Eastern Specialities:
On this exceptional new tour to the very edge of the Western Palearctic, we shall be exploring the eastern most parts of this amazingly rich and varied country. Turkey is more than three times the size of Great Britain and holds many of the most sought after species of the region, including Caspian Snowcock, Red-wattled Lapwing, Radde's Accentor, Iraq Babbler, Chestnut- shouldered Petronia, Red-fronted Serin, Mongolian Finch & Grey-necked Bunting to name just a few. Its rich bird diversity is a reflection of its geographical position; with species more readily associated with North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia all mixing here with a host of more familiar European species. This will also be a tour packed with spectacular scenery and great cultural diversity, a result of both location and a turbulent past.

Day 1
Meet at the Airport for our flight, via Istanbul, to Adana in southern Turkey where we spend our first night at Camardi.

Day 2
Our first day of birding requires a very early start for our tractor ride to the summit of Demirkazik (3425m) in order to see the elusive but much sought after Caspian Snowcock at dawn. Other targets here include Radde's Accentors, White-throated Robin, Finsch's Wheatear, Red-fronted Serin and Crimson-winged Finch, and with a supporting cast of Alpine Accentor, Rock Thrush, Alpine Chough, Wallcreeper, Snowfinch and Lammergeier this promises to be a day to remember

Overnight in Camardi

Day 3
The morning will be spent further searching for mountain species, with another chance for Caspian Snowcock if the weather was unkind yesterday. In the afternoon we will drive down to the Mediterranean coast, spending the remainder of the evening birding at the internationally important Göksu Delta. Overnight in Tasucu

Days 4–5
Will be spent further exploring the Göksu Delta, a complex mix of habitats, with long sand dunes, brackish lagoons, the fresh water Lake Akgöl, and agricultural fields of subtropical nature. The whole area abounds with herons, ducks, waders, gulls and terns including targets such as White-throated Kingfisher, Spectacled Bulbul and Graceful Prinia, together with Marbled Duck, Ferruginous Duck, Black Francolin, Purple Gallinule, Spur-winged Lapwing and Audouins Gull. Inland the hills along the river Göksu will be explored in search for Upcher's Warbler, together with Olive-tree and Rüppell's Warblers, Krüpers Nuthatch and Masked Shrike. Overnight in Tasucu

Day 6
Today we continue eastwards, with Short-toed and Booted Eagles, Isabelline Wheatear and Black-headed Bunting all likely from the road. Longer stops will be made at the newly discovered Kirmitli reserve to look for White-throated and Pied Kingfishers. In the afternoon we'll stop to check the dry oak scrub near Isikli and Durnalik to look for Red-tailed Wheatear and Upcher's Warbler. Other birds here include White-throated Robin, Black-eared Wheatear, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Western Rock Nuthatch, Sombre Tit and both Cretzschmar's and Cinereous Bunting. In the evening we'll arrive at Gaziantep, home to breeding Laughing Doves.

Day 7
If we are still missing any target species from the previous day we have the morning to revisit Isikli and Durnalik Valleys in search of the missing species before heading to the delightfully atmospheric town of Birecik. However If no targets are missing we'll head straight to Birecik, the most visited towi by birders along the River Euphrates, and home of the semi-wild Northern Bald Ibises.

Overnight in Birecik

Days 8–9
Birecik is a very rich area of rare habitats featuring parks and woodlands along the River Euphrates, Pistachio orchards, Wadis and the famous gorge home to the Northern Bald Ibis colony. Other birds we hope to encounter include See-see Partridge, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Bimaculated Lark, Desert Lark, Ménétries's Warbler, Little Swift, Dead Sea Sparrow, Chestnut-shouldered Petronia, Pale Rockfinch and Desert Finch. We will also visit the rolling hills and rocky cliffs along the Euphrates in search for Eastern Rock Nuthatch and Bonelli's Eagle, while the river itself may hold Pygmy Cormorant and Pied Kingfisher. Back in Birecik, we will visit the site of the only colony of Iraq Babblers in Turkey, discovered as recently as 2006. At night we will look for owls, which may include Barn, Long-eared and both Eurasian and Striated Scops Owls

Day 10
Leaving Birecik we head ever eastwards, stopping en route to admire a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater colony. Overnight in Cizre along the Tigris (Dicle) River in the extreme south of Turkey, close to the Syrian border.

Day 11
The main target for the day will be to find Red-wattled Lapwing along the Tigris River and its smaller tributeries, where it is present at the most western point of its distribution. Later we will drive north and visit the Nemrut Crater Lake, where Velvet (Asiatic) Scoter occur, along with Bimaculated Lark, Radde's Accentor and Crimson-winged Finch. Finally we'll move to Tatvan on the western shore of Lake Van which at 3755 sq. km, is the largest lake in Turkey.

Overnight at Tatvan

Day 12
We will visit the marshes along the shores of Lake Van, Armenian Gull is common here, while other target breeders include White-headed Duck and Paddyfield Warbler. On passage some interesting waders can be found and may include Marsh, Terek and Broad-billed Sandpipers and Red-necked Phalarope amongst the commoner species.

Day 13
An early start will be made, spending all day on and around the Bulanik Plain, Turkey's biggest flooded plain, which is shaped by the River Murat. This is the country's last remaining breeding area of Demoiselle Crane, and home to its highest concentration of breeding Great Bustard, a result of the continuing use of time-honoured farming practices. Other birds include Common Crane, Montagu's Harrier, Lesser Short-toed and Calandra Larks and Gull-billed Tern.

Day 14
Today we will drive north of Lake Van and visit the lava fields of Mount Tendürek with its amazing rock formations and meadows of the Caldiran Plain, home to Citrine Wagtail, Rock Sparrow and both Trumpeter and Crimson-winged Finch. Later, we will visit the beautiful Ishakpasa Palace, the palace of the local Ottoman governor. It is also home to breeding Mongolian Finch and Grey-necked Bunting, while both Saker and Lammergeier also occur. Overnight in Dogubeyazit in extreme eastern Turkey close to the Iranian border.

Day 15
With the holiday now nearing its end we will drive back to Van and catch our internal flight to Istanbul, from where we fly back to London.

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