Birdwatching around Altinkum, Turkey (2 Viewers)

[John o'Sullivan]

Have been out to turkey for a week. With 11 people in the house however very little time for birdwatching. Managed to get out most mornings for a walk however. Commonest birds apart from sparrow, green and goldfinches, collared dove, swallow and house martin were Black-eared wheatear (including around house and gardens), crested larks, black headed and corn buntings. Also easy to see olivaceous and ruppels warblers. Less common sombre tit, red backed and woodchat shrike, red rumped swallow, spanish sparrow, alpine swift, orphean warbler, common tern, little egret. no real evidence of any movement this time of year although best sighting flocks of c40, c80 and c30 rose coloured starlings that went east within seconds of each other the first morning. hopefully going back in august with more time for birding then. John

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Spent two weeks out at the beginning of August. very very hot, 40C in shade at times. As with previous visits spent most of the time around local area.
Not much evidence of movement this time and birding hard work. Best sighting a nightjar hunting around lights at the local restaurant whilst we were having dinner. This was seen again the following evening over rough ground on the outskirts of the villiage. not seen after this so presumably moved on. Also of note a new lifer for me in the shape of a juv ortolan bunting and two sightings of eleanoras falcon, one of these coming in off the sea over the local beach. Isabelline wheatears were regular around a local manure heap and a green sandpiper on a roadside pool was a new bird for me in Turkey.
The restaurant and beach are both around 200 yards from the house, this means nightjar and eleanoras are both potential house ticks. Saw the usual birds whilst I was sat on the patio/roof terrace i.e. black eared- wheatear, olivaceous and sardinian warblers, woodchat shrike, red rumped swallow, crested lark, white wagtail, sombre tit and syrian woodpecker also flocks of overflying corn bunting each evening.
I bought a push bike whilst there this time so will hopefully get a bit further afield in October.

 

[Rob Smallwood]

John,

Just back from 2 weeks at Dalyan where we had our first (Turkish) Nightjars whilst eating at the popular Ley Ley or Stork restaurant nearby.

We also had a few Eleanora's moving through but the highlight was a possible immature light phase Reef Heron that flew inland with the regular Little Egret evening movement. Not seen well enough to claim - but with the expansion of their range there is every reason to think it may have been genuine.

Other birds of interest were Caspian & Whiskered Terns, lots of Little Bittern Kruper's Nuthatch and 4 species of Shrike in one field!

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Thanks for the info Rob. I like the similarities in the nightjar sightings.

Arrived back today after visiting and then closing up house for the winter. Spent most of week visiting or being visited by friends and family who have also bought places around and about ( Family in Kusadasi, friends in Akbuk) . Not a lot of birding but a lot of eating and drinking.

Highlight this time an adult male Red foot falcon hunting insects over the same patch of rough ground that the nightjar was seen over. The red foot was a lifer for me and a magic bird. Such a delicate graceful creature. The following day a Turkish tick for me in the shape of a peregrine over the same patch of rough ground, this bird hammering around after a collared dove. Serious contrast in hunting techniques from members of the same family. I'm sure others have seen this but the collared doves technique for avoiding being dinner was to "fall out" of the sky just as the peregrine closed in. Not very elegant but in this instance effective.

Other enjoyable images. A syrian woodpecker "feeding" on a telegraph pole at very close range, some gentle passage, particularly of chiffchaffs, sparrowhawk and skylark. Kingfisher as a patch tick. Good numbers of med gulls in Kusadasi harbour and small numbers of flamingoes and greenshank visible from the bus on the lagoons north of town. Didn't manage to get up to the lagoons on the bike so something to look forward to next year. That is one of the beauties of a place abroad there is no rush to "do things" as they can be done next year or the year after. John O'

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Monday 10th April
On arrival 2 drumming Syrian woodpecker (one on telegraph pole opposite house), singing black-eared wheatear and singing corn bunting were obvious from the roof terrace. Also the usual crested larks, Caspian gulls, hooded crows and collared doves flew over. Good numbers of house martins are around this year. Later that afternoon a Male peregrine flew past the terrace and also great tit and magpie seen. A walk into town during the late afternoon produced only crested lark.

Tuesday 11th
Early morning 3-5 Blackcaps were in the tree opposite feeding on berries also a Greenfinch in the garden itself. A walk up to Gaye II the next site up from Yesilkent led to the sighting of a tight flock of 16 medium sized waders off shore that were only seen briefly and not identified (they flew out of sight around the point). Then a male Garganey flew westwards. The first duck I’ve ever seen in Turkey. A Quail was then heard calling from a wheat field. These were unusual sightings although the only other birds seen noted were numerous corn buntings and a few black caps. A trip out to a friend’s house in Akbuk that afternoon resulted in sightings of 3 red rumped swallows, more Syrian woodpeckers and two sightings of unidentified large birds of prey. Akbuk is at the bottom of the bay that Altinkum is at the head of. It is situated at the foot of a number of mountains and these look as if they would provide great habitat for raptors and other mountain/forest species.

Wednesday 12th
The Blackcaps were still feeding on the tree opposite throughout the morning. We walked into town along the coast early that afternoon. A Strong westerly wind had been blowing all morning. A sighting of a female Marsh harrier over a nearby site was a treat but a flock of 50+ Yelkouan Shearwaters offshore was even better. These birds were even visible from the bar on the promenade in Altinkum where we were sat down for lunch.

Thursday 13th
This morning I walked out in the opposite direction to Gaye II to an abandoned holiday complex located on a point just to the west of Yesilkent. It remained quiet with no real evidence of significant movements of migrants occurring. The morning’s birds were 2 White Wagtail, what seems to be a common tern colony on a small island offshore. 5 Great Cormorants were also sat on the same island. A Sardinian warbler was in an area of scrub with Sombre Tit, Great Tit and Red Rumped Swallow in the old holiday complex itself

Friday 14th
The male Peregrine was seen from the house terrace again, whilst the blackcaps seem to have moved on.

Saturday 15th
Early morning walk from house up to fish restaurant past Gaye II.
Strong northerly wind with clear skies

A Good flock of sparrows was just past Gaye II. Around 100, 60:40 House to Spanish Sparrow.
A few Sardinian warblers, black-eared wheatears were around on the scrub area. A Little owl, little egret, woodchat shrike, kestrel and a blackcap were around the fishponds. The only real evidence of movement a few flocks of house martins that were moving east.

That night we tried to see a calling Scops owl that was in trees over by the local restaurant but we only got glimpse of movement as it moved from one tree to another. There were 3-4 calling around the local area each evening throughout the two weeks.

