TURKEY

Brown Fish-owl Exclusive

9–13 July 2012
30 September–4 October 2012

Day 1 We will take an afternoon direct flight from London Gatwick to Antalya airport and transfer to our base in the Taurus Mountains for the next four nights.

Days 2–4 We will spend all three days birding in the Taurus Mountains where we will visit a variety of habitats including Alpine slopes, coniferous forests, maquis, orchards and steppes. Species we will look for include Krüper's Nuthatch, Eastern Bonelli's, Olive-tree and Rüppell's Warblers, Masked Shrike, Finsch's Wheatear, White-throated Robin, Sombre Tit, Cretzschmar's Bunting and Red-fronted Serin amongst more widespread European species. We will take packed lunches with us and return in the early evenings for dinner before setting out on our night excursions to look for Brown Fish-owl. The tracks to the sites are extremely rough and not suitable for saloon cars so we will use our high ground clearance vehicle to drive as close to the site as possible before walking the remaining distance. We may spend up to midnight searching for the birds (their vocalisations are barely audible) and as soon as everyone has had a good view we will leave the site. Because of the size of the area we have to search and the range of the birds, it is likely that we may have to return for a second or even third night, which is why the duration of the tour is slightly longer than would normally be expected for looking for one species.

Day 5 We will spend the morning birding our way back to the coast and may visit some coastal birding sites before boarding our late evening flight home arriving in the UK shortly after midnight.

General Information The pace of this tour is moderate with only a reasonable degree of fitness although walks at night will be over rocky terrain. The weather will be warm to very hot. Visas are required for EU citizens but can be purchased on arrival at a cost of around £10.

There are numerous risks to this highly threatened population (possibly a new species based on vocalisation) including habitat destruction, hunting and disturbance. It is therefore vitally important that conservation bodies receive funds to protect this species and landowners receive compensation and reward for allowing visitors on their land and ensuring the wellbeing of the birds. Therefore organised visits to the sites are the only way forward and conservation bodies and landowners will receive substantial benefits from this regime. Visits will also only take place during the non-breeding season so that disturbance to the species will be kept to an absolute minimum. For the protection of the birds, anyone using a GPS or similar device will be asked to leave the tour immediately.

Group Size Minimum number for tour to go ahead: 6; maximum group size: 12 with 1 leader.