Demirkazak

Our base for Demirkazik

An 03.30 start saw us driving the short distance from our Pension with Oz Safak our guide to meet up with the tractor driver who would take us high into the mountains for our main quarry of Caspian Snowcock. The tractor made short work of the climb though not the most comfortable of rides. As soon as we dismounted Snowcocks could be heard but could not be seen in the early morning gloom. We all scrambled higher up the hillside and eventually the tractor driver spotted one  and got us all onto it, then another was spotted and 2 more quickly followed, at least 5 were seen with more heard. I did take some record shots but they are all dots on a rock.

Radde's Accentor

Several Radde's Accentors were seen but were surprisingly difficult to photograph that's my excuse.   Snowfinches, Red-fronted Serins, Crimson Winged finches, Shorelarks and Black Redstarts were common. Also seen were Cretzschmars Bunting, Ortolan, Northern Wheatear and Linnets.

Snowfinch

Ortolan

Crimson Winged finch

Shorelark

Health and safety rules don't apply!

As time was short we opted to ride the tractor back down which allowed us more time to explore the lower slopes and fields.
The slopes produced a pair of Finsch's Wheatear feeding young in the nest more Crimson winged finches, a Booted Eagle hunting the abundant Susliks, Hoopoe, Isabelline Wheatears, Serin and many of the smaller butterflys.

Finsch's Wheatear

Suslik

Bimaculated Lark

In the nearby fields we found Bimaculated Larks, more Shorelarks, Crested Larks , abundant Isabelline Wheatears, while overhead Red billed Chough and Alpine Chough made flying look easy, a Long-legged Buzzard soared over.

Shorelark

Short-toed Lark

By the track to the chromium mine we found several family parties of White Throated Robins, Short-toed Larks, more of the abundant Isabelline Wheatears, Eastern Black-Eared and Northern Wheatears, a Barred Warbler, Red-backed Shrikes, Black-headed Buntings and more Crimson Winged finches.

White Throated Robin

Juvenile Isabelline Wheatear

In a nearby gorge we found Golden Eagle, Steppe Buzzard, Rock Sparrows, Rock Bunting,  Eastern Orphean Warbler, Crag Martins, Alpine Swifts, Black Redstarts, and both Choughs.
In the orchards by the stream Golden Orioles were seen and heard, Red-backed Shrikes, Eastern Olivacious Warblers, Nightingales, Serins, Syrian Woodpeckers and more.