Turkey
is a diverse and distinct habitat for wild life, forest
to wetlands, alpine to extensive steppes. The country is
also on an important bird migration route between Europe
and Africa. Therefore we can track down an estimate of 450
bird species, some of which can only be seen in this country,
and not in Europe.
Season for bird watching extends from April through to November,
and the best time interval to see the indigenous and reproducing
species is between April and June. In order to trace various
migrating species in the southeast, end of spring seems
to be the best time of the year.
A variety of birds of prey winter in Turkey. Again in the
winter, Burdur Lake in central Anatolia is home to the endangered
white headed duck.
In the check list, we have included several . In the list
you will also find some of the rare species that can be
traced in the country.
We have designed alternative week long itineraries that
can be connected for an exclusive tour of bird watching
in Turkey, or extended to include cultural highlights of
the country. |
Tour
includes some of the most interesting and diverse birding
locations in the country, and highlights of Istanbul and
regional Cappadocia. |
|
| 11
nights & 12 days - a professional tour guide and a birding
specialist lead the tour in its entirety. |
-
Accommodations
in centrally located hotels and pensions
- All breakfasts, and half the
lunches and dinners
- All entrance fees to sites
and museums listed in the itinerary
- All tips, including your guide
and driver
- Domestic flights, Istanbul-Ankara
& Adana-Istanbul |
|
| day
1 - Istanbul --- Meet
at 17.00 at the hotel lobby. Dinner will follow the tour introduction
and briefing. |
| day
2 - Istanbul --- Today
we will enjoy a full day of sight-seeing in the old part of
the city. Tour includes Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue
Mosque, and orientation and free time in the Grand Bazaar. |
| day
3 - Istanbul --- After
breakfast, we will take a boat ride up the Bosporus strait.
We will disembark at Sariyer- on the European side of the
city- to see the local fish market, and for lunch. We will
then drive further north towards the Black Sea, to a spot
where we will watch the birds in spring migration, most probably
including White and Black Stork, Black Kite, Egyptian Vulture,
Sparrow Hawk, Buzzard, Honey Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle,
Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle and perhaps Griffon Vulture,
Imperial Eagle and Steppe Eagle. |
| day
4 - Cappadocia --- Today
we fly to Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. Before we start
our drive to regional Cappadocia, we will visit the unique
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, and the area known as old
Ankara, or the inner citadel. En route we will visit a 13th
C Silk Road Caravan-serai. As we arrive in Cappadocia, we
will be searching for the Long-legged Buzzard and Alpine Swifts
soaring above us. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia. |
| day
5 - Cappadocia - Sultan Marsh --- To
the south of regional Cappadocia is the well known Sultan
Marsh Bird Paradise (17.000 ha.), one of the most important
wetlands in Turkey. This place has both fresh and brackish
water ecosystems with a fascinating view of Mount Erciyes
(3916 m.). Here at the wetland you will be able to see several
water birds; Pygmy Cormorant, Dalmatian Pelican, Little Bittern,
Night Heron, White Stork, Black Stork, Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis,
thousands of Greater Flamingo, Gadwall, White-headed Duck,
Greater Sand Plover, Avocet, Mediterranean Gull, Slender-billed
Gull and Gull-billed Tern, as well as the Black-bellied Sandgrouse,
Lesser Short-toed Lark and Isabellina Wheatear on the surroundings
steppes. Picnic lunch in the field. |
| day
6 - Cappadocia --- In
the morning we will visit Goreme Open Air Museum with rock
cut churches. En route we will see the Valley of Pigeons and
Avcilar, a perfect location to get a general view of central
Cappadocia. We will also visit the Byzantine military fortification
known as Uchisar- built in a massive tufa rock-, and the underground
city of Kaymakli. We will stop at convenient birding points
along the road. We may spot Egyptian Vulture, Long-legged
Buzzard, Roller and Rock Thrush. |
| day
7 - Adana - Akyatan Lake --- Today
we leave Cappadocia for Adana, over the picturesque Taurus
Mauntains. After lunch we will drive further south to Akyatan
Lake on the Mediterranean. The wetland (7.500 ha. with dune
zone) has varying salinity with the effect of the sea and
freshwater systems. Here we will explore one of the largest
dune zones in Turkey with reeds, salt pans and grass lands,
in search for the Purple Gallinule, Black Francolin, Marbled
Duck, White-breasted Kingfisher which are all rare birds,
and breeding in the area. We may also see species like the
White-headed Duck, Marsh Harrier, Spur-winged Plover, Stone-curlew
and Rufous Robin. |
| day
8 - Goksu Delta --- After
breakfast we will drive to Goksu Delta which is probably the
best birding place in the country, with dune, salt water,
channel and reed habitats. Here we will be able to see the
species like Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Purple Heron, Spur-winged
Plover, Marbled Duck, White-breasted Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher
and Graceful Warbler. We will also be in search for different
waders and sea birds, Greater Sand Plover, Audouin's Gull
and Whiskered Tern. |
| day
9 - Goksu Canyon & Uzuncaburc --- This
morning we will visit Goksu River Canyon. Here at the canyon
we may watch the Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Spotted
Eagle, Peregrine, White-throated Robin and Rock Nuthatch.
Later in the day, in Uzuncaburc we will visit the ruins of
the ancient Olba and the Zeus Temple. Here we’ll be
watching for the Golden Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Scops
Owl, Black-eared Wheatears, Ruppel’s Warbler, Yellow-vented
Bulbul and Krupper’s Nuthatch while the Bee-eater can
be seen in the spring migration. Picnic lunch in the field. |
| day
10 - Goksu Delta --- Today
we are heading for the west part of Goksu Delta. We’ll
be following a route passing through dunes, fresh and brackish
water wetland ecosystems in search for the Cattle Egret, Grey
Heron, Purple Heron, Ferruginous Duck, Marbled Duck, Purple
Gallinule, Spur-winged Plover, Rufous Bush Robin, Graceful
Warbler and Fan-tailed Warbler. Black Francolin may suddenly
appear in front of us along the dunes. Picnic lunch in the
field. We will return to Adana for overnight. |
| day
11 - Istanbul --- We
will take the flight back to Istanbul. Farewell dinner will
conclude the day. |
| day
12 --- Tour
is over after breakfast. |
Individual
pre- & post- tour extensions are available to various
destinations |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|
|
