Written by:
Michael Schwalbe
Sdr. Kirkevej 17 C,
Vester Vedsted,
6760 Ribe
Tlf.: 75 44 64 11
Mobilnr.: 24 23 52 04 / 20 27 64 11
Email: m.schwalbe@get2net.dk
Michael Schwalbe
I booked the car (
Fiat 131) from Denmark via Budget Pitzner. It was definitely the most inexpensive
of the car rental agencies ( AVIS, Herts, Eurocar etc.). Remember to check the
car thoroughly before leaving the agency (it would be a bad experience if you had to pay for damages made by other people!).
Remember you have to be 21 years old to be allowed to
drive a car in Turkey. The Budget Pitzner agency office is situated inside
the domestic terminal. The domestic terminal is situated next to the international terminal so you
have to walk about 300 meters to get to the BP agency. The total cost for 3
weeks was app. $750 including insurances and free mileage. The gas was quite
expensive ( 1 dollar pr. L). I drove about 6000 km. and I had no problems at
all with the car during the trip.
I highly recommend to
exchange cash (USD, DM) until you get to Turkey as you get more Lira than you
will get in your home country. I had no problems in Turkey finding cash
machines that accept VISA card, all bigger towns have them. I even used my VISA
card when I paid at the car agency, but it would be wise to bring cash with
you.
East of Lake Van you
will see military everywhere and there are several check points along the
roads. In fact there is a chekpoint somewhere every time you hit af new road or
in the vicinity of a junction!. The military did not seem to mind that I was
carrying camera and tele-lenses, telescope, and binoculars.
I got fined twice on
the trip. Especially On the south-coast there is a lot of police. I got a fine
(23$) here for passing a car where I should not have done it. But for some
reason they changed their minds and gave me back half of the fine, apparently
because they liked my positive attitude!!! Later on I got fined again for
driving too fast. But this time I had to pay it all (23$). There is lots of
police so I highly recommend not to drive too fast! But in general the police
is very kind and helpful.
Beaman, Mark &
Steve Madge: The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western
Palearctic (translated to Danish by Klaus Malling Olsen) (the Handbook)
Gosney, Dave: Finding birds in Turkey
(Ankara to Birecik & Eastern Turkey) (the gen)
Green, Ian & Nigel Moorhouse: A
Birdwatcher’s Guide to Turkey (A Birdwatcher’s Guide to Turkey)
Hellström, Magnus:
Sodra Turkiet 2-8/5 1998 (trip report in Swedish) (Hellström 1998)
Andreas Bruun. Kristensen: Birdwatching in Turkey, June 5-20, 1999 (trip
report in English)
Turkey, May 18-31 1993 (trip report in
English) (McDowell 1993)
Comments on literature:
The gen proved to be excellent with
hand drawn maps leading you to the best birds in Turkey. Even though it only
covers relatively few localities it was by far the most important source of
information to get the best birds. Buy it.
A Birdwatcher’s Guide to Turkey has a
lot of information about birding in Turkey with many localities. The
introduction includes a lot of useful information about birding in Turkey.
Perhaps the descriptions of the localities are not quite exact enough to get
the best birds but it is useful anyway. In the back of the book there is a
checklist of all the birds that have been known to occur in Turkey. Buy it.
Hellström 1998 is excellent with
detailed information about especially the Birecik area. It also includes useful
information about accommodation in Akseki, Tasucu, and Birecik. Find it on the
Swedish Club300 web-page (www.club300.se).
McDowell 1993 covers two weeks of
exhaustive birding in Western, Central, and Eastern Turkey. I guess they have
been driving at least 7000km and seen almost all the Turkish specialties in
only two weeks. Unfortunately it does not give any site descriptions only
comments like "the "gen" is not very accurate; it would be advisable
to get more specific gen before going". The trip report does not tell what
the gen is but I assume it is A Birdwatcher’s Guide to Turkey. Find it on Urs
Geiser’s web-page (www.xnet.com/~ugeiser/Birds/TripReports/TripReports.html).
Andreas
Bruun. Kristensen http://www.phyl.dk/trip_reports.asp?id=index
: A very usefull and detailed report with exellent information on how to find
the best birds and with comments on the sites in the gen (if no longer correct).
Localities:
All the localities are
mentioned in the gen and A Birdwatcher’s Guide To Turkey . Therefore if the
booklets are correct I will not mention how to get to the site since you should
buy the booklets anyway.
May 9: Antalaya – Akseki
May 10: Akseki
May 11: Akseki –
Antalaya – Goksu delta
May 12: Goksu delta
May 13: Goksu delta -
Demirkazik
May 14: Demirkazik -
Tuzla
May 15: Tuzla –
Isikli/Durnalik
May 16: Durnalik –
Berecik
May 17: Berecik
May 18: Berecik
May 19: Berecik –
Halfeti – Berecik
May 20: Berecik –
cisre – Bitlis
May 21: Bitlis – Nemrut daĝi – South Van
marshes
May 22: Ercek –
Benimahi marshes
May 23: Bendimahi
marshes – Selale waterfall – Isak Paşa
May 24: Isak Paşa
– Bulanik
May 25: Bulanik -
Gelinkaya
May 26: Gelinkaya –
Sivrikaya
May 27: Sivrikaya –
trabson – Sivas
May 28: Sivas – Sultan
Marshes
May 29: Sultan Marshes
– Akseki
May 30: Akseki –
Antalaya
At each site I will
only mention the birds of most interest.
May 9:( sunny 300C
but cool and cloudy in the mountains)
I arrived at Antalya
airport at 1140 and found my self in a pretty bad situation: my backpack had disappeared,
it was not on the plain and no one was able to detect it anywhere in the
world!!! I was told that if I was lucky I could come and get my backpack in 4 maybe 5 days. I simply couldn’t
belive it! Months of preparation… . I panicked. After a couple of hours I got a
grip. After all I had my binoculars, Leica telescope, Dictaphone and camera
equipment in my handbag (8 kiloes!) but the tripod and maps/travel plans etc.
were in the backpack. I was very well prepared so I new exactly where to find
the birds on each locality. I bought a new map got the car at the car rental agency and headed for the first
destination. It took app. three hours to reach Akseki. I slept in the car outside the Walled Plantation (no
sleepingbag ® very cold!).
May 10 (250C
and sunny no wind):
I awoke at 04:45 am
and was ready for Olive-Tree Warbler at 05:00 at Akseki graveyard.
Birds seen 05:00 –
07:00:
Cuckoo 1, Syrian Woodpecker 1, Olive-tree
Warbler 5+, Long-tailed Tit 2ad. + 6juv., Sombre Tit 1, Masked
Shrike 1M+1F, Jay 2.
I had excellent
sightings of Olive-tree Warbler in the
graveyard. It is apparently a very
aggressive and territorial species. A couple of times I saw a bird chase the male Masked Shrike! I found
out that the Masked Shrike is an eminent imitator. I was fooled twice. The
composition is almost identical to Olive-tree warbler but it is slightly weaker
and more clean compared to the deep and rough Great Reed Warbler like song of
the Olive-tree warbler. When these imitations took place the Olive-tree Warbler
flew up right next to Masked shrike in top of an Olive-tree and began singing
very loudly towards the shrike – a fantastic scenario!
Note: Olive-tree Warbler has a very late arrival date
in Turkey (first week of May). Keep that in mind when planning the route if you
go for Olive-tree Warbler.
