Abandoned building Macclesfield Forest

Double Rainbow over the town

 A fabulous double rainbow over out house prior to the downpour

Autumn Wildlife close to home...... in SW Turkey

A short trip back to Turkey at the end of Autumn allowed a little Bird and Wildlife watching. Most migrants had already departed, especially around the village and garden. While just a few were remaining in some areas that I visited.

I made a 90 minute trip West to spend an overnight stay in Koycegiz to allow a full days bird watching with a fellow brit around his local patches. We had a descent list but still only managed a few migrants including a single Red-backed Shrike, Orphean Warbler, Whinchat, Great Reed Warbler (new for my Turkish list) , Wood Sandpiper and Broad-billed Sandpiper (also new for my Turkish list). Other good species including Pygmy Cormorant, Water Rail, Marsh Harrier and the very scarce in the these parts with six Northern Lapwing (another species new for my Turkish list), We heard plenty of Peduline Tits but didn't actually see any, also added was an Otter that actually swam under our feet as it passed under the road in a roadside canal and ditch. The following morning I added Zitting Cisticola. 

The day before this trip I headed 90 minutes East upto the area of Seki and Gocu beli Pass (Alt 1850mtrs). Here I was hoping for Red-fronted Serin but unfortunately I couldn't pin one down. Although the list was small I managed a stunning lifer when I disturbed a Wallcreeper which flew right in front of me only 10ft away. This was in a spot that I often stop at to check for a few species, this is at an altitude of around 1300 mtrs and in the perfect habitat. A place that I must stay a little longer in future to try and get a prolonged view, and who knows even a photo opportunity! at the nearby Seki location I only managed Common Kingfisher, Cormorant, Corn Bunting, Cirl Bunting, Western Rock-Nuthatch and a single Woodlark.

Western Rock Nuthatch

Rock Sparrow

Cirl Bunting

Even further up the mountain I reached Gocu-beli pass that allowed a few hours birding before being disturbed by a large Kangol mountain dog that made me nervous and I decided to head back down to home. Best birds in this area were Red-breasted Flycatcher, Rock Sparrow, a few Sombre Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Serin, Raven, I heard a few Red-billed Cough and strangely in this mountainous habitat I saw a single Tree Sparrow (new for my Turkish list). 

Sombre Tit

A few days out with the wife to local tourist sites got me Blue-Rock thrush, Little Bittern, Steppe Buzzard, Goshawk and a nice view of nearly thirty Raven circling the crags of Pinara ruins, also a quick glimpse of what can only be a Pine Martin. During the quiet birding there were plenty of reptiles , mostly Agamas and a few Lizard species.

Blue Rock-thrush

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker form my garden balcony

Crested Lark are seen in most areas

Sparrowhawk from garden

A few Agamas (possibly Starred)
 and Lizards (one is possibly Common Wall, not sure about the other)

Lizards (Common Wall?)

not sure which sp

Fryers Grayling

African Monarch

Wall Brown

Caucasian Red Squirrel

Garden Moths - Early October

 I havent put the moth trap out since early Spring and dont usually bother after late summer, early Autumn. However keeping an eye on a facebook page for Cheshire Moths, a few folk have been trapping the wonderful Mervielle du jour species. So I though I would give it a go as it would be a lifer.

Highlights of this mornings results:

2 Mervielle du jour (Lifer), 13 Box-tree Moth (including two dark form individuals), 2 Red-green Carpet (Lifer), 2 November moth agg (Lifer), Turnip Moth, 3 Black Rustic, 3 Blairs shoulder Moth, Green-brindled Crescent, Angle Shades, 2 Pale-mottled Willow, Siver y, Pinnion-streaked Snout (Lifer).

