This was a trip organised by Owen Roberts, for which I was co-leading and driving. It was not organised as an intense birding trip, but focused around getting the main Turkey specialities at an appropriate pace for the participants.
31 May
After arriving at Istanbul, and an internal flight to Anatalya to met up with the group the previous day, this was the first day birding, going out to Oymapinar Baraji (dam) for the Brown Fish Owl. We met the boatman around 8am, for our two separate trips out in groups of 4 onto the reservoir. The birds were quickly located by both boat parties and gave very good views.
As we travelled from the upper (Olmapinar) and lower (Manavgat) reservoirs to the D400 we had roadside views of White Stork, Roller, Raven, Masked Shrike and Black-headed Bunting.
The night was spent at the Golbasi Otel with great views over Manavgat reservoir, were we had Black Stork flying over at dusk from the restaurant.
1 June
The second day started with a fairly lengthy morning drive over to the Gotsu Delta and a late pm trip around the delta provided us with Purple Heron, Red-crested Pochard, Black Francolin, Ruff, Little Stint, Stone Curlew, Laughing Dove, Black-headed Wagtail, Rufous Bush-chat, Short-toed Lark, and Whitethroat. The prize sighting was not bird related, but of a mammal, as at dusk two Golden Jackal were seen walking across the sandy scrub.
2 June
The third day was spent on a second more in-depth visit to the Gotsu Delta. This visit produced Great White Egret, Squacco Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Spoonbill, Ruddy Shelduck, Grey-headed Purple Gallinue, Grey Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Slender-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, White-winged Black Tern, Great Reed Warbler, Moustached Warbler, and Bearded Tit. A single Egyptian Mongoose was also seen.
A visit to the hills above Tasucu, our overnight stay for the two nights, and a single Booted Eagle put in an appearance, as well as Alpine Swift and Blue Rock Thrush.
3 June
Another lengthy drive today - Turkey is a large country, to Cukurbag in the Aladaglar Mountains, roadside birding north from Pozanti to Camardi giving us Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes, Serin, and Tree Sparrow. Late afternoon we did some birding around Cukurbag and had Hoopoe, Bimaculated and Shore Larks, Isabilline Wheater, Western Rock Nuthatch, and Rock Sparrow, and at the gorge at Aladagar unfortunately the hoped for Wallcreeper was not seen, but it did produce Golden Eagle, Hobby, Crag Martin, Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides race, Finsch's Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat, that showed characteristics of 'Humes', and Red-billed Chough, as well as numerous Asian Minor Ground Squirrels.
4 June
Up early with a mix of transport up the Aladaglar mountain varying between a Nissan Qashqai, a very old Russian made 4x4 or a tractor and trailer to take us up to the Caspian Snowcock area, which were seen over a period of an hour or so, at times quite close, singing on the top of crags and flying over the valley. Also seen in the area were Alpine and Radde's Accentors, White-throated Robin, Rock Thrush, Alpine Chough, Red-fronted Serin, White-winged and Crimsoned-winged Finches, Ortolan and Rock Buntings. One lucky French birder saw a Wolf, but other more common mammals seen were Southern White-breasted Hedgehog and Bezoar Ibex (Wild Goats). An afternoon visit to one of the gorges in the Aladaglar produced Krupers Nuthatch, and an early evening walk in the farm land around Cukurbag produced Golden Oriole.
5 June
Had us heading over, further east, to Birecik, were we made visits to the park seeing the Striated Scops Owl and bumping into the French birders again. We visited the wadi by the Bald Ibis centre were we had Bee-eater, Upcher's and Menetries's Warblers, and of course, Bald Ibis; and a visit to the gravel workings added Pygmy Cormorant, Little Bittern, Pied Kingfisher, Syrian Woodpecker, Iraq Babbler, Chiff-chaff of the race brevirostris, Desert Finch, and Dead-sea Sparrow.
6 June
7 June
The final day, another brief visit to the gravel pits gave us Black-winged Stilt, before we headed down to Durnalik, where we yet again bumped into the French birders, and where we saw Short-toed Eagle, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Sombre Tit, and Cretzschmar's Bunting, before heading to Gazentap airport for the night trip back to the UK.
The above only includes the species that would not normally be encountered within the UK and is not a full list of what was seen.
Photographs were kindly provided by Eddie Laker.
Birdwatching tours throughout Turkey with Basar Safak resident proprietor of the famous Demirkazik pension. Contact Owen Roberts at g.411@btinternet.com
31 May
After arriving at Istanbul, and an internal flight to Anatalya to met up with the group the previous day, this was the first day birding, going out to Oymapinar Baraji (dam) for the Brown Fish Owl. We met the boatman around 8am, for our two separate trips out in groups of 4 onto the reservoir. The birds were quickly located by both boat parties and gave very good views.
Brown Fish Owl
As we travelled from the upper (Olmapinar) and lower (Manavgat) reservoirs to the D400 we had roadside views of White Stork, Roller, Raven, Masked Shrike and Black-headed Bunting.
