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.
Raptors to Terns
Honey-Buzzard Pernis apivorus - 1 between Silifke and Uzuncaburç and 3 at Birecik.
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Honey-Buzzard, between Demircili and Uzuncaburç, 10th May
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Honey-Buzzards, Birecik, 12th May |
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Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus - 1 at Dermicili, between Silifke and Uzuncaburç.
Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus - 7 seen at various sites.
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Short-toed Eagles, Nemrut Dağı, 15th May |
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Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus - Very common around the Göksu Delta and 1 at Eşmekaya.
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Marsh Harrier, Göksu Delta, 9th May |
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Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus - 1-2 males at Eşmekaya.
Steppe Buzzard Buteo (buteo) vulpinus - Not as common as I'd anticipated with just 5 identified and none photographed.
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus - A total of 9, all well inland. Best site was the Ihlara Valley in Cappadocia where 3 seen; the rest were singles.
Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina - 5 large Aquila sp. over Sultanhani were most likely this species.
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus - Common in most areas (seen most days).
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni - At least 12 at Eşmekaya (between Akseray and Konya).
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Lesser Kestrels, Eşmekaya, 21st May - lots more on my Lesser Kestrel page |
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Hobby Falco subbuteo - 1 at Beyşehir Gölu.
Little Crake Porzana parva - Having been tipped off about a showy Little Crake by the northern observation tower at Göksu Delta I headed there early the following morning. I was rewarded with prolonged views of a male Little Crake out in the open. Not a new species for me, but still one of the highlights of the holiday.
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Little Crake, Göksu Delta, 10th May |
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Moorhen Gallinula chloropus - Seen at Göksu Delta and Birecik.
Grey-headed Swamphen (Purple Swamphen/Purple Gallinule) Porphyrio (porphyrio) poliocephalus - A single bird seen from the southern observation tower at Göksu Delta. This bird behaved in an identical way and in identical habitat to the Purple Gallinules I've seen in Portugal, although this one chose a clump of reeds that was a good deal further away from the observation tower. Some authorities apparently consider the grey-headed form to be a different species from the Purple Gallinules in Europe.
Coot Fulica atra - Seen at several locations but only in significant numbers at Göksu Delta where 150+ from the southern observation tower.
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus - At least 10 at Göksu Delta.
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Black-winged Stilts, Göksu Delta, 10th May |
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Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius - Singles or pairs at 4 locations including at least one where their behaviour indicated breeding was taking place.
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Little Ringed Plover, Birecik, 13th May |
Little Ringed Plover, Manavgat, 8th May |
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula - 2 at Göksu Delta.
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus - 2 at Göksu Delta.
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Kentish Plovers, Göksu Delta, 9th May |
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Spur-winged Plover Vanellus spinosus - Up to 10 at Göksu Delta.
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Spur-winged Plovers, Göksu Delta, 9th May |
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Little Stint Calidris minuta - About 50 at Göksu Delta.
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea - 9 at Göksu Delta.
Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei (Larus genei) - 3 at Göksu Delta.
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Larus ridibundus) - 3 at Atatürk Barajı.
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis - Adults were along the Mediterranean coast (where chicks were seen at Anamur), Göksu Delta and Birecik. Immature birds not seen well enough to eliminate Armenian Gull were at Atatürk Barajı and just outside Nemrut Dağı Milli Parkı.
Gull-billed Tern Gelochiledon nilotica (Sterna nilotica) - At least 2 at Atatürk Barajı.
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia (Sterna caspia) - 2 at Göksu Delta.
Common Tern Sterna hirundo - 10 at Göksu Delta; also recorded at Birecik and Atatürk Barajı.
Little Tern Sternula albifrons (Sterna albifrons) - 10 at Göksu Delta.
White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus - A single bird from the southern observation tower at Göksu Delta.
Next page: Doves to Woodpeckers