Sunday 16th
Walk from house up to tern colony. Weather warm and sunny, light northerly wind.
Few birds were moving although the highlight was a wood warbler in bushes out at the old resort.
Also c10 common tern and 5 cormorants were still on and around the island.
3 red rumped swallows, a single northern wheatear, 2 Sardinian warblers, a few black-eared wheatears, a Syrian woodpecker and good numbers of corn bunting and house martins were also seen.

At lunchtime a kestrel flew over the house and a chiffchaff was in nearby bushes.

That evening a Kentish plover was out on the point just before the tern colony.

Monday 17th
Walked out to the point but no change from yesterday until a number of strange sheep/gull like calls drew my attention skywards. These turned out to be 8 calling adult Mediterranean gulls that were apparently eating flying insects ?Ants as were a good number of Caspian gulls. By the time I got back to the house there were good numbers of gulls including around 40 adult Med Gulls. These were the first I’ve seen around the local area and were not seen again after this evening. Perhaps the local feeding Caspian gulls drew down a migrating flock. Whatever the cause it was a great sight particularly with tea on the table and cold Efes in a glass.

Tuesday 18th
Took a bus trip over to Bodrum. Saw marsh harrier and White stork around the junction of the Altinkum/Soke/Bodrum roads (Dalyan) that is just at the entrance to the plains of the Meanderes River. The storks have been breeding here each year we have visited Turkey. Also a number of raptors were seen but not identified from the bus and a Turkey tick for me was Jackdaw at the Castle of St John at Bodrum.

Wednesday 19th
Finally took a trip up to the edge of the National Park today (The Delta of the Meanderes River) the southern edge of which is around 10 km outside of the centre of Didim.

I cycled up from the house and this took c 30-40 minutes. As I had no sensible way of transporting it I left my scope at the house and decided to make do with binoculars.

Along the way were single Northern wheatear and Little Owl plus the other usual suspects i.e. numerous Corn Buntings, Caspian gulls, Crested larks and Black eared wheatears with goldfinches, greenfinches, blackbirds a few magpies, Collared doves, and white wagtails as the supporting cast.

The first bird apparent at the Milli Park was an adult Mediterranean Gull, with singing Cetti’s warbler and Sedge warbler also present. Two turtledoves flew past and house martins; red rumped swallows and barn swallows flew above the scattered reed beds. The first heron of the day a superb adult purple appeared just feet away and flew off into the distance. Scanning across the lagoons and exposed mud a flock of around twenty medium sized waders all seemed to be Greenshank; some small waders similarly were most likely all Kentish plovers. A pair of Oystercatchers were also just offshore. A tern colony in the middle distance at extreme binocular range had two dark tern like birds hawking above them. I suspected Pratincoles but having never seen one before could not be sure this was the case. I also could not be sure of the identity of all the terns although there were definitely common and little terns in good numbers. Following the coast along past a scrubby headland led to views of a fine male Ruppel’s Warbler. As the next bay came into view a little egret and a grey heron fed along the margins and two mallard became the first I’ve seen in Turkey (on my seventh visit). This bay had behind it a fine looking farmed area that looked as if it would hold passerine migrants. A brief search around the front of this turned up a Whinchat, a Black-headed wagtail, a female Sparrowhawk and the first Olivaceous Warbler and swift of the trip.

In the distance above the hills were two largish birds of prey one buzzard sized, one noticeably larger that were disputing the possession of the air space. Five large swifts then joined the melee (probably Alpine) but like the birds of prey without a scope these proved to be too far off for a positive I.D. A harsh tern like call above then revealed two collared Pratincoles flying in from the direction of the tern colony, probably the same birds I’d seen earlier. These were then joined by around 60 calling Mediterranean gulls that milled around overhead before finally drifting off along the coast. Just before the end of this bay a stream entering the delta attracted a pair of Ruddy Shelduck the second lifer of the day. The next scrubby headland provided a view over the expanse of the delta itself, away in the distance were six pink lumps that were undoubtedly flamingos and a number of big white lumps that I assumed were mute swans but probably mistakenly so. A small reed bed in front of the headland that was apparently empty suddenly produced 14 Black winged stilt and an adult little bittern flew through a channel.

Retracing my steps the stream now no longer held Ruddy Shelduck but three Slender Billed gull just offshore a fair swap as far as I was concerned as these were another life tick for me. The bay now held two common sandpipers and a second purple heron that was apparently completely unaffected by my nearby presence striding about in the shallows just yards away. Lots of birds in Turkey are remarkably unwary and for those interested in photography the images would be stunning.

Returning to the first headland the greenshank had now moved on but there were now two great white egrets out in front of the terns and further out again two further mute swan. Peering away into the distance however they did not look quite right I then realised I was looking at two Pelicans an Adult and an immature the fourth and final tick of the day. Perhaps and in fact probably the earlier “ distant mute swans” were also Pelicans.

As well as the bird, which were superb, the butterflies, wild flowers and reptiles seen that morning made for a magnificent experience one of which I am sure the vast majority of tourists and local Turks alike are unaware of. The most startling experience was when my passing disturbed an approximately three foot long brown snake. I initially jumped at the movement and jumped twice as far when I realised that it was a snake causing the movement.

Thursday 20th
Walked up to Gaye II early morning. Three singing Orphean Warblers were new in and a Marsh harrier quartered the wheat field.

Friday 21st
Returned to the Milli Park for a second trip. This time I walked in, having caught the Dolmus up from town. A small field that I had paid no attention to when on the bike held 3 singing Great Reed Warblers and the only Black Headed Bunting of the trip. This time round I walked out to the first headland and spent two hours sat down “delta watching”. Again the birding was excellent with many of the same birds as previously seen, the best of these being 6 Pelicans, 3 ruddy Shelduck, 2 slender billed gulls, 5 Collared Pratincole and 12 Black winged Stilt plus single great white egret and purple heron,. New birds’ added to the trip (and Turkey list) list were 2 Curlew, 4 Squacco Heron and best of all a Lanner falcon. This bird ended up sat on a fence post around 30 yards in full view and this time I had brought my telescope! A Tree Pipit in Olives seen whilst waiting for the return Dolmus was also a new Turkish bird.

Saturday 22nd
Early morning rain promised migrants but visiting friends and a shopping trip to town preclude any morning birding. On the way back to the house from the Dolmus stop returning from town a flash of black and white turned out to be a superb male Collared Flycatcher. Other birds within 5 minutes from the house were woodchat shrike, wood warbler, northern wheatear, white wagtail and red rumped swallow.