Mervielle du jour

Box-tree Moth (Dark forms)

Box-tree Moth (nominate)

Angle Shades

Black Rustic

Red-green Carpet

Light-brown Apple moth

Yellow-line Quaker

A hot Summer in SW Turkey ....... its too bloody hot for man and birds

Went "home" as in to our "Turkey escape" for a good chunk of the summer, two months. I forget how hot it actually gets in July and August.... ignore the weather apps, ignore average temperature charts. For well over a week the temperatures hit 42c-44c, it was brutal and to be honest apart from topping up the tan by the pool it was too hot to get out and do much walking and birdwatching. 

For the first time ever I resisted giving the hire car firm my business and I used the local Bus service or cadged a lift now and again if I had anything large or heavy to carry.

Morning walks only, often 7am to 9am was enough.... it easily hit 38c at 9am!! carrying water, roaming dog prevention stick, binoculars and the bits and bobs that the wife needed me to carry meant that I didn't take the camera out too often.

Of course the height of summer slows the bird life down significantly and only the brave resident species showed in any sort of good numbers. Eurasian Jay, Syrian Woodpecker, Hooded Crow, Collared Dove, Laughing Dove.... and zillions of House Sparrows are the dominate species. The migrant species that showed well and daily were the beautiful Red-Rumped Swallows that hawked over the garden area for the whole two months supported by the Barn Swallow and House Martin. For a few days we had 40-50 Alpine Swifts. 

Lesser Whitethroat became the default species as we got to the back end of August, virtually every bush or tree had multiples in them. From my balcony I could almost reach and touch them some evenings.  Middle Spotted Woodpecker and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker were almost constant throughout the stay, the Middle Spotted at one point having 4 individuals in the same tree, along with a single Syrian and Lesser spotted, Fantastic. 

One species that took me a little by surprise was the Eastern Black-eared Wheatear that were in very good numbers around the village and areas along my walks. I even had one individual that flew onto my roof while I was poolside. I took advantage of the good numbers and managed enough snaps to make the post worthwhile posting.   

Other species that were around and about locally were Raven (including one day when 14 seen together flying noisily over the garden), Eastern Olivaecous Warbler, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Hoopoe, Green Woodpecker, Crested Lark, Woodchat Shrike, Turtle Dove, Masked Shrike, Spotted Flycatcher and Red-backed Shrike both of which numbers increased dramatically later in August and for the last week of the stay a large flock of 50+ European Bee-eaters roamed around. A single Lesser Grey Shrike in the garden was a garden first while two lifers were seen, a European Honey Buzzard over the garden and a Collared Flycatcher just outside the village.

Singles of the following were seen Golden Oriole, Red breasted Flycatcher, Short-toed Eagle, Eastern Oprhean Warbler, Rough-legged Buzzard, Corn Bunting, Rock Sparrow, Sombre Tit, Cirl Bunting, Whinchat, Common Nightingale and Kruipers Nuthatch.

the very variable Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Lesser Whitethroat 

Red-backed Shrike

Red-rumped Swallow

Spotted Flycatcher

The big five....... for this evening

Over the last few weeks I have been visiting an unspecified site a short drive from home to watch a fabulous Long -eared Owl. Myself and a friend have had the site pretty much to our selves. We watch from the roadside overlooking the area where the owl hunts approx 150-200 meters away.

Last night we were able to see the LEO complete a foodpass to its partner within a thinned out section of the wood. The male continued to hunt for long periods even coming closer to the roadside than we have seen before..... fantastic. 

During the last few visits a single Barn Owl has also hunted in the exact same area, last night it put on a fabulous display for 20 minutes.

Not to be outdone in the same woodland a pair of Tawny Owls called and gave fabulous views..... all this is within a 300 meter section of woodland and moorland *** Added bonus, a Common Cuckoo arrived and sat on top of one of the immature pine trees directly in front of us. 

To complete the evening we went to our regular site for European Nightjar, just before dusk a bird gave the distinctive call and made a small flight infront of us, it had got a little chilly so we called it a day.

2 hours and 5 fabulous species