YesilUzumlu, Incerkoy and Cadianda areas. (1 Viewer)

[Bananafishbones]

27th April
Patara Lycian Ruins

Last full day in the SW Turkey before heading home. Patara is a magnificent place to visit, I often do it with Liz as part of a beach day. I usually get a few hours to mooch around while she enjoys the beach and her book. Today was a birding day. The entrance fee is no longer cheap (approx £13 each) but they are currently rebuilding the 2000 year old lighthouse from the base upwards, so the cost is understandable for this 4 or 5 year project.

I was a little surprised and worried when we started mooching about as bird life seemed very quiet to normal. Corn Bunting and some incredibly low flying Alpine Swifts were the only things around for the first twenty minutes. I had bigged the place up to Jeff for a few good year birds but not even Black eared Wheatear were showing. Anyway, a walk through the incredible theatre enjoying it to ourselves was nice. Jeff found the first baggable bird with a Common Redstart in a shaded tree, while we disturbed a Little ringed plover from the Reed bed while looking for White-throated Kingfisher. The default species was now Woodchat Shrike which perched on numerous lines, rocks and bushes.
The is the only fairly local site I know for White spectacled bulbul and they didn’t disappoint today with a pair seen on a few occasions during the morning.
We have had a good week for Reed bed warblers and again today it was nice to see a Great Reed warbler in a small patch of grass a little distance from the main Reed beds.
While walking the reedbed edge we had a few Sardinian warbler singing, just to bushy an area to pin them down but was also distracted by an out in the open Ruppells Warbler. A Whinchat perched high up on a rocky wall while a Purple Heron got spooked in the marshes by a Marsh Harrier.
A stop at the fantastic lighthouse area gave us a purring Turtle Dove that seem to be back in SW Turkey in very good numbers.

Patara is usually the place for a number of Wheatear species, today we got three. The very common Black-eared, not so common Northern Wheater and the very Special Finsches Wheatear. Today I think we got the pair as what looked like a female stayed around with the male and left with it when disturbed by sightseers.

Highlight of the day was possibly the last bird. As we were walking back to the carpark a call alerted me to something different (we had constant chatter of Corn bunting, Chaffinch, swallows, Black -eared Wheatear etc) I was trying in my head to decipher it when I eventually glimpsed a Black Headed Bunting which quickly flew out of sight. This would be a lifer for Jeff and a bird we had hoped to see in a few locations during the week. A few minutes later it returned to sing….. as did a few more as we walked the main access road for a while.

Little Grebe was the only species on the wetlands as we left.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Back out to Yesiluzumlu in 12 days having missed this summer in Turkey.
Can’t wait….. will update as I go along 👍🏼

 

[Bananafishbones]

Back in the village of Yesiluzumlu, hoorah. Won’t hire a car for a few days until Liz comes out so on foot very locally for now.
October 10th Garden
By far the most abundant species is Blackcap. Many dozens throughout the garden and beyond the boundaries. Just the tek tek giving them away as a flash of silvery grey dives into any tree or bush available. Obvious residents such as Collared Dove, Jay, Syrian Woodpecker's are showing in fair numbers, While more Hooded Crow than I can remember seeing up here before are taking advantage of the still uncultivated corn field at the back of the garden with half a dozen Crested Lark. Was nice to have a Goshawk go over but through the garden while I was sat drinking coffee on the balcony. A few Chiffchaff and Spotted Flycatchers and a very close Male Red-backed Shrike watched some flying insects from its perch on the electricity wires outside the neighbours house.
The evening gave at least two Tawny Owls calling fairly close by

 

[Bananafishbones]

October 11th
Overlands between Yesiluzumlu and Incerkoy.
Took brother in law for an early walk, was too early for the birds on the way out, but as the sun came from behind the mountain it was soon very pleasant. Noticeable increase in Hooded Crows, which is ok with me as they make for a good morning spectacle. Nothing much of interest on the way out apart from Jays and Syrian Woodpecker. However on the back road it livened up with 4 individual Red Backed Shrike (1m, 2f a very downy Juv or a moulting f), single Hoopoe. A very obliging Spanish Sparrow and Bkackcaps galore. Back at the house at least three Spotted Flycatcher, although the Bkackcaps are equally adept at catching midair critters.