Sunday 23rd
Last morning walk out to the tern colony. This time a few terns were seen feeding just offshore. Migrants this morning were a single Olivaceous warbler and only the second common swift of the trip, best of all a fly past male Golden Oriole. This bird stunningly custard yellow and jet-black. Later that day I had to pay some bills and wandered over to the local restaurant the owner of which looks after my house when I am not there. Again a flash of black and white caught my attention this one however seemed shrike shaped and larger than yesterdays collared flycatcher. I had looked at my binoculars on the way out and decided not to take them with me. This may have caused me to miss out on my first masked shrike as despite attempting to get close enough for an I.D. the bird melted away backwards through the olives. The local woodchats never do this either staying feet away or flying a short distance whilst remaining in the foreground/open.

The trip back to Bodrum airport went back to Akbuk and then up through the mountains. This area looks superb and worthy of a day out in a car/walking. Raptors were seen at regular intervals but could not be identified. A few alpine swifts however came close enough for a positive I.D. Once we left the mountains we drove alongside a wetlands/river area adjacent to the airport that again looks like perfect birding habitat. Birds seen from the bus included Marsh harrier, little egret and Squacco heron.

These were the last birds seen during this particular trip. Turkey in spring was magnificent; the birding was great, the weather perfect, the countryside green and the wildflowers impressive.

Species list
1. Yelkouan Shearwater
2. Dalmatian Pelican
3. Great cormorant
4. Little Bitten
5. Little Egret
6. Squacco Heron
7. Great White Egret
8. Grey Heron
9. Purple Heron
10. White Stork
11. Flamingo
12. Ruddy Shelduck
13. Mallard
14. Garganey
15. Marsh Harrier
16. Sparrowhawk
17. Kestrel
18. Peregrine
19. Lanner Falcon
20. Quail
21. Moorhen
22. Oystercatcher
23. Black winged Stilt
24. Collared Pratincole
25. Kentish plover
26. Common Sandpiper
27. Greenshank
28. Curlew
29. Slender- Billed Gull
30. Mediterranean gull
31. Yellow legged Gull (cachinnans)
32. Common Tern
33. Collared Dove
34. Turtle Dove
35. Barn Owl
36. Little Owl
37. Scops Owl
38. Swift
39. Alpine Swift
40. Syrian woodpecker
41. Crested Lark
42. House Martin
43. Swallow
44. Red Rumped Swallow
45. Tree Pipit
46. White wagtail
47. Black Headed Wagtail
48. Northern Wheatear
49. Black eared Wheatear
50. Whinchat
51. Blackbird
52. Blackcap
53. Sardinian warbler
54. Orphean Warbler
55. Ruppel’s Warbler
56. Great Reed Warbler
57. Sedge Warbler
58. Cetti’s Warbler
59. Olivaceous Warbler
60. Wood warbler
61. Collared Flycatcher
62. Chiffchaff
63. Great tit
64. Sombre Tit
65. Woodchat Shrike
66. Golden Oriole
67. Magpie
68. Jackdaw
69. Hooded crow
70. Black Headed Bunting
71. House Sparrow
72. Spanish Sparrow
73. Goldfinch
74. Greenfinch
75. Corn Bunting

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Returned a few weeks ago from a trip (July 12th -19th). Added a couple of birds to the house list i.e. Orphean warbler briefly on the garden fence then feeding in the tree opposite (where the blackcaps were feeding in April) and Marsh harrier feeding over the field at the end of the road (visible from our bottom terrace).Also three sightings of peregrine from the house two of the regular tiercel and a juv female.

One of our British neighbours also saw white stork over the house a couple of weeks ago.

Also two sightings of nightjar around the village one again in the lights of the local restaurant and one over waste ground at dusk.

Took a couple of trips out to the delta

first one to the same area as on the 19th April although this time went in car (distance from house 10 miles) much easier than on bike.
Highlights hoopoe 1, turtle dove 4, olivaceous warbler 1, ruppels warbler 1, Dalmatian Pelican 2, Flamingo 200ish, ruddy shelduck 4, collared pratincole 4, greenshank 3, kentish plover 5, slender billed gull 1, Med gull c20, 100's common tern, 5 little tern, 3 distant birds that I tentatively identified as juv whiskered tern also a colony of bee-eaters feeding incessantly around their nesting burrows.

Second trip went out to the Meanderes River past Miletus. Spent some time on road bridge watching reed edges. Best birds here a night heron (Turkish first for me) then a female little crake climbed onto reeds amongst moorhens and flew across river (lifer for me). Also a few snakes swam across the river and numerous luminous green bullfrogs croaked away.

Then drove out down lanes between river and Miletus onto dried up delta itself. Birds here included adult and juv isabeline wheatears, 20-30 short toed larks,a juv woodchat shrike and more bee eaters and a suprise stone curlew. Views out to the water were somewhat distant (as I didn't fancy taking the hire car out across the dried mud) but birds visible were 2 more pelicans, lines of fly by flamingoes, great white and little egrets, marsh harrier, numerous common tern and a few med gulls. Also a distant large falcon that "flapped" over the water may have been a lanner. This bird showing a similar flight pattern to the bird in April.

Overall as expected there were fewer birds than in April but still more than enough to be more than interesting.

 

[Brian Bodrum]

Returned a few weeks ago from a trip (July 12th -19th). Added a couple of birds to the house list i.e. Orphean warbler briefly on the garden fence then feeding in the tree opposite (where the blackcaps were feeding in April) and Marsh harrier feeding over the field at the end of the road (visible from our bottom terrace).Also three sightings of peregrine from the house two of the regular tiercel and a juv female.

One of our British neighbours also saw white stork over the house a couple of weeks ago.

Also two sightings of nightjar around the village one again in the lights of the local restaurant and one over waste ground at dusk.

Took a couple of trips out to the delta

first one to the same area as on the 19th April although this time went in car (distance from house 10 miles) much easier than on bike.
Highlights hoopoe 1, turtle dove 4, olivaceous warbler 1, ruppels warbler 1, Dalmatian Pelican 2, Flamingo 200ish, ruddy shelduck 4, collared pratincole 4, greenshank 3, kentish plover 5, slender billed gull 1, Med gull c20, 100's common tern, 5 little tern, 3 distant birds that I tentatively identified as juv whiskered tern also a colony of bee-eaters feeding incessantly around their nesting burrows.

Second trip went out to the Meanderes River past Miletus. Spent some time on road bridge watching reed edges. Best birds here a night heron (Turkish first for me) then a female little crake climbed onto reeds amongst moorhens and flew across river (lifer for me). Also a few snakes swam across the river and numerous luminous green bullfrogs croaked away.

