This is the second section of the trip report and contains details and photos of the birds and wildlife seen. This section spans several pages: a link to the next page appears at the bottom of this one, or go to the report index.
For details of the itinerary and photos of scenery and historic sites, go to the first section.
Highlights are shown in brown.
Wildfowl to Flamingoes
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea - up to 10 adults at Göksu Delta, plus one brood of ducklings.
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Ruddy Shelducks, Göksu Delta, 9th May |
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Wigeon Anas penelope - 6 at Göksu Delta.
Gadwall Anas strepera - a single drake with the Wigeon at Göksu Delta.
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos - small numbers at several locations.
Pintail Anas acuta - a single drake with the Wigeon at Göksu Delta.
Shoveler Anas clypeata - a single drake with the Wigeon at Göksu Delta.
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris - a single at Göksu Delta might have provided a good photo opportunity if it hadn't decided to fly off while I was getting out of the way of oncoming traffic.
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Marbled Duck, Göksu Delta, 9th May | |
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina - At least half a dozen at Göksu Delta.
Pochard Aythya ferina - 8 at Göksu Delta.
Caspian Snowcock Tetraogallus caspius - Although I would have liked better views, at least two birds were seen at Demirkazık following an early morning jeep ride from the Özşafak Pension in Ҫamardi. Their Curlew-like calls could be heard continually but the birds only appeared on the top of the crags briefly and occasionally. Even so, surely one of the most exciting birds to be seen in Turkey.
Chukar Alectoris chukar - Seen at Durnalık and Demirkazık; also heard at Nemrut Dağı.
Chukars, Demirkazık, 18th May |
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See-see Partridge Ammoperdix griseogularis - With some difficulty, 3 were eventually seen above the Ibis wadi at Birecik. This proved to be my 1000th species for the world, though I didn't realise it at the time.
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See-see Partridges, Birecik, 12th May |
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Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus - Fairly easy to find at Göksu Delta where their distinctive call quickly became familiar. Also a pair at Birecik.
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Black Francolin, Göksu Delta, 9th May
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female and male Black Francolins, Birecik, 12th May |
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Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus - Small numbers at Göksu Delta and Beyşehir Gölü.
Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis - Small numbers on the Mediterranean coast at Anamur and Taşucu.
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmaeus - A few breeding among herons on an island in the Euphrates at Birecik.
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Pygmy Cormorants, Birecik, 14th May |
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White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus - 3 birds, apparently all of different ages, at Göksu Delta. A single distant pelican the next day may perhaps have been one of the same birds.
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White Pelicans, Göksu Delta, 9th May |
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Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus - I enjoyed getting great views of several individuals of this often elusive species at Göksu Delta.
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Little Bitterns, Göksu Delta, 10th May (3 birds, 1 per row) | |
Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax - Up to 9 in flight at dusk at Göksu Delta and regularly seen at Birecik where some were breeding on the island in the Euphrates.
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Night Herons, Birecik, 14th May |
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Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides - Most were seen at Göksu Delta or Birecik with 15 coming in to roost at the former site. Singles also seen between Manavgat and Anamur, and at Atatürk Barajı.
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Squacco Heron, Birecik, 14th May | |
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis - Up to 8 at Birecik where some were breeding on the island in the Euphrates.
Little Egret Egretta garzetta - A few at Göksu Delta and even fewer at Birecik; otherwise just one on the Med coast near Anamur.
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Little Egret, Göksu Delta, 9th May |
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Great White Egret Ardea alba - At least 2 at Göksu Delta and 2 at Atatürk Barajı.
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Great White Egret, Göksu Delta, 9th May | |
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea - 2 at Göksu Delta.
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Grey Heron, Göksu Delta, 9th May |
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Purple Heron Ardea purpurea - Common around the Göksu Delta; 1 at Birecik.
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Purple Herons, Göksu Delta, 9th-10th May |
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Black Stork Ciconia nigra - 2 in flight above White Stork nests near Cendere Köprüsü (just outside Nemrut Dağı Milli Parkı) and not that far away, another in flight near Atatürk Barajı.
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Black Stork, just outside Nemrut Dağı Milli Parkı, 15th May |
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White Stork Ciconia ciconia - Small numbers at widely scattered locations, including several at nests.
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White Stork, Göksu Delta, 9th May |
White Stork, just outside Nemrut Dağı Milli Parkı, 15th May |
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus - At least 50 came in to roost at Göksu Delta, viewed from the southern observation tower.
Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita - The free-flying captive flock at Birecik contained 26 birds when seen in flight; up to 3 other birds were on ledges on the side of the adjacent wadi. This endangered species reportedly became extinct in Turkey in 1989 although some sources suggest that a few wild birds may have remained and now form part of this flock. Not sure if they're considered countable or not...
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Bald Ibises, Birecik, 12th May |
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Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus - 3 at Göksu Delta.
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Greater Flamingoes, Göksu Delta, 9th May |
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Next page: Raptors to Terns