 

[Bananafishbones]

October 12th
Garden
A quiet day for birding and birds
Normal variety of garden species but a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker came to the tree next to the balcony (seems to be an attractive tree species for this bird)
A walk along Fethiye Kordon and bay just the usual Yellow legged Gulls and just a few lingering Red-Rumped Swallows and Barn Swallows.

Have attached a few images of the tree next to the garden, really don’t know what species it is if anyone can help

 

[Bananafishbones]

13th October
Garden
The same tree comes up with good birds and all three of the regular Woodpecker’s, Syrian, Lesser Spot and Middle Spot all here this morning. A few Chiffchaff and lots of Bkackcaps and a single Lesser Whitethroat. A walk into the forest behind the village brought the usual pine forest species with lots of Kruipers Nuthatch coming to a split water pipe. Managed a Sombre Tit on the forest edge, and a nice Long Tailed Tit (alpinus).

 

[jogresh]

October 12th
Garden
A quiet day for birding and birds
Normal variety of garden species but a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker came to the tree next to the balcony (seems to be an attractive tree species for this bird)
A walk along Fethiye Kordon and bay just the usual Yellow legged Gulls and just a few lingering Red-Rumped Swallows and Barn Swallows.

Have attached a few images of the tree next to the garden, really don’t know what species it is if anyone can help

I'm far from certain but it might be Pistacia atlantica, perhaps one that's been cut down and has shoots growing, coppiced, or a young one. 🤔🤷

 

[angusmcoatup]

13th October
Garden
The same tree comes up with good birds and all three of the regular Woodpecker’s, Syrian, Lesser Spot and Middle Spot all here this morning. A few Chiffchaff and lots of Bkackcaps and a single Lesser Whitethroat. A walk into the forest behind the village brought the usual pine forest species with lots of Kruipers Nuthatch coming to a split water pipe. Managed a Sombre Tit on the forest edge, and a nice Long Tailed Tit (alpinus).

Aside from the big dense Mulberry trees here there are two small trees here with an out of proportion attraction for a variety of birds. One’s a dead orange tree that has hosted all 4 Shrikes, Wryneck, Rufous Bush Chat etc and the other is a weedy, almost leaf-bare pomegranite tree right by the cottage which is a magnet for Flycatchers and Warblers. Not sure how I’ll justify to the landlord should he want to cut them down but he’s getting well into his birds now so there’s hope.

 

[Bananafishbones]

15th October
David and I walked the full mountain road upto the Cadianda ruins. The day was dominated by butterflies, with at least ten species seen. A lifer for me with a few Clouded Yellow.
The obvious pine forest species were plentiful but was nice to watch Kruipers Nuhatch coming very close to us and take water from a leaking water trough. Just before the foot of the mountain we disturbed three Chukar Partridge which added to my year list. Ravens in good movement all day too. A Hoopoe flew over the Yesiluzumlu road late morning.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Good morning
I am now back in the village of Yesiluzumlu for around a month. I walk straight into the annual village mushroom festival. Over three days around 50,000 people will visit our small village with arts crafts and food etc
Anyway just an hours birding from the balcony on this cloudy and a little chilly morning.
My favourite bird is already flying around in small numbers…. Three or four Red Rumped Swallows 👍🏼
Short of migrants currently with only a single Blackcap, Woodchat Shrike and BarnSwallow's, House Martins. The Syrian Woodpeckers are vocal but surprisingly not yet heard or seen the usually abundant Jays

 

[Bananafishbones]

Added a few more species with Goldfinch, Greenfinch and a couple of tricky Wheatears (somewhere between Northern and Isabaline), and not to worry on the Jay front as loads appeared at lunchtime

 

[Bananafishbones]

Tuesday 15th
The wind of the last few days has died down as has the hustle and bustle of the mushroom festival, so the village is back to normal. Four of us walked the cadianda hillside in a 6 hour loop from the back of Yesiluzumlu.
The day started off incredibly well with a flock of Bee-eaters over the house before I set off and then as we waited by the top mosque for the last member, I heard a few species in the small copse of mixed trees and managed stunning close views of a incredibly bright plumaged Eastern Bonelli's Warbler (in almost the same place as a singing male a few years ago). The up hill climb through the pine forests only brought the usual few species, including a few Kruipers nuthatch, mostly making their “churring” calls. I was confused for a while as heard at least three Buzzards ….. they even seemed to be perched as I got closer I thought I should get really good views but alas turned out to be a group of comedians….. well Jays, mimicking to perfection the Buzzard calls 🤣 disappointed but was interesting to see and hear.

