Friday 1 May 2015

Georgia Day 8

Hello

Much of today was spent visiting wetland sites, including a lake on the Turkish border. Lots of birds seen today and the trip list total is now at 200 species.

After an early morning walk around our abode, we stopped off at the small reed-fringed lake we visited briefly yesterday. On this occasion we were able to confirm the presence of numerous Little Crakes scampering around the reeds. Other good birds included our first close view of a Caucasian Chiffchaff and also Moustached Warbler, Little Bittern, Common Bittern, Great Reed Warbler and other reed dwellers, whilst overhead the raptor migration continued with Short-toed and Booted Eagles, Steppe Buzzards, Black Kite and our first good view of a Levant Sparrowhawk. The mountains and hills were alive with Marsh Harriers and several Montagu's Harriers included a smart melanistic male,

Our second lake on the Turkish border provided plenty of Great White and some Dalmation Pelicans, four species of grebe, Spotted Crake, Bearded Tits, White-winged Black Terns, Citrine Wagtail and common wildfowl. Some nearby roadside stops located a couple of Common Cranes, these birds of a race that do not exhibit red on the head.

The third lake was full of White-winged Black Terns and also a Whiskered Tern, two Little Gulls and two Slender-billed Gulls. Other good birds included Glossy Ibis, loads of Red-necked Grebes, Black-tailed Godwit and Wood Sandpiper. After a very late lunch, we walked up some hillsides to a high elevation and found some Rock Thrushes, Horned Larks, lots of Skylarks, Twite, Ring Ouzel, Black Redstart, Lesser Spotted Eagle and of course flocks of Water Pipits. We eventually arrived back at our lodgings just after 8pm and a late supper...

Regards

Neil M


Hoopoe


Little Crake

Short-toed Eagle

Caucasian or Mountain
Chiffchaff

Great White Pelicans

Spotted Crake

Bearded Tit

Twite

Male Rock Thrush

Female Rock Thrush



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