Masked Shrike
We then went to nearby Tasagil,
primarily for Olive-tree Warbler, which proved elusive, and not even heard
singing, but as compensation there was Lesser Kestrel, Red-rumped
Swallow, Crested Lark, Spectacled Bulbul, Eastern Orphean and Ruppell's Warblers, and Woodchat Shrike.
Swallowtail
The night was spent at the Golbasi Otel with great views over Manavgat reservoir, were we had Black Stork flying over at dusk from the restaurant.
1 June
The second day started with a fairly lengthy morning drive over to the Gotsu Delta and a late pm trip around the delta provided us with Purple Heron, Red-crested Pochard, Black Francolin, Ruff, Little Stint, Stone Curlew, Laughing Dove, Black-headed Wagtail, Rufous Bush-chat, Short-toed Lark, and Whitethroat. The prize sighting was not bird related, but of a mammal, as at dusk two Golden Jackal were seen walking across the sandy scrub.
Stone Curlew
Purple Heron
2 June
The third day was spent on a second more in-depth visit to the Gotsu Delta. This visit produced Great White Egret, Squacco Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Spoonbill, Ruddy Shelduck, Grey-headed Purple Gallinue, Grey Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Slender-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, White-winged Black Tern, Great Reed Warbler, Moustached Warbler, and Bearded Tit. A single Egyptian Mongoose was also seen.
Spectacled Bulbul
Slender-billed Gull
A visit to the hills above Tasucu, our overnight stay for the two nights, and a single Booted Eagle put in an appearance, as well as Alpine Swift and Blue Rock Thrush.
3 June
Another lengthy drive today - Turkey is a large country, to Cukurbag in the Aladaglar Mountains, roadside birding north from Pozanti to Camardi giving us Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes, Serin, and Tree Sparrow. Late afternoon we did some birding around Cukurbag and had Hoopoe, Bimaculated and Shore Larks, Isabilline Wheater, Western Rock Nuthatch, and Rock Sparrow, and at the gorge at Aladagar unfortunately the hoped for Wallcreeper was not seen, but it did produce Golden Eagle, Hobby, Crag Martin, Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides race, Finsch's Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat, that showed characteristics of 'Humes', and Red-billed Chough, as well as numerous Asian Minor Ground Squirrels.
Western Rock Nuthatch
4 June
Up early with a mix of transport up the Aladaglar mountain varying between a Nissan Qashqai, a very old Russian made 4x4 or a tractor and trailer to take us up to the Caspian Snowcock area, which were seen over a period of an hour or so, at times quite close, singing on the top of crags and flying over the valley. Also seen in the area were Alpine and Radde's Accentors, White-throated Robin, Rock Thrush, Alpine Chough, Red-fronted Serin, White-winged and Crimsoned-winged Finches, Ortolan and Rock Buntings. One lucky French birder saw a Wolf, but other more common mammals seen were Southern White-breasted Hedgehog and Bezoar Ibex (Wild Goats). An afternoon visit to one of the gorges in the Aladaglar produced Krupers Nuthatch, and an early evening walk in the farm land around Cukurbag produced Golden Oriole.
Aladaglar mountains
Shore Lark
Red-fronted Serin
Finsch's Wheatear
Rock Bunting
Had us heading over, further east, to Birecik, were we made visits to the park seeing the Striated Scops Owl and bumping into the French birders again. We visited the wadi by the Bald Ibis centre were we had Bee-eater, Upcher's and Menetries's Warblers, and of course, Bald Ibis; and a visit to the gravel workings added Pygmy Cormorant, Little Bittern, Pied Kingfisher, Syrian Woodpecker, Iraq Babbler, Chiff-chaff of the race brevirostris, Desert Finch, and Dead-sea Sparrow.
Striated Scops Owl
6 June
An early morning run out to Halfeti produced See-see Partridge, Whitethroat, that showed characteristics of 'Eastern Whitethroat'; Eastern Rock Nuthatch and Eastern Cinerous Bunting. A drive through fields at Sanliurifa produced fly over Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Calandra Lark, and Yellow-bellied Sparrow. Back at Birecik we had Ferruginous Duck, Long-eared Owl, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Swift, Sardinian Warbler, and Spanish Sparrow.
Roller
Bee-eater
Rufous-bush Chat
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Cattle Egret
Plain Tiger
7 June
The final day, another brief visit to the gravel pits gave us Black-winged Stilt, before we headed down to Durnalik, where we yet again bumped into the French birders, and where we saw Short-toed Eagle, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Sombre Tit, and Cretzschmar's Bunting, before heading to Gazentap airport for the night trip back to the UK.
The above only includes the species that would not normally be encountered within the UK and is not a full list of what was seen.
Photographs were kindly provided by Eddie Laker.
Birdwatching tours throughout Turkey with Basar Safak resident proprietor of the famous Demirkazik pension. Contact Owen Roberts at g.411@btinternet.com