Turkey

Bird watching in Turkey - a five centre holiday full of exciting birds, astounding archaeology and beautiful scenery along with the warmth of the south European sun. Staying in comfortable hotels in Gaziantep, Birecik, Cappadocia, Demirkazik and Gosku.

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Trip Report

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Days 1-2	Fly from London to Adana via Istanbul. Birding around Adana and the Cukurova Delta, 2 nights Adana
Days 3-4	Travel to Gaziantep, birdwatching in the area, 2 nights Gaziantep
Days 5-6	Travel to Birecik, birdwatching in the area, 2 nights Birecik
Days 7-8	Drive to Cappadocia, sightseeing and birding, 2 nights Cappadocia
Days 9-11	Travel to and birding in Taurus Mountains, 3 nights Demirkazik
Days 12-13	We head south for birding in Gosku Delta, 2 nights Gosku
Day 14	Drive back to Adana for flights home

Weather	Very variable in different regions, hot on the coast but much cooler in the mountains, especially early morning when gloves and scarves might be wanted. (10-30°C).
Walking	Mostly easy walking up to 2 miles on good tracks but some steeper slopes in the mountains.
Meals	All included from dinner on Day 1 to lunch on Day 14.
Insects	Mosquitos can be a nuisance in a few places so bring repellent.
Accom	Twin and single rooms with private facilities.
Group	12

Special birds from the high mountains to the coastal deltas, plus a never to be forgotten visit to the Cappadocia with its ‘fairy chimneys’.

	* Incredible scenery from desert, to high mountains and deltas
	* Caspian Snowcock, Red-fronted Serin & Crimson-winged Finch
	* Desert birds - Menetrie’s Warbler, See-see Partridge & Iraq Babbler
	* Astonishing eroded landscape of Cappadocia
	* Ruppell’s Warbler, White-throated Robin, Kruper’s Nuthatch
	* Optional visits including underground city
	* Over 200 species including relict population of Northern Bald Ibis

Days 1-2	Black-headed Bunting, Masked Shrike, Ruppell’s Warbler, Western Rock Nuthatch, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Roller, Black-eared Wheatear and many more, are all possible roadside birds as we travel around this exciting country. The scenery is constantly changing, so expect plenty of stops as we head to the Cukurova Delta where Graceful Prinia, Penduline Tit and Rufous Scrub-Robin can be found. There may still be passage waders and marsh terns moving through, Broad-billed Sandpiper is a possibility, plus Greater Flamingo, White-spectacled Bulbul and impressive White-throated Kingfisher.
Days 3-4	We travel east to Gaziantep and the surrounding sandstone hills. Bare outcrops of rock break up the skyline and walking through olive groves and scrubby maquis, we’ll be on the lookout for Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Upcher’s Warbler, Cinereous Bunting and the beautiful White-throated Robin. Snake-eyed Lizards and impressive Agamas scurry from our feet, Long-legged Buzzards circle overhead and Sombre Tits call from the olive trees.
Days 5-6	We move on to Birecik - famous home of one of the last remnant populations of Northern Bald Ibis. Almost lost forever, this population is now receiving considerable help and is gradually increasing again, nesting on dry cliffs above the river Euphrates, many in the nest-boxes that are provided for them! Pied Kingfishers are found along the river and Little Swifts and Bee-eaters nest in the banks. South of the town the rich soils make for good agricultural land, but to the north the dry, stony hillsides, with rocky crags and maquis, are more akin to the dry landscapes of Syria and provide a selection of birds found nowhere else
Days 7-8	Heading back west we simply could not visit this part of Turkey without pausing to take in the bizarre scenery of Cappadocia. The soft volcanic ash from which the hills and valley sides are formed, erodes into a mass of tall pinnacles and fins of rock, forming what has to be one of the most extraordinary landscapes you will ever witness. Centuries ago people carved their dwellings out of these ‘fairy chimneys’ and into the cliff-faces, making an already fascinating landscape even more astonishing. They carved churches and entire underground cities that housed thousands of people! Our two night stay here allows time for sight-seeing, including perhaps a visit to an underground city, or even a balloon ride, before we meet up again to walk through one of the valleys where Golden Orioles, Alpine Swifts, Rock-Thrush, Lesser Grey Shrike, Western Rock Nuthatch, Syrian Woodpecker and Rock Sparrow are all likely in the pleasant warmth.
Days 9-11	Heading south we come to the Taurus Mountains and the mountain village of Demirkazik where we stay for the next three nights. This is where an adventure begins as we make a very early start in search of the enigmatic and elusive Caspian Snowcock. This is one of the most sought after birds of the Western Palaearctic and this is the easiest place to see them, as we are taken to the best area by tractor and trailer! We need to be in sight of the scree slopes before the birds withdraw further up the hillsides for the day and the bumpy ride will be well worth the effort, when we hear their curlew-like whistles in this stunning scenery and search for them as they scuttle through the boulder scree. This is a great area to see a host of other high altitude birds including Crimson-winged Finch, White-winged Snow-Finch, Alpine and Radde’s Accentors, Alpine Chough and the strikingly marked, local race of Shorelark. Wild Goats can often be picked out on the skyline, while the lower slopes hold the beautiful White-throated Robin, Finsch’s Wheatear, Chukar, Rock and Cretzschmar’s Bunting and delightful Red-fronted Serins, with Golden Eagle and even Lammergeier possible overhead.
Days 12-13	Dropping down from the mountains we head for the sunshine and warmth of the Mediterranean coast, perhaps pausing en route in old pine woodlands to search for Kruper’s Nuthatch, olive groves for Olive-tree Warbler, Black-eared Wheatear and Sombre Tit, or to scan for raptors which may include Long-legged and Honey Buzzards. We may even find a Spur-thighed Tortoise! Nearer to the coast we’ll look out for White-spectacled Bulbuls, but it is Gosku Delta that is likely to provide the highlights of this area, with a great selection of birds including Purple Swamphen (of the grey-headed form caspius) Squacco and Purple Herons, White-winged and Whiskered Terns, Ruddy Shelduck, Greater Flamingo, Ferruginous and Marbled Duck, Slender-billed Gull, Spur-winged Plover and stunning Citrine Wagtails. Evening and early morning are the best time to find calling Black Francolins and we may get a second chance to see White-throated Kingfisher.
Day 14	We drive back to Adana for our flight back to Istanbul and on to London.

