Part-time Birding: Turkey

Showing posts with label Turkey. Show all posts

Family Holiday

Mamaris, Turkey 23rd May to 6th June

It seems like an eternity since our last family holiday. Covid put a stop to them since our last on in 2019. So we were all excited to get back to our favourite family holiday County of Turkey for our 6th time. We arrived at dusk and the first birds I saw was 2 Sand Martins followed by a flyby Purple Heron.

Sat at the balcony was often very productive. And throughout the stay I saw Hooded Crow, Red-rumped Swallow, Alpine Swift, Pallid Swift, Eurasian Jay (sub species), Common Swift, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, House Sparrow, Great Tit, Eurasian Collared Dove, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Eurasian Blue Tit, European Robin, Song Thrush and Eurasian Goldfinch simply having a morning coffee. And one evening I was treated to a Tawny Owl.

The pool area produced much the same except one day whilst taking a break from swimming and sat around the pool an Eleanor's Falcon flew low over the resort.

We spent a few days around the beach and the only species of note were Yellow-legged Gull.

A boat trip during the first week produced OK numbers of Yellow-legged Gull plus singles of Great Cormorant and Pygmy Cormorant as we were leaving Marmaris. We stopped at Turunc there was a pair each of Eurasian Crag Martin and Red-rumped Swallow and there were good numbers of Sand Martin and Barn Swallow. Also noted were a few possible Spanish Sparrow but I am aware that there are many hybrids with House Sparrow so they could have been a mishmash. 2 Rock Dove, more Eurasian Collared Dove a single Laughing Dove and a Mallard.

I had a few walks around some farmland lanes near the hotel a various times during the trip. This produced a Helmeted Guineafowl, Sardinian Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eastern Orphean Warbler plus a Sombre Tit.

We spent one day at a Water park and the only new species added to the trip was White Wagtail

On our second week we took a Jeep safari. And at our meet up point with other jeeps were lots of Alpine Swift and 1 Little Ringed Plover. We had lunch at Turgut Selalesi Waterfall and I saw 2 Common Nightingale, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Wren, Grey Wagtail and a Monarch Butterfly.

Towards the end of the holiday I wanted to check out the Mills Park at Günnücek as its a good wooden area and part of the National nature reserve. For some unknown reason it was closed but not deterred I took a walk along the road out of Marmaris and then back down to the marina and managed to get me my target bird a Krupers Nuthatch. Also Eurasian Jay, Common Blackbird, Eurasian Blue Tit, Eurasian Goldfinch and House Sparrow.

A 2 hour coach transfer from the hotel to the airport forced a bathroom stop off for several other travellers. We stopped at a remote service station that overlooked farmland and orchards. It was a productive 30 minutes stop as I saw Calendra Lark and European Bee-eater plus more Red-rumped Swallow.

Moth species

Helmeted Guineafowl

Barn Swallow (Young)

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Family Holiday To Marmaris, Turkey

Mamaris, Turkey (27/5/19 - 9/6/19)

I’ve just had a two weeks family holiday in Turkey. Ive been to Turkey 4 times before this trip and although they are family holidays I normally have some good species from a few walks I manage to get in or family trips.

Hotel and surrounding area

We were based on the outskirts of the town near a forest area. Not too many bird species were seen throughout the holiday in this area but there were some quality ones. There were a few Black-capped Jay (the areas subspecies of Eurasian Jay), a Lesser kestrel was seen almost daily. Red-rumped Swallow, Pallid Swift and lots of Hooded Crow were seen every day around the complex. In the adjacent scrub / woodland edge were Sardinian Warbler and on the second day an ever better Eastern Orphean Warbler. Both species I could watch from my balcony and they showed a few days throughout the stay. There was a daily overhead movement of Yellow-legged Gull (morning and evening). On one of my walks around the area outside the hotel, I was lucky enough to spot an Eleonora’s Falcon which gave a slow and exceptional flyby view. On another walk I spotted a pair of Rock Dove and Alpine Swift. The local farm had Helmeted Guineafowl. Not a native species so I can’t add it to my Turkey list. On the last day from my balcony, I was super chuffed to spot a Syrian Woodpecker. This is a species I’ve been hoping to catch up with every time I’ve visited Turkey. More common species included Common House Martin, Eurasian Collared Dove, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, House Sparrow, Common Blackbird, Common Swift, White Wagtail, Eurasian Goldfinch, Eurasian Blue Tit, Coal Tit. Great Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Tawny Owl, Eurasian Hobby and Eurasian Magpie.

On the Butterfly front were a few new ones for me with Knapweed Fritillary, Glanville Fritillary, Powdered Brimstone and Eastern Bath White. Also Common Blue, Holly Blue, Large White, Painted Lady, Millet Skipper and Comma. Dragonflies included a few new ones with Odalisque and Black Pennant. Other wildlife included a new lizard for me with Starred Agama. On one night I heard what must have been Wild Hog foraging in the adjacent woods.