Then drove out down lanes between river and Miletus onto dried up delta itself. Birds here included adult and juv isabeline wheatears, 20-30 short toed larks,a juv woodchat shrike and more bee eaters and a suprise stone curlew. Views out to the water were somewhat distant (as I didn't fancy taking the hire car out across the dried mud) but birds visible were 2 more pelicans, lines of fly by flamingoes, great white and little egrets, marsh harrier, numerous common tern and a few med gulls. Also a distant large falcon that "flapped" over the water may have been a lanner. This bird showing a similar flight pattern to the bird in April.

Overall as expected there were fewer birds than in April but still more than enough to be more than interesting.

Please check out
www.kyteweb.net/birdsofbodrum
Regards Brian

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Trip To Turkey March 30th –April 14th 2007.

Friday 30th March
Seen from the house were 2 migrant Sand Martin and fly-by Kestrel with House martin, Red Rumped swallows and Swallow around the eaves. Also singing Black-Eared Wheatear, Crested lark and Corn bunting visible from the terraces. The usual Blackbird, Greenfinch, Hooded crow, Goldfinch, Collared Dove and House Sparrow also seen with at least one Scops owl calling regularly throughout the night.

Saturday 1st April
A walk along Akbuk seafront found a male and female Cirl Bunting in one of the few remaining farm fields.

Sunday 2nd
Did the circuit from the house around to the next Sitesi Gaye II up to the road and back again. Very few migrants around although a female hen harrier flew through the top field and two green sandpipers were somewhat bizarrely seen flying high north. A small passage of swallows was also evident. There were also two quail calling from a pea field, a Sparrowhawk around the olive trees, a few blackcaps and a female Sardinian warbler in scrub.

Tuesday 3rd
Visited Silver Sands an area just outside of Davutlar where my in-laws have a holiday villa. On the way out of Altinkum stopped at the harbour on the edge of the Millipark. A number of Flamingos, Great white and Little Egret plus a single Dalmatian Pelican were visible from here. At Silver Sands itself there were two blue-headed wagtails probably Beema, a male serin and a Syrian woodpecker in the peach orchard next to the house with a Sparrowhawk soaring overhead.

Wednesday 4th
Walked out to Silver Sands beach from house. Only birds of note in and around the various complexes were 2 Chiffchaffs, a Syrian woodpecker and good numbers of Red rumped Swallows. Offshore however approximately 1,500 Yelkouan Shearwaters were present on and over a flat calm sea accompanied by 100 or so Mediterranean gulls and about twenty sandwich terns. A single Kentish plover flew south and a few swallows north.

A visit to Sirince resulted in sightings of a pair of Ravens, three beutos thought to be Common buzzard, a falcon (probably male peregrine) with nesting red rumped and northern swallow in the church of John the Baptist itself.

White storks and jackdaws were obvious around Selcuk with a pair of storks nesting right in the centre of town.

Late afternoon whilst sat back at the villa a further buzzard headed north again thought to be probably common buzzard.

Thursday 5th
Walked over to Silver Sands beach once more. The main feeding flock of shearwaters/gulls now around a mile and half further north. Many hundreds however seemed to be on a circuit south to north with the return leg north c200 yards offshore.
Also noted were 3 common sandpipers north and two great white egrets south.

Drove back to Yesilkent lunchtime a Short Toed Eagle and 2 Kestrels were seen from the car in the hills outside of Davutlar. Crossing the Meanderes Plain good numbers of little egret were obvious on flooded fields with a Dalmatian Pelican Flying north across the road. The usual nesting White Storks were around the area at the junction of the Soke and Altinkum roads.

Friday 6th
Walked along coast from Yesilkent to Altinkum only sighting of note an imm marsh harrier in of the sea. This was seen to fly over the eastern side of Altinkum itself.

Saturday 7th
Walked from the house out to the abandoned holiday complex to the west of Yesilkent (past pine beach). No great numbers of migrants around but some quality amongst them. The quality provided by a pair of Collared Flycatchers, a pair of Cretzschmar’s Buntings and a single Wood Warbler. Offshore a flock of c40 Yelkouan Shearwaters were new for this “patch” and a single Great Cormorant fed close in. Also noted were single Sombre Tit, Common sandpiper, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel. Good numbers of Blackcap still around with a couple of Sardinian warblers also.

Sunday 8th
Took a trip out to the Southern edge of the Milli Park (north of town), parking at the Basaran Sitesi then walking across various headlands overlooking the southern edge of the Meanderes delta.

Large numbers of birds on the move particularly common swallows with a constant stream north. Other migrants seen were Collared and Pied flycatchers, Hoopoe, Woodchat Shrike, Tawny and Meadow Pipits, Penduline Tit, Common and Lesser whitethroats, Wood warbler, Northern and Black eared wheatears, Yellow wagtails (feldegg, beema, flava blue headed?), Common Swift, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and a tick for me Caspian tern.

Other species of interest noted included Dalmatian Pelican, Greater Flamingo, Black winged stilt, Kentish plover, common and little terns, Mediterranean and Slender Billed Gulls plus turtle dove.

New birds for this trip other than those mentioned above were Grey Heron, Redshank, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Mallard and Reed Warbler.

Monday 9th
Walked out to abandoned complex. No passerines at all of interest this a.m. However 3 Sandwich terns close offshore and a number of common terns back at the colony on the islet offshore, whilst two sightings of fly by falcons had to go down as unidentified. One at least was possibly Pale phase Eleanoras. A sombre tit in the pine tree opposite the house was a good sighting on return but much better at lunchtime in the bush besides the pine was a male collared flycatcher seen down to around 30 foot.

Visited the ruins at Milletos during the afternoon. These are very impressive and the Theatre a great place to eat a picnic. On the way a male Lesser Kestrel was at Akkoy sat on a wire; this being a site where I have seen this species before. At Milletos itself two Pelicans flew overhead, there was nesting white stork, numerous yellow wagtail, singing Cetti’s and three more sightings of fly by falcons. Having seen Kestrel, Lesser Kestrel, Peregrine, Eleanora’s, Red- footed and a Lanner around Altinkum only those falcons seen well get identified.

Wednesday 11th
Had a full morning on the northern edge of the delta this morning.

Started out by having a quick look at the Meanderes River from the second river bridge on the coastal road from Akkoy to Doganbey. A male Squacco heron flew down river and a Penduline tit flew from reed beds on one side of the river to the other. Also seen from here were kingfisher, a few coot and moorhen. Just as I left a Purple Heron flew up from the edge of a reen.