A walk along the walls
produced :
Tawny Owl 1, Scops Owl 1, Cuckoo 2, Bee-eater
8, Roller 2, Hoopoe 1, Middle- spotted Woodpecker 1 pair
at nest, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 1 pair at nest. Eastern Olivaceous
Warbler 1, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler 2, Semi-collared Flycatcher
1M + 1F (surprise!), Pied Flycatcher 1F, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Long-tailed
Tit 2, Nuthatch 4, Oriole 10.
Along the gravel-road
witch lead you into the Walled Plantation the surrounding terrain is rocky and
with lots of bushes and scrub. This is a very fine place for locating Rüppell’s
Warbler. I had them singing at close range and also had a nest-building male.
Birds seen along
this gravel-road from The Walled
Plantation and app. 2 km ahead 8.30-12.30:
Kestrel 1♂, Lesser Kestrel 1 2nd
cal. ♂, Quail 1, Wood Sandpiper 1, Turtledove 12-15,
Alpine Swift 2, Bee-eater 16, Roller 6, Syrian
Woodpecker 1 drum., Wood Lark 7, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear
common (1 of the pale-throated form), Blue Rock Thrush 1♂, Olive-tree
Warbler 2, Sardinian Warbler 1♂, Rüppell’s Warbler
20-22♂♂ + 4-5♀♀, Lesser Whitethroat 8-10, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler 1, Willow Warbler
3, Long-tailed Tit 1 fam. grp.,
Sombre Tit app. 10, Rock Nuthatch 5, Red-backed Shrike
2♂ + 1♀, Lesser Grey
Shrike 2, Cretzschmar’s Bunting 12-15, Black-headed bunting
app. 10, Corn Bunting fairly common.
I was very surprised
to find so big numbers of Rüppel’s Warbler!
7.9 km. North of
Akseki 1400-1700:
Grey-headed
Woodpecker 1 heard, White-backed
Woodpecker 1 heard + seen, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Syrian
Woodpecker 1, Krüper’s Nuthatch 12, Raven 1, Serin
fairly common.
I found the
White-backed Woodpecker in the
first clearing as mentioned in the gen. The Grey-headed Woodpecker was a
surprise despite several climes in resent years.
I had lunch at the
Toros restaurant just opposite the road that leads into The Walled Plantation.
They were indeed very friendly and helpful. I explained that I had lost my
backpack in Antalya airport and asked if they would call the airport and ask if
my backpack had turned up (my travel guide at SPIES was completely useless so I
thought it would be better to use the locals). Unfortunately there was no sign
of the backpack. I had to call again tomorrow. I had dinner and booked a room at The Star Hotel in Akseki. Here I met
Magnus Robb a Scottish birder from Holland. He was making sound recordings of
various Turkish birds as part of a big WP project. I met him again later on and
it was really a pleasure birding with him.
May 11: (rain
→sun with a few clouds app. 18-200C)
After a good night
sleep I awoke at 8.00. It had stopped raining so I had a walk in the graveyard
and The Walled Plantation, it produced pretty much the same birds as the day
before. The owner of the Toros restaurant called the airport again and bingo!
My backpack had just arrived from The Canary Islands! I drove back to Antalya
picked up my backpack and drove along the coast directly to Akgöl, Goksu delta,
Tasucu where I arrived at 22.00. I was only 36 hours behind the planned
schedule. It was a very tough drive on very winding roads!
* Note:
according to A
Birdwatcher’s Guide To Turkey it is possible to cross the old airstrip along
the coast next to the holiday village and get to site 3 in the gen. This
is no longer possible as the airstrip has been blocked. When you get to the airstrip
from the North, you take the first left hand which leads you into the holiday
village. Then keep right (South East) and try to get past the airstrip through
the city(it can be very difficult when it is dark!). I slept in the car just
outside the nature reserve (lots of barking dogs).
Tekesi, 98 km West
of Tasucu:
Shag 15ad. + 4 imm., Alpine Swift 45
May 12:
Akgöl, site 3, 4, 5
in the gen 5.30-12.00 + 17.30-20.30:
Great Crested Grebe fairly common, Little Bittern 6, Night
Heron app. 10, Squacco Heron 250+ flying to roost, Little Egret 125+
flying to roost, Grey Heron 1, Purple Heron 35-40 flying to
roost, Black Stork 1, White Stork 12, Glossy Ibis app. 75
flying to roost, Spoonbill 26, Eurasian Flamingo 80, Mute Swan
1, Greylag Goose 3, Ruddy Shelduck (when a distant explosion went
off app. 100-200 birds were heard calling from inside the reedbed around lake
Akgöl but I only saw 11), Garganey 5♂♂ + 1♀, Shoveler
18, Pintail 2♂♂, Marbled Duck 7, Ferruginous
Duck 6-8, Short-toed Eagle 1, Marsh Harrier 10, Peregrine 1-2
2nd cal., Black Frankolin 5 ♂♂ (4 seen), Baillon’s
Crake 1(site 5), Grey-headed Gallinule 25+, Black-winged Stilt
3, Avocet 2, Red-winged Pratincole 1, Spur-Winged Plover 21,
Little Stint 3, Ruff 4, Curlew 1, Wood Sandpiper 2,
Yellow-legged Gull app. 200, Sandwich tern 2, Little Tern app.
50, Common Tern app. 30, Whiskered Tern app. 10, White-winged
Black Tern app. 50, Turtledove 8, Red-rumped Swallow 1, Calandra
Lark common(site 5), Short-toed Lark fairly common(site 5), Black-headed Wagtail 10, Yellow-vented
Bulbul 2, Rufous Bush Chat 4, Great Reed Warbler 8-10,
Caspian Reed Warbler common, Moustached Warbler 1, Savis’s
Warbler 2, River Warbler 1, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler 1, Black
Cap 6, Graceful Warbler common, Red-backed Shrike 3♂♂
+ 1♀, Woodchat Shrike 1♂, Lesser Grey Shrike 1, Bearded
Tit 1♂ + 1 heard, Spotted Flycatcher 1.
This lake is a must.
The hole area is teeming with birds. Thousands of Sand Martins, House Martins,
Barn Swallows and Swifts foraging over the lake and reeds. The Black Francolins
were seen very well (05.30-1200) singing from top of low bushes at site 4 as
they were supposed to do according to the gen. Place yourself on top of a sand
dune (site 3 or 4) app. 1 hour before sunset and you will see all the Egrets,
Herons, Ibises, Spoonbills and terns etc. go to roost.
Tasucu Graveyard
13.00-1330:
Steppe Buzzard
(vulpinus) 1, Peregrine 1
2nd cal., Alpine Swift 2, Red-rumped Swallow 1, Eastern
Olivaceous Warbler 10+.
In the end I was
chased away by some angry women. They were apparently insulted because I was
birding in the graveyard.
Site 8 & 10 in
the gen:
Oystercatcher 3, Little Ringed Plover 2, Ringed Plover
3, Kentish Plover app. 25 + 1 pull., Greater Sand Plover 1♀,
Grey Plover 2, Sanderling 70,
Little Stint 19,
Magnus Robb had
Audouin’s gull at site 10 a couple of days later. I checked the harbour in
Tasucu but there was only very few gulls (no Audouin’s Gull this time. I saw
one in 1991). The Greater Sand Plover was seen between site 8 and 10 along the
stream which run along the sandy coast.
Accommodation: Hotel Fathi in Tasucu (south side of the
main road) is highly recommendable, it is cheap and there is hot water and a
fan. See directions in Hellström 1998.
