Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Of course. Just trying to politely point out the error.
-
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Georgia April 25th / May 16th. Birding the High Caucasus - The Big 5 and beyond..... (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter rollingthunder
- Start date
rollingthunder
Well-known member
By all means but I have to say the birds feeding and perching on lines showed no hint of spots. I was unaware of the species distribution and as someone who is as interested in seeing subspecies as full species I will have to pay attention.
To continue my learning curve could somebody enlighten me as to why the Common Starling I am now seeing show no signs of the patently obvious breeding plumage of the birds I saw when I left Blighty?
I am annoyed with myself but being human we are born to make mistakes it's learning from them that counts - any info on Starlings in the Caucasus, Georgia or otherwise, would be gratefully appreciated.
Good Spring birding -
Laurie -
To continue my learning curve could somebody enlighten me as to why the Common Starling I am now seeing show no signs of the patently obvious breeding plumage of the birds I saw when I left Blighty?
I am annoyed with myself but being human we are born to make mistakes it's learning from them that counts - any info on Starlings in the Caucasus, Georgia or otherwise, would be gratefully appreciated.
Good Spring birding -
Laurie -
rollingthunder
Well-known member
Thur 8 May.
Probably the most unproductive day of the trip so far…..
It had rained heavily overnite and the skies looked grim as we ventured out around 10am. We decided to do a 3km trail in the nearby National Park which is foot access only. We spent about 2 hours before cutting our losses - I could have seen more on my local area of Cannock Chase! Not even double figures with just a cranking Raven to break the silence - there was hardly a bird singing.
We drove about 20km checking crags etc before pulling off to the Green Monastery. The sight of a young Monk in long Black robes splitting wood with a long-handled axe was like something off a film set. Again quiet but we did pick up 2 singing Green Warblers and Mark came back with an Icky.
More showers heralded an early finish around 2pm so we listened to some music whilst checking photos and deleting crap and drank beer…..
Good Spring Birding -
Laurie -
Probably the most unproductive day of the trip so far…..
It had rained heavily overnite and the skies looked grim as we ventured out around 10am. We decided to do a 3km trail in the nearby National Park which is foot access only. We spent about 2 hours before cutting our losses - I could have seen more on my local area of Cannock Chase! Not even double figures with just a cranking Raven to break the silence - there was hardly a bird singing.
We drove about 20km checking crags etc before pulling off to the Green Monastery. The sight of a young Monk in long Black robes splitting wood with a long-handled axe was like something off a film set. Again quiet but we did pick up 2 singing Green Warblers and Mark came back with an Icky.
More showers heralded an early finish around 2pm so we listened to some music whilst checking photos and deleting crap and drank beer…..
Good Spring Birding -
Laurie -
rollingthunder
Well-known member
Thanks for that link Paul and as you say really good info on subspecies I knew nothing about.....but do now!
My misidentification, in my defence I think most good birders I know if unaware of subspp would have fallen for it, has opened a can of worms and I shall be paying close attention to any seen on the remainder of the trip.
Laurie -
My misidentification, in my defence I think most good birders I know if unaware of subspp would have fallen for it, has opened a can of worms and I shall be paying close attention to any seen on the remainder of the trip.
Laurie -
rollingthunder
Well-known member
A coupla days behind in trip chonology but a couple of pertinent pics from today - yet another cloudy, rainy crap day from the Tantalus Tour but every cloud..........
First off is finally Kruper's Nuthatch. A male singing less strident and perhaps quicker than our own but definitely a 'hatch. The female was feeding furiously amongst the Pine cones whilst the static thus more photogenic 'other half' sounded off to anybody who would listen - definitely music to my ears.....
Laurie -
First off is finally Kruper's Nuthatch. A male singing less strident and perhaps quicker than our own but definitely a 'hatch. The female was feeding furiously amongst the Pine cones whilst the static thus more photogenic 'other half' sounded off to anybody who would listen - definitely music to my ears.....
Laurie -
Attachments
Peter.home
Mr Peter Home
It's an example where, I suspect, ebird would start ringing alarm bells when attempting to enter onto a checklist, as it would be flagged as extremely rare in the area.
