misan@ra.abo.fi (Annika Forsten DC) (07/13/90)
Short report from our Turkey trip 8-22.6 1990 In general the trip was successful, without problems. The car worked beautifully throughout the trip. The people were very friendly and although we had some language problems we managed to get along. A few Turks spoke German, French or English, but most of them didn't speak a word except in Turkish. To those we spoke in Finnish, that seemed to bring the best results. The weather in the south was as expected, very hot (~35-40C). In the southeast (Antalya) it was very humid, lika a sauna. The southwest was drier, more like a furnace, with the wind even hotter. The Central Plateau and the Van area (east) were rather pleasant, while the mountains were very cold, near zero. We put all our clothes on (including two pullovers, jacket, two trousers, boots) but being without gloves and wollen socks was a mistake. We only met four other crews (1 Dutch birder, 3 Germans, 4 Swedes and 2 Finns (on the same flight as ourselves)). We did hear about others though, but in general it seems one does not have to bird in a crowd. Total driving distance was about 5500 km, approximately half on mountainroads. The roads in the west were generally much better than those in the east. There was a lot of traffic, particularly lorries. One is expected to give way whenever someone demands it, rather a change from the 'I'm in the right' policy in Finland. The lorries slowed the traffic down on most roads, especially the serpentineroads. Hotels were cheap and pretty easy to find, food was more difficult. The local self-service restaurants were the best, serving local dishes. The food was sometimes rather cold though. At most other restaurants they could only offer shish-kebab and as we avoided sallads the meals were rather meagre. In the heat of the south one managed well without eating though. We only drank bottled water, coke and beer. Coke was the easiest to get cold, they didn't have water in every shop. The heat heated the bottled water in a few hours near boiling, so cold drinks were welcome. We still suffered some slight stomachproblems though, despite doing our best to escape it. We hired the car (a Renault 12) at the airport in Antalya ($670 for two weeks) and drove east along the coast visiting G|ksu, Isikli, Durnalik, Birecik, Halfeti, Idil and Cizre. We turned north and checked Van, Ercek, Bendimahi and Sivrikaya. Then west to Kizilirmak, Kizilcahaman and then south to Bezirhane, Kulu, Demirkazik, Eregli, Akseki and Serik. Tapani got 24 lifers, while I got 19. We dipped on five species which we had hoped to see: Prunella ocularis, Pelecanus crispus, Ammoperdix griseogularis, Petronia brachydactyla and Dendrocopos medius. A few more intresting records: Little Bittern, Ixobrychus minutus about 10 Bald Ibis, Geronticus eremita is extinct as a wild bird, but about 30 birds were released and are still present at Birecik outside the cage. Greater Flamingo, Phoneicopterus ruber largest flock 2000 at Eregli. White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons 8 at Kulu Ferrugious Duck, Aythya nyroca recorded in medium numbers at Kizilirmak, Kulu, Eregli White-headed Duck, Oxyura leucocephala 80 at Kulu, 20 at Eregli, also at Bendimahi, Van, etc. Lammergeier, Gypaetus barbatus 1 at Demirkazik Egyptian Vulture, Neophron percnopterus recorded near Ispir, Demirkazik, Kizil- mamman, etc. Griffon Vulture, Gyps fulvus 13 east of and a few at Kizilcahaman, 9 at Demirkazik Black Vulture, Aegypius monachus 4 at Kizilcahaman Montagu's Harrier, Circus pygargus 2 Lesser Spotted Eagle, Aquila pomarina several near Kizilcahaman Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos 2 at Demirkazik, elsewhere Booted Eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus 2-3 Lesser Kestrel, Falco naumanni 22 at Eregli, male at Van Eleonora's Falcon, Falco eleonorae 1 between Alanya and Tasucu, 1 at G|ksu. Caucasian Black Grouse, T. mlokosiewiczi 15 males and a female at Sivrikaya, which was the largest number I've heard of. Caspian Snowcock, T. caspius 1 seen, 5 heard at Demirkazik Purple Gallinule, P. porphyrio 5 at Goksu Collared Pratincole, G. pratincola 300 at Goksu Greater Sand Plover, C. leschenaultii 21 at Bezirhane, 25 at Eregli Red-wattled Plover, H. indicus 6 at Cizre Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis 110 at Eregli Gull-billed Tern, G. nilotica abundant at Kulu Caspian Tern, Sterna caspia 1 at Bendimahi Whiskered Tern, C. hybridus 120 at Kizilirmak, also at Kulu,Eregli White-winged Tern, C. leucopterus Kulu, other sites Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, P. alchata 300 at Birecik Striated Scops Owl, O. brucei 1 at Birecik Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, M. superciliosus 25 at Birecik Alpine Accentor, P. collaris small numbers at Demirkazik and Sivrikaya White-throated Robin, I. gutturalis common at Isikli Finsch's Wheatear, O. finschii recorded at several sites Rock Thrush, M. saxatilis -"- Upcher's Warbler, H. languida common at Isikli Olive-tree Warbler, H. olivetorum a few at Serik Ruppell's Warbler, S. rueppelli at Akseki and Uzuncaburc Green Warbler, P. nitidus 2 at Sivrikaya, 1 at Ikizdere Mountain Chiffchaff, P. sindianus relatively common Ispir - Sivrikaya Semi-collared Flycatcher 1 in Erzurum Bearded Tit, P. biarmicus a few south of Ankara Kruper's Nuthatch, S. krueperi common at Akseki, recorded at Uzuncaburc Great Rock Nuthatch, S. tephronata common at Isikli Rock Nuthatch, S. neumayer small numbers at several sites Wallcreeper, T. muraria 1 at Demirkazik Penduline Tit, R. pendulinus 1 heard south of Ispir Rose-coloured Starling, S. roseus 18 at Bendimahi, 5 north of Ercis Yellow-throated Sparrow, P. xanthocollis 1 at Birecik, 5 at Halfeti Snowfinch, M. nivalis very common at Demirkazik, also recorded at Sivrikaya Red-fronted Serin, Serinus pusillus 30 at Demirkazik Crimson-winged Finch, R. sanguinea 7 at Demirkazik Desert Finch, R. obsoleta a few at Isikli Cinereous Bunting, E. cineracea 3 at Isikli, 5 at Durnalik Grey-necked Bunting, E. buchanani 10 at Van