Whilst on a family holiday this spring, I managed to get a surprising amount of birding in. This turned up a few sought-after birds in new places, the locations of which I share with you now.
Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum
If you should still need this whilst heading back along the main coast road connecting Fethiye and Antalya, you should try the picturesque little valley west of the archeological site at Xanthus, between Golbent and Bogazici, where Olive-tree Warbler would appear to have a local stronghold.
Directions; first locate the village of Eşen on your map. Just south of here on the road out of the village is Golbent. Here, at the minor road t-junction with a small shop and adjoining tea house, turn west (signposted) towards Bogazici and Karagaac. 2.5 kms towards Bogazici, I had a singing bird in an open olive grove on the north side of the road, opposite a shallow roadside sand quarry. A few kms further along (or 1 km short of the bridge on a sharp right-hand bend just before Bogazici), there was a breeding pair in some large oak trees on the south side of the road. Also here are Masked Shrike, Middle-spotted and Syrian Woodpeckers, and Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler.
White-throated Robin Irania guttaralis
At the old Ottoman bridge at the right turn towards Seki from the main inland Fethiye-Korkuteli road. Perhaps not such a new site – but if coming up from Fethiye you need go no further east for the robin than this. There was a couple at least here on the south side of the Seki road. Also many warblers, Long-legged Buzzards and Ruddy Shelduck here. More White-throated Robins at Kinik (stop 8, page 18 in Gosney’s FB Western Turkey) a few kms further east, plus Eastern Orphean Warbler and Olivaceous Warblers right beside the main road.
Mike Waite [edbooble1@yahoo.co.uk]