Moving on I parked further on towards the northern edge of the Delta and walked out towards the waters edge. Immediately a female Hen harrier and two marsh harriers were noted quartering the margins and a small brown falcon that settled on a low bush in characteristic fashion was my first Turkish Merlin. Singing larks sat similarly on low growing shrubs turned out to be a mixture of Crested, Short Toed and Calandra (this being the first of four new birds for me this day). Even from some distance it was obvious that there were good numbers of Dalmatian Pelicans, Yellow legged gulls, Mediterranean Gulls, Little Egrets and Greater Flamingos present. A mixed flock of ducks comprised Wigeon, Shoveler and a few pintail whilst a couple of pairs of Ruddy Shelduck added to the days tally. Identifiable waders were Greenshank, Black winged stilts and Oystercatchers with a number of smaller waders right at the back of the lagoons proving completely unidentifiable. Until now I haven’t found a good spot for fresh/smaller waders on the delta and will need a number of further exploratory trips until I get this right. As well as the med gulls, two slender Billed gulls were around as was a single black-headed gull. Towards the back of the lagoon two spoonbills flew in and immediately started feeding in their typical fashion.

Walking back to the car it became apparent that there were a few passerines around. These included migrant Whinchat, with over flying Yellow wagtails and tree pipits. A Great reed warbler also clambered openly around a small bush and a woodchat shrike sat quietly around the edges of the same bush.

Back in the car I then drove around to just before Doganbey. I decided to climb one of the Hills to spend some time looking for farmland birds and possibly some raptors. Walking through the farmland it was obvious that there were plenty of singing nightingales and Black eared wheatears with a couple of redstarts thrown in for good luck.

I managed to get about two thirds of the way up the hill before pulling up short with what appeared to be a pulled calf muscle. I had to plant myself down and began to scan the skyline above for raptors. Bizarrely enough the first birds to be seen were a calling pair of Ruddy Shelduck coming down from the hilltop and these were followed by a soaring hen harrier and a mixed flock of Black headed and Blue headed wagtails. At this point it seemed I may have well have stayed on the delta although the appearance of a male Ruppels warbler was some consolation. A couple of Sparrowhawks then appeared followed by sightings of distant unidentifiable eagles and then a male peregrine. Two largish robust birds of prey then came over the crest and were the second new bird of the day these being Long Legged Buzzards which were soon followed by a couple of close short toed eagles and a further Sparrowhawk. Another twenty minutes provided similar species after which time I gave in and walked back down the hill (gingerly because of the pulled muscle). Walking back through the farm fields a “black and white” bird seemed to materialise out of thin air at the edge of a bush. Focusing on it revealed another new bird this time a Masked Shrike. A particularly close long legged buzzard then flew over followed by a small party of Alpine Swift.

Returning to the car I drove back to some flooded fields that I’d passed earlier that morning. As I got out of the car three largish waders flew up before settling further out the last “tick” of the day Spur Winged Plover, also present here amongst others were around twenty very close wood sandpipers, a male Squacco heron, a white stork and a pair of little ringed plover. The last interesting new bird for the day was seen on the way along the coastal road when a Hoopoe flew across the road closely pursued by a magpie.

When I got back to the house I complained to my wife of my pulled calf muscle but when I pulled up my trouser leg to show her it revealed the last two mls of the head of a particularly large thorn. When I removed it using a pair of pliers it was over an inch long and about the width of a matchstick. Fortunately as it was so pointed it came out as easy as it went in. It was bloody uncomfortable when it was in however.

This was a particularly good day out. Not just because of the four “lifers”, not just because of the variety but also because of the superb views of most species. Birds in Turkey seem to be amazingly tame and for those with an interest in photography/ digiscoping the results would be awesome.

Thursday 12th
Drove back out to the flooded fields out towards Doganbey on the marshes. This time only one Spur winged plover with the twenty wood sandpipers. New for my Turkey list however were two black tailed godwits and also present a mixed flock of Black and Blue headed wagtails. A purple heron flew out from the reen alongside, as did a Penduline Tit. After this drove out to one of the hills overlooking Silver Sands. Best sightings here were three short toed-eagles, a male goshawk and two tree pipits.

Friday 13th
On the way out to the airport from Altinkum to Bodrum a number of birds of prey noted. The only bird identifiable being another Short Toed Eagle. At the airport two white storks flying over the runways were the last interesting birds of the trip.

1. Yelkouan Shearwater
2. Dalmatian pelican
3. Great Cormorant
4. Little Egret
5. Great White Egret
6. Grey Heron
7. Purple Heron
8. White stork
9. Spoonbill
10. Greater Flamingo
11. Ruddy Shelduck
12. Mallard
13. Pintail
14. Shoveler
15. Wigeon
16. Short –Toed Eagle
17. Hen harrier
18. Marsh Harrier
19. Long Legged Buzzard
20. Goshawk
21. Sparrowhawk
22. Common Buzzard
23. Kestrel
24. Lesser Kestrel
25. Peregrine
26. Merlin
27. Quail
28. Moorhen
29. Coot
30. Oystercatcher
31. Black-Winged Stilt
32. Little Ringed Plover
33. Spur winged Plover
34. Kentish Plover
35. Knot
36. Wood Sandpiper
37. Green sandpiper
38. Common sandpiper
39. Redshank
40. Greenshank
41. Curlew
42. Black Headed Gull
43. Slender-Billed Gull
44. Mediterranean Gull
45. Yellow-Legged Gull
46. Little Tern
47. Sandwich Tern
48. Common Tern
49. Caspian Tern
50. Collared dove
51. Turtle Dove
52. Scops Owl
53. Alpine Swift
54. Swift
55. Hoopoe
56. Kingfisher
57. Syrian woodpecker
58. Crested lark
59. Short-toed lark
60. Calandra Lark
61. Sand Martin
62. Barn Swallow
63. Red Rumped swallow
64. House martin
65. Tawny Pipit
66. Meadow pipit
67. Tree pipit
68. White Wagtail
69. Blue-headed wagtail
70. Black-headed wagtail
71. Nightingale
72. Northern Wheatear
73. Black-Eared Wheatear
74. Black bird
75. Whinchat
76. Redstart
77. Blackcap
78. Lesser whitethroat
79. Sardinian Warbler
80. Ruppels Warbler
81. Common Whitethroat
82. Sedge Warbler
83. Great Reed Warbler
84. Cetti’s Warbler
85. Wood warbler
86. Chiffchaff
87. Pied flycatcher
88. Collared Flycatcher
89. Great tit
90. Blue tit
91. Sombre Tit
92. Penduline Tit
93. Masked shrike
94. Woodchat Shrike
95. Magpie
96. Jackdaw
97. Jay
98. Hooded Crow
99. Raven
100. House sparrow
101. Goldfinch
102. Greenfinch,
103. Serin
104. Cretzschmar’s Bunting
105. Cirl Bunting
106. Corn bunting

 

[Atricapilla]

Nice list there John,I am still waiting for my Spur winged plover!!

