Today we spent the day around the Gizil-Agach State Reserve region. Updated Trip Report HERE. Highlights included Siberian Buff-bellied Pipit, Caspian Stonechat, good numbers of waders, Dalmation Pelicans, Pallas's Gulls, White-tailed Eagles and a few spring migrants including a flock of 40 White Stork and 2 Barn Swallow. Hopefully that is an indicator that conditions are improving for migration. We are in contact with the park rangers in Iran who will let us know when the Siberian Crane leaves Iran (it always leaves in late February - early March and heads north to Russia via the Azerbaijan Wetlands). It was still in Iran today so now following our first few days of orientating and logistics our group of 30 birders will split up and do some general birding/mammal watching waiting for the Crane to start moving North. It's a long shot for visiting birders but has been achieved successfully once before in 2020 HERE.
Pallas's Gulls
Siberian Buff-bellied Pipit (Pic by Vince)
Caspian Tern and Caspian Gulls on the Caspian Sea (and Pallas's Gull)
Chiffchaff- ssp- always a headache to classify in this region. Interestingly Svennson and Shirihai only recognise collybita, abietinus and tristis for the lesser WP (and menzbieri in Iran) with no mention of fulvescens or brevirostris which traditionally have been the suspect identification of the tristis like calling Chiffs (but with regular chiffchaff songs and diverse looking plumages ) in Turkey and Caucasus during the winter. Presumably they are suggesting these odd birds are hybrids tristis /abietinus?
White Wagtail - the broad white edges to the coverts indicate the eastern form of ‘Alba’ M.a. dukhenensis
Reed Bunting possibly of pallidor race
Water Pipit (coutelli)
Golden Jackals
No comments:
Post a Comment