Birdwatching around Altinkum, Turkey (1 Viewer)

[John o'Sullivan]

Sept 26th to Oct 12th 2012

Three week holiday out in Turkey, most of the time spent on R&R with hours spent in hammock listening to audio books watching the blue skies and occasionally a bird or two go by.

The highlights

Sept 26th

Redstart in the pines by the beach and a Slender Billed Gull offshore (first time I’ve seen one around Yesilkent).

Sept 27th

Black Kite straight over the house roof-top mid-day, a distant large accipiter over the bay was almost certainly a Goshawk, also from the house a flock of c120 Bee-Eaters and a red-rumped swallow plus 7 Med Gulls scoped as they went up channel. A walk to the shop was interrupted by a Bright Red male Crossbill calling from the top of two isolated tall pines. My first Crossbill in Turkey and not a species I’d expected on the sitesi.

Sept 28th.

Morning- walked into Altinkum along the coast, female Marsh Harrier rising from low down up onto a thermal, c10 red backed shrikes and a flock of 7 Night Heron flying by Palm Wings. Back in Yesilkent a Bueto species went through past the beach (didn’t get much on it but it was long-winged), Syrian Woodpecker in the trees there and from the house Red Backed Shrike, two willow warblers and a spot fly that spent the next two weeks on wires just in front of the house.

Sept 30th

A Red Breasted Fly in Olives was a Turkish first for me, with a Lesser White Throat amongst the Chiffs / Willows / Blackcaps / Spot Flys and Red backed Shrikes.

Oct 6th

Spent a few days trip around Cesme. On return a wander around the seafront gave 2 Turtle Dove, male Sardinian warbler, Lesser Throat and Grey Heron. An evening stroll produced a male peregrine and two nightjars by the Blue Restaurant.

Oct 7th

A juv Hobby went close by the House, 4 distant small herons were over the bay and there was a common sandpiper on the rocks by the beach. Also 3 greyish willow warblers spent the afternoon feeding in the pine opposite the house.


Oct 8th

Very Early am. A Scops was calling away some-what surprisingly.
Two small parties of goldfinch past house

Oct 9th

Clearly a change in species moving with song thrush, mistle thrush (from house), grey wag, 2 chaffinches and whilst each day c5 sprawks were seen from the house a possible Levantine went by this afternoon followed later by the second possible Goshawk.

Oct 10th

I took a trip out to the lagoons on Dolmus/fold up bike. Amongst others single Osprey, Marsh Harrier and Pygmy Cormorant, 2 Slender Billed Gulls, 120 Great Flamingos, 12 Dalmatian Pelican, 35 Greenshank and 70 Great White Egrets. A distant Eagle was over the hills with a buzzard sp and a falcon, all far too far away for i.d.

Oct 11th

A wander round the seafront produced a male Spanish Sparrow and another Red Breasted Fly. Also carrying on the theme of species changing with the season passage Song Thrush (2), Blue Tit (6) and another Grey Wag.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Trip to Turkey Oct 8th to 22nd 2013

Only spent time in and around House and as far as Didim. Weather generally warm and skies clear. Spots Flys and RB Shrike around in good numbers seemingly late this year with wintering species coming in relatively late.

Wednesday 9th
Amongst others from the house; Common Buzzard 1, Juvenile Hobby, 3 sightings of single Sparrowhawks, a few each of Spotted Flycatcher, Red-Backed Shrike, Chiffchaff and Syrian Woodpecker

Thursday 10th
Walk into town; quiet with Kingfisher, 2 male Stonechat and a single Sardinian Warbler

Friday 11th
Walk around Yesilkent 8:15-9:30; 9 Sandwich Tern, 2 Shag, 3 Red Backed Shrike, Sardinian Warbler, 1 Kestrel, a few Blackcap, Syrian Woodpeckers and spotted flycatchers. Very light movement overhead with a few chaffinches, swallow, white wag and greenfinch.

Later from the house a/the juv Hobby, a Sprawk, 500 swallow and the only swift of the two weeks also a Black Headed Gull offshore probably a house first.

Saturday 12th
Walk up to Gaye 2, 5 spot fly, 3 RB Shrike, 3 Corn Bunting, 3 Grey Heron, Kingfisher, 2 Sardinian Warblers and 2 Sandwich Tern. No viz-mig

Sunday 13
sunrise-8:40 viz-mig from house; Juv Hobby, 2 Sprawk, Grey Heron 4 (1,2,1,1), Chaffinch 25, Greenfinch 20, Goldfinch 6, Cormorant 9 (8+1), White Wag 5, 6 Warblers (probably Chiffs), 22 Swallow.

