Tue 6th May.
We decided to stick local by visiting Lake Kusimi, Lake Jandari and suitable fields in between.
We started off by getting turned back by Border Guards as we headed towards Lake Kusimi. This involved a detour, something we are getting used to with the ad-hoc Georgian road surface system. The guards were friendly enough one of them eyeing up my Swaro 12x42’s - confiscation? No, could he look through them? I declined to offer them up as I have standards to maintain…..
I have had good reports re Kusimi from a Georgian birder who has one of the very few Faecebook pages I follow. The detour yielded White Wagtail, Spotless Starling, Roller, Cattle Egret, both Lesser Grey and Red-backed Shrikes and 3 Hoopoes, a small roadside pool with c20 Black-winged Stilts and Quail here and there.
The lake itself is a decent size and had a few maggot-drowners quite happy to sit in the discarded bottles, tins and plastic detritus that is an intrinsic part of their sport/hobby. I wondered why there is very little in the way of litter bins in Georgia…..
Little Grebes whinnying, Bee Eaters purring and Great Reed Warblers sounding like they were clearing their throats after a pack of 20 Woodbine. More confiding Shrikes than you could shake a stick at and a dozen Little Terns showing the locals how it’s done! Grey Heron, a single Squacco Heron, Little Egrets, about 50 Night Herons in a belt of Conifers and a booming Bittern were all nice to see and hear. 2 Black-necked Grebes ducked and dived in the company of 2 male Garganey and 20+ Common Sandpipers. Cuckoo and Sedge Warbler called and the former I thought danger close to the latter and its reedbed residence. Lots of Sand Martins and a Common Tern arrived together.
We looked around for flooded fields etc but to no avail. The backdrop was stark with power lines eminating seemingly from everywhere and then proceeding to march in all directions across the landscape. Outer Rustavi, like many Georgian towns, still bear the legacy of Soviet-era low rise tenements. There is actually a reason for that. Any apartment block over 5 stories has to have a lift hence the height. Probably part of a plan to improve ‘Russian’ stamina by making the babushka’s walk up and down the flights of stairs with their heavy bags of shopping.
On to Lake Jandari with Common Tern, male Marsh Harrier, Nightingale and Greed Warbler en-route. The Lake is split in two between Georgia and Azerbaijan. Yet again the dice were rolled against us with winds of 25mph gusting 30 we had to either sit in the car or raise the boot to shelter behind it - infuriating as their was a bit of stuff to be seen. One end of the Lake that tapered into shallow water and damp fields was full of birds - fortunately it was in Georgia. A flock of c40 Slender-billed Gulls and hawking Whiskered Terns were noted.
Parties of Rooks, a trip first, probed the adjacent fields. 2 Ospreys went over and over 100 Glossy Ibis fed. More Stilts, 50+ Dunlin ditto Shoveler, Greenshanjk, Black Kite, Little Terns and Pygmy Cormorant. A Common Scoter Popped up which I thought odd. Marsh Harriers, Stock Doves, more Greeds and a Kingfisher - another trip tick.
Our final night finished with pouring rain - putting the Rust in Rustavi…..
Good Spring birding -
Laurie -
