Whos keeping an eye on me....

Monday 9 November 2015

Turkey October 2015

A week in Turkey with friends in the cooler part of the year was a nice change to the usually stifling heat that we endure during the summer months of July and August. As always we stay in the mountain village of Uzumulu, high above the coastal town of Fethiye in South West Turkey. The village is still pretty well untouched by commercialism and hasn't lost its unique Turkish charm, that said it was noticeable that some trees had been taken down in preparation for development on the outskirts of the village, the usual good numbers of Syrian Woodpeckers were down to just a few pairs..... maybe the season was partly to blame as much as the loss of trees in this one area!

We planned to have a relaxing "doing nothing" week but we managed to fit in 3 descent trips within about an hours drive and also a local trip to the wonderful Cadianda ruins further up the mountain from the village.

I keep a list  of garden birds in Uzumulu and managed to add a few new species this year. Along with the year on year regulars such as Eurasian Jay, Syrian Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Goldfinch ETC (the Orphean Warblers and Olivaceous Warblers have moved on by September) I added Serin, a pair of Black Redstart, a dozen White Wagtail and a female Blackcap. My first ever Hummingbird Hawk-moth was a nice surprise in the garden, it returned on numerous occasions during the week.

Serin (also Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch)
 

 
Jay
 


Syrian Woodpecker
 

 

In the Pine forest behind the garden I did my pilgrimage to find the brilliant Krupers Nuthatch and dually watched 3 individuals feeding in the early morning sun, Dozens of Willow Warblers were in the same area and I also added Goldcrest and Song Thrush as new birds for the Turkey list. It was nice to watch a few Sombre Tits this time rather the distant views I have endured in the past as single birds came directly to the garden to feed very early in the morning, unfortunately the images I got were in dense shade..... But heyho.
 
Krupers Nuthatch
 


Sombre Tit
 


An hours drive to Patara ruins was fruitful not only as Liz and myself for the first time managed to walk all the paths around the site which took in ruins that we had not seen before but it also took us close to part of the marshes.
 
About Patara
I couldn't have said it better myself!.......




Marsh Harrier and Hobby were the raptors on show with crippling views of a Hobby chasing Dragonflies around the smaller pools. The area also held a dozen or so Reed Warblers, Cettis Warbler, Red Backed Shrikes a single Rufous Tailed Scrub Robin while the wetlands had plenty of Little Egrets, Little Grebe and a lone Snipe.

Red Backed Shrike - female
 

Red Backed Shrike -male


Marshes and more ruins at Patara

 
Reed Warbler
 


Even more Hummingbird Hawk-moths were on show while we also found this little fella hopping around the ruins, first thought was a Gerbil?



Lizard - sunbathing
 
 

The bird of the holiday was the stunning Blue Rock Thrush. At least a few pairs were on the site, a life bird for me so I was happy to return a few days later to see them again..... although I did catch up with even more at Tlos ruins.



The default birds of the site were huge flocks of Corn Buntings which attracted the attention of a pair of Kestrels which stumped me for a while as they seemed to be hunting "Falcon style" as they swooped in to the flock on numerous occasions. Black Redstarts and good numbers of Stonechat were prevalent on most overhead wires, on top of  bushes or simply on the ruins while a stunning Finsch's Wheatear kept to the lower lying areas of the ruins usually flying from stone to stone at a safe distance.
Finsch's Wheatear
 






Black Redstart
 

Stonechat
 


 

Whilst driving to Tlos two large Eagles caught my eye flying low and infront of the car, I was just able pull over and get  out to watch them fly across the path of the car and out of site over some trees unfortunately they didn't reappear but Greater Spotted Eagles frequent the area and are the default species around the areas of YakaPark \ Tlos.
 
Looking down on the Lycian city of Tlos



the upper City
 



rather threatening clouds over Tlos
 

amphitheatre
 


Lycian tombs
 




At Tlos the usual Western Rock Nuthatch were loud and visible (although there is an old lady that has a souvenir stall where she sells really annoying versions of the Nuthatch call in a form of whistle), large flocks of Linnet, Crested Larks also a few Blue Rock Thrush and Black Redstart.
 
Male Black Redstart


Crested Lark
 


Western Rock Nuthatch
 


Just before returning  home the lads had a morning out with a drive upto Cadianda to see the Roman ruins. Its a brilliant site that has been taken over by woodland which gives it a real mountain fortress feel high up overlooking the coastal city of Fethiye.
 
 Simon, Phil, Pat and Kevin
 


and we just about reach the eight of the highest peaks....
 

Local speciality..... Krupers Nuthatch