TURKEY - a report from a birdwatching trip to Central ... - Netfugl.dk

256. Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor Rosenbrystet Tornskade
Widespread and common in warm open country, especially in Central Anatolia. Scarce in the east.
2005: Largest numbers 13.5 15 Akgöl, Göksu Delta - 13.5 9 Göksu Delta - 15.5 38 Kayseri -
Sariskla - 15.5 13 Sariskla - Sivas. Scarcer in the east, with 18.5 11 between Halikista and Tuzlea
and 18.5 4 Serpmetas as the largest numbers, but mainly singletons observed the rest of the tour,
indicating a fall of migrants 13.5 (as largely absent from same areas 23-24.5, as seen in Red-backed
Shrike).
2006: Widespread in open landscape, most 14.5 4 Göksu Delta – 17.5 6 Sultan Sazligi – 17.5 20
Kayseri-Sarkisla – 17.5 6 Kayseri-Sivas – 17.5 17 Sivas-Kizildag Gecedi – 18.5 10 Erzinzan-
Mercan.
2007. Fewer than in 2005-2006, especially in central West. Most 14.5 2 Akgöl, Göksu Delta – 15.5
2 Göksu Delta – 16.5 6 Sultan Sazligi – 17.5 3 Sarkisla-Sivas – 21.5 6 Patnos-Bulanik – 21.5 4
Bulanik.
257. Iraq Babbler Turdoides altirostris Irak Larmdrossel
2007: 24.5 6 (pair with 4 recently fledged youngs) Gravel Pits, Birezik.
Following the recent spread along River Euphrates into Jordan, with breeding as close as 15 km.
south of the border (Hofland & Saveyn 2006), the species was first observed May 2006 at Birezik,
where is bred in the Gravel Pits, and also seen along River Euphrates south of the town in June
2006 (Goosens 2006) and 20-21.5 2007, at western side of river Euphrates (Stronack 2007).
The breeding site in 2007 was a swampy, green area with high reeds and lush undercover. It is
close to “site 11” in Gosney (1991). Direction: Immediately W of hotel Mirkelam, a road leads
towards “Isik Restaurant”. The this road, which passes the gravel works, and forks at exactly 2 km.
The left fork borders fields, whereas the right fork have marshy areas on both sides. Just where two
electric line crosses is the breeding site. Following breeding it appears that the birds spread over a
slightlt larger area. They keep rather skulky, making the twitch rather time-consulpting. We fould
the birds after waiting for an hour. On the morning of 26 May we sped two hours without result, but
the birds have been observed regularly by patient birders up to mid June (Hans Rudne, Chriss
Lansdell in e-mail).
The species is slightly smaller than Arabian Babbler., looking rather nondescript sandy with slight
brown streaking in crown and mantle and dark, curved bill. The rather skulky behaviour it not
shared by other WP babbalers, but is similar to the swamp-ling babblers of India, e.g.Striated
Babbler.
258. Common Magpie Pica pica Husskade
Widespread, but scarce throughout. Most 17.5 2006 32 Sultan Sazligi - 17.5 20 Kayseri-Sarkisla.
2007: Most 16.5 20 Sultan Sazligi.
259. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius anatoliae Skovskade
2005: 17.5 1 Deperapazi.
2006: 14.5 1 Adana-Silifke – 15.5 1 Silifke – 15.5 2 Imamli – 15.5 1 Imamli-Mut – 15.5 2 north of
Mut – 18.5 2 Erzinzan-Mercan – 18.5 3 Ispir - 19.5 1 Sivri Kaya – 19.5 1 Sivri Kaya-Kalkandere –
20.5 1 Cam Gecedi – 23.5 3 Van-Tatvan.
2007: 14.5 1 Silifke -15.5 1 Silifke – 15.5 2 Demirzili – 15.5 1 Göksu Delta-Mersin – 17.5 1
Kizilham Gecedi-Erzinzan – 18.5 1 Maden Köprubasi-Ovitdagi Gecedi – 19.5 2 Hopa – 22.5 1 Idil-
Mardin.