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Just took this extract from a trip report posted on the internet at
http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/turkey/turkey12/turk-apr-03.htm
Some marked similarities.
17th April.
Got up very early to go to Bafu Golu and the Menderes delta. Left Dalyan at 5.40am. The roads were very quiet so made good progress. Little seen en-route apart from my one and only Turtle Dove of the trip and a little grey-brown squirrel type creature that crossed the road in front of me. It took two and a half hours via Mugla, Yatagan and Milas to get to the west end of Bafa Golu. When I arrived it was very cloudy with a strong cold easterly wind. Water levels at the lake were very high and the track down to the fisherman's hut that we had walked down in October 2001 was completely under water. The flooded fields, however, were teeming with birds: 80+ Little Egrets, 4 Cattle Egrets, 3 Great White Egrets, masses of Grey Herons, 1 Purple Heron, 30+ Glossy Ibis and in a deeper channel 4 Dalmation Pelicans. I walked along the embankment along the west end to get a better view of the lake. Out in the water were hundreds of Greater Flamingoes, 100+ Great Cormorant, 40+ Dalmation Pelicans, a few in courtship plumage with their orange pouch, lots of Coot, a few Great Crested Grebes and some Garganey. Viewing conditions were not ideal, due to the wind, so I decided to move on. By the track on the way out I had a nice Syrian Woodpecker. There are also lots of Common Magpies in this area. From the roundabout at the end of the track I headed to Akkoy. Here in the centre of the village I had good views of several Lesser Kestrels. I took the Soke road out of Akkoy and as I left the village I turned left down a track which in 2001 I had followed right out onto the southern edge of the Buyuk Menderes delta. As I made my way down the track it became impassable towards the bottom end, so I had to abandon the car and get out and walk down to the flats. The flats themselves were very waterlogged and it would have been impossible to get a car out along the track (even a local tractor had got bogged down). As I walked out over the flats I was surrounded by birds: 30+ Little Egret, lots of singing Calandra, Short-toed and Crested Larks, a nice Red-throated pipit and 40+ Ruddy Shelduck. I continued walking out to the first big lagoon. There were lots of Greater Flamingoes in it and swimming amongst them an incongruous mixture of duck: 60+Wigeon, 50+ Shoveler, 10+ Pintail, 40+ Garganey and 6 Common Shelduck. There were few waders about, mainly Kentish Plovers, but also 6 Oystercatchers and 2 Redshank. In the river channel both Common and Little Terns were feeding. As I walked further out towards the fishermen's huts I spotted a large colony of about 600+ Mediterranean Gulls on a small islet in a lagoon. Got nice views through the scope. One advantage of the cool cloudy conditions was that there was no heat haze. I could see that the fishermen had built a sturdy new track out to their huts to avoid the waterlogged flats. It came from the closest hill, but I could not work out where it joined the Akkoy track. I walked back to the car. It took me about 45 minutes. En-route I had excellent views of a pair of Isabelline Wheatear, with the male song flighting and displaying its broad black tail band.

I headed back up the track, got on the Soke Road and went north to Millet. The pools here at the side of the road, were very flooded. They contained 40+ Black-winged Stilts, 50+ Wood Sandpipers,2 Green Sandpiper and a pair of Spur-winged Plovers. As I drove further north I encountered flocks of Mediterranean Gulls feeding in recently flooded fields. At the top of the delta I turned left and took the road through Doganbey to get a look at Karine Golu. I had distant views of a lot more Greater Flamingoes and another 60+ Dalmation Pelican, but little else so I decided to start the long journey back to Dalyan.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Found a trip report covering some of the sitesw that I watch.
see http://www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=1151

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Went out to Turkey 15th -29th July. Did hardly any birding due to the heat 30c by 8am, regularly 40c by midday.

A few birds around the garden with a regular male sardinian and a juv black eared wheatear feeding feet away from the terrace each day. A couple of eastern olies were also at times in our almond and plum trees.

Had one day out at the Dilek Yaramadasi Milli Park.

An early morning stop around the road bridges over the Meanderes north of Miletus produced 3 Juv Night Herons, 2 Green and 3 Common Sands, Little ringed and kentish plover. Also a few common terns, Med gulls and a fly over flock of 20+ Bee eaters, a couple of Pelicans were out on the lagoons.

I then tried to find the trekking path that goes up into the mountains from Doganbey but for a variety of reasons failed to find it until I was parched from the sun and in desperate need of fluids. If you know where it is it is a four foot wide gravel path that goes on up and over for 14km. If you don't know where it is it is completely invisible. If any one ever tries to find it, it is on the northern side of the river bed that runs just outside the village.

Blundering about the dried up river bed that seemed to be the path produced two lifers Chukar (3 then 2) and a couple of rock nuthatches. Also seen from here were 3 short toed eagles and a sparrowhawk. I was hoping for a few more raptors but I suspect I got my approach all wrong rather than there not being birds in the area.

As before with visiting this time of year the heat is oppressive and birding very hard work. Am back out again Early Oct so should have more luck then.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Trip out for two weeks 30th of Sept -15th Oct 2007.

Weather extreemly warm and still for time of year with clear skies by night and day. Only time there was any wind was on the afternoon of the 14th with a very small shower the morning of the 14th. Hardly any evidence of migration around house and Yesilkent in particular virtually no overhead viz mig e.g very small numbers of Barn Swallow went through- perhaps 20 seen in total over the two weeks.

Not too much birding done due to non-birding friends having come out for a holiday with us. Although a few 7-30-9 am walks around Yesilkent and two mornings out a bit wider afield.

Additions to the House List both seen from the top terrace were Black Kite on the 6th with Turtle Dove on the 7th. Offshore Sandwich Terns were a scoped addition to the house list on the 2nd Oct.

Also seen from the house one Black-eared wheatear all week, regular Red Backed Shrike, Spotted Flycatcher and Blackcap.

Around the wider Yesilkent area Red-backed shrikes, spotted flycatchers, chiffchaffs, Blackcaps crested larks and blackbirds were particularly obvious. Also regular in smaller numbers were small numbers of Sardinian Warblers, corn buntings, white wagtail and syrian woodpecker.

Single song thrushes were seen on two occasions with a European Robin appeared on the last morning 14t,the only obvious migrant all week was a Woodlark that flew straight out over the sea heading south on the afternoon of the
14th. With more usual weather patterns I would have expected more thrushes and Robins to be around and at times hundreds of finches, larks etc overhead.

A few sandwich terns were often offshore as were 1-2 Common Kingfisher. Also small numbers of wintering Black Headed Gulls were an addition to the wider patch list.