Jeep Safari
One day was spent out on a Jeep safari. The first half was a massive water gun fight which I think I loved more than the kids. We did have a few stop offs. One at a waterfall and the other at Jesus Beach. So named because it’s so shallow you can walk out a long way and at a distance it looks like your walking on water. As ever I always tried to have one eye on the wildlife. The highlights of this tour being a Bonelli’s Eagle and Crested Lark. Other species included Northern Lapwing, Corn Bunting, more Red-rumped Swallow and Hooded Crow, Eurasian Magpie, Black-capped Jay, Common Chaffinch, Common Swift, House Sparrow, Eurasian Collared Dove, Barn Swallow and Common House Martin. Other wildlife included Beautiful Demoiselle and Spur-thighed Tortoise.

On a non bird related subject. I jumped off a Waterfall. Scary as hell as it looks very high when your up there.

Boat Trip
We had another trip on the second week where we set sail on a pirate ship. It was very slim pickings on this trip with the most notable species being Yellow-legged Gull. A few stop offs produced Alpine Swift, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin and House Sparrow.

Airport and Coach transfer

We arrived in the early hours so I couldn’t spot anything. However on the way home I spotted a few White Storks sat on nests and at the airport I had a surprise Isabelline Wheatear. More Crested Lark, Hooded Crow and Red-rumped Swallow.

Smyrna Earwig

Starred Agama

Family Holiday To Oludeniz, Turkey

Oludeniz, Turkey (3/6/18 -10/6/18)
Just had a weeks family holiday in Turkey. Ive been to Turkey 3 times before this trip and although they are family holiday I normally have some good species from a few walks I manage to get in. Our default place is Sarigerme and over the last 3 visits I’ve managed the following lifers around the area and on some boat and mud bath trips.

Scopolli’s Shearwater, Yelkouan Shearwater, Little Cormorant, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Steppe Buzzard, European Roller, European Bee-eater, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Zitting Cisiicola, Lesser Kestrel, Eleonora’s Falcon, Masked Shrike, Black-capped Jay, Crested Lark, Calandra Lark, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Rock Sparrow and Cretzschmar's Bunting. I’ve also seen the following other notable species. White Stork, Purple Heron, Yellow-legged Gull, Alpine Swift, Red-backed Shrike, Hooded Crow, Red-rumped Swallow, Spotless Starling and Red-throated Pipit.

Airport and Coach transfer
This year we tried a new area and I have to admit that I didn’t put a lot of effort in this year but the birding seemed to be rather dire though. I did get a few new species for Turkey, non of which were lifers as I’ve seen in other countries. So my sightings are as follows. At the Airport I was greeted to Common House Martin, Northern Raven, Conmon Wood Pigeon, House Sparrow, Western Jackdaw and Eurasian Collared Dove. On the bus transfer to the hotel, Several White Stork, Barn Swallows, numerous Hooded Crow and Common Swift. We stopped at a few hotels to drop off and I also saw White Wagtail, 2 European Turtle Dove and best off all 7 Calandra Lark were feeding below my bus window at one stop.

Island boat trip

We went on a boat trip from Fethiye that visits a few islands and give a chance of some great snorkelling. The most common bird was Yellow-legged Gull, a few Great Cormorant, House Sparrow, White Wagtail, Northern Raven and Steple Buzzard (subspecies of Common Buzzard) but best of all was a Short-toed Sea-eagle that gave great views as it slowly drifted rather low at one of the stop offs. Also of note was a Loggerhead Turtle and Black-tipped Reef Shark. Surprisingly (and to the whole family’s disappointment) no Dolphin species were seen. On docking back at Fethiye I was pleased to get brief views of 3 Laughing Dove.

Around the hotel

Not too many birds were seen throughout the week but there were a few good ones. There were a few Black-capped Jay (the areas subspecies of Eurasian Jay), a Lesser Kestrel perched on one of the rooftops then bombed off. One morning a group of around 70 Alpine Swift flew low over the resort. More common species included Common Blackbird, Common House Martin, Eurasian Collared Dove, Barn Swallow, House Sparrow, Common Swift, White Wagtail, Eurasian Goldfinch, Eurasian Blue Tit and I heard but couldn’t see a Sombre Tit which really annoyed me as this was a lifer bird! There were also a few other critters around with a Mediterranean House Gecko, a wasp (that I cannot ID) and a Shieldbug (Mustha Spinosulo). Butterflies included, Orange Tip, Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Large White, Green Veined White, Small White, Black Veined White, Cardinal (Lifer but frustratingly I couldn’t get a decent picture) and a White Admiral. A Spur-thighed Tortoise was seen trundling along outside the resort, a couple of unidentifiable Moths and I also managed a ID few flowers and still have some to ID.

Blue Laggon Beach
A visit to the blue lagoon was disappointing in terms of birds with only the following species recorded. Yellow-legged Gull, Black-capped Jay, Eurasian Collared Dove and Barn Swallow. The whole family did however enjoying sitting in the shallow waters with numerous fish swimming all around us