Goksu Delta Part II

Goksu Delta

Today we revisited the Goksu delta South hide before breakfast, then moved to the North hide area after breakfast.   From there we moved to the Demicili cemetery area, then birded along the road to the Uzunchaburch Picnic site.   After lunch we moved to the Diocesarea ruins and then along the road leading from Imamali Village back to the coast.   We got back to the hotel around 6.30 pm, dined at 7.30 pm, and bed by 9.15 pm.

We added a few birds for the trip, and also had some better views of friends from the previous day.   Black francolin were seen well from the South hide pre-breakfast, along with little bittern, and a close marsh harrier (several were seen further away).   We also heard savi's warbler.  

Demicili Tombs

Short-toed eagle showed well both in the morning and the afternoon at the last stop, where we had several in the air at once.   From the same site we saw common buzzard, eurasian sparrowhawk, a second eurasian hobby for the day (the first being low over the fields this morning) and elenora's falcon.

Common moorhen was seen in the irrigation ditches alongside the track this morning, fewer crested lark were seen today, mainly because the weather was pretty wet when we were down on the delta.   We did however hear a wood lark as we had our picnic.   Mistle thrush also called here, and in the gorge in the late morning we saw blackbird and blue rock thrush.

One bird which eluded us yesterday was finally spotted several times - the delightfully named graceful prinia - being chased off territory by a moustached warbler.   Also spotted this morning were great reed warbler and reed warbler - at one stage side by side, giving an excellent opportunity to compare the size. 

Ruppell's Warbler

The woodland areas gave coal tit, great tit and sombre tit with kruper's nuthatch joining western rock nuthatch on the list.   Jay, hooded crow, golden oriole, common chaffinch, and european serin all added to our enjoyment, with common cuckoo, hoopoe, cretzschmar's bunting.   The star of the day was a fantastic performance from the very handsome ruppell's warbler.  After trying several times to see this brilliant bird we finally caught up with it late in the afternoon.

A fantastic second day's birding in Turkey.