Of course that wouldn't help if you are seeing something rare, and overlooking it as a common species for the area. So it's swings and roundabouts
rollingthunder
Well-known member
This might be a good example of the latter.....
After a fruitless 1.5 hours up at the mist-shrouded Argo Restaurant with only a single Steppe Buzzard to show we left for some more bush-bashing down at Chorokhi - the tourists would have to pay to use the resident seaside-type binoscope as opposed to my BTX setup!
This time we spent about 3 hours working the area on the Airport side which contains some pools that are down on Google Maps as Payable Pools and it also has 2 extensive reedbed areas worth looking at in addition to the grazing and scrub that runs adjacent to the river and down to the sea. I will detail the birds seen in a separate post.
Whilst I was checking an area of farm equipment and general agricultural clutter a litter of 9 puppies emerged from a pile of old tyres. Whilst I was fussing them Mark shouted to come over as he head seen a 'Long-tailed Shrike'. He was familiar with the species from a guided trip to Kazakhstan that he did pre-Covid. I knew that it did not occur in Georgia and was obviously intrigued. It was indeed a Shrike with a long tail and one that I had seen both in the field and hand at Eilat 2 years ago. On the lines perched a crisp male Masked shrike! I enlightened him as to the birds' ID and the confiding sprite was photographed from all angles as it dropped down to catch prey and then return to its perch.
A bit of digging revealed that, upto 2023, there are only about 10 documented records for Georgia with photographs for this species. Most, if not all are Autumn records from either the Black Sea area or upland habitats.
Good Spring birding -
Laurie -
After a fruitless 1.5 hours up at the mist-shrouded Argo Restaurant with only a single Steppe Buzzard to show we left for some more bush-bashing down at Chorokhi - the tourists would have to pay to use the resident seaside-type binoscope as opposed to my BTX setup!
This time we spent about 3 hours working the area on the Airport side which contains some pools that are down on Google Maps as Payable Pools and it also has 2 extensive reedbed areas worth looking at in addition to the grazing and scrub that runs adjacent to the river and down to the sea. I will detail the birds seen in a separate post.
Whilst I was checking an area of farm equipment and general agricultural clutter a litter of 9 puppies emerged from a pile of old tyres. Whilst I was fussing them Mark shouted to come over as he head seen a 'Long-tailed Shrike'. He was familiar with the species from a guided trip to Kazakhstan that he did pre-Covid. I knew that it did not occur in Georgia and was obviously intrigued. It was indeed a Shrike with a long tail and one that I had seen both in the field and hand at Eilat 2 years ago. On the lines perched a crisp male Masked shrike! I enlightened him as to the birds' ID and the confiding sprite was photographed from all angles as it dropped down to catch prey and then return to its perch.
A bit of digging revealed that, upto 2023, there are only about 10 documented records for Georgia with photographs for this species. Most, if not all are Autumn records from either the Black Sea area or upland habitats.
Good Spring birding -
Laurie -
Attachments
Gladiator96
Well-known member
Great record! Only 2 sightings in ebird.
rollingthunder
Well-known member
Both the Lapwing and Shrike still there yesterday in pouring rain before we left for Kutaisi - travelling, arriving and walking to a local restaurant..... still in the pouring rain.
I shall be glad to return to a bit of dry weather and sunshine on Friday but i have a feeling that it is bound to change - seems the run might continue for a bit🤔
Laurie -
I shall be glad to return to a bit of dry weather and sunshine on Friday but i have a feeling that it is bound to change - seems the run might continue for a bit🤔
Laurie -
rollingthunder
Well-known member
Pics.
The pics of Mark are taken with the Nikon P1100 at 3000mm and 24mm - he is on top of the middle crag.....
The pics of Mark are taken with the Nikon P1100 at 3000mm and 24mm - he is on top of the middle crag.....
Attachments
rollingthunder
Well-known member
rollingthunder
Well-known member
rollingthunder
Well-known member
rollingthunder
Well-known member
Gladiator96
Well-known member
Common or Demoiselle? Seems more Common from this pic but both possible in Georgia
rollingthunder
Well-known member
It looked Common to me if it's not someone will be on hand to correct me ;-)
Laurie -
Laurie -
rollingthunder
Well-known member
Ironically after StarlingGate we didn't see one until we left Batumi on Tuesday morning back down at Chorokhi.....
