Thanks v. much RecoveringScot, that's just the sort of information I was looking for. I hadn't heard of "little" Camlica before. Is it the well wooded hill about half a mile to the south of the main site?
Also, is it easy enough to see Yelkouan by taking a ferry across the Bosporus? It might save me a trip to the Prince's Island if it's possible to find them this way.
Thanks
Yes, 'Little Çamlica' is that smaller well-wooded hill (actually a gated town-park) which can be good for small stuff, including Syrian Woodpecker, Collared Fly, Olivaceous Warbler etc etc.) You go further on through Çamlica village than the turn-off for Big Çamlica and the entrance gate is on the right. There's also a cemetery further up the road on the left, but I'm not sure about local sensitivities about using bins in such a place.
Big Ç itself can host a variety of small stuff (Red-breasted Fly being occasionally everywhere) though I must admit that visble migration overhead of things like Yellow Wagtail and Tree Pipits has been less common in my later visits than when I first went thirty years ago. My only Spring visit was more productive.
Yelkouans have been fairly regular from the ferries, but on one trip I happened not to see any. It's just luck I think.
I forgot to mention Black Storks in my last post. I've had up to a thousand in a day in your week, with the odd group of Whites. Vultures (especially Egyptian) are less common today than they used to be, but Griffons are still fairly regular. But anything likely could turn up. By the way both adult Imperials I saw there were at low level, and could actually be seen from above. The immatures went over higher up. Long-legged Buzzard is a pretty much expected migrant also. I've had some stunning views. Brush up on your Harriers from below. They all tend to look the same when they're soaring overhead. Remember to check the pylons (a favourite Saker resting-place)
I wish I was going there too. Raptor passage over Aberdeen, while interesting, isn't quite the same.
One small tip. Even when it's roasting, don't strip off to bare upper torso. Turks don't care for that sort of thing.
Cheers,