Highlights were 22 overhead Pintail west on the 3rd, on the same day a Juvenile Hobby hunting around Olive trees for most of day gave very close views. A Common Redstart on the 4th was only the second I've seen in this area with a single Male Spanish Sparrow seen on the 13th. On the 14th Three Eurasian Sparrowhawks soared together for some time before moving on.

Further afield a trip out one morning (9th) to the Delta stopping at the two road bridges over the Meanderes and walking out to the waters edge a bit further west gave a list of 45 species.

The highlights being Turkish ticks in the form of two sightings of Great Bittern, Single Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Temmincks stint. The Bittern out on the marshes, the waders from the southern most road bridge.

Other interesting sightings were good numbers of Great White Egrets and Greater Flamingoes, a few Marsh harriers, 3 Caspian Terns, small numbers of Greenshank, Water rail and Green sandpiper with single Peregrine in amongst the birds seen heading West along the Meanderes presumably from Bafu Golu early a.m. These being Large numbers of Great Cormarant, Great White Egret, Little Egret and Grey Heron.

My other full mornings birding was on the 11th to Bafu Golu the highlights here being the sheer number of birds with single Glossy Ibis, Spotted Crake, Tawny Pipit, Wood Sandpiper and Spur Winged Plover also 5 Temmincks stint and two small parties of Penduline Tit being the standout species seen. (see Just Outside of Altinkum thread for fuller account and details for how to access part of Bafu Golu).

Overall happy enough with the returns for relatively short periods of time out and about. I'm sure a team of birders could do well out here particularly during times when the weather was more favourable.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Another trip report from this part of the world. http://www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=1246

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Was out this time from 25th March to 8th April. A number of real highlights the most notable for me being
1. Bee-Eater on wires outside the house for two days
2. A Male Pallid harrier so close that at its closest it made sense to watch it without using binoculars
3. Male and Female Little crake togther in the open on reed stems
4. A scoped Barred warbler
5. Numbers of Cory's shears offshore after an overnight Gale.

Generally there was little evidence of any significant movement during the two weeks I was there. A low pressure system over the Eastern Med may have been holding back the masses. There were for example very small numbers of hirundines moving when at other times there has been constant movement.

I did have quite a good morning around Yesilkent on the 27th when species seen moving through included my first Turkish Red-Necked Grebe and Wryneck. Also a Bee-Eater, A couple of Red Rumped swallow, 12 Black Headed wagtail, 40 Alpine Swift, 5 Swift, Grey heron, 2 Sandwich Tern, a Song Thrush, 3 Northern Wheatear, 2 Hoopoe, increased numbers of Orphean Warblers, Lesser White Throats, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Black Eared wheatears.

At the other times I walked around the local area there would be a few birds around (outside of the usual) but no real variety like the above. If I'd have realised this day was going to be the exception rather than the rule I would have spent more time out and about.

I also had a couple of days out on the Delta

The first day out I parked just outside of town at Basharan sitesi (just past the Gule Gule sign for Tansas) and walked out north alongside the delta's edge.

A suprise sighting of a fly away chukar got the morning off to a good start as did close views of a pair of cretzschmars buntings. Around the bushes and small area of marshland were 10 Hoopoes (including a flock of 7), good numbers of yellow wags (various races) and a Sardinian warbler

Out on the delta itself a reasonable range of species was apparent with Two Great white egrets, 3 Dalmatian Pelicans, 120 distant greater Flamingo, 8 Slender billed gulls whilst waders offshore included 5 Little stints, 40+ Kentish plovers, 1 little ringed plover and 2 greenshank.

A few migrants were visible heading north and these included a male serin, 15 Alpine swift, more yellow wagtails, meadow pipits, a couple of tree pipits and a small mixed hirundine movement c80% Barn swallow, c20% Red Rumped with a few house and sand martins.

I didn't walk as far north as I normally do as the wheat had not yet been harvested. Ruppels warblers were the commonest warbler, there were a few more Cretzschmars buntings, 3 Penduline Tits, a woodchat shrike and a couple of northern wheatears.

Returning back to the car I drove out to the western most part of the local coastline. An area I'd thought looked like it might work as a migrant hot spot in the right conditions. It was lunchtime by the time I got there so no evidence of movement. Just before the sea is the local (newish) sewerage works and a stand of young trees has been planted around this. This constituites the only real cover on this stretch of coast so more hope for a migrant trap.

Birds here were Tawny pipit, Three little owl, more Cretzs bunts, northern and black eared wheaters with a big flock of yellow wags in the works itself.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

The second day out onto the delta began with a stop at the first river crossing on the Milet to Soke road.

2 spur winged lapwing were visible from here, 2 penduline tit and loads of singing cettis, Reed and Sedge warblers in the reeds. A male Spanish sparrow was amongst a small flock of house and I had a distant two second view of a small slender unmarked male harrier that "had" to be a pallid but as this would be a tick this was no-where near a good enough view to allow this.

I then drove out to the second river crossing and birds from here included two more spur winged lapwing, 35+ wood sands and 4 Green sandpipers in flooded fields alongside the river. Around the river itself were 2 common sands, a little grebe and clambering about in the open on reed stems were male and female Little Crakes. Then slightly longer views of "the" male harrier, good enough to tick but not one that would have been good enough to get past a rarities commitee if i'd have seen that bird in Britain. Also flying around or feeding on fields in this area were 2 dalmatian pelicans, a number of little egrets and a few close White storks.

I then drove a few miles further on and attempted to walk out towards the lagoons, It was too wet for this and I soon retreated back to the car. As I did so however another sighting of a male pallid harrier .Firstly long views through a scope, then as it flew towards me I changed to binoculars and then as it flew around me no furtehr need to use optics. A real stand out birding moment and a stunning bird.

From here I drove on to Doganbey parked up on the road and walked down a stone lined track onto the saltmarsh. The stand out bird here was a scoped Barred Warbler with a few other migrants obvious around the bushes/farmland here including a couple of Hoopoes, tree pipits, yellow wags and quite a few Lesser whitethroats.

Out on the saltmarsh a pelican roost that seemed to be mostly Dalmatian c45 although at least 1 adult and 1 juveile were White Pelican, the first of this species that I've seen.

A few duck offshore included wigeon, Shoveler, mallard and two Ruddy shelduck and 4 black winged stilt were flushed by two Marsh harriers (the 4th and 5th) I'd seen that morning.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Following overnight gales Monday 7th of April found me sat on the cliff edge just North of Marti sitesi which is on the Western side of the peninsular on which Yesilkent is found.