Just some of what we hope to see..

Caspian Snowcock	Citrine Wagtail	White-spectacled Bulbul
Black Francolin	Rufous Bush Robin	Iraq Babbler
See-see Partridge	White-throated Robin	Dead Sea Sparrow
Squacco Heron	Finsch’s Wheatear	Pale Rock Sparrow
Greater Flamingo	Graceful Prinia	White-winged Snowfinch
Northern Bald Ibis	Menetrie’s Warbler	Red-fronted Serin
Lammergeier	Ruppell’s Warbler	Crimson-winged Finch
Long-legged Buzzard	Krupers Nuthatch	Cretzschmar’s Bunting
Pallid Scops Owl	Rock Nuthatch	Black-headed Bunting
Purple Swamphen	Eastern Rock Nuthatch	Cinereous Bunting
Bimaculated Lark

"Being up in the mountains. Scenery. Wild flowers. Birds and butterflies"
Anne McGregor

"Amazing scenery. The amazing array of bird species. The friendliness of the people. The people, especially the children, of Isikli"
Anne and Steve Poole

"21 species of raptor including a very interesting debate about an eagle that Julian thought was Eastern Imperial Eagle and then both Julian and Roy concluded that it was a Steppe Eagle. Debate like this greatly adds to my knowledge and enjoyment of the trip. The call of Caspian Snowcock resounding around the Taurus mountains at sunrise. Enjoying the Pallid Scops Owl in the Tea Gardens at Birecik and sharing the experience with the local Turks who crowded round, especially the 3 ladies who beconed me over to take tea and wanted to talk and look in the binoculars and guide book. The soaring Lammergeier and views of the mountains on a sunny walk in the Eremli Valley. Evening at the gravel pits at Birecik as flocks of Purple Heron, Little Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Bald Ibis and Caspian Tern past over and some great birds popped up in the reeds"
Hilary Macbean

"Cappadocia was fantastic. I enjoyed it better that the Grand Canyon! Tractor ride to see Caspian Snowcock was great fun and made up for the lack of heating and hot water at Ozsafak (a little bit!). The memories I have of Cappadocia will stay with me forever - just magical"
Christine Haynes

"We had two chances to go up the mountain for Snowcock. The first time rain and mountain mist prevented us, so you can imagine the joy when the 3:00am knock on the door told us we were going! We bounced up the track pulled by a tractor - what a laugh and then to see Caspian Snowcock and Radde's Accentor so well will stay with me forever! There was so much I liked about Turkey. The places, the birds and the company. But I have to say - Cappodocia was very special. I had read about it and seen pictures but staying there was absolutely fabulous. Lovely hotel and the tour was so good. I wanted to go on this trip for the Snowcock, Accentor and Serins but it was Cappodicia that so surprised me."
Norman Haynes

"We would just like to say what a fabulous trip to Turkey we had which has left us with some great memories. Roy and Julian were as great as usual and found us some great wildlife. We chose the trip because it would take us to see birds that we wouldn't easily get anywhere else and to see an area that sounded interesting. With the inclusion of Cappadocia it certainly didn't disappoint! We would thoroughly recommend this trip to others."
Marilyn Pritchard & Mark Bridges

In Turkey we will generally stay in quality hotels with en-suite rooms and serving good local cuisine. We try to match the hotel with its location and ambience to best suit our groups

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