TURKEY PHOTO TRIP REPORT 5th-19th June 2009 Participants Peter Alfrey & Darryl Spittle

INTRODUCTION The primary objectives of this trip were to get as many Western Palearctic ‘ticks’ as possible, acquire as many satisfactory photographs of all birds encountered as possible, to increase our personal understanding of Turkish avifauna in terms of species identification, subspecies identification, taxonomy, vocalizations and breeding and migration ecology and also to record as many species as possible within our trip time frame to achieve a competitive mid-summer trip list. Trip Blogs http://peteralfreybirdingnotebook.blogspot.com/ http://gwentbirding.blogspot.com/

ITINERARY 5th June

Adana to Demirkazik

6th June

Demirkazik. Evening Drive to Goksu Delta.

7th June

Goksu Delta. Evening Drive to Adana

8th June

Yesilce. Drive to Birecik.

9th June

Birecik

10th June

Halfeti. Drove to Mardin.

11th June

Cizre. Drive to Tatvan.

12th June

Tatvan to Van Road and Van Marshes

13th June

Van and Ercek Golu

14th June

Bendimahi, Calidran Ovasi and Dogubeyazit

15th June

Dogubeyazit and Calidran

16th June

Bulanik

17th June

Nemrut Dagi

18th June

Adana and Tarsus marshes

REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Kirwan G.M. et al 2008. The Birds of Turkey. Helm. Gosney D. 1991. Finding Birds in Turkey, Ankara to Birecik. A Gostour Guide. Gosney D. 1994. Finding Birds in Western Turkey. A Gostour Guide. Gosney D.1994. Finding Birds in Eastern Turkey. A Gostour Guide. Green I. & Moorhouse N. 1995. A Birdwatcher’s Guide to Turkey. Bird Watchers’ Guide. Porter R F et al, 1996. Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East. T & A D Poyser Mullarney K et al, 1999. Bird Guide. Collins. Forsman D 1999, The Raptors of Europe and The Middle East. A Handbook of Field Identification. T & A D Poyser. Olsen K.M & Larsson. H. 2003. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Helm. OTHER TRIP REPORTS http://www.osme.org/osmetrip/tripreps.html http://www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=610

Ornithological Society of the Middle East Web Site OSME http://www.osme.org/index.html

DAILY ACCOUNT Species names mainly follow, and photo captions gleaned from: Kirwan. G.M et al, 2009. The Birds of Turkey.

5th June 2009 Drove to Demirkazik from Adana. 6th June Demirkazik Highlights included: Golden Eagle, 6+ Caspian Snowcock, Radde’s Accentor, Alpine Accentor, Crimsonwinged Finch, White-winged Snowfinch, Finsch’s Wheatear Carmadi Road Bimaculated Lark, White-throated Robin,

Bimaculated Lark, Carmadi Road. Alstrom considers M.bimaculata to be monotypic although others consider these Turkish birds to be M.b.rufescens.

Horned Lark, Demirkazik. Generally considered to be E.a.penicillata throughout Turkey.

Ortolan Bunting, Demirkazik. A species in Turkey that is found breeding in uplands at 750-2600m. 7th June 2009 Goksu Delta Highlights: Black Francolin, Purple Swamp Hen, Graceful Prinia, Marbled Duck, Lanner Falcon, Rufoustailed Scrub Robin. Other characteristic species: Spur-winged Lapwing, Ruddy Shelduck, Whiskered Tern, White-winged Black Tern, White-throated Robin, Great White Pelican, Moustached Warbler, Great Reed Warbler Breeding Ruddy Shelduck with six young, also Marbled Duck with two young,

Spur-winged Lapwing, Goksu Delta. A local summer visitor to Turkey to most wetlands except the Black Sea Coastlands. Goksu delta is the most important breeding site. A marked decline has occurred in recent decades.

Western Marsh Harrier, Goksu Delta. A breeding resident and partial migrant to Turkey.

Black-crowned Night Herons, Goksu Delta. About 150 pairs breed in the delta complex.

8th June Yesilce Area Highlights and speciality birds included: Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Desert Finch, Cinereous Bunting, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Upcher’s Warbler, Olive Tree Warbler, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Eastern Blackeared Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, White-throated Robin

White-throated Robin, Durnalik, Yesicle area. A monotypic species, summer migrant and increasing population in Turkey. Occurs mainly in the south.

Rufous- tailed Scrub Robin, Durnalik, Yesicle area. Turkish birds relate to one or other of the greybacked forms. Common in Eastern Turkey especially around Birecik.

9th June Birecik Highlights and speciality species: Little Swift, Bald Ibis, Dead Sea Sparrow, Iraq Babbler, Chesnutshouldered Sparrow, See-see Partridge, Menetries’s Warbler, Characteristic species: Sand Martin and hirundines, European Roller, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hoopoe, Pygmy Cormorant, Ferruginous Duck, Coot, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe

Little Swifts, Birecik. The subspecies is A.a.galilejensis. A local and uncommon visitor. The largest colonies in Turkey are on the Euphrates.

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Birecik. Part of a taxonomic puzzle, Eastern and Western Olivaceous Warblers are widely recognized as separate species but problems presented by three North African forms of Eastern Olivaceous, reiseri, laeneni and nominate pallid (which may integrade with elaecia) have not been resolved. Also Helbig & Seibold (1999) prefer to put Olivaceous Warbler and Booted Warbler in the subgenus Iduna. Others suggest moving Olivaceous Warbler into Acrocephalus.

Bald Ibis, part of a feral colony at Birecik. About 50-60 birds are present as part of a breeding program. Bald Ibis no longer occurs in a wild state in Turkey after suffering a population terminal decline mainly associated with poisoning by agricultural chemicals. The free flying birds are rounded up and kept in a compound during the winter to prevent the associated high mortalities that occur during the migrations to East Africa. The only wild birds in the Middle East occur in Syria- a tiny and declining colony at Palmyra.

European Roller, Birecik . A fairly common summer visitor to Turkey, breeding up to at least 2000m.

Chestnut-shouldered Sparrow, Birecik. The subspecies is believed to be transfuga. Recently assigned to the resurrected genus Gymnoris. A scarce and local summer visitor to Southeast and East Anatolia. Breeds in pistachio orchards or groves of Oak. 10th June Halfeti and drive to Mardin Highlights: Pale Rockfinch, Cream-Coloured Courser, Lesser Short-toed Lark Characteristic species: Desert Finch, Little Swift, Greater Short-toed Lark, European Turtle Dove, Eastern and Western Rock Nuthatch Drive to Mardin: Short-toed Snake Eagle, Lesser Kestrel

Black-headed Bunting, Halfeti. A very common and widespread summer visitor to all regions of Turkey except the Black Sea Coastlands. Breeds in all types of agricultural and scrubby areas usually below 2400m.

Lesser Short-toed Lark, Halfeti. Cheleensis-type and rufescens-complex birds form a confusing situation in Turkey leading to the proposition that Asian Short-toed Larks were occurring in central areas of Turkey. Further research is required to clarify the situation.

Desert Finch, Halfeti. A species which appears to be increasing in Turkey. The range is mainly in Southeast Anatolia. Records in the past from Eastern Turkey around Van Golu may have actually related to Mongolian Finch – a species which has only ‘recently’ expanded into Turkey from the east.

Pale Rockfinch, Halfeti. This highly unusual species appears, on the basis of jaw morphology, tongue apparatus and skull structure, to represent a modern day relict of an extremely early radiation of Passeridae, Emberizidae or Fringillidae. A local summer visitor over much of Southeast and East Anatolia. 11th June Cizre and drive to Tatvan Cizre Highlights: 5 Red-wattled Lapwing, 12 Collared Pratincole, 6 Little Tern, 2 Pied Kingfisher, 1 Black Francolin Drive to Tatvan 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Booted Eagle, 2 Egyptian Vulture, 6 Lesser Kestrel, Tatvan Armenian Gull, Montagu’s Harrier, 10+ Bimaculated Lark, 2 Greater Short-toed Lark, 10+ Black-headed Bunting

12th June Van Highlights: White-headed Duck, Armenian Gull, Characteristic birds: Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Black-headed Wagtail, Great Reed Warbler, Little Ringed Plover, Ruddy Shelduck,

Ruddy Shelduck, Lake Van. A widespread and reasonably common resident over much of Turkey. Large flocks assemble to moult at certain wetlands from July to September with a maximum count of 20,000 at Ercek Golu.

Adult Armenian Gull, Lake Van. Armenian Gull appears to be the relict of an early colonization event from the Atlantic via the Mediterranean Basin.

Great Reed Warbler, Lake Van. A widespread and fairly common summer visitor to suitable habitat.

Black-headed Wagtail, Lake Van. The current hypothesis of a deep split between eastern forms and the other western taxa of Yellow Wagtails is in vogue, while retaining Black-headed Wagtail as a subspecies within M.flava.

Black-winged Stilt, Lake Van.

13th June Van and Ercek Golu Highlights: Paddyfield Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Characteristic species: Greater Flamingo, Ruddy Shelduck, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Black Tern, White-winged Black Tern, Common Redshank, Bearded Tit

1st summer Armenian Gull, Lake Van area. Active primary and secondary moult showing contrast between very worn and new remiges. Presumably the saline conditions, heat and intense sun is responsible for the obvious intense wear.

Chukar, Van Hills

14th June Bendimahi 1 Gull-billed Tern, 1 Common Quail Caldiran Ovasi 4 Crimson-winged Finch, 4 White-winged Snowfinch, Dogubeyazit 2-3 Grey-necked Bunting, 1 Red-fronted Serin, 1 Crimson-winged Finch, 2 Chukar, 2 Common Cuckoo,

Crimson-winged Finch, Serpmentas Lava Fields

Grey-necked Bunting, Dogubeyazit

15th June Dogubeyazit and Serpmentas Lava Fields Dogubeyazit 2-3 Grey-necked Bunting, 2 Red-fronted Serin, 5 Common Cuckoo, 2 Eurasian Hoopoe Serpmentas Lava Fields 10+ Mongolian Finch, 4 Crimson-winged Finch, 6+ White-winged Snowfinch, 3 Black Redstart, 1 Twite

Snowfinch, Serpmentas Lava Fields

Mongolian Finch, Serpmentas Lava Fields

16th June Bulanik 4-5 Montagu’s Harrier, 4 Long-legged Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harrier, 10+ Gull-billed Tern, 25+ Rose-coloured Starling 17th June Nemrut Dagi 3 Red-tailed Wheatear, 8+ Horned Lark, 10+ Rock Sparrow, 4 White-winged Snowfinch, 6+ Black-eared Wheatear and 15+ Northern Wheatear. 6 Black Storks on ferry crossing.

Red-tailed Wheatear, Nemrut Dagi 18th June Ceyhan Delta and Tarsus Eucalyptus ‘forest’ Highlights: White-breasted Kingfisher, Greater Sand Plover Characteristics species at delta: Little Tern, Whiskered Tern, Kentish Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, herons, Characteristic species at ‘forest’: White-breasted Kingfisher, Masked Shrike, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Eurasian Penduline Tit

TRIP RECORDS Species

Little Grebe Black-necked Grebe Great Crested Grebe Pygmy Cormorant Little Bittern Great White Pelican Black-crowned Night Heron Cattle Egret Squacco Heron Little Egret Great White Egret Grey Heron Purple Heron White Stork Black Stork (Northern Bald Ibis) Greater Flamingo Common Shelduck Ruddy Shelduck

Demirkazi k and Carmadi Road

Egyptian Vulture

Yesilce

Biricek and Halfeti

Halfeti to Tatvan via Cizre

Lake Van and Van Marshes

4

10+

2 3

10

20+

3

North Van and Ercek Golu and Bendimahi

Caldiran and Dogubeyazit

Bulanik

Nemrut Dagi

Adana region

6

40+ at Bendimahi

20+ 1

1

1

1

6 Carmadi

15

10

2 6 20 1

2 2 1

4 10 6

2 1 3

1 1

3 20+

1

4 1 2

4 2 1

1 2 6

60+ 1

Mallard Northern Pintail Eurasian Wigeon Garganey Northern Shoveler Marbled Teal Red-crested Pochard Ferruginous Duck Common Pochard White-headed Duck European Honey Buzzard Golden Eagle Griffon Vulture

Goks u Delta

2700+

1

2

9+

10 + 12 young +6 young 8

200+ inc 2-3 broods

2

8 2

20+ 4

4

4

3

2 2

10+ 8

4

4

6

2

2

4 ads and 7 juv

8

4

5 1 1

1 1 en route 2 en route

1 1

1

Species

Demirkazi k and Carmadi Road

Goks u Delta

Yesilce

Biricek and Halfeti

Short-toed Snake Eagle Booted Eagle Western Marsh Harrier Montagu’s Harrier Long-legged Buzzard Common Kestrel Lesser Kestrel

Lanner Falcon (probable) Eurasian Hobby Peregrine Falcon Caspian Snowcock Black Francolin Common Quail Chukar See-see Partridge Eurasian Coot Common Moorhen Purple Swamp Hen Black-winged Stilt Pied Avocet Eurasian Oystercatcher Stone -Curlew CreamColoured Courser Collared Pratincole Common Ringed Plover Little Ringed Plover Greater Sand Plover Kentish Plover Grey Plover Spur-winged Plover Red-wattled Lapwing Northern lapwing

12+

2

1

1

2

Halfeti to Tatvan via Cizre 1 en route 1 en route

2 2

Lake Van and Van Marshes

4+6 en route

Caldiran and Dogubeyazit

Bulanik

Nemrut Dagi

Adana region

1

3 1 Tatvan 6 en route nc

North Van and Ercek Golu and Bendimahi

1

1

2 4

1

1

2

4

1

3

3

2

2

2

1 2

3

1

1

6 6

2

1 Cizre 1 2

2

1 2

2

1

4 40+ 5

40+ 2

40+ 4

2

50+

30+

15+

30+

20+ 2

3 12

6 6

1 1

15 Cizre

1

1 2

8

2

1 5

15

100+ 1 2

30+ 6 Cizre 1 Cizre

10+

20+

10+

Species

Demirkazi k and Carmadi Road

Goks u Delta

Little Stint Curlew Sandpiper Dunlin Ruff Common Redshank Marsh Sandpiper Black-tailed Godwit Green Sandpiper Wood Sandpiper Common Sandpiper

4

Yellow-legged Gull Lesser Blackbacked Gull (fuscus) Armenian Gull

8

Biricek and Halfeti

Halfeti to Tatvan via Cizre

Lake Van and Van Marshes

North Van and Ercek Golu and Bendimahi

Caldiran and Dogubeyazit

Bulanik

Nemrut Dagi

1

Adana region

20+ 1

5

1 40+

20+

1

2

6 6

1 1

10 2

1

1

1 2 en route

1

2 1

20+ Tatvan

Black-headed Gull Mediterranea n Gull Slender-billed Gull Common Tern Little Tern Whiskered Tern Gull-billed Tern White-winged Black Tern Black Tern Rock Dove Eurasian Collared Dove European Turtle Dove Laughing Dove Common Woodpigeon Common Cuckoo European Scops Owl Striated Scops Owl Little Owl Long-eared Owl

Yesilce

150+

1

300+ 500+ at Bendimahi 3

8

3 1 20+

30+ Halfeti 6 Cizre

1

3

4

1

2

25+ 15+

6

10

5 Nc

Nc Nc

2

1 at Bendimahi 3

1

nc Nc

200+ 20+

10

15+

2

6 3

nc nc

100+ Nc

1 Nc Nc

10+

Nc Nc

1 1

1 1 1 1

Nc Nc

1

5

2

nc nc

1

1

Nc Nc 1

2

6

Species

Demirkazi k and Carmadi Road

European Nightjar Alpine Swift Common Swift

1

Nc

Goks u Delta

Yesilce

4 Heard

8 40+

Little Swift

Eurasian Hoopoe European Beeeater European Roller Pied Kingfisher Whitebreasted Kingfisher Syrian Woodpecker Crested Lark

Woodlark Eurasian Skylark Greater Shorttoed Lark Lesser Shorttoed Lark Bimaculated Lark Calandra lark Horned Lark

Eurasian Crag Martin Sand Martin Red-rumped Swallow Barn Swallow Common House Martin Tawny Pipit Water Pipit White Wagtail Grey Wagtail ‘Black-headed’ Wagtail Citrine Wagtail Winter Wren Yellow-vented Bulbul Alpine Accentor

1 Camadi

Biricek and Halfeti

1

30+ Birecik 10 Halfeti 8

1

6

1

10+

Halfeti to Tatvan via Cizre

200+ Mardin

2 en route

20+ en route

Lake Van and Van Marshes

North Van and Ercek Golu and Bendimahi

100+ 300+

Caldiran and Dogubeyazit

Bulanik

Nemrut Dagi

30+ 10+

6+

2

4

10+

6

2

6

Adana region

1

4

3

2

2

20+ en route

4 3

1 Camadi Nc

100+

1

7

2

20+

1 100’s en route

Nc

2

6 Camadi

6 Halfeti 1 Halfeti

12+ Camadi

5

10+

2 2 2

1

1

15+ Tatvan 1

4 1 Tatvan

20+ and 15+ Camadi 6 50+

10

Nc

5

1

1

2000+

3

1

50+ 10

10

1 Camadi 1 1

3 Halfeti 50+ 250+

1 en route 2 en route 6 en route Nc

1

1

2

2

100+

4

8+

20+

200+ 3

nc

20+

20+ 6

10+ 1

1

3 2

2 en route

2

1

60+

20+

1

1

2

2

5+

5+

1 40+

1

2

6

1 20+ 4

10+

20+

Species

Demirkazi k and Carmadi Road

Radde’s Accentor Whitethroated Robin Nightingale Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin Black Redstart Northern Wheatear Isabelline Wheatear Finsch’s Wheatear Eastern Blackeared Wheatear Red-tailed Wheatear Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Blue Rock Thrush Common Blackbird Lesser Whitethroat Menetries’s Warbler Eastern Orphean Warbler Common Whitethroat Graceful Prinia Moustached Warbler European Reed Warbler Paddyfield Warbler Marsh Warbler Sedge Warbler Great Reed Warbler Olive-tree Warbler Upcher’s Warbler Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Cetti’s Warbler

1

Great Tit Blue Tit Sombre Tit

Goks u Delta

3 Camadi

Yesilce

Biricek and Halfeti

10+

Halfeti to Tatvan via Cizre

Lake Van and Van Marshes

North Van and Ercek Golu and Bendimahi

Caldiran and Dogubeyazit

Bulanik

Nemrut Dagi

2 en route

4 Camadi 3

6

25+

2 20 3 and 15 Camadi 6

Adana region

1 Halfeti

6

3 6

2 en route 4 Tatvan 6 Tatvan

5

2 10+

8 30+

4

6+

6

20+ en route

6

8+

1 15+

6+

3 2 1 4

1

6 Camadi

10+

1 Halfeti 1

1 en route

2

30+ 10+ 4

3

2 30+ 2

2

20+

4

1

2 3

3 1 3 1

2

20+

3 30+

4

4

1

1 and 5 Camadi

1

1 and 3 Camadi 1 Camadi 1

2

10+

2

1

15+

2 1 3

1

2

3

Species

Bearded Reedling Eurasian Penduline Tit Iraq Babbler Eastern Rock Nuthatch Western Rock Nuthatch Red-backed Shrike Woodchat Shrike Lesser Grey Shrike Masked Shrike Red-billed Chough Alpine Chough Common Magpie Western Jackdaw Rook Hooded Crow Eurasian Jay Common Starling Rose Coloured Starling Eurasian Golden Oriole House Sparrow Spanish Sparrow Eurasian Tree Sparrow Rock Sparrow

Demirkazi k and Carmadi Road

Goks u Delta

Yesilce

Halfeti to Tatvan via Cizre

4

Lake Van and Van Marshes

North Van and Ercek Golu and Bendimahi

1

2

Caldiran and Dogubeyazit

Bulanik

Nemrut Dagi

1

4 2 1 2

6

3 10? Halfeti 10 ?Halfeti 1 1

4 1 en route 4 en route

1 Camadi 20

2

6

4

1 2

1

1

15+

5 4 15+

1

1

5

20+

100+

2

4

10

10+ Tatvan 30+ Tatvan 30+ Tatvan 10 en route 4 en route

2

4

20+

20+

6

Nc

Nc

40+

10+

50+

30+

100+

200+

4

10

2

3

1 300+

100+

100+

40+

25+ en route

25+

4 1 Camadi

1

Nc

Nc

1

5

Adana region

1

3 Camadi

30

100+

nc

1 Halfeti

30+ en route

6

3 Tatvan

Nc

6 1 Nc

Nc

1 Nc

Nc

Nc

Nc

Nc 1000+

5 4

2

Chestnutshouldered Sparrow Pale Rockfinch Dead Sea Sparrow White- winged Snowfinch Common Chaffinch Common Linnet Twite European Goldfinch

Biricek and Halfeti

2

4

4

10+

10+

5

6

3 Halfeti 2 20+ 7 6

15+

2

10+ 1

6

10

5

2

5

2

4

Species

Demirkazi k and Carmadi Road

Goks u Delta

Yesilce

European Greenfinch Red-fronted Serin European Serin Mongolian Finch Crimsonwinged Finch Desert Finch Ortolan Bunting Cretzschmar’s Bunting Grey-necked Butning Cinereous Bunting Black-headed Bunting Rock Bunting Reed Bunting Corn Bunting

3

15

4

205 species

Biricek and Halfeti

Halfeti to Tatvan via Cizre

Lake Van and Van Marshes

North Van and Ercek Golu and Bendimahi

Caldiran and Dogubeyazit

Bulanik

Nemrut Dagi

8

1

2 1 10

4 and 1 Camadi

10+ 2

5

2 and 4 Camadi 2 3-4

2 and 10 Camadi 1 1 and 15+ Camadi

1

3

10+

8

6+ 15+ Tatvan

40+

6

10+

10+

1 1

Adana region

2 2

4

10+

20+

4

APPENDIX 1. Selected record shots of various targeted species

Caspian Snowcock, Demikarzik

Menetries’s Warbler, Birecik

Eastern Orphean Warbler, Yesilce

Dead Sea Sparrow, Birecik

Striated Scops Owl, Birecik

Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Yesilce

Paddyfield Warbler, Ercek Golu

2. Some Local Forms

Common Linnet. Breeding-season birds are considered to be bella which is sometimes afforded the name Turkestan Linnet being larger and paler than nominate with a virtually unstreaked white rump and uppertail-coverts, and a paler and less extensive rosy-red forehead than nominate.

Northern Wheatear. Breeding birds generally referred to libanotica.

European Greenfinch. The categorization of Greenfinch forms across Turkey is an ongoing work. The forms involved include muehlei, chlorotica and bilkevitchi.

Common Starling. The subspecies situation is complex and unclear with tauricus in Inner Anatolia, purpurascens in eastern Turkey and perhaps oppenheimi in Southeast Anatolia from Nizip and Birecik east to Cizre. The above photo was taken in Bulanik so presumably this bird is purpurascens.

3.PEOPLE SHOTS

Christain Jensen

Terry Richardson (rear)Author of The Turkey Rough Guide

‘Ojenni’

Peter Alfrey

Darryl Spittle

Ali Safak

4.LANDSCAPES

Carmadi Road

The Gorge, Demikarzik

The Euphrates near Birecik

Isak Pasha

View from Safak Pension

Goksu Delta

5.OTHER WILDLIFE

Spur-thighed Tortoise

Golden Jackal

Stripe-necked Terrapin Also recorded Red Fox, Hare sp, European Pond Terrapin- numerous Lepidoptera and odonata.

6.Targeted species not recorded Demosielle Crane (Bulanik) Common Crane (Bulanik) Great Bustard (Bulanik) Saker (Van) Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Van area)

7.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION All information and directions for sites are well documented. Perhaps the following additional bits of information are useful. Condition of wetlands Heavy pollution at Edremit Marsh, Northern Van Marshes in very poor condition, most river systems being quarried for aggregate including Bulanik, some areas south of Adana appear to have been drained, shot gun cartridges at Goksu and extensive quarrying at Birecik in large areas of the Euphrates. Emerging wetlands in several areas due to dam building projects. Additional sites for species that we couldn’t find at favorite sites: Pale Rockfinch: Drinking pool at N370 10’ 14.9”, E0370 57’ 51.7”, acc 15 meters, not only attracted this species to within several meters but also Lesser Short-toed Lark, Desert Finch, Short-toed Lark and commoner species. Paddyfield Warbler: Ercek Golu at N380 41’ 51.2”, E0430 38’ 52”, acc 5 meters. Hotels Palmiye Otel, Adana, great for stop over and access to sites in this region: www.mesipalmiye.com Military A lot less than anticipated and no problems at road blocks. No problems at Cizre.