May 13: (Cloudy,
10m/s S, 200C)
Paradeniz Gölu
(site 7 in the gen) 06:00-09:00
Lesser Egret 3, European Flamingo 40, Ruddy
Shelduck 10, Marsh Harrier 6, Oystercatcher 1, Kentish
Plover 14, Grey Plover 6, Spur-winged Plover 3, Little
Stint 175, Dunlin 9, Broad-billed Sandpiper 1, Curlew
2, Turnstone 3, Greenshank 1, Redshank 1, Little Gull
2 2nd cal., Common Tern app. 100, Black-headed Gull 3,
Slender-billed Gull 21, Little Tern app.25, Short-toed Lark
common, Bee-eater 1, Spanish Sparrow 30.
The last important
bird I needed was White-breasted Kingfisher so I decided to try the locality mentioned
in Hellström 1993.
Göksu river 4km
West of Silifke 0930-11:00
Lesser Egret 3, Little Bittern 2, White-breasted
Kingfisher 1, Yellow-vented Bulbul 4, Graceful Warbler
common, Cetti’s Warbler 5, Nightingale 1, Eastern Olivaceous
Warbler 1, Jay 1, Raven 1.
I only heard the
White-breasted Kingfisher call from inside the eucalyptus along the river.
Another option is to go for a walk (Westwards) along the river from the bridge
near the roundabout in Silifke. In 1991 I saw a perched bird app. 300 m down
the river. It might be much more productive to search the river along the
Tarsus river or the Seyhan river anyway.
I decided to drive
directly to Demirkazik, Aladag mountains. Take the motorway, it is cheap(2$)
and there is no traffic. I arrived at Demirkazik at 15:00
hours. It was windy but
sunny. I drove directly to Demirkazik
gorge (site 2 in the gen) which is situated app. 300-500m further down the road past Demirkazik ski
centre. I got out of the car, slammed the door and flushed a Wallcreeper! I
went 50m into the gorge and on the walls to the right I saw 3 Wallcreepers
foraging in the shadowy parts. One of the birds was heard singing
several times. They were all catching big black beetles in small creeks (funny
to see and hear when the beetles were slammed against the wall!). Some Turkish
soldiers practised repelling in the gorge and an officer came to see what I was doing. He said “You
are of course not a spy are you?”. I
told him I was a birdwatcher and that I should try not to look while they were
repelling. He was friendly and kept talking. I had problems concentrating on
what he was talking about because the 3 Wallcreepers was just behind his back on the wall, but I
would not insult a Turkish officer!
Cliff Swallow 1, Snow Finch 4, Wallcreeper 3, Alpine
Cough 15, Cough 2, Rock Bunting 2.
I had decided to get
to the Snowcocks via the shallow valley (site 3 in the gen) right in front of
the ski centre. You can also take the track (site 4) which also leads up to the
snowcocks. You can hire Ramasan (not Ramadan!) who lives in Demirkazik village
to drive you up to the Snocock site on his tractor. He does that for app.
20-25$ pr. person.
Accommodation: I can
not recommend to spent the night at the ski centre, it is expensive and they
might try to rip you off. Ask for Ramasan, he lives a few hundred meters away
from the ski centre in the village( you might see his tractor parked next to
the house). I paid 3$ for a room inclusive dinner at the neighbour.
May 14:
(misty→ sunny, little wind )
I woke up at 03:30
drove up to the ski centre and parked the car between the ski centre and the
football pitch. Started walking at 04:00. Bring a torch, you have to
pass some barbed wire in the beginning of the valley (I walked one third of the
valley the day before). I strongly recommend not to do this climb/walk
unless you are in very good physical shape but It is not dangerous to
climb/walk the valley. After one hour and 15 minutes of almost constant climb I
got to the top of the valley. I continued ahead on the plateau and hit the
gravel road(on the plateau). Go left (North) and walk along the gravel road (on
the plateau) for another 600-800m until you get to a watering trough. The
vehicle track stops at the trough. You are now at the Snowcock site
(they call frequently). Follow the path past the trough for another 300m until you have a deep valley on your left
hand and a very big isolated rock to the right. From this spot I saw 1 perched
bird calling, 2 males flying and a pair which came down and landed only 50-75m
away and started foraging. While enjoying the Snowcocks I was surrounded by
Radde’s Accentors, Alpine Accentors, singing Wallcreeper, Crimson-winged Finch,
Red-fronted Serins etc. etc. - a superb spot! Remember to bring warm
clothing, it is very cold in the mountains before the sun rises over the
mountaintops especially if you are soaking wet by sweat like I was.
The Snowcocks can be
frustratingly difficult so spot and I have heard of people who never saw them!
A good technique is to scan the ridge of the mountains. They will stand out in
silhouette.
I continued along the
path over a ridge and into the gorge (site 2). An adult Lammergeier was soaring
above my head.
Birds seen:
Lammergeir 1 ad., Tawny Eagle 1 imm., Kestrel
3, Peregrine 1, Caspian Snowcock 8♂♂ + 1♀, Chukar
2, Rock Dove 3, Scops Owl 2, Hoopoe 1, Horned Lark
1 pair, Cliff Swallow 1, House Martin 5, Water Pipit 2, Radde’s
Accentor 5+, Alpine Accentor 5, Black Redstart common, Wheatear
common, Rock Thrush 2♂♂, Lesser Whitethroat 8, Blackcap
3, Rock Nuthatch 4, Pied flycatcher 1♀, Alpine Cough
common, Cough 2, Snow Finch 30+, Red-fronted Serin 14, Linnet
6, Crimson-winged Finch 1♂, Rock Bunting 18, Rock
Sparrow 2, Wallcreeper 1 singing.
I had planned another
day in the mountains but I had seen what I came for under perfect conditions. I
decided it would be wise to have extra time to locate species such as Mongolian
Trumpeter Finch and/or Demoiselle Crane etc. As a consequence I left the area
and drove directly to Tuzla, Adana (site 3 in the gen). I slept in the car.
May 15 (sunny,
little wind, 250C):
Little Egret 16, European Flamingo 115, White
Pelican 16, Shelduck 1♀, Teal 1 pair, Black-winged
Stilt 10, Avocet 1, Red-winged Pratincole 1, Kentish
Plover app. 100, Spur-winged Plover 2, Sanderling 14, Little
Stint 122, Dunlin 1, Broad-billed Sandpiper 38, Curlew
Sandpiper 2, Ruff 5, Slender-billed Gull 3, Mediterranean
Gull 1 imm., Great Black-backed Gull 1 ad. + 1imm., Sandwich
Tern 5, Calandra Lark common, Short-toed Lark common.
Directions : in Tuzla
you take the left-hand fork just before leaving the village. The road will take
you past a military camp and right down to the sea. Between the military camp
and the sea there are mudflats on both sides of the road. The right hand fork
will take you to the western part of site 3.
Squacco Heron 4, Little Egret 3, Stork 1, Glossy
Ibis 5, Little Bittern 1, Black-winged Stilt 17, Little
Stint 1, Temminck’s Stint 2, Ruff 12, Black-tailed Godwit
12 2nd cal. + 1 ad., Greenshank 2, White-winged Black Tern
2, Graceful Warbler common, Great Reed Warbler 25, Spanish
Sparrow abundant!, Red-rumped Swallow 1 pair at nest Tuzla-Adana.
