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



Snowdon

Matty invited myself and Liz to Bangor University not to chill out but to walk up Snowdon. The mountain is the highest in Wales at an elevation of 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) and the second highest outside the Scottish Highlands.

It has six different Ascents up the mountain all with varying degrees of difficulty and it also has its own single track mountain railway line. We chose to walk up and down but chose a specific easier but quieter route.

We walked the Snowdon Ranger path which starts at a carpark along side the reservoir of Lyn Cwellyn. After walking through mountain pastures and then open moorland the path then climbs to Bwlch Cwm Brwynog, and then snakes along the ridge above Clogwyn Du'r Arddu towards the summit. This path meets the railway, the Llanberis Path, the Crib Goch path, and the combined Pyg Track and Miners' Track all just below the summit.

We started in fairly mild and bright weather but as we reached the base of the main elevation the cloud clung to the whole of Snowdon ridge. The walk up was relatively quiet with probably less than 5 groups of walkers seen in the whole 2.5hrs trek although as we reached the railway track and the junction where most of the paths converge we were met by dozen upon dozens of fellow walkers who seemed to appear eerily from the cloud.

We climbed up to the small and cramped trig point for the group picture before heading to the café for a coffee. We all agreed to do the mountain walk properly and not catch the train down so we retraced our steps back down the mountain. The ascent took exactly 2.5hrs while the descent took 5 minutes longer, mainly because we watched a rescue helicopter winch a medic to the rocks just below the summit. I cant confirm how serious it was but it certainty wasn't a practice run.

It was a shame that the cloud gave us no view at all from the summit the weather for the majority of the ascent and descent was at best fair but with no wind and some patches of broken sunshine near the base of the mountain and of course its always nice not to have to walk in the rain......



Looking down to Lyn Cwellyn

 





Matty and Liz crossing the moorland of the summit of Snowdon which is shrouded in cloud

 



the view South of the Snowdon Moorland

 

 

The Corrie of Snowdon with the Tarn of  Bwlch Cwm Brwynog in the centre,

 

 

Liz and Matty on the path that snakes along the ridge above Clogwyn Du'r Arddu

 

crazy mountain bikers 

the mountain train descends from the cloud .......

............. as we walk yet higher and into the cloud 

 



 

at the summit...... Done it!

a couple of strangers along side Matty, Myself and Liz

 

 

all down hill from here......

 

the mountain rescue helicopter hovers just above the summit way off in the distance

 



Recent videos from the nightime garden

 

 

this video is interesting because although the bright light spoils it and makes viewing quite hard if you look closely you will make out a Badger and a Fox feeding together and certainly tolerating each other while they share Honey Sandwiches...... really not sure if this is unusual behaviour or not.

 

 

Holme Fell

One of the southern Fells, nestled between Coniston and Windermere is Holme Fell. Only 317mtrs but gives dramatic views once you reach the top. The fell itself is a ridge running broadly north-south and about a mile and a half long. The summit is at the southern extremity. Immediately to the north is Ivy Crag, and a second peak sporting a large stone cairn.

We started from Hodge Close Quarry and met up with the depression of Uskdale Gap that we used to reach the summit.

Liz, Kim, Michael and myself spent an afternoon in cloudy conditions that eventually broke into sunshine as we returned to the quarry.

Great views, especially towards Langdale Pikes, just wish the sun had shone a little more......

 





 

Yew Tree Tarn