2012 Feb - A snowy day in Istanbul

2012-02-09T23:28:00.002+02:00

Date: 9 February 2012

Itinerary: Istanbul Circle

Birder: Jake Mohlmann, USA.

Today snow was covering Istanbul from the morning to the evening. We had a start in Belgrade Forest, then went to Sarıyer along the Bosphorus, and finally finished at Lake Büyükçekmece. The highlights were Yelkouan Shearwaters at the Bosphorus, Pallas' Gull at Lake Büyükçekmece with a record count of 23, Slender-billed and Mediterranean Gulls.

An adult and two immature shags swimming at the Bosphorus.

At Lake Büyükçekmece a hunting group of 200 Great Cormorants were accompanied by 20 Pallas's Gull and Yellow-legged Gull. Look how big Pallas's are next to the Cormorant and Yellow-legs.

Pallas's Gull without digiscoping with a 3x camera.

We could not find the Slender-billed Gulls at the Mimar Sinan bridge, but they were hiding among Black-headed Gulls at the harbour.

2012 Jan - Lammergeier and the other big 5..!

2012-01-24T12:14:00.000+02:00

Date: 15-16 January 2012

Itinerary: Gerede, Dörtdivan (Bolu), Beypazarı - Nallıhan (Ankara), overnight in Beypazarı

Birder: Scott Schuette, USA.

We had a trip to the mountians of Bolu and Ankara. We could get very good view and composition of species of the first half of the target group, the large raptors. All Eastern Imperial Eagle, Golden Eagle, White-taied Eagle, Lammergeier and Black (Cinereous) Vulture could be seen well. The two adıult Lammergeier and 23 Cinereous Vultures in the remote valley north of Beypazarı was the highlight. Later we visited Sarıyar Damlake to search for waterbirds, which was not very productive: no Red-breasted Goose and Wallcreeper were there. Despite very cold weather (up to -12 during day) we could get Krueper's Nuthatch. Please check the species list below:

Black (Cinereous) Vulture against snowy background.

Cinereous (Black) vulture soaring

another black vulture

Black vultures without digiscoping

The bridge over the canyon and colourful mountians at Nallıhan Bird Paradise

The Shores of Sarıyar Damlake

Species list:

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Great Egret Casmerodius albus
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea
Common Teal Anas crecca
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Common Pochard Aythya ferina
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla
Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus
Cinereous (Black) Vulture Aegypius monachus
Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus
Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Common Coot Fulica atra
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Little Gull Larus minutus
Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
Armenian Gull Larus armenicus
Rock Pigeon (Dove) Columba livia
Eurasian Collared-dove Streptopelia decaocto
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor
Crested Lark Galerida cristata
Horned (Shore) Lark Eremophila alpestris
Wood Lark Lullula arborea
Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula
Fieldfare Turdus pilaris
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus
Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti
Goldcrest Regulus regulus
European Robin Erithacus rubecula
Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus
Sombre Tit Parus lugubris
Coal Tit Parus ater
Blue Tit Parus caeruleus
Great Tit Parus major
Krueper's Nuthatch Sitta krueperi
Wood Nuthatch Sitta europaea
Western Rock-nuthatch Sitta neumayer
Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
Black-billed Magpie Pica pica
Hooded Crow Corvus corone palescens
Common Raven Corvus corax
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
Eurasian Linnet Carduelis cannabina
Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
Rock Bunting Emberiza cia

Birdwatch Turkey

2012 Feb - A snowy day in Istanbul

2012 Jan - Lammergeier and the other big 5..!