The next destination
was the raptor migration spot at Toprakkale but a hail storm was passing the
area so I skipped the idea and drove to Isikli. The nature is beautiful at
Isikli but this is no longer a hot spot for Red-tailed Wheatear! Despite
intense search I was not able to locate one single bird. I know of at least 3
bird-teams who have dipped on Red-tailed Wheatear at this location.
Kestrel 1 pair, Rock Dove 2, Syrian
Woodpecker 1, Upcher’s Warbler 1, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear
app. 25, Rock Nuthatch 3, Eastern Rock Nuthatch 2, Pale Rock
Sparrow 2,
Cinereous Bunting 3.
I drove to Ganziantep and had a nice meal at a
restaurant. Drove back to Durnalik. I slept in the car.
May 16 (nice and sunny 20-250C)
Durnalic 05:45-14:00
Long-legged Buzzard 1, Steppe Buzzard
(vulpinus) 1, Sparrow Hawk 1, Turtle Dove 1, Syrian Woodpecker
3, Bimaculated Lark 1, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear app. 35,
White-throated Robin 6 ad. ♂♂ + 1 2nd cal., Upcher’s
Warbler 20, Lesser White-throat 31, Garden Warbler 2,
Eastern Orphean Warbler 1-2,Yellow-vented
Bulbul 4, Sombre Tit 5, Rock Nuthatch 7, Eastern Rock
Nuthatch 6, Masked Shrike
1♀, Pale Rock Sparrow 11, Scarlet Rosefinch 3, Linnet 7,
Black-headed Bunting common, Cretschmar’s Bunting 5, Cinereous
Bunting 19, Corn Bunting 1.
Durnalic is a wonderful location even though you probably won’t get the
Red-tailed Wheatear. I would very much like to hear if anyone had luck with the
Red-tailed Wheatear in 2001 at Durnalic or Isikli.
Note: The two
races of Cinereous Bunting found in Turkey occur at Durnalic. I had
singing males of E. c. cineracea
as well as E. c. seminowa. According to Birdwatching in Turkey the two
races meet in the Isikli/Durnalic area.
I arrived at the tea-garden in Berecik at app. 16:30 and started
searching for Bruce’s Scops Owl (BSO). I new it would be difficult because the
famous café has been closed. A few men were in the café drinking tea but they
told me that they had not seen the “bay-kus” (owl in Turkish) recently and they
did not know where to find it anymore. I started the search in the park next to
the café but some young boys were so fucking annoying so I had to leave the
area!! I concentrated on the café but I was
not able to spot the owl. At dusk I saw a Scops Owl sp. flying around above the trees in the café. The owl
twice in flight uttered a high-pitched
squirrel like call of 3-5 vocals. The Scops Owl sp. flew into the park
and probably landed in a tall tree in the vicinity of the café and near the
road. When it got dark I heard two BSOs calling in the park right next to the
café. The call is very weak and ventriloquist-like and you have to be at
close range before you can hear it (traffic noise). The song / call is a repeated
and soft voh voh voh
voh - not loud and clear like Scops Owl. I met Magnus Robb at
the restaurant opposite the café. Later that evening he taped the song.
Bruce’s Scops Owl 2, Scops
Owl 2, Long-eared Owl 1, Upcher’s Warbler 5.
I slept at the Merkalem Motel just West of the bridge that leads over
Euphrates. Very noisy, can’t recommend that.
May 17 (nice and sunny 25-300C)
The wadi just North of the Ibis center, Berecik 05:30-08:00
Long-legged Buzzard 1, See-see
Partridge 1♂ singing, Bald Ibis 1 Pair at nest (1 nestling) +
11 ad., Black-bellied Sandgrouse 4, Turtle Dove 2, Bimaculated
Lark common, Eastern Olivaceous
Warbler 9, Menetriés’s Warbler 3♂♂ + 2 ♀♀, Lesser
Grey Shrike 1, Woodchat Shrike 1♂, Pale Rock Sparrow
1, Dead Sea Sparrow quite common around the Ibis Center.
The See-See Partridge was seen app. 100 m into the wadi. It was sitting
on top of a pile of rocks singing. The Bald Ibis at the nest was on the first
high wall to the right when you entered the wadi.
Night Heron 4, Marsh
Harrier 1, Little Ringed Plover 3, Common Sandpiper 1, Slender-billed
Gull 40, Common Tern 4, Woodpigeon 1, Bee-eater 12-15,
Hoope 6, Pied Kingfisher 1 pair at nest, Syrian Woodpecker
1 + 1 Pair at nest, Little Swift 15 at the colony, Alpine Swift
2,
Nightingale 1, Rufous
Bush Chat 7, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler common, Upcher’s Warbler
2, Menetriés’s Warbler 25+, Rose-coloured Starling 225+ (sitting
in a small leafless bush, what a
view!!!), Dead Sea Sparrow fairly common in the orchards, Yellow-throated
Sparrow 4.
The song of Yellow-throated Sparrow sounds very much like a soft House
Sparrow. When exited it sounds almost identical to a singing Dead Sea Sparrow,
I was fooled once.
The Euphrates river it self was a sad dejavu. Further up the river a
huge dam has been build, part of a project which is going to support half of
the country with electricity. This means that the small islands in the river is
no longer there (in 1991 10 Black-bellied and 80 Pin-tailed Sandgrouses came
down to drink every morning). All the scrub along the West side of the
river has been removed and transformed into a big gravel area. It is now
possible to drive alongside the river (app. 2 km) and check the Eastern side of
the river.
Woodpigeon 3, Bee-eater
2, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 2, Syrian Woodpecker 1, Oriole
1, Dead Sea Sparrow 4.
Directions: Take the first road immediately after the motel. Just
opposite an old graveyard you see the old sand quarry as a fenced off area.
There is no problems entering the area through the SW corner.
The Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters were very elusive during my stay at Berecik.
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater has an even later arrival date than Olive-tree Warbler.
It was only sometimes I found them in the old sand quarry perched in a
Eucalyptus tree. They are easier located in June/July (a walk along the river
July 9 1991 produced 30+ birds and they were easily seen at site 9 + 11).
Pay attention to the flight call : Like the call of a high speeded
Bee-eater; prrri prrri prrri.
At a café along the river : 13:00-16:00
White-winged Black tern
1.
Despite intense search
Magnus Robb and I was not able to locate any BSOs. When it got dark we could
hear them call. At dusk I saw presumable the same Scops Owl sp. flying above
the trees in the café and uttering the high-pitched call like the evening
before.
Bruce’s Scops Owl 2, Scops Owl 1♂ and 1 ♀
calling.
May 18 (nice and
sunny 25-300C)
Blue-cheeked
Bee-eater 1 calling, flying
over the motel.
Long-legged Buzzard 3, Egyptian
Vulture 1 imm., Kestrel 1♂, See-See Partridge 3, Desert
Lark 1-2, Bimaculated Lark,
Little Swift 3, Wood-chat Shrike 1♂, Lesser Grey shrike
1, Rose-coloured Starling 65, Pale Rock Sparrow 3.
There is only one way
to find the best birds on the plateau : HARD WORK. Walk as far into the wadi as
you can(when the wadi sort of fades out) and find a way up on the plateau. Walk
back along the southern ridge of the wadi. The Desert Larks might be elusive as
they seemed surprisingly shy and took flight silently.
Little Bittern 1♂ + 1♀, Little Ringed Plover
1-2 pairs, Pied Kingfisher 4, Bee-eater 12-15,
Desert Finch 4.
