Köyceğiz & Mugla area - SW Turkey (2 Viewers)

[Bananafishbones]

12.10.24

Had a ride out to Hamitkoy. Wryneck, Barred Warbler, Water Pipit , Little Bittern,, 2 Greenshank and a Spur Winged Plover were highlights. Several Whinchats, Red Backed Shrikes, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper , Water Rail and Spotted Flycatchers along the way and a small group of Black headed Wagtails. Small falcon on distant dead tree also.

During the previous week Spotted Crake again and a Montagu’s Harrier youngster just outside town. 2 Black Kites from the balcony too.

A late addition- Blue Rock Thrush on the dump this evening. The briefest of visits but worth it for an unexpected beauty of a bird.

Need Barred Warbler 😳

 

[angusmcoatup]

Need Barred Warbler 😳

So many ChiffChaffs , Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroats, Spotted Flycatchers, flitting about it takes a bit of patience or an odd call right now to concentrate enough to find something less common.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Blackcaps very dominant here in Yesiluzumlu. But yes A few of the other Warblers still around. Have you got RR Swallow still, had a few in Fethiye bay this week 👍🏼

 

[angusmcoatup]

Blackcaps very dominant here in Yesiluzumlu. But yes A few of the other Warblers still around. Have you got RR Swallow still, had a few in Fethiye bay this week 👍🏼

I don’t remember seeing them on Sunday. Alpine Swifts still appearing late afternoon though.

 

[angusmcoatup]

For one reason or another I’ve neglected updating here for a while but may catch up slowly.

Right now- a Barn Swallow is hawking above the orange grove next door. It’s a cold and damp day and has been for over a week, hopefully it moves onto somewhere warmer soon.
Also a Peregrine male on the pylon opposite.

Yesterday a Black Stork and possibly 200 small ducks (presumably Teal) on flooded fields towards Gokova and a Sombre Tit in the centre of Muğla .

 

[angusmcoatup]

I received my copy of this recently, excellent value at under 4 quid (162 tl) and a really useful tool for birding in Türkiye. Distribution has been a bit of a puzzle since moving here so it’s great to have an up to date reference book. Cracking image packed pages and an English/Turkish checklist which is useful. Obviously the book’s in Turkish which is a boost to my language learning but it’s easily translated with the Google translate camera feature.

 

[angusmcoatup]

Heavy rain and thunderstorms put a brake on my birding plans yesterday morning. Open road on a battered bike as the lightning flashes overhead and rain bounces off my face lost its appeal for me after the first year.
Instead some window birding with a welcome though odd addition to the garden list- Moorhen in the concrete irrigation channel over the road.
5 Cattle Egrets in the ploughed field opposite brightened the murk too. At least 5 Hawfinch stopped by in the Mulberry outside, and these have been around for a few days. As have a few Bramblings which are associating with a huge (at times easily over 500 ) flock of Chaffinch.
A peregrine harassed a flock of around 150 Woodpigeons which is a notable number in itself here. A male Hen Harrier hunted the fields last weekend until driven off by Hooded Crows.

 

[angusmcoatup]

Yesterday, from the promenade (Kordon) a Greater Spotted Eagle crossed the lake towards the Hamitkoy Marsh. A 10 minute full pelt bike ride and another 10 minutes searching enabled me to get good views over the flooded pasture. This (presuming its the same) bird has been around since mid November, 4th decent view including on the ground.
Wryneck again from the roadside and a few Crag Martins overhead. Marsh Harrier count was good again, 7 individual birds but potentially more as they crisscrossed the general area.
During the week a distant Stork in bright light was presumably Black as they have been seen recently at Dalaman and wintered here last year.