South of Adana

Long-legged Buzzard

Yellow-vented Bulbul

Armenian Gulls, adult (top), 2nd/3rd win (middle) and 1st wins (top and third down).

Single mirror on p10, squared off black on primaries, black markings from p4 and four coloured bill are all features of adult Armenian.

1st winters look like small Yellow-legged Gull but with paler primary windows (top) and more barring on the greater coverts.

Great-black headed Gulls and Armenian Gulls

Checked out the delta complex south of Adana. The place is alive with birds. Akyatan Golu is a winter mecca. A couple of thousand Greater Flamingo, stacks of Coot, Teal, Mallard also Great white Egrets, Little Egrets, Caspian Tern, Sandwich Tern, Armenian Gulls, Slender-billed Gulls(20+), the odd Common Gull and Black-headed Gulls. Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Hen Harrier and Long-legged Buzzard were plastered all over the place. Waders included Avocet, Snipe, Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Lapwings, Redshank, Common Sandpiper and there were a few Cettis Warblers. Other passerines included flocks of Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Crested Lark, Water Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Serin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Black Redstarts and a load of Stonechats.

Birds of the day were White-throated Kingfisher (2 in orange groves en route to the golu), Pied Kingfishers (3+ on the golu), Yellow-vented Bulbul (Karatas) and Great-black Headed Gulls.