Birdingtrip Turkey
11 Days | 29.4 - 9.5 2015
Joseph D, Raoul M and I went to Turkey for 11 days (May 2015). We are all ornithologists and I have already learned a lot from them the past 4 years. We decided it was time to go on a birding holiday with these crazy guys! Turkey was our choice because (like the most ornithologists) they have a list of birds they've in the Western Palartic and they had some missing in the eastern part.
We started our trip in Antalya and drove until the Lake Van. For the new and dangerous parts (Göksu Delta, Camardi, Osmanyie, Birecik, Syrian border + desert, Nemrut Dagi) we had the Faroese man Silas O. as guide with us. He knew a lot about the areas, birds and culture. We enjoyed the time with him and learned a lot about the culture and country!
Most of the time we drove the car to find new birds and to get new photos. We started at sunrise and went back to the hotel as sun set (everyday a different hotel in another city).
In summary it was a great birding trip with 237 birds (see the whole list) and beautiful landscapes!
Blog post
Turkey summary
It was a great trip with a great team! I really enjoyed it!
BIG THANKS to Raoul & Joseph.
I learned a lot more about how to identify birds in the field and I am really impressed about the phenomenon of bird migration! To see hundreds of raptors passing over or wetland birds in the desert is just amazing.
The roadtrip was great! It was amazing to see so much of this beautiful country and to visit so many different biotopes: desert, wetlands, mountains, canyons, forests, lakes!
The route was: Antalya - Lake Van
Also a big THANKS to our faroese guide Silas who showed us many beautiful places, interesting birds and explained a lot about the local people, their culture and history!
Survey
Day 1 - Start in Akseki
Day 2 - Fish Owl
Day 3 - Start with Silas & Göksu Delta
Day 4 - Göksu Delta + Camardi (mountains)
Day 5 - Snowcock
Day 6 - Osmanyie - Birecik
Day 7 - Green desert
Day 8 - Nemrut Dagi
Day 9 - Bird of prey migration in Lake Van
Day 10 - Vulture migration
Day 11 - Last day with Mongolian Finch
Turkey - Day 11 / Last day
| Yesterday | Tomorrow |
The last day in Turkey!
We started to visit the wetlands around Van.
Special birds: different Gulls, Paddyfield Warbler, Merlin, Bearded Reedling but we didn't find any Citrine Wagtail.
Later we drove back to the same place like yesterday but we looked to find another canyon to check for the Mogolian Finch. I decided where we should stop and Raoul already spotted the birds when he left the car. We decided to climb up a bit to have a closer view.
It's incredible to find this special bird in less than 10 minutes and 3 hours before our flight!
So we were very fast finish an decided to check again the areas where we stayed yesterday and to check if I can find my ipod.... nope!
Afterwards we drove another route back to the city. Unfortunately we drove somewhere on a street which wasn't somewhere at any map and we got lost somewhere in the turkish pampa. But we arrived at time at the airport. Only the carguy was a bit confused about how much kilometers we drove at this short time and how dirty the car was.
From Van we flew back to Istanbul, stayed there for one night and continued in the morning our way back to Luxembourg.
Maps
Turkey - Day 10
We had an amazing start! 4 vulture species in less than 1 hour!
We just started to drive to a canyon near the lake Zernek Baraji as we saw some bird of preys flying very low. We were lucky to be at a 'mountain' (2 000m). We had a beautiful view of very low flying Griffon and Cinereous Vultures! Later at our destination we found (at 1 500m) a Bearded Vulture and an Egyptian Vulture.
After this good start we continued our way to the canyon place. Silas told us where we should go for the Crimson-winged Finch but we didn't found the right place. So we explored the area around.
We found a really interesting place - a river bed with very less water. We followed a bit the water to see what we can find. We found: Crimson-winged Finch and Little Ringed Plover which are normal for this place. But we also found migrating birds like the Common Sandpiper, Willow Warblers and Moustached Warbler there!
At a place more down we were lucky to find a nest of a Rock Nuthatch and the only Grey-necked Bunting for the trip.
Afterwards we drove to the next destination: Lake Ercek Gölü. Another place from Silas where we should look for the White-headed Duck. Beside the duck we also spotted two Temminck's Stints and a Pallid Harrier.
It was a good day but unfortunately I lost my Ipod somewhere in the turkish mountains....
Maps
Turkey - Day 9
We spend the whole morning in the car. We drove from Saliurfa to the lake Van which was a really long drive.. The only special bird was an Egytian Vulture who flew very close over our car.
First destination at Lake Van were an old vulcan which Silas proposed us to visit. It was a good idea because at the time we arrived on the top we had a huge migration of Honey Buzzards, Eagles and Levant Sparrowhawks! It was amazing naturespectacle and a big wish since I started with ornithology to see the migration of raptors like this! We enjoyed!
The huge migration were only for some hours. Afterwards we decided to go inside of the vulcan. Because of the snow we couldn't drive inside so we had a walk of some hours.