The Desert Finch is
apparently scarce in May, this was the only four birds I saw on the hole
trip(!).
Like typical finches
the birds were foraging on tall herbs. Desert Finch is more easily found in
June/July when they gather in family groups.
Blue-cheeked
Bee-eater 1 perched.
BSO café 17:00:
Bruce’s Scops Owl 1 seen very well.
For the third time
Magnus and I tried to locate the BSO and this time we succeeded! Suddenly
Magnus said “Michael I have found it!”. The BSO was beautifully perched app. 5
meters above our heads. The bird was spotted above the latrine in the SE
corner. God I was happy, thanks Magnus!
When it got dark we
tried to locate some crakes at site 11. There was nothing but frogs. We also tried to locate BSO at other sites but
without luck.
May 19 (nice and
sunny 25-300C)
Short-toed Eagle1, Bonelli’s Eagle 1 ad., Long-legged
buzzard 2, Kestrel 2, Black Stork 1, See-See Partridge 1
singing, Little Swift 4, Alpine Swift 2, Red-rumped
Swallow 10, Syrian Woodpecker 1, Nightingale 1, Blue Rock
Thrush 1♂, Upcher’s Warbler 3, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 5,
Menetriés’s Warbler 4, Rock Nuthatch 1, Eastern Rock Nuthatch
1, Rock Sparrow quite common, Rose-coloured Starling 300+.
Because of the dam
between Berecik and Halfetti half of the city is now under water! I saw the top
of telegraph poles just above water level, the rest of that part of the city
was below water level! This means that you can’t drive further North.
Little Owl (lilith) 1.
Magnus had asked the
man at the Ibis Center if the Eagle Owl was still to be found in the wadi. He
said he had been searching for it several times and he thought the wadi has
been abandoned. When it got dark we went into the wadi but didn’t hear any
Desert Eagle Owl.
May 20 (nice and
sunny 25-300C)
I left Berecik at
06:30
Rose-coloured
Starling 95.
Squacco Heron 1, Grey Heron 7, Red-wattled Plover
1, Red-winged Pratincole 2, Little Ringed Plover 2, Bee-eater
app. 10.
I hit Cisre at app.
10:45 and was ready to locate Red-wattled Plover which took about 1 and a
half hour (it was standing on the other
side of one of the islands; have patience!). The plover is only to be
found on the gravel islands some
hundred meters to the south of the bridge. Be careful, birders have been
refused to see the plovers even with police escort! There is a military tower
opposite the gravel islands (Eastern side of the river)!
Directions: immediately after crossing the bridge there
is a hotel on your right hand. Behind the hotel still along the river is a big
gravel/sand pit, park the car at the office. Walk down the steep slope and down
to the river (walk along the gravel/sand pit). Stop before you become visible
from the tower. From here it is possible to see the Red-wattled Plover(s) but
it won’t be at close range. When I came back, lunch was served by the workers
in the pit! Nice people.
Note: it is
probably not possible to drive North from Cizre and directly to Tatvan at Lake
Van. App. 15 km to the North of Cizre there was a military checkpoint. I was
not allowed to continue because of potential PKK activity. Instead I had to
drive about 100 km back towards Berecik then North via Diyarbakir(950) and then
East (E99/360) to Bitlis (25 km SW of Tatvan). I was completely exhausted when
I got to Bitlis. I found a hotel. That day I drove more than 850 km!
May 21 (nice and
sunny)
Ruddy Shelduck 1, Honey Buzzard
2, montaguz’ Harrier 1♂, Golden Eagle 1ad., Chucker
1, Cuckoo 2, Bimaculated Lark common, Short-toed Lark
fairly common, Sky Lark common, Horned
Lark 50+, Radde’s’ Accentor 3, White-throated Robin 1♂
+ 1♀, Black Redstart fairly common, Caspian Stonechat
3♂♂, Wheatear common, Isabelline Wheatear 10+, Finsche’s
Wheatear 2♂♂, Rock thrush 4♂♂, Blue rock
Thrush 1♂, Ortulan Bunting 7, Cretzschmar's Bunting 1, Black-headed Bunting common.
Only on the slopes to the South of the crater was Bimaculated Lark
found. Unfortunately there were no Black Scoters visible in the crater lake that day.
Note: According to A Birdwatcher’s Guide to Turkey
you get into the crater by following the yellow tourist sign next to the petrol
ofici garage. This is not possible anymore, I spent 3 frustrating hours trying
to get into the crater before I was told by 3 different shepherds that the road
has been closed.
Directions: immediately before (or after) the
Tatvan - Bitlis - Mus junction there is a brown sign saying Nemrut 13.
Take this road through the village Nemrut and after another 15 km along the
road you will get directy into the crater – a fantastic landscape and a great
view of Lake Van.
Note : there is two different places named Nemrut
dagi; the crater and the mountains. I missed the Red-tailed Wheatear
because I confused the two locations. The Red-tailed Wheatear was found at the
Nemrut statuettes, the heads made of huge rocks (look in the Western part of
these rocks), in the Nemrut Dagi mountains. I believe it is one of the most
reliable places in Turkey for that species.
White Stork 1, Lesser Kestrel 3, Ruddy Shelduck
22, Shelduck 2, Red-crested Pochard 1 pair, Garganey 2
♂♂, Coot 37, Little Ringed Plover 1, Kentish
Plover 2, Lapwing 25, Black-winged Stilt 25, Avocet 7,
Redshank app. 100, Wood Sandpiper 30, Marsh Sandpiper 1, Ruff
14, Little Stint 1, Mediterranean Gull 2 ad., Slender-billed
Gull 15, Black-headed Gull 200+, Armenian Gull +, Sandwich
Tern 2, Scops Owl 1 sing. At the castle, Alpine Swift
200+(above the castle), Citrine
Wagtail 4♂♂, 1♀, Black-headed Wagtail 30+, Paddyfield
Warbler 3, Caspian Reed Warbler 2, Great Reed Warbler 8, Reed
Bunting (thick-billed race) 2♂♂.
All the birds were
seen from site 1.
I had no problems
locating Citrine Wagtail and Paddyfield Warbler, they were singing in top of
low reeds in front of me at close range.
I drove to Ercek Gölu
(site 3 in the gen) and slept in the car.
May 22 (nice and
sunny 20-250C)
Ercek Gölu (site 3
in the gen) 05:30-11:00
Black-necked Grebe 175, Cattle Egret 1, European
Flamingo 525, Ruddy Shelduck 7, Shelduck 20, Garganey
1, Mallard 2, Goldeneye 1♂, Lapwing 15, Oystercatcher
1, Ringed Plover app. 25, Kentish Plover app. 75 + 2 pull., Avocet
33, Black-winged Stilt 19, Sanderling 9, Little Stint 36, Curlew
Sandpiper 1, Ruff 3, Redshank 80, Terek Sandpiper 1, Wood
Sandpiper 1, Red-necked Phalarope 1♂, Amenian Gull +, White-winged
Black Tern 1 2K + 1 ad., Black-bellied Sandgrouse 33, Hoopoe 2,
Lesser Shot-toed Lark 25+, Calandra Lark 5+, Black-headed
Wagtail 10, Corn Bunting 1.
All the birds were
found along the Western Shoreline. About eight o’clock the Sandgrouses left the
area, frequently calling, in small flocks of 4 birds. I was surprised to find
Goldeneye!
Little Grebe (carpensis) 15, Pochard 1 pair, White-headed
Duck 13 pairs, Moustached Warbler 1, Crimson-winged Finch 2
flying over.
The water hole was
situated in the very SW corner of the lake immediately South of the road
Van-Özalp. Water from the hole was taken by a pump to sprinkle the fields.
I drove back to South
Van Marshes (site 1) and relaxed at site 2. Same birds as the day before.
All birds seen from
the bridge.
Little Grebe
(carpensis) 5, Black-necked
Grebe 1, Great Crested Grebe 4, Squacco Heron 18, Purple
Heron 6, Grey Heron 3, Shoveler 1 pair, Garganey
2♂♂, Ruddy Shelduck 3, Pochard 12-15, Marsh
Harrier 1, Moorhen 6, Spotted Crake 1 seen very well, Little
Ringed Plover 2, Redshank 38, Wood Sandpiper 26, Common
Sandpiper 2, Green Sandpiper 4, Black-winged Stilt 5, Broad-billed
Sandpiper 26, Little Stint 10, White-winged Black Tern 20, Black
Tern 7, Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 ad., Kingfisher 1♀, Hoopoe
2, Red-throated Pipit 1ad (♂), Citrine Wagtail 1ad♂ +
1ad♀, Black-headed Wagtail app. 25, Yellow Wagtail race beema
1♂, Bearded Tit 8, lots of Starlings going to roost, ´Thick-billed
´ Reed Bunting 2♀♀.
Because I had a little
fever I left the area, drove to Erciş and found a nice hotel. The
Bendimahi Marshes area looks very promising for crakes but I did not have the
energy to do a thorough search.
May 23 (nice and
sunny)
Little Grebe 5, Black-necked Grebe 1, Great
Crested Grebe 4, Squacco Heron app. 5, Little Bittern
1♂, Purple Heron 2, Grey Heron 1, Shoveler 1 pair, Garganey
2♂♂, Red-crested Pochard 3♂♂ +1♀, Ruddy
Shelduck 2, Pochard 40, Marsh Harrier 3, Spotted Crake
2 seen, Moorhen 8, Little Ringed Plover 2, Lapwing 6, Little
Stint 6, Broad-billed Sandpiper 11, Redshank 30, Wood
Sandpiper 12, Ruff 5, Black-winged Stilt 5, Little Tern
4, White-winged Black Tern 2, Black Tern 9, Moustached Warbler
1, Sedge Warbler 3, Caspian Reed Warbler 5, Paddyfield Warbler
1 singing, Great Reed Warbler common, ´Thick-billed´ Reed Bunting
2 ♂♂.
Long-legged Buzzard 1, Steppe Buzzard 1, Buzzard sp.
2, Lesser Kestrel 1♂, Dipper 1, Crag Martin
3, Penduline Tit 1, Rock Nuthatch 1 + 1 pair at nest, Lesser
Grey Shrike 3, Common Rose Finch 1.
I certainly can’t
recommend to eat at the restaurant, they will rip you off!!!
Long-legged Buzzard 2, Chukar 1, Isabelline Wheatear
5, Blue Rock Thrush 1♂, Rock Thrush 1♂, Rock
Sparrow common, Red-fronted Serin 1, Mongolian Trumpeter Finch
2♂♂ + 1♀.
I was very tired
because I still had some fever so I did not look forward to the tough climb in
search for Mongolian Trumpeter Finch. I decided to find some slopes which were
particularly favoured by Red-fronted Serins: stony slopes with short grass and herbs and small flowers (in
the vicinity of water). I walked app. 1000m to the SE along a road which didn’t
produce any MTF. I didn’t have the energy
to climb the mountains so I returned to the palace. I had parked the car
next to the entrance to the castle, then I walked 100m down the road (I had the
palace on my right hand). To the right along the road was an area that I found
suitable for MTF so I decided to wait and see (to the left it was rocky and you
could see a restaurant further op ). After a couple of minutes I heard the
calls from three birds that definitely was the calls of MTF, the birds flew
over my head and landed some 30 m away and began foraging. I photographed the
birds and enjoined them for about 20 minutes before they flew S (from where
they came from). I drove back and relaxed at a hotel in Doğubayazit. I
felt lucky.
Squacco Heron 2, Grey Heron 5, Spoonbill 3, Montague’s
Harrier 2♂♂, Marsh Harrier 5, Kestrel
2, Demoiselle Crane 1, Great Bustard
1♀/imm♂, Green Sandpiper 1, Black-headed Gull
1 2K, Gull-billed Tern app. 100, Little Owl (lillith),
Lesser Short-toed Lark app. 25, Calandra Lark 5, Roller
10, Hoopoe 5.
You probably better
hurry if you want to see Demoiselle Crane at Bulanik because human activity has
apparently increased dramatically at Bulanik in recent years. There was a high
level of activity from people working
in the fields, tractors were driving everywhere and even on the islands in the
river was people cultivating the area. I decided to wait until all farmers had
left the area and taken the cattle with them, which happened at about 17:00
o’clock. I saw the Great Bustard standing on the plain app. 1000m to the East
between Yoncali and the river. I saw the Demoiselle Crane some 2 km. further
ahead (East) along the river foraging on a field near the riverbed. I walked
back to the car (30-45min walk) and drove to Bulanik. There is apparently only
one hotel in Bulanik and the owner was not particularly friendly.
Note: it might be better to park the car when you
have past the village and then walk the rest of the way down to the river. The
track down to the river had become so deep that it was completely impossible to
drive on unless you had a tractor. I got a lift by a tractor.
May 25 (nice and
sunny )
Spoonbill 4, Montague’s Harrier 1pair, Kestrel
1, Hobby 2, Demoiselle Crane 2, Quail 1, Red-throated
Pipit 2, Tawny Pipit 1, Rose-coloured Starling 35.
The Demoiselle Cranes
were heard and seen foraging near the river a little East of Rustemgestik. The
stretch along road 280 provides good opportunities to scan the area along the
river. I wonder where the Common Cranes Were!? According to ICBP the total
population of Common Crane in the area is thought to be app. 10 pairs. Despite
searching app. 35 km along road 280 I didn’t see one single bird.
Long-legged Buzzard 1, Roller 10, Bee-eater 25, Blue
Rock Thrush 1♂, Rock Thrush 2♂♂ + 1♀, Caspian
Stonechat 1♂, Rose-coloured Starling 35.
Chukar 1 heard, Nightjar 1singing, Syrian
Woodpecker 1, Nightingale 1, Marsh Warbler 6, Cetti’s
Warbler 7, Mountain Chiffchaff 12-15, Penduline Tit 8, Alpine
Cough 2, Scarlet Rose Finch 25+, Ortolan Bunting 1.
Despite intense search
I was not able to locate any Semi-collared Flycatcher. I slept in the car (it
gets very cold in the mountains - below zero).
May 26 (nice and
sunny)
Common Sandpiper 2, Green Woodpecker 1♂ +
1♀, Dipper 1, (Cetti’s Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Mountain
Chiffchaff and Scarlet Rose Finch all common).
Semi-collared
Flycatcher 1♀ in a
garden.
Griffon Vulture 12-15, Egyptian Vulture 1 ad., Lammergeier
1 ad., Imperial Eagle 1ad., Golden Eagle 1 subad., Booted
Eagle 1 dark, Long-legged Buzzard 5, Honey Buzzard 1, Goshawk
1, Alpine Swift common, Crag Martin common, Robin 1, Eastern
Olivaceous Warbler 2, Oriole 1.