I was beginning to wonder whether Jos's pet homing Starlings had been summoned back to Lithuania ;-)
Laurie -
I was beginning to wonder whether Jos's pet homing Starlings had been summoned back to Lithuania ;-)
Laurie -
rollingthunder
Well-known member
Friday 9th May.
A morning of travelling the 260km from Borjomi to Batumi. Fortunately there is a new road or one that has been upgraded the E60 which is basically a Tbilisi by-pass over to the Black Sea coast finishing near Poti.
We took that for about 2/3 of the way being tempted only once to cut the corner to Batumi through the mountains. We soon regretted our decision as the road surface deteriorated quickly - we are both fed up with road surface and safety issues so we resumed our journey on the E60. We stopped around 11am for a bite to eat at Didi National Lake which appears to be a relict oxbow of the River. Cuckoo, RBShrike, Nightingale Greed Warbler, Steppe Buzzard and a Booted Eagle with a snake provided the backdrop.
Before checking in we decided pop up to the Bird Observatory at Sakhalvasho. Having ascended the 130 steps of the Stairway to Heaven many times I drew my breath in to avoid Hypoxia. It doesn’t appear to have any Spring counters this year which was a surprise although I could find no daily counts online so I feared the worst. The Spring count has been going only since the end of Covid but has still yielded impressive results of 400k over 8 weeks or so. We had one Steppe Buzzard in 1.5 hours plus both Common and Alpine Swift and BeeEaters plus quite a few Spotted Flycatchers. We have had a few Black Kites down at Chorokoi and that’s about it. Mark is understandably disappointed as I have bigged the place up constantly. I did remind him that my other 4 visits have been in the Autumn and that migration is not an exact science with the vagaries of the weather being the dominant factor. He is, however, easily pleased so bashing a range of habitats for 4 days with an eye up for any overhead movement will see him suitably placated. In addition I know some good bars and eateries in Batumi where the staff know me - he was impressed with that but as stated he is easily impressed…..
To finish the day we decided to visit the Airport side of the Chorokhi. The fields are still dotted with scrub and accessible via muddy tracks but the mounds of builders rubble and plastic from the continuous hotel construction a coupla miles away is, frankly, depressing. To add to the misery there is some sort of scramble track with attendant noise which only adds to that provided by the boy racers with their Go-Pros James-Deaning it at over a Ton down the boulevard. I headed to my go-to comfort zone of the Dog kennels c/w water and food by the locals. These are the street dogs that are familiar in Turkey and Morocco that have tags in their ears to show they have been neutered or spayed. I know several of them well and they always seem to recognise me which makes me feel good and alleviates all the other crap down there.
The tide was in but in addition the river was in full spate as are many that we have crossed. The volume and speed of the water is very noticeable compared to Septembers following a dry Summer. Scattered pools each contained a pair of Black-winged Stilts whose default is to alert other species. Redshank, Ruff, Little Stints, Greenshank, Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover,Dunlin and Common Sandpiper were all present. The sandbars held dozens of Armenian, Slender-billed, Yellow-legged, Black-headed and mediterranean Gulls. Purple Heron, several Squacco Heron, Little and Cattle Egrets probed the edges. Several Great Reed Warblers chugged away as they do. Hardly any raptors save for a handful of Black Kites and a distant unidentified Buzzard sp. Several Gull-billed Terns were busy plunge-diving successfully.
The weather was glorious today and more of the same tomorrow but tumbles down on Sunday and Monday. Typically it picks up on Tuesday as we leave and we arrive at Kutaisi as the weather deteriorates there and the continued pattern of chasing and just missing decent weather continues to our departure on Friday from Tblisi which is forecast a nice day. We will have had 3 days clear Blue skies and no rain in 3 weeks - very disappointing…..
I am reminded of Tantalus who was punished by the Gods for stealing Ambrosia, no not the Custard, and punished by being sent to Tartarus. He was chained to a rock (aren’t they all) in a stream below fruit trees. When he was hungry he would reach out for food and the fruit and leaves would wither thus becoming inedible. His shade gone he would attempt to slake his thirst by drinking cool, clear, water from the stream only to see it disappear as he cupped his hands. This has been our situation in Georgia - good weather always tantalisingly out of reach…..
