuamta. Though it was only officially recorded as falcon sp., I have spent so much time with them on the island of Sardinia (San Pietro in particular) over the years that I simply could not think it was anything else. But the sheer numbers of raptors passing this site is what every raptor lover should try to experience at least once.

I didn’t hear of that one and tbh would have been one of the last species that i would expect to be recorded in that area:t:

Laurie -

rollingthunder said:

I didn’t hear of that one and tbh would have been one of the last species that i would expect to be recorded in that area:t:

Laurie -

Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean with tbh*, but I suppose you are referring to Eleonora's Falcon. I had mentioned it in post #62. It was seen from Shuamta on 30 Sept. Edit: * Just found its meaning, OK.

Regarding its likelihood, Collins shows its range to the S shore of the Black Sea just N of Istanbul, and from the fact, that at least one was seen in Switzerland in this decade, Batumi is definitely not out of bounds.

In this article it is classed as an occasional passage visitor along with Red Kite - one of 6 species in this category although since the publication Crested Honey Buzzard i would have thought would now be classed as a regular passage migrant albeit in small numbers...(29 identified individuals this season).

http://www.eurapmon.net/sites/default/files/eurapmon_acrocephalus_013_georgia.pdf

Laurie:t: