Saturday 2 May 2015

Georgia Day 9

Hello

An early morning jaunt took us in to a craggy gorge near to our accommodation near Vardzia and we found more Caucasian Chiffchaffs, plenty of Rock Nuthatches, Black-eared Wheatears, Rock Buntings, some Blue Rock Thrushes and migrants in the shapes of Common Redstarts, a nightingale sp, Ortolans, Tree Pipits and common warblers. Red-backed Shrikes chased each other around calling noisily and a couple of Lesser Grey Shrikes watched on in disdain.

After breakfast we noticed that the raptors were on the move so we drove to a high area and spent the remainder of the morning watching the raptors as they wheeled and soared overhead.

Today it was the turn of the Honey Buzzard to dominate in respect of numbers with hundreds passing over us in squadrons, Levant Sparrowhawks were also moving in numbers and we espied 15 different species of raptor in about three hours.

The weather on the high ground was wet and windy so in the afternoon we elected to return to the small reed-fringed lake not far away which had entranced us the last two days. Here we were again treated to excellent views of a variety of warblers in the reeds which included Reed, Great Reed, Sedge and Moustached as well as a couple more Caucasian Chiffchaffs. As many as six different Little Crakes showed briefly, but were much more furtive than before (probably due to the band of children fishing the shallows) and herons included Night Heron and Purple Heron.

Regards

Neil M



Honey Buzzard

Steppe Buzzard

Lesser Spotted Eagle

Lesser Grey Shrike



Crag Martin


Caucasian or Mountain Chiffchaff

Great Reed Warbler

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