smyrna
Well-known member
Myself & the wife recently spent 2 weeks based in Ovacik which is located in the hills above the well known resort of Olu Deniz in SW Turkey. We had previously visited the area back in the early 90's but in July so the birding had been hard work which is certainly not the case in May as there were birds everywhere. Walks around the fields, hills & coniferous woodland surrounding the hotel produced Masked Shrikes, which were viewable from the hotel. Plenty of Krupers Nuthatches, I must seen at least 20 birds, at various locations around the area, back in1994 I only saw one!
Ruppells Warblers were also easy to find, other local birds included Syrian Woodpeckers, Short toed Eagles, Olivaceous Warblers, Woodchat Shrikes,Scops Owls, Alpine Swifts, Red rumped Swallows etc... One morning I had a Levant Sparrowhawk over the hotel which was a bonus.
At the abandoned village of Kaya which is just down the road there are breeding Rollers, Rock Nuthatches and Black eared Wheatears.
The area I had most been looking forward to visiting was Seki which is the mountains about a 90 minute drive from the resort and it certainly didn't disappoint. I got there early morning, I parked the car in a promising looking area just before the village and got out to have a scan around - bloody hell !!! the first bird I saw was a cracking male White Throated Robin singing from the top of a bush, then another and another, there was an Isabelline wheatear sat on a rock, Black headed Buntings singing from the wires a Cretzschmars Bunting on the wall not to mention all the other usual suspects. A bit further on I found a female Eastern Orphean Warbler and a Rock Bunting and Rock Thrush.
I carried on birding for the next hour or so adding Rock Sparrow, Bee eaters plus many Nightingales and more WT Robins but the star bird was still missing. I drove higher on the Seki - Elmali road. I must admit I was starting to get a little concerned and was planning a return visit later in the week but just as I reached the very top I flushed a flock of Finches at the side of the road, I quickly turned the car around and drove slowly back to the spot. The birds had started to drop back in, there were Linnets, Goldfinches, Serins and Bird of the Holiday - 10 Red Fronted serins - fantastic, I got really close to the flock and had brilliant views from the car window I also managed to get a few decent pics I drove back to the coast with a big cheesy grin on my face.
Ruppells Warblers were also easy to find, other local birds included Syrian Woodpeckers, Short toed Eagles, Olivaceous Warblers, Woodchat Shrikes,Scops Owls, Alpine Swifts, Red rumped Swallows etc... One morning I had a Levant Sparrowhawk over the hotel which was a bonus.
At the abandoned village of Kaya which is just down the road there are breeding Rollers, Rock Nuthatches and Black eared Wheatears.
The area I had most been looking forward to visiting was Seki which is the mountains about a 90 minute drive from the resort and it certainly didn't disappoint. I got there early morning, I parked the car in a promising looking area just before the village and got out to have a scan around - bloody hell !!! the first bird I saw was a cracking male White Throated Robin singing from the top of a bush, then another and another, there was an Isabelline wheatear sat on a rock, Black headed Buntings singing from the wires a Cretzschmars Bunting on the wall not to mention all the other usual suspects. A bit further on I found a female Eastern Orphean Warbler and a Rock Bunting and Rock Thrush.
I carried on birding for the next hour or so adding Rock Sparrow, Bee eaters plus many Nightingales and more WT Robins but the star bird was still missing. I drove higher on the Seki - Elmali road. I must admit I was starting to get a little concerned and was planning a return visit later in the week but just as I reached the very top I flushed a flock of Finches at the side of the road, I quickly turned the car around and drove slowly back to the spot. The birds had started to drop back in, there were Linnets, Goldfinches, Serins and Bird of the Holiday - 10 Red Fronted serins - fantastic, I got really close to the flock and had brilliant views from the car window I also managed to get a few decent pics I drove back to the coast with a big cheesy grin on my face.
