The day of "The Unnecessary Walk"

Euphrates in early morning sunlight

With the hotel right by the Euphrates River it was too tempting not to do a pre-pre-breakfast walk. I started out on the hotel roof terrace overlooking the riverside with pygmy cormorant, pied kingfisher, immature yellow legged gulls and two northern bald ibis starting the day's list.  

Down at the waters edge the early morning sunlight made the nearby bridge and accompanying reflections a delight. Soon we were off on our official pre-breakfast trip to Birecik Gravel Pits - another reminder of North Kent! Similar species too - mallard, reed warbler, chiffchaff, house sparrow, sand martin (here there are two large nesting colonies), moorhen, coot and little grebe. 

Bald Ibis

Then the similarities start to diverge with graceful prinia, great reed warbler, golden oriole, red-backed shrike and menetries warbler, not to mention more northern bald ibis. This rare species which only occurs in this small area of Turkey and neighbouring Syria is highly endangered and as often the case these scarce birds choose the most insalubrious surroundings, they were feeding on the local rubbish dump alongside a dirt track with ramshackle buildings all around. The birds were happy though, finding plenty to feast on. We watched as they flew in and out of the area. A hive of activity.

Lilac-breasted Roller

As we moved around the gravel pits two male black francolin were calling, their plaintive song providing an ethereal air to the early morning light. One of them appeared to have been successful as a female pecked about nearby. She was far more attractive in the flesh than the book with her scaly feather pattern showing well.

One of the target species for this early morning jaunt was Iraq babbler and it wasn't too long before Mitko had found a pair, as we watched them perch high up in the reeds a little bittern flew in. Some briefly spotted a marsh warbler, but it was only a fleeting glimpse. Menetries warbler was another star of the day, singing from the back of a tree and proving how challenging birdwatching can sometimes be!

Soon breakfast called and we made our way back to base. Fed and watered we decided to give the owl another go on our way out. The park warden had prepared himself well and armed with his binoculars he pointed straight at the owl perched mid-height in the first tree we had checked the day before. As we watched, a small group of locals started to gather and then starling and buntings began to mob, forcing the owl higher in the tree.   We decided the owl had had enough attention from man and birds for one day and left for our next port of call.

Pallid Scops Owl

Birding side-tracks alongside the Euphrates River we caught up with dead sea sparrow, and their nest.   Golden oriole showed well to some of us and not at all to others!

Birecik reservoir was next - we walked along the gravel bank getting great views of red-crested pochard female and seven chicks, two pied kingfisher hovering and feeding - there appeared to be an exchange of a small fish at one stage. Pygmy cormorant, ferruginous duck, common sandpiper, wood sandpiper, temminck's stint, willow warbler, great crested grebe, rufous bush-chat, and a flock of slender billed gulls were seen. Many spotted flycatchers were around, in fact they were numerous throughout the day. On our way back into town we stopped at the bald ibis centre where they are provided with a safe haven for them to come and go as they please, but where food and nesting sites have been provided.   Our enthusiastic guide explained how few there were and how they are being supported both in Turkey and Syria.   Unfortunately the person heading up the Syrian project had recently been killed in the unrest, and no up to date information was available on the birds there.   

See-see Partridge

In the surrounding area we also found eastern olivaceous warbler, garden warbler and to complete our set a delightful wood warbler. After a restaurant meal we were off in search of cream-coloured courser and grouse. Along the way we found Spanish sparrow, European bee-eater, roller, another female black francolin which ran out in front of the minibus, several common buzzard, jackdaw, and one off our wish list, see-see partridge. A lovely specimen sitting on a rock outcrop well camouflaged from all but our eagle-eyed guide's gaze. As we precariously negotiated the trip down to the telescope, the tripod legs were sliding away on the edge of the cliff - an interesting experience to say the least.  


During the course of the afternoon we arrived at an area that was supposedly good for coursers and partridge.   We wandered up a steep incline, looked at wild flowers, the occasional insect, admired the view but all decided that this had been an "unnecessary walk".   Time to move on and find a rather more necessary destination!

The Unnecessary Walk

All safely back on the bus, we raced ahead of a thunder storm with sand martin, swallow and house martin in huge numbers ahead of the storm taking full advantage of the insects which were being pushed along. There were literally thousands of them - an amazing sight to behold. 


We got back to town with a few drops falling and just had time to check the cliffs one last time for little swift. Sure enough, Trevor spotted some alpine swift ahead of us and as in previous years the little swift were with them. It was great to see the comparison between alpine and little - both size and shape with the little swift blunt tail showing well against the ever-darkening sky. We just got back to the hotel in time as the heavens opened and the daily afternoon clearing up shower took it's hold. Dinner in the restaurant, and then off to bed before our last full day in Turkey tomorrow.