Once through the tree line the bird activity increased. A pretty good hour or so with some nice species showing really well.
At least 5 Ruppells Warblers were dotted around with one location seeing two chasing each other around. A few, well three Black Eared Wheatear acting like a flycatchers and activity fly catching and returning to the same perch in a tree time and again.
Cretzschmars Bunting were numerous and again on a few occasions two were in attendance. A single Corn Bunting and a raven over. And finally on a sandwich stop in a boulder fall location a Red throated Pipit picked its way through the hillside.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Tomorrow is a good day
Off upto Seki and Gocu Beli 😁

More locally, well at the back of the garden an Eastern Oliveacous Warbler has returned.

 

[Bananafishbones]

19th April
Peter from the village and myself had arranged an early start to drive the 90 minutes to Seki and Gocu Beli for a host of year birds and some very localised species. Around 6:30 we parked at the Roman bridge on the Seki road where it was incredibly chilly 🥶
Nothing on the Electric box side of the road apart ftom a few Black-eared Wheatear, so moved over to the old Roman bridge where Cettis Warbler, Common Nightingale and a thrush Nightingale had a dawn sing off within a few metres of us. The common nightingale won for sheer persistence but never did show itself although we didn’t try too hard. I struggled with the Thrush Nightingale and couldn’t even get a location of it which was a shame, leaving us to watch a fantastic Cettis Warbler whizz across the river constantly while being joined by a Sedge Watbler and briefly a Great Reed Warbler. The rest really only consisted of Cormorant, a very rare Magpie and BE Wheatear. Driving to Seki the wires were full of Corn Bunting and crested Lark, but a verge side scrub held about eight fantastic really well marked Spanish Sparrows. A few Woodchat Shrike and two Alpine Swift were grest views before we headed right at the Apple sculpture roundabout.
Along this 1mile section of road a good variety of species is pretty much guaranteed… usually.
We started off welll with loads of vocal and perched Ruppells Warblers…. Loads. A skulking Sardinian Warbler and the most obliging Cretzschmars Bunting. A really pleasing find was a gorgeous Finsches Wheatear and we chased one of two vocal Wrynecks which only gave up semi distant views. An Ortolan Bunting showed well as did two Ruddy Shelduck as they flew overhead. But what…. No White Throated Robin…. Not this time 😢
Moving up the narrow road to Gocu Beli pass we drove…….. for another post

 

[Bananafishbones]

We left Seki and started our climb towards Gocu Beli pass, as we passed the small hamlet of Zorlar, a slow drive through patches of boulder strewn vegetation on either side of the road saw plenty of Wheatears but was one very obvious Isabaline amongst the many Black eared and Northern. Carrying on up hill with the rock wall to our right hand side a Rock Bunting foraged in a crevice while many Black eared sang from many tree tops and boulders while a single Hawfinch was seen in one of the tangly overhanging trees. Just before the summit a Black Redstart and the start of many European Serins, the only traffic on the road were a cheery herder with his mixed flock of mountain goats and sheep.
We parked at the top (1850 Mtrs) and immediately had a flock of 50+ Bee-eaters directly overhead and a probable single Crag Martin. Again the whole area was strewn with Wheatear and Serin. A park up at the water trough was disappointing as A) the large tree at the side of the trough has been cut down…. Absolutely pointless and quite problematic for the birds as they have now lost their safe perch before drinking ftom the exposed trough. People really are fucking backward in this country sometimes 😩🤬B) not a single small bird fed from the trough itself and only a few Linnet and European Serins came to the water overspill patch…. Not a single Red Fronted Serin was seen in the few hours we were there which was unusual and very disappointing.
Many Mistle Thrush and Hoopoe were active in the area upto 200 metres beyond the summit with stunning views of Hoopoe as they crossed from tree to tree just below are eye level. Woodlarks gave good close views and a Tawny Owl called a few times. Lesser Whitethroat a single Raven and a heard but not seen Red-billed Chough back near the summit. A short -toed Snake Eagle briefly showed during our lunch, and a Sombre Tit was seen on the decent down the mountain road. A very quick stop at Golbasi Lake gave us a single Black Stork

So both star species of this area were absent, it does happen but not very often.