Borçka

Bor�ka Turkey

Although the Bosphorus is the best-known migration bottleneck for raptors in Turkey, Bor�ka in the north-east of the country at the eastern end of the Pontic Alps, sees the passage of migrant birds of prey in far larger numbers. Whereas under 100,000 raptors cross the Bosphorus, nearly 400,000 use this more easterly corridor but this concentration was not discovered until the 1970s. In the Coruh Valley about 10km from the border with Georgia, Bor�ka sees the passage of a large proportion of the Russian raptor populations as they cross the Caucasus Mountains and before they begin to spread out over the Middle East. Steppe and Western Honey-Buzzards and Black Kite are the most numerous species but Short-toed, Steppe, Lesser Spotted and Booted Eagle occur in good numbers as do harriers including Pallid, and Levant Sparrowhawk. Small numbers of species such as Egyptian Vulture, Long-legged Buzzard and Eastern Imperial and Greater Spotted Eagles pass through regularly and Saker Falcon and White-tailed Eagle also occur.

In addition to migrant raptors the extensive forests in this area are good for woodpeckers including White-backed and Syrian and there is a good selection of mountain species such as Wallcreeper, rock thrushes and Alpine Accentor while the many streams are home to Grey Wagtail and Common Dipper. The mixed woodland of lower slopes have Green Warbler and Mountain Chiffchaff. Artvin is a mountain village about 30km south of Bor�ka and has regular Lammergeier, often seen around the refuse tip, and also Grey-headed Woodpecker in surrounding forest.

Bor�ka is reached by taking the northerly road from Erzerum which follows the Coruh Valley or, from Trabzon on the Black Sea coast. Trabzon and Erzerum both have airports and car-hire is available. Basic accommodation can be found in Bor�ka but there is more choice at Arhavi on the coast or inland at Artvin. September and early October is the best time to visit Bor�ka but there are migrants passing through from early August to November. For a spring visit April-May is the best time. All the hilltops in the Bor�ka area provide good views and raptors also pass over Arhavi in some numbers.

Birds

Birds you can see here include:

Western Honey-Buzzard, Black Kite, White-tailed Eagle, Lammergeier, Egyptian Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Northern Goshawk, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Levant Sparrowhawk, Steppe Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Golden Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Booted Eagle, Osprey, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Red-footed Falcon, Northern Hobby, Saker Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Common Quail, European Bee-eater, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Syrian Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker, Water Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Common Dipper, Alpine Accentor, Black Redstart, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Green Warbler, Mountain Chiffchaff, Wallcreeper, Red-backed Shrike, Northern Raven

Content and images originally posted by Steve