Interesting birds at this place: Skylark, Stonechat ssp. maurus (?) and Waterpipit ssp. cotellii.
Later we drove to the city Van to search an hotel.
Map
Turkey - Day 8
The 6. may was the last day with our faroese guide Silas.
In the morning we started to drive to Nemrud Dagi. A special place for the Kurdish Wheatears.
On our way to the mountain we passed many old kurdish villages and a really clear river with hundred of swallows. We also noted a migration of raptors.
Nemrut Dagi is a 2150m high mountain in south-east Turkey. The area around the mountain is a national park. The mountain is a mix of sanctuary and gravesite form the King Antiochos I. Theos (69-36 B.C). This place was the center for a new religion. Slaves build with 300 000m³ of broken stones an hill (150m high and 45m wide) over the natural top of the mountain for the tomb. On the north, west and east side are platforms with statues of the king with grecian-persian gods. (read more about Nemrut Dagi: UNESCO)
Arrived in Nemrut Dagi we drove the street up to the top. Special birds during our way: many Kurdish Wheatears, albino Red-backed Shrike, roosting Orioles, White-throated Robin and Horned Larks
On the top we visited the monument of the old king. A beautiful view over the mountains and over the valley (behind the mountains - view of the turkish-syrian desert).
After this interesting trip we drove to a bee-eater colony to see the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. It was a really interesting and beautiful place. An old kurdish village with old agriculture methods. A wonderful place with an agriculture landscape, singing Quails, Corncrakes, Bee-eaters and a hunting Little Owl.
For the Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters we were really lucky! Well they were..
The Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters just arrived to the colony, turned over the hill and flew away. During this time I unfortunately stayed on the other side of the hill (because we split to search them). So I missed them..
For the end we enjoyed the sunset and drove to the airport to say goodbye to our guide.
Silas was a really interesting and funny person who knows a lot about birds, places, culture and photography!
& Most of the photos of the city/villages are made from the inside of the car. Becaus of two reasons:
-
We had no time to stop for photos.
- We didn't want to get to much attention.
Map
Turkey - Day 7
For the second day in Birecik we checked again a plantage of pistachio trees to find the Yellow Throated Sparrow. We already visited this area yesterday but we had no luck. Today we were more lucky and found some individuals. They probably just arrived from their over winterring place in India.
After this good start (again) we drove to the turkish-syrian desert.
It was really special because the desert was green and full with flowers!! We were really lucky to be there. The desert is for only 2-3 weeks green! In some days the temperatur will rise and the whole vegetation start to burn and the green color change in yellow/orange.
Also the birds profited of this phenomenon! We had a huge migration of Shrikes, Warblers and Swifts!
The highlight of our trip to desert: See-see Partridge, Lesser Short-toed Lark and Desert Finch
We also had the great chance to see two Gazelles!
We were really fast to find/see what we wanted. So we decided to drive a bit in the desert to enjoy the 'green desert' phanomenon! Afterwards we drove back to Birecik to check again the green areas and the gravel-pits.
On our way we saw a really big camp for refugees. In Birecik some children asked for some wood. We gave the only thing we had - our last snacks. We thought it's good to give something but the kids started to fight about it..
To be 7 days every time top fit with very less sleep and only (good & enough -> that mean no nuts) food in the evening made us very tired.
So we enjoyed the landscape and the good weather most time of the day! A day to relax and enjoy!
Maps
Turkey - Day 6
We had a good start with a sunrise and breakfast at the 5. floor. Beautiful view over Osmanyie.
In the morning we started to explore some wetlands around and found some Beeaters, White-throated Kingfisher, Nightherons, Lesser Grey Shrike and Orioles.
After this short stop we continued our way to Birecik. First we stopped at a green area and later at an old gravel-pit to check for new birds.
Special brids: Dea Sea Sparrow, Iraq Babbler, Pygmy Comoran and a mixed flock of free and not free Bald Ibis.
The area get used from many refugees who installed tents and try to survive. They all lives outside oft he city, have nothing and hope to go back one day.. An old women came to us and asked if we could help her. Our guide (Silas) who was able to talk their language gave her some bread. We couldn't do more..
We stayed in the area for some hours. For the midday it started to get really hot and we decided to go to a café and have a tea/coffee. At the same place we searched for the Pallid Scops Owl who use this place since years. We splitted in two teams to search the owl. After 10min they called us. The owl stayed quite on a branch near the trunk. She/He was smaller than some mobile phones are today. After a while we heard the noice of a police car and the owl really didn't like it. So she/he tried to follow this noice and got higher and closer to the street.
Later we drove to Syria.
Our guide talked with friends and was informed about the situation. It was everything okay so we decided to have a look. We parked the car 4km away and had a look to Syria. On the way there we passed a big camp for refugees..
At this place we could also make some good shots of an horny Black Francolin and a Ménétries Warbler.