Mondaysunrise-9:30 viz-mig from house; Strong Northerly. 50+ Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush, 5 Blackbird, 1 Great White Egret, Skylark, Chiffchaff 12, 2 Sprawk, small numbers of chaffinches, greenfinches, 5 swallow.

Later 2 further Great White Egrets and two more Sprawk.

Tuesday
Flat Calm, 11 Grey Heron otherwise only a handful of chaffinches. A passing flock of Swallow at lunchtime contained single Red-Rumped Swallow and Sand Martin

Wednesday
Walk into town only 1 Corn-Bunting of any note.

Thursday
Very Strong overnight SW winds led to a spot of sea-watching from just past Marti Sitesi. Nothing seen other than c20 Sandwich Tern, 2 Great White Egret and an offshore Peregrine.

Fridayviz-mig up until 8:30 very quiet apart from a 3 minute period when 280 Cormorant (3 separate flocks) went over back out to sea. After yesterdays strong SW winds it seems likely the local corms went inland some-where for shelter. Whilst I was watching the third of these flocks go by I noticed high above them a flock of 11 Great white egrets.

Later that morning we walked into town. Over Yesilkent a Kestrel species was possibly Lesser, only seen distantly but its aerial feeding technique was unlike any kestrel I had seen before. Along the coast a noticeable arrival of birds with 7 RB Shrike, 7 Stonechat, Blue Rock Thrush, 2 Grey Wagtail, 10+ Spot Flys and a glimpse of the back end of a redstart species that was either a late common or first Black. Whilst ordering breakfast on the seafront a female merlin came in off and went south.

Saturday 19th
A big viz-mig day today. There were birds everywhere I looked from the roof terrace, at a variety of levels from first light to c 9:00 in a strong northerly. The two commonest species were Song Thrush and Chaffinch with minimum 2,000 each of both species north past the house.

As before it appears that birds come down the peninsular heading roughly south get close to the water, mill about above the recently built Venosa hotel before many of them decide to move back north and up and around Akbuk bay before presumably heading south again.

Other birds seen from the house that morning were a number of (c20) Black Redstart, 150+ skylark, 300 Blackbird, 4 Mistle thrush, Hobby, 3 Sprawk, 4 Syrian Woodpeckers, 14 Swallow, c400 Greenfinch, c100 Goldfinch, c100 White wagtail and various warblers and other unidentified odds and sods that didn't seem to be any of the above but weren't seen well enough to pin down to species. Amongst the easiest to identify were two separate calling Woodlark a house first. Very few of the birds were calling and overhead fast moving birds not always easy to identify.

I decided I would go out to see if any-thing had been grounded. There were few birds low down but finches, flycatchers, Black Reds and thrushes were regularly perching albeit briefly on tree tops before moving on. Odd warblers flitted past, a flock of starling then a loud buzzing flight call got me looking for a wagtail, I suspected Citrine but only got a “yellow” wagtail type flying away from me. Then a flock of 22 Bee-eaters went low down but straight south apparently out across the bay.

Later that day two further flocks of Bee-eater went past the house and a further house first, Garden Warbler was in the plum tree.

Sunday
viz-mig Movement much as yesterday in much lighter winds but much smaller numbers c 25% and birds generally higher. For the first hour or so birds were however constantly visible and in particular milling around the Venosa which is the point that they seem to have to decide how to proceed. Species appeared much the same but as birds were high and generally not calling not easy to pick out species.

The wintering Black Redstarts have arrived in force with birds visible on rooftops all around.
A later walk into town amongst others saw two Grey Wagtail, Robin and Whinchat new for the trip. Grey wag and Robin both wintering birds. The Blue Rock Thrush was also seen again.

Late afternoon another Great White Egret went past the house.

Monday
viz-mig continued in now light winds and lower number than yesterday with a flock of Starling past the house new for the house list, Robins have now arrived in the gardens around with both Robins and Black Reds singing as they set up wintering territories. A Whinchat showed briefly on top of a tree and a kestrel was hovering over fields

TuesdayGenerally quiet this morning but a major surprise when a flock of 7 Shoveler went south only the second time I've seen duck from the house. Also a V of 32 Grey Heron looked impressive as they went North.