My target bird this morning was Corys Shearwater a bird I've seen before but not in Turkey. I set up the scope. focused and there immediately were 3 close in Corys shear amazing!! For the rest of the hour and a half I sea-watched there were always Cory's in sight although the majority were a long way out. There seemed to be a distant wheeling feeding flock and a few closer birds moving south. a few small shearwaters were also seen distantly with one close bird going north being Yelkouan.Other birds seen were 5 sandwich and 3 Common Terns heading south, as was an alpine swift.

 

[Atricapilla]

Some great birds there John,I have been busy watching 5 pairs of courting Lesser Kestrels over the past week,there are certainly enough birds around this spring,just waiting for the Rollers and Golden orioles to arrive now.

 

[camelbirder]

Hi John and all,
I have booked a family holiday to Altinkum in October this year and was wondering if you have any maps of the area showing the best places to walk to, early morning. I have a feeling that most of my birding will be done before breakfast.
I will probably have a car for a few days but would rather go birding local to the hotel.
Thanks in advance.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Derek,

I'll be in touch soon with some suggestions. I know you are staying on the west side of Altinkum which is the area I know the least but I'm sure I can help. I'm going out for two weeks in October and if we happen to be there at the same time and you fancy linking up for a day out, we can sort something out.

I've recently returned from a trip out to Turkey July 25th to August 9th. Generally and not surprisingly Weather very hot with Max temps in mid 40’s.

I didn’t do a lot of birding in and around Yesilkent but had one day out on the Delta and one day at the river just before Bafu Golu and Azap Golu.

Azap Golu was a new site for me, easily reached of the Bodrum / Soke road. Heading north from the Altinkum road / Bodrum Road/ Soke road junction turn right at a brown tourist sign for Myus. Follows this road until you have almost reached Myus and the Lake is just off the road.

I did add a couple of birds to the Yesilkent area list with two Chukars in fields just north of the Sitesi and a Masked Shrike in bushes just outside of Gaye II. The first week there were a few red backed shrikes moving through, the second week Olivaceous warblers, Lesser Whitethroats and a couple of Orphean Warblers with regular Olivaceous in the garden (sometimes only feet away).

The best garden sighting however was a Pine Marten that bounded down the drive again just feet away from me one night.

5th August

Trip out along the edge of the Delta, stopping at the two river bridges, a spot around three quarters of the way across the delta (look for a part built building just after a pond) and a couple of places past Doganbey.

The first river bridge stop was good for waders/herons with lots of exposed mud and low water levels. Night herons were frequently seen in flight, 6 White stork were in the surrounding fields and good numbers of Little and Great white Egret were seen. Waders were represented by 4 black Winged Stilts, 4 Spur winged plover, 2 Temmincks stint, 3 Greenshank, 7 Wood sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sand, Little Ringed, Ringed and Kentish plovers. A grey wagtail seen alongside the river was a Turkish first for me.

A Marsh harrier, a few common tern and 2 Little Terns were also seen from here as well as fly over Dalmatian Pelicans and around 20 feeding bee-eaters.

The second river bridge with no exposed mud and relatively high water levels produced little of note although exceptionally close views of a reed warbler were well worth the stop.

A Penduline tit and three literally Zitting Cisticola’s were seen from the car whilst driving north, as were more fly over Pelican’s and feeding Bee-eaters.

West of Doganbey a number of stops produced a range of birds, around 30 Pelicans, 10 Slender billed gulls, a couple of hundred Greater Flamingos and similar numbers of great White Egrets. There were quite a few waders around this northern end of the lagoons but noticeably these were not fresh waders with good numbers of Curlew, redshank and oystercatchers.

The other notable species from the morning out were heard and not seen these being Chukars and Rock nuthatch which were heard calling from the hills alongside the road.

One species that “got away” was a Gull Billed Tern. A species that would have been a life tick for me. I first saw it when it was only feet away from me (flying behind me) and then only saw it flying rapidly away. It was a sandwich Tern sized bird with an all black bill, flying over a field some way away from water with what looked like a lizard/frog in its bill. It was almost certainly a Gull billed tern but for a lifer I couldn’t reconcile ticking it on brief fly by views. I did think to myself “never mind if there is one around, there might be others”. I didn’t see any more though so let it go.

6th August

The second morning with a car found me out on the river just off the Soke/Bodrum Road. At the junction of the Bodrum/Soke/Altinkum roads take the side road signposted Bafu Golu.
After around 100 yards turn left and follow this around to a small tributary of the main river. This is another good spot for waders with exposed mud and low water levels. Here there were very close green sands 6, Temmincks stint 3, Little Stint 3, Black Winged Stilt 4, Greenshank 3, Little ringed plover 8, Common sand 3 also 4 Little egret, a Masked shrike and a turtle dove.

There were some terns visible on the main river so I walked over to find an adult Whiskered tern, 2 common Tern, a little tern and 8 juvenile and two adult Gull Billed terns. All the terns gave amazingly close views but particularly on of the Adult Birds that flew around two foot over my head calling repeatedly and sounding just like I remember Flipper the Dolphin. Definitely one to tick the tern not dolphin.

I then resisted the pull of Bafu Golu and Headed out to Myus and a lake I’d spotted on Google earth. This turned out to be Azap Golu and a quality place to visit and bird watch.

On arrival it was obvious that there were good numbers of Dalmatian Pelicans present
(47) although these left soon after I arrived. These birds weren’t flushed , it appeared that this was an overnight roost. The other species that was very obvious was Great Crested Grebe with 100’s present.

This Golu held excellent numbers of Herons with congregations of 20 White stork, 150 Great white Egret, 80 Little egret, 40 Grey Heron, frequent sightings of flying Night Heron and tight group of 8 Squacco heron.

There were usually Terns in sight although these seemed to come/go. Three Caspian Terns were seen, regular Common Terns and also regular flocks ( flock?) of Gull Billed terns.

Similar to the day before a potential life tick was lost when two small cormorants vanished behind some reeds before I had a good chance to view them. Fortunately twenty minutes later I spotted a similar bird perched on a stick “sticking” out of the water and got good views of my first confirmed Pygmy Cormorant.

There were not many waders here but a greenshank, a green sand and two Black winged stilt were seen in flight. There was also 3 mallard here, the only Duck I saw on this trip.

Also fairly spectacular were a flock of Bee-eaters feeding just above/around 20 bee hives that I was stood next to.

Just as I was leaving (11am) two short toed eagles flew over.

I would definitely recommend a visit to both these spots, the first one for the close views of the waders, the second one for the setting and the birds. Azap Golu is a lovely spot.

Overall impression from the trip was that there were obviously birds around but these were concentrated in bird rich areas. Also because of the heat once 9-10 O’clock came birding became very difficult.