For the evening we met some kurdish friend of Silas (our Guide). It was a nice evening. We learned a lot about their culture and tried to have conversations.
& The citys and villages are no more 'western sytl' but get more and more the 'east styl'
&& Most of the photos of the city/villages are made from the inside of the car. Becaus of two reasons:
-
We had no time to stop for photos.
- We didn't want to get to much attention.
Map
Turkey - Day 5
We started very early this morning.
At 5 am. we started at our sleepingplace with a tractor to get up at > 3 000m to see the snowcocks. During our way we already saw some mountain birds: White throated Robin, Snowfinch, Chukar Partridge, Radde's Accentor,....
At +- 3 000m we stopped and walked the rest of the way. Our turkish quide (from our sleepingplace = Hassan) is every day up in the mountains for the snowcocks and know how to find and call them. After some minutes he already found 3 snowcocks which we could observe with our binoculars and telescopes (but to far for any photo..). We had not that much time to observe them because of the sunsrise the clouds start climb and our view was just 1-2m.
So we decided to descend.
On the foot of the mountain we searched for the Bimaculated Lark and found 3 individuals. Furthermore we had a beautiful Golden Eagle flying very close over us and we spotted the Saker Falcon again! Incredible to see a Saker Falcon two times in two days! The Falcon came from the mountain and went down in a canyon. It was very close so we decided to have a walk there. As we arrived - no falcon. But the canyon was really impressiv (no small lens with me..). But we found a breeding Kestrel and two Chukar Patridge.
In the afternoon we visited the other side of the mountain. A stunning place! Our guide (Silas) told us that there is a possibility to see wolfs and bears at this place. But we were not lucky and saw only some sousliks and wild goats.
In total the two days in the mountais were really impressiv with beautiful landscapes and special mountain birds! We were really lucky to see 5 Wallcreeper in 2 days! Futhermore we saw many red-fronted Serins, Blue & Rufous-tailed Rock Thrushes, Snowfinches, Wheatears, Radde's Accentors, White Throated Robins, Golden Eagles and two times a Saker!
For the evening we drove to our next destination: Osmanyie
Turkey - Day 4
The day before we found a singing Black Francolin close to our place. We decided to start early to see it. Black Francolins sing normally at higher places in the morning. We're lucky and found him singing (+ we heard 4 others).
During the morning we explored the Göksu Delta and found some pelicans, Curlews and some hunting Marsh Harriers & Montagu's Harrier. The highlight was a Greater Sandplover very close to the bank!
In the afternoon we decided to drive to our next destination: Camardi.
During our way up to the mountains we made 3 stops. One around the area of the Göksu Delta to find a Pied Kingfisher (... we found nothing). Another close to our route at an orchard to check for the Syrian Woodpecker and Olive-tree Warbler. And some stops near high mountains to check if we can find some birds of prey flying around (specially for Lammergeier).
After arriving in Camardi we were excited to explore more the area and to see which mountainbirds we can find. For 4 minutes we checked the wheatears around and nobody (of 4 people) noticed a beautiful Saker Falcon just 60m away from us.. A beautiful adult 'caffe late' Saker eating a Souslik on a stone..
We tried to get our cameras ready for a photo but he left to fast and left the stone and we only got flightshots.
But at least we have a picture in our head of this beautiful Falcon!
For the evening we went back to our sleeping place. Eating + Shower + Sleep - To be ready for an early start next morning for the snowcock!
Turkey - Day 3
The day started really good. Red-rumped swallows (Cecropis daurica) flew around us during our breakfast and a quail (female) landed in front of us (1 m away)!
After the breakfast we picked up our guide who comes from the Faroe Islands and lives in Turkey. He's showing us the special birds and places of Turkey. On the way to our next destination in Tasucu we found an Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae) sitting on a pole and who allowed us to come very close!
In Göksu Delta we visited a huge wetland ( RAMSAR ) which is very important for migrating birds who just passed Cyprus. We started there to explore the place more but it was really windy.
Turkey - Day 2
We started very early this morning to a lake/dam near Kepez
At 5 a.m. we meet other birder from Denmark, England and Turkey for the Brown Fish Owl (Bubo zeylonensis). We visited with two owlpairs with a boat.
After the Owl we drove back to the Manavgat near the river to watch birds. (Tip from the danish birder friends - Thanks!)
For the evening we drove back to the valley near Akselki.
(Same place like yesterday)
Turkey - Day 1
|
Yesterday |
Tomorrow |
Together with Raoul and Joseph we decided to do a birding holiday in Turkey.
We will start in Antalya and finish in Van. We're driving the whole trip by car and sleep every night at an other city. Forest, desert, mountains, lakes and wetlands is on our list to check to find new birds (for us). Joseph and Raoul have a list of birds for the westpaleartic an want to fill up their list. I joined them to see more about Turkey, get some good photos and to learn more about birds (Identify + Migration).
Yesterday we arrived in Antalya.
Today we visit a great area around Akseki. We checked some open lands, forests and valleys!