 

[petrelseeker]

john what is likely to be seen around pummekale around mid september will be going a trip there do you think red fronted serin is a possibility,any info would be much appreciated.
petrelseeker.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Out in Turkey at present

April 20th
Trip from Bodrum to Yesilkent on transfer; 5 medium-large BOP (one short toed eagle) other 4?? Although one could have been Lesser Spotted Eagle. Also one falcon (possible Peregrine) with three Little Egret at Bafu Golu

Yesilkent
Two parties of Bee-eater; one 15 over Blue Restaurant, 5 past house, also male pied Flycatcher in the conifers by the football pitch. A few singing Black-eared wheatear including one off the house solar tank and a singing male Spanish Sparrow in tree opposite the house (house tick)

April 21st
Walk around Yesilkent a.m., very quiet (nothing of real interest). At breakfast time, a male Blackcap was in in tree opposite the house. Walk into town, corn bunting 3-4 and a male Ruppel's Warbler. Three Bee-eater over main beach. On return back to house 2 White Pelican (house tick) went out into the bay, one Grey Heron went south and a Syrian Wood was drumming on the telephone pole at the end of the road.

Loads of Red-rumped swallow, swallow and house martin around everywhere.
Great tits very obvious and a few blackbird.

April 22nd
Walk around the front at Yesilkent only two birds of note a Whinchat and a surprising Whiskered Tern on the rocks by Gaye 1 (Patch tick) with up to 8 Common Terns offshore. A couple of common terns were viewable off the top terrace with a shag on the big white buoy.

Lunchtime a walk around to Gaye 2/ Venosa turned up around 20 common terns on the offshore little island, plus a couple of adult med gulls and a cormorant. The Fence around the Venosa had along it an adult male Woodchat, a greenfinch, a corn bunting, a hooded crow, a whinchat and a crested lark. A flock of Bee-eater flew past the back of the Venosa and a Female Sparrowhawk was over Yesilkent.

I’m now sat down at the Blue restaurant with an Efes. Life is good.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

April 23rd
Wander down to olive grove, no migrants at all but singing Olivaceous warbler in scrub just in front of Olives showing exceptionally well. A few terns and shags feeding offshore. One dark bellied tern out by the white buoy may have been Whiskered but too far out to be sure. 9 Mediterranean Gull went west. Later that day walked up to the radio receiver, 4 more singing Olivaceous around the sitesi including one on wires by the side of the Blue Restaurant. A kestrel went north past the house.

April 24th
Today was another quiet day with settled warm weather, light winds and high cloud. Only one Ollie was heard during a walk around the seafront. Twenty plus Bee-eaters went north past the house and 5 Meds were anting towards the Venosa, otherwise Syrian woodpecker still drumming around sitesi.

April 26th
Weather remains settled. Generally quiet around peninsular and Gaye II beach although a pair of Ruddy Shelduck were a patch first. First heard and then followed in flight for some time, firstly heading out to sea then as they flew back up towards Akbuk. They were in sight for some time before I managed to get any colour on them to confirm identity. Later that afternoon a Kestrel and four small falcons (possibly Red-foot) were visible towards the Venosa.

April 27th
Seawatch out from Mart Sitesi, a number of small parties of Yelkuan Shearwater (c 150 in total) and a few Cories Shearwater were feeding offshore. 3 sandwich tern and a common tern went south as did approx. 200 Mediterranean Gull. A Bottle-nosed Dolphin was seen twice, once just off Marti and once closer to the Marina. Sardinian Wood still regularly visible/drumming. No Owls seen/heard so far.

April 28th
Huge thunder storm from 6pm-10pm yesterday followed by overnight rain produced a couple of good sightings. No evidence of arrivals first thing with a walk around seafront and out towards peninsular finding nothing although a couple of Ollies still singing. Heavy rain led to return to house. At 10 am a flash of bright yellow seen peripherally heading into the pine opposite could only have been a Serin rump or a Golden Oriole. Ten minutes later a male Golden O appeared out of the pine before flying off inland (house tick), a Bee-eater fed over the pine shortly afterwards and a female golden oriole was seen in flight on the way to the Dolmus.

At 2pm the Ollie by the Blue restaurant was again on wires.