Good birding -
Laurie -
A morning of travelling the 260km from Borjomi to Batumi. Fortunately there is a new road or one that has been upgraded the E60 which is basically a Tbilisi by-pass over to the Black Sea coast finishing near Poti.
We took that for about 2/3 of the way being tempted only once to cut the corner to Batumi through the mountains. We soon regretted our decision as the road surface deteriorated quickly - we are both fed up with road surface and safety issues so we resumed our journey on the E60. We stopped around 11am for a bite to eat at Didi National Lake which appears to be a relict oxbow of the River. Cuckoo, RBShrike, Nightingale Greed Warbler, Steppe Buzzard and a Booted Eagle with a snake provided the backdrop.
Before checking in we decided pop up to the Bird Observatory at Sakhalvasho. Having ascended the 130 steps of the Stairway to Heaven many times I drew my breath in to avoid Hypoxia. It doesn’t appear to have any Spring counters this year which was a surprise although I could find no daily counts online so I feared the worst. The Spring count has been going only since the end of Covid but has still yielded impressive results of 400k over 8 weeks or so. We had one Steppe Buzzard in 1.5 hours plus both Common and Alpine Swift and BeeEaters plus quite a few Spotted Flycatchers. We have had a few Black Kites down at Chorokoi and that’s about it. Mark is understandably disappointed as I have bigged the place up constantly. I did remind him that my other 4 visits have been in the Autumn and that migration is not an exact science with the vagaries of the weather being the dominant factor. He is, however, easily pleased so bashing a range of habitats for 4 days with an eye up for any overhead movement will see him suitably placated. In addition I know some good bars and eateries in Batumi where the staff know me - he was impressed with that but as stated he is easily impressed…..
To finish the day we decided to visit the Airport side of the Chorokhi. The fields are still dotted with scrub and accessible via muddy tracks but the mounds of builders rubble and plastic from the continuous hotel construction a coupla miles away is, frankly, depressing. To add to the misery there is some sort of scramble track with attendant noise which only adds to that provided by the boy racers with their Go-Pros James-Deaning it at over a Ton down the boulevard. I headed to my go-to comfort zone of the Dog kennels c/w water and food by the locals. These are the street dogs that are familiar in Turkey and Morocco that have tags in their ears to show they have been neutered or spayed. I know several of them well and they always seem to recognise me which makes me feel good and alleviates all the other crap down there.
The tide was in but in addition the river was in full spate as are many that we have crossed. The volume and speed of the water is very noticeable compared to Septembers following a dry Summer. Scattered pools each contained a pair of Black-winged Stilts whose default is to alert other species. Redshank, Ruff, Little Stints, Greenshank, Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover,Dunlin and Common Sandpiper were all present. The sandbars held dozens of Armenian, Slender-billed, Yellow-legged, Black-headed and mediterranean Gulls. Purple Heron, several Squacco Heron, Little and Cattle Egrets probed the edges. Several Great Reed Warblers chugged away as they do. Hardly any raptors save for a handful of Black Kites and a distant unidentified Buzzard sp. Several Gull-billed Terns were busy plunge-diving successfully.
The weather was glorious today and more of the same tomorrow but tumbles down on Sunday and Monday. Typically it picks up on Tuesday as we leave and we arrive at Kutaisi as the weather deteriorates there and the continued pattern of chasing and just missing decent weather continues to our departure on Friday from Tblisi which is forecast a nice day. We will have had 3 days clear Blue skies and no rain in 3 weeks - very disappointing…..
I am reminded of Tantalus who was punished by the Gods for stealing Ambrosia, no not the Custard, and punished by being sent to Tartarus. He was chained to a rock (aren’t they all) in a stream below fruit trees. When he was hungry he would reach out for food and the fruit and leaves would wither thus becoming inedible. His shade gone he would attempt to slake his thirst by drinking cool, clear, water from the stream only to see it disappear as he cupped his hands. This has been our situation in Georgia - good weather always tantalisingly out of reach…..
Good birding -
Laurie -
rollingthunder
Well-known member
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