TURKEY 28 May–11 June 2009 Leaders: Soner Bekir and Vaughan Ashby

On this fantastic new tour, we shall be exploring the south-eastern quarter of a country that is more than three times the size of the UK. From our first full day looking for Caspian Snowcock and Radde's Accentor on high mountain scree to our last full day searching a remote plain for Mongolian Finch and Grey-necked Bunting, this will be a tour packed with spectacular scenery and special birds. Turkey’s great cultural diversity, a result of location and a turbulent past, will be much in evidence and at one point during the tour we will be a mere ten miles from the very edge of the Western Palearctic.

Day 1 Flight from London, via Istanbul, to Adana in southern Turkey, followed by a drive to Camardi, in the Taurus Mountains, for a two-night stay.

Day 2 Our tractor ride up to Demirkazik will necessitate an extremely early start in order to see Caspian Snowcock at dawn. Golden Eagle, Radde’s and Alpine Accentors, Finsch’s Wheatear, Rufous-tailed and Blue Rock-thrushes, Wallcreeper, Yellow-billed and Red-billed Choughs, Red-fronted Serin, Crimson-winged Finch, Snowfinch and Lammergeier also occur here. Depending upon what we see during the morning, we can choose to either walk back down the gorge looking for Chukar or return on the tractor. Weather permitting, this promises to be a day to remember!

Day 3 We will try again for Caspian Snowcock if the weather was unkind yesterday. Alternatively, we will visit the nearby Emli Valley for other montane species and where Eurasian Eagle-owl sometimes can be found. Then we will set off on the long drive to the Mediterranean coast, where we will spend the late afternoon birding at the internationally important Goksu Delta. Three-nights stay in Tasucu.

Days 4–5 The area abounds with herons, ducks, waders, gulls and terns and we will visit a number of localities including Lake Akgol and Paradeniz Golu. Among the specialities we shall look for are Marbled Duck, Black Francolin, Purple Swamphen, Spur-winged Lapwing, Audouin's Gull, White-throated Kingfisher, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Graceful Prinia and Moustached Warbler. If time allows, we will head inland to the Uzuncaburc area, where Olive-tree, Barred and Rüppell’s Warblers, Krüper’s Nuthatch and Masked Shrike may be found.

Day 6 We will leave at dawn and drive eastwards, punctuating our long journey with comfort and birding stops. Short-toed Snake-eagles and Booted Eagles, Pallid Swifts, Isabelline Wheatears and Black-headed Buntings are likely reasons for unscheduled pauses, while White-throated and Pied Kingfishers could be our reward for taking a short break at Kirmitli wetland. Longer stops will be necessary in the Isikli and Durnalik Valleys for Red-tailed Wheatear, which can be difficult to find. While searching for the star species we will surely be distracted by a tremendous supporting cast which includes White-throated Robin, Black-eared Wheatear, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Western Rock Nuthatch, Cretzschmar's Bunting, Upcher’s Warbler, Sombre Tit and Cinereous Bunting. Overnight in Gaziantep where Laughing Doves breed in the town.

Day 7 Target species not seen during the previous day will determine today’s schedule, we may remain in the Isikli Valley and/or the Durnalik Valley or start out early for Birecik. At the latest, by the afternoon, we will arrive in the wonderfully atmospheric town of Birecik, home of the semi-wild Northern Bald Ibises, where we spend three nights.

Days 8–9 Pistachio orchards, parks and the famous gorge are some of the sites we will explore in and around Birecik as we look for Northern Bald Ibis, See-see Partridge, Syrian Woodpecker, Little Swift, Upcher's and Menetries's Warblers, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Chestnut-shouldered Petronia, Rufous Bush-robin, Dead Sea Sparrow and Desert Finch. Eastern Rock Nuthatch and Bonelli's Eagle also occur in a small town near Birecik, half of which is under the waters of a reservoir. Pale Rock Sparrow and Desert Lark are among the other possibilities to be found here whilst Pygmy Cormorant and Pied Kingfisher may be found along the Euphrates River. Information from our local contacts may help us to locate the nomadic Cream-coloured Courser on the steppes. We will also check the site where, in 2006, a small colony of Iraq Babblers was discovered. At night, we will continue to bird, looking for owl species including Eurasian and Striated Scops-owls and Barn and Long-eared Owls.

Day 10 Today we will head eastwards, breaking our long drive with stops for Spectacled Warbler and a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater colony en route. Overnight in Cizre, along the Tigris (Dicle) River in the extreme south of Turkey.

Day 11 Today’s target species will be Red-wattled Lapwing. We will make an early start to look for them at a newly found and accessible location outside the control of the military. It is in the vast steppes that are punctuated by small rocky streams near Syrian border. We will then continue our long journey eastwards, but if there is enough time, we will visit Nemrut Crater Lake for Velvet (Asiatic) Scoter and Bimaculated Lark en-route in the late afternoon. Overnight in Tatvan on the western shore of Lake Van.

Day 12 Lake Van, at 3755km², is the largest lake in Turkey and today we will travel along its northern shore. We will search the marshes, with Paddyfield Warbler the main focus of our efforts, and check Sodaligol, which is an wonderful stop-over site for migrating waders. Armenian Gulls are common here together with breeding White-headed Ducks, whilst migrant waders may include Marsh, Terek and Broad-billed Sandpipers and Red-necked Phalarope. Two nights in Ercis.

Day 13 Today we will start early and spend all day on and around Bulanik Plain where Turkey's highest concentration of breeding Great Bustards and its only known Demoiselle Crane breeding area are found in the valley of the Murat River thanks to the continuing use of traditional agricultural practices. We will also hope to see Cattle Egret, Montagu's Harrier, Common Crane, Gull-billed and White-winged Terns and Lesser Short-toed Larks and Calandra Larks here. We may be even be fortunate enough to locate Little Bustard or Black-winged Pratincole, whilst more passage waders can be found.

Day 14 Seeing the amazing rock formations created by lava flows from Mount Tendurek is not the only reason for visiting Caldiran Plain, as Citrine Wagtail, Rock Petronia, Trumpeter, Mongolian and Crimson-winged Finches and White-winged Snowfinch can all be found there. Later, we will drive to Ishakpasa Palace, a beautiful caravanserai, where Saker, Lammergeier, Mongolian Finch and Grey-necked Bunting breed. Overnight in Dogubeyazit located in extreme eastern Turkey near its border with Iran.

Day 15 Sadly it is time to leave, so we must travel south to Van to catch an internal flight to Istanbul, where we will board our flight back to London.

General Information Although bad weather is unlikely, the temperature will vary from cold in the mountains to warm on the coast; some rain is possible. The pace of the tour is moderate with generally easy walking, although some extra effort will be needed at high altitude. There are some special health requirements and you should refer to your doctor for advice. Insects will not be a major problem except around lakes and marshes. Accommodation will be the best available, mainly with en-suite. Transport will be by air-conditioned minibus. Road conditions are generally good although some rough roads can be expected when accessing birding areas and there are some long journeys. Visas are required but they can be obtained on arrival at a cost of £10 for UK citizens.

Group size Minimum number for tour to go ahead: 8; maximum group size: 14 with 2 leaders.

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