Directions : A
Birdwatcher’s Guide to Turkey.
Long-legged Buzzard 3, Hobby 1, Caucasian Black Cock
10♂♂, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1♂, Horned Lark
1, Water Pipit 10, Whinchat 2, Robin 3, Green Warbler
4, Crossbill 3, Scarlet Rose Finch 6, Bullfinch 2.
I slept in the car
where the gravel road started.
Directions: a good direction is given in Andreas Bruun
Kristensen: Birdwatching in Turkey, June 5-20, 1999 (trip report in English).
May 27 (nice and
sunne → cloudy)
Long-legged Buzzard 1, Caucasian Black Cock 11♂♂
+ 1♀, Grey Wagtail 5, Redstart (samaisicus) 1 singing, Whinchat
3, Stonechat 1♂, Alpine Accentor 8 (a pair was seen
pairing), Dunnock app. 10, Ring Ouzel 1♂, Mountain
Chiffchaff 4, Green Warbler 2, Scarlet Rose Finch common ( a
yellow-orange individual was seen), Rock Bunting 1♂.
The Green Warblers are
quite easy to find in suitable areas following the gen.
I drove directly to
the Sumela monastery via Trabson. Heavy rain poured down(because of the altitude
only above the monastery!) and made
birding impossible, so I decided to leave the area and drove to Sivas, found a
nice hotel. In this part of the country the small winding roads are still very
bad (gravel and big pot holes).
May 28 (nice and
sunny)
Black Kite 1, Lesser Kestrel 3, Long-legged
Buzzard 2, Laughing Dove 1 in Sivas(!).
I drove to
Yeşilhisar and slept at the hotel (to the right on the main road when
driving North).
Scops Owl 1 pair calling.
May 29 (nice and
sunny)
Most important birds
were
Little Grebe 2, Pygmy Cormorant +, Great White Egret
1, Fan-tailed Warbler 2, Moustached Warbler 1.
I had planned to visit
Ģöl Gölü (site 8) but I had seen enough and wanted a relaxing drive back
to Akseki. I was later to regret that decision. When I got back to Denmark
Magnus Robb had left a message on my mobile telephone. He told me that at least
20 Greater Sand Plovers were to be seen at Ģöl gölü!
I slept at the Star
Hotel in Akseki.
May 30 (nice and
sunny)
Most important birds:
Roller 1, Green Woodpecker 3, Middle-spotted
Woodpecker 4, Redstart 1♂ singing, Rüppell’s Warbler 3♂♂,Eastern
Orphean Warbler 1 call., Olive-tree Warbler 1, Krüper’s Nuthatch app.
15, Masked Shrike 3, Crossbill.
I arrived at Antalya
Airport at 17:00 and returned the Fiat 121. I had had no problems at all with
the car.
Birds seen on the
trip. Non-nominate races are mentioned in italics.
Little Grebe
T. r. capensis (Bendimahi Marshes, Ercek Gölü)
100. Terek Sandpiper (Ercek Gölü)
100. Common Sandpiper
101. Turnstone
102. Red-necked Phalarope
(Ercek Gölü)
103.
Mediterranean Gull (South Van
Marshes)
104. Little
Gull (Goksu delta)
105.
Black-headed Gull
106.
Slender-billed Gull (Akgöl Gölü,
Berecik, South Van Marshes)
107. Lesser
Black-backed Gull (Bendimahi Marshes)
108. Great
Black-backed Gull (Tuzla)
109.
Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
110.
Armenian Gull (common in Eastern
Turkey)
111.
Gull-billed Tern (Bulanik:
Yoncali)
112. Sandwich
Tern (Goksu delta)
113. Common Tern
114. Little
Tern
115.
Whiskered Tern (Goksu delta)
116.
White-winged Black Tern (Goksu
delta, Berecik, South Van Marshes, Ercek, Bendimahi)
117. Black
Tern (Bendimahi Marshes)
118.
Black-bellied Sandgrouse
(Berecik, Ercek)
119. Rock
Dove
120.
Woodpigeon C. p. palumbus
(Berecik)
121. Collared Dove
122. Turtle Dove (fairly common throughout)
123. laughing Dove (Sivas)
124. Cuckoo
125. Striated Scops Owl O. b. exiguus (Berecik)
126. Scops Owl O. s. turanicus (Akseki, Aladag Mountains, Berecik, South
Van Marshes etc.)
127. Little Owl A. n. lilith (Bulanik: yoncali, Halfeti)
128. Tawny Owl (Akseki)
129. Long-eared Owl (Berecik)
130. Nightjar (Gelinkaya)
131. Swift
132. Alpine Swift
133. Little Swift (Berecik, Halfeti)
134. White-breasted Kingfisher (Goksu river 4 km E of silifke)
135. Kingfisher (Bendimahi Marshes)
136. Pied Kingfisher (Berecik)
137. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Berecik)
138. Bee-eater
139. Roller
140. Hoopoe
141. Grey-headed Woodpecker (Akseki)
142. Green
Woodpecker (Gelinkaya, Akseki)
143. Great Spotted
Woodpecker D. m. pinetorus
(Sivrikaya, Akseki)
144. Middle
Spotted Woodpecker D. m. anatoliae
(Akseki)
145. Syrian
Woodpecker (fairly common in suitable
areas)
146.
White-backed Woodpecker D. l. lilfordi
(Akseki)
147. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker D. m. danfordi (Akseki)
148. Desert Lark
A. d. (coxi/annae)
(Berecik)
149.
Calandra Lark (common in
suitable areas)
150.
Bimaculated Lark ( Durnalik,
Berecik, Nemrut Dagi)
151.
Short-toed Lark (fairly
common)
152. Lesser
Short-toed Lark (Ercek, Bulanik)
153. Asian
Lesser Short-toed Lark (Sultan Marshes)
154.
Crested Lark (common)
155. Wood Lark L. a. pallida (Akseki,
156.
Skylark A. a. armenicus (Nemrut dagi)
Skylark A.
a. cantarella (Sultan Marshes)
157. Shore
Lark A. a. penicillata (Nemrut Dagi, Ishak Paşa, Sivrikaya)
Shore Lark A. a. balcanica (Aladag Mountains)
158. Sand
Martin
159. Crag
Martin (Aladag Mountains, Selale
Waterfall, Ispir)
160.
Swallow
161.
Red-rumped Swallow (Goksu delta,
Tuzla, Halfeti)
162. House
Martin
163. Tawny
Pipit (Bulanik)
164. Tree
Pipit
165. Red-throated
Pipit (Bendimahi Marshes, Bulanik)
166. Water Pipit
A. s. coutellii (Aladag
Mountains, Sivrikaya)
167. Yellow Wagtail M. f. feldegg (common in wetlands)
Yellow Wagtail M. f. beema (Bendimahi Marshes)
168.
Citrine Wagtail M. c. werae (South Van Marshes, Bendimahi Marshes)
169. Grey Wagtail (Sivrikaya)
170. Pied Wagtail M. a. alba
Pied Wagtail M. a. dukhunensis
(Eastern Turkey)
171.
Yellow-vented Bulbul (Goksu
delta, Durnalik, Berecik, Halfeti)
172. Dipper
C. c. aquaticus (Selale
Waterfall, Gelinkaya)
173. Wren T. t. Cypriotos
174. Dunnock P. m. obscura
175. Radde’s Accentor (Aladag Mountains, Nemrut Dagi)
176. Alpine
Accentor P. c. montana (Aladag Mountains, Sivrikaya)
177. Rufous Bush Chat C. g. syriacus
(Goksu delta, Berecik)
178. Robin
E. r. caucasius (Ispir,
Sivrikaya)
179. Thrush Nightingale L. l. africana
(Goksu river(Silifke), Berecik, Gelinkaya)
180. White-throated Robin (Durnalik, Nemrut Dagi)
181. Black Redstart P. o. ochruros
(abundant in mountainous areas)
182. Redstart P. p. samamiricus (Akseki, Sivrikaya)
183. Whinchat
(Sivrikaya)
184. Stonechat
S. t. rubicola
(Sivrikaya)
Caspian Stonechat S. (t.) armenicus
(Nemrut Dagi, Sumela monastery – Sivas)
185. Isabelline Wheatear (fairly common)
186. Wheatear
O. o. libanotica (common)
187. Eastern Black-eared Wheatear O. h. melanoleuca (common)
188. Finsch’s Wheatear O. f. barnesi
(Nemrut Dagi)
189. Rock Thrush
(Aladag Mountains, Nemrut Dagi, Bulanik – Gelinkaya)
190. Blue Rock Thrush (Akseki, Halfeti, Nemrut
Dagi, Ishak Pasha, Bulanik – Gelinkaya)
191. Ring Ouzel
T. t. Amicorum
(Sivrikaya)
192. Blackbird
T. m. sp. syriacus
193. Song Thrush
194. Mistle Thrush
195. Cetti’s Warbler C. c. orientalis (Gelinkaya, Goksu river (Silifke))
196. Fan-tailed Warbler (South Van Marshes)
197. Graceful Warbler P. g. akyildizi (Goksu delta, Tuzla Creek)
198. Savi’s Warbler L. l. fusca (Akgöl Gölü)
199. River Warbler (Akgöl Gölü)
200. Moustached Warbler A. m. mimicus
(Akgöl Gölü, Ercek, Bendimahi Marshes, Sultan M.)
201. Sedge Warbler (Bendimahi Marshes)
202. Paddyfield
Warbler A. a. capistriata (South Van Marshes, Bendimahi Marshes)
203. Marsh Warbler (Gelinkaya)
204. Caspian
Reed Warbler A. s. fuscus (common)
205. Great Reed Warbler (common)
206. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (common)
207. Upcher’s Warbler (Islik, Durnalik, Berecik, Halfeti)
208. Olive-tree Warbler (Akseki)
209. Ménétries Warbler S. m. Rubescens (Berecik, Halfeti)
210. Rüppell’s Warbler (Akseki)
211. Eastern
Orphean Warbler S. h. crassirostris (Akseki, Durnalik)
212. Lesser Whitethroat (especially Durnalik and Akseki)
213. Whitethroat
(Ishak Paşa)
214. Garden Warbler (Durnalik)
215. Blackcap S. a. dammholzi (Aladag Mountains)
216. Green Warbler P. t. nitidus (Sivrikaya)
217. Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler (Akgöl Gölü, Akseki)
218. Mountain Chiffchaff (Gelinkaya, Sivrikaya)
219. Willow Warbler (Akseki)
220. Goldcrest
221. Spotted Flycatcher M. s. neumanni
(Akseki, Goksu delta)
222. Semi-collared flycatcher (Akseki, Gelinkaya – Ispir)
223. Pied flycatcher (Akseki, Aladag Mountains)
224. Bearded Tit
P. b. rossicus (Akgöl
Gölu)
225. Long-tailed Tit A. c. tephronotos
(Akseki)
226. Sombre Tit P. l. anatoliae (Akseki, Durnalik)
227.
Coal Tit
228. Blue Tit
229. Great Tit
230. Krüper’s Nuthatch (Akseki)
231. Nuthatch
S. e. levantina (Akseki)
232. Rock Nuthatch (Akseki, Isikli, Durnalik, Aladag Mountains, Selale Waterfall
etc.)
233. Eastern Rock Nuthatch (Isikli, Durnalik, Halfeti)
234. Wallcreeper
(Aladag Mountains)
235. Short-toed Treecreeper C. b. harterti (Akseki)
236. Penduline Tit R. p. menzbieri (Selale Waterfall, Gelinkaya)
237. Oriole
(fairly common)
238. Red-backed Shrike (Akseki, Goksu delta, Berecik)
239. Lesser Grey Shrike (Akseki, Goksu delta, Berecik, Selale Waterfall)
240. Woodchat Shrike (Goksu delta, Berecik)
241. Masked Shrike (Akseki, Durnalik)
242. Jay G.
g. sp. atricapillus (Akseki)
243. Magpie
(especially common around lake Van)
244. Alpine Cough (Aladag Mountain, Ishak Paşa)
245. Cough
P. p. docilus (Aladag
Mountains)
246. Jackdaw
C. m. soemmerriingii
247. Rook
248. Crow
C. c. sardonius
249. Raven
C. c. laurecei/subcorax
(Goksu delta)
250. Starling
S. v. tauricus
251. Rose-coloured Starling (Berecik, Halfeti, Berecik – Cizre, Bulanik,
Bulanik – Gelinkaya)
252. House Sparrow
253. Spanish Sparrow (Goksu delta, Tuzla creek)
254. Tree Sparrow (Ispir)
255. Dead Sea Sparrow (Berecik)
256. Yellow-throated Sparrow (Berecik)
257. Pale Rock Sparrow (Durnalik, Berecik)
258. Rock Sparrow (Aladag Mountains, Halfeti,
Ishak Paşa)
259. Snow Finch
M. n. nivalis (Aladag
Mountains)
Snow Finch
M. n. alpicola (Ishak
Paşa)
260. Chaffinch
F. c. sp.
261. Red-fronted Serin (Aladag Mountains, Ishak Paşa)
262. Serin
(fairly common)
263. Grønirisk C. c. aurantiiventris
264. Goldfinch C. c. sp.
265. Sisken (Sivrikaya)
266. Linnet
C. c. bella
267. Twite
C. f. brevirostris (Ishak
Paşa)
268. Crossbill
L. c. guillemardi
(Akseki, Sivrikaya)
269. Crimson-winged Finch (Aladag Mountains, Ercek, Ishak Paşa)
270. Desert Finch (Berecik)
271. Mongolian Trumpeter Finch (Ishak Paşa palace)
273. Scarlet Rose Finch C. e. cubanensis (Durnalik, Gelinkaya, Sivrikaya)
274. Bullfinch
(Sivrikaya)
275. Rock Bunting E. c. cia (Aladag
Mountains,
Rock Bunting E. c. prageri (Sivrikaya)
276. Cinereous Bunting E. c. cineracea
(Durnalik, Isikli)
Cinereous Bunting E. c.semenowi
(Durnalik)
277. Ortolan Bunting (Nemrut Dagi, Gelinkaya)
278. Grey-necked Bunting E. b. cerrutii (Ishak Paşa)
279. Cretschmar’s Bunting (Akseki, Durnalik, Nemrut Dagi)
280 Reed Bunting E. s. sp. pyrrhuloides
(Sultan Marshes)
‘Thick-billed’ Reed Bunting
E. s. canetti (South Van
Marshes, Bendimahi Marshes)
281. Black-headed Bunting (fairly common)
282. Corn Bunting (fairly common)