April 29th
Good day today, not big numbers of birds but a number of good sightings. Force 3 south westerly with light cloud and full sun by mid-afternoon. Went out around Gaye ii and Marti 7-9, a turtle dove was on the wires by the exit of Gaye II, then a singing Black-Headed Bunting opposite the entrance to Marti. A Stone Curlew flew up the next beach across from Marti Beach then another Black-Headed Bunting was singing in the old plant testing station. A Black kite was briefly seen at the end of the valley there. Looking back onto the beach across from Marti a pair of Ruddy Shelduck were now in situ, perhaps the pair seen by the Venosa a couple of days ago. No Yelkouan Shear were visible offshore but a small flock of Cory’s swirled far offshore. Finally for the morning a Blackcap was in the lane alongside Marti and two common swift went through over Yesilkent just by the Seahorse.

A walk into town along the same route later that morning resulted in no interesting sightings other than a handful of Spanish Sparrow by Besler Sitesi, a few Med Gull and a single
common tern.

An hour late evening off the top terrace produced only one migrant a very smart Wood Warbler (house tick) in the pines opposite. Ollies singing all round.

April 30th
Trip to Kusadasi on bus(es). 8 Audouin’s Gull just of the seawall during a sudden thunder storm, they dispersed when the rain stopped. An alarm call drew my attention to a jay in the centre of town and whilst looking upwards an alpine swift flew through. From the bus on the way home another 20+ Alpine swift were visible just out of town.

May 1st
An entertaining walk up to Marti along the lane started with a turtle dove over the house and the wood warbler in the pine opposite. A female blackcap was in a tree in the house on the corner. Another turtle dove was with the collared dove in the wheat field along the lane and a couple of Black-Headed Buntings were visible on top of bushes. A bird of prey coming in from the radio mast came closer and clearer as a black kite heading off in land. A few minutes later a fly through Roller went in the same direction then a single bee-eater was over the back of Marti.

Back at the house a harsh call drew my attention to an overflying common tern, presumably cutting straight across land from the bay to the nesting island. A kestrel was over the hill at the back of the house.

Waiting for the Dolmus by Yayla 3 very smart Male Spanish Sparrows were side by side on the barbed wire fence.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

May 2nd
Another good walk first thing.

The first interesting sighting was a flock of 7 Turtle dove heading inland from the direction of Yesilkent. In total around 25 Turtle dove were seen heading inland this morning. A noisy flock of 25+ Spanish Sparrows were in the wheat field by the Seahorse and a female marsh harrier briefly quartered this field before being seen off by two hooded crows. Further up the hill towards Altinkum 3 Wheatear were all Northern (very pale grey). The bushes around the area of the old farm held a few birds with single Lesser Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher and a female Sardinian warbler all additions to the trip list. In the heath/scrub behind this farmed land a big female peregrine flew very briefly before settling on a rock. Then a Roller flew inland with a few bee-eaters again behind Marti.

May 3rd
Same walk as yesterday. Spanish Sparrow again in field by the seahorse/Besler Sitesi and a few overflying turtle doves although noticeably fewer than yesterday. Something about a distant passerine landing on a rock prompted me to put the scope on it, it turned out to be a Tawny Pipit (patch first). A fly through female golden oriole was then over bushes behind the shepherd’s tents. A few Wheatears were again visible but again as yesterday no females and again strikingly pale grey birds. I spent twenty minutes watching the scrub behind the old farm and managed to see Ruppel’s Warbler, Orphean warbler, Whitethroat, Black Headed Bunting and Woodchat shrike. The woodchat seemed to be a migrant as it appeared from nowhere, flew about from perch to perch, then headed off inland.

Later that day from the house the Spanish Sparrow from last week was back in the palm opposite the house and Med Gulls were anting over head for some time. The only white wagtail of the week from the house also went by. A female Sparrowhawk was over towards the back of Yesilkent by where the green market café used to be.


May 4th

Very strong overnight winds with some rain but unfortunately an early start to the airport precluded a morning walk. Quite an entertaining hours journey however with a flock of 20+ bee-eaters on wires/over fields by the old farm, a pair of Ruddy Duck at the far end of Bafu Golu and a marsh harrier quartering fields as we approached the airport.

An entertaining couple of weeks with 4 house ticks (white pelican also being a patch tick) and 4 further patch ticks.

The habitat up the hill looks promising for the autumn, in particular I was thinking for larks/pipits the Tawny pipit on the second visit looks a good sign. I have seen very few larks/pipits as I suspect most fly straight high through the area I normally cover.

Overall the patch reminds me more of a miniature Portland Bill every time I visit and now I have my own top fields to explore.