Friday 17th May: Sakaroun Hills

 Once again we had a brilliant morning of car park birding, the highlight today being four Spotted Flycatchers, parachuting back and forth from the bushes. Goldfinches were busy feeding young, the fledged birds fluttering their wings as they begged for food. A superb Nightingale landed in a small tree, before unexpectedly dropping to the ground of the vegetable garden, where it posed right out in the open, showing its rich rufous colouration and wide tail. The ubiquitous Red-backed Shrike was present, and the regular Syrian Woodpecker, which clearly had a territory here. House Martins filled the air, a Blue Tit flew in, and a Grey Heron drifted over. The White Stork continued to sit on its tree stump and a  Greenfinch song provided musical accompaniment to the bird-filled scene.

Today was primarily a transfer day to the Black Sea coast, with planned birding stops on the way. The first of these was again briefly at the dam, ostensibly to look for Cirl Bunting, which Clive had not yet seen. The Kestrels were here again, and a Black Redstart was also seen well. As we travelled on, both Honey Buzzard and Lesser Spotted Eagle were noted in flight.

Our next stop was a site where Levant Sparrowhawk had a nest. The birds flew off as we arrived, seen only by Dimiter and some at the front of the bus. We alighted to scan the skies and wait for them to return. This was a beautifully serene place, with a bridge over a quiet creek lined with wild flowers, the air filled with singing Marsh Frogs. Beyond, was a wide, fast flowing river. Above the creek, a Kingfisher sped upstream, and the air hummed with hirundines and bee-eaters. We took a short walk to set the scope up at a safe distance from the nest. On the way, Tim spotted a Masked Shrike, which rested on the bare low branches of a tree, allowing excellent views. This was our only sighting of this species, so it was a great find. After lingering a while, we wondered if our presence was preventing the birds from returning to the nest, so we wandered slowly back to the van. Of course, an adult bird then appeared and skirted low along the tree line in front of us before disappearing from view, with just a couple of us at the front managing to see it.

Masked Shrike

We soon crossed over a reservoir, where a Great Egret stood in the water, A Ruddy Shelduck sat on the bank, and two Common Terns roosted on posts in the water. Two new trip ticks without even leaving the bus!

 Our next stop was at Levka village, to view a colony of Lesser Kestrels. These were thriving, with nest boxes providing the accommodation and an adjacent field of goats providing the insect larder. Spanish Sparrows also took full advantage of the facilities on offer! 

Lesser Kestrel

Goats!

After lunch we continued the journey through lovely countryside, with poppy-strewn fields, and rolling, open plains, scattered with broadleaf trees and punctuated with red-roofed villages. At our next stop we found a pair of Eastern Imperial Eagles, one sat motionless on a pylon, while the other soared majestically over the terrain, a purple haze of wild flowers. A Marsh Harrier skirted the edges of the valley, and behind us a ghost-grey Montagu's Harrier crossed low across the fields. On the ground we were entertained by sislik, local ground squirrels, stood jauntily on hind legs as they scoured the landscape. An Isabelline Wheatear and Crested Lark hopped amongst the grassland, and Linnets flitted overhead. A Long-legged Buzzard, with notably paler colouration completed an impressive tally of raptors.

Sislik

Our final stop of the day was in a woodland area where Dimiter hoped to show us Semi-collared Flycatcher. However, their nest had been predated, with no sight or sound of the adult birds, and just the nest remnants and a fragment of blue egg lying on the ground. A Middle -spotted Woodpecker and Eurasian Treecreeper made the visit worthwhile, despite this disappointment. Feeling weary after a long day of travel, we were pleased to finally arrive at our next hotel in time for dinner.