Winter trip 2015. Greater Caucasus.

Text © K. Gauger & M. Heiß

After the awful dump at Besh Barmag we drove via Quba into the Greater Caucasus in order to see a much nicer landscape. Our plan was to reach Xinaliq regardless the possible snow cover or expected cold temperatures high up in the mountains. Nobody of us has ever been there in winter, so we were pretty excited.
The first kilometres offered us brilliant views of the Caucasian winter, but we missed the birds along the road in the lower forested altitudes. We saw mainly Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes and three Goshawks.

Driving through the Caucasus © Michael Heiß

Caucasian winter wonderland © Michael Heiß

Above the tree layer we had a spectacular sighting of a Lammergeier that was circling above a canyon at about 1.500 m asl. At the same location we observed 35 Red-billed Choughs, 1 Ring Ouzel, some European Goldfinches and a surprising Great Grey Shrike. As it was already late we drove down to our hotel where we spent the night.

Impressive Lammergeier © Lukas Pelikan

Less snow than expected © Pia Fetting

The next morning started with freezing cold -6°C and a calling Black Woodpecker. We headed further to the ancient village Xinaliq. Along the road we saw two beautiful Horned Larks and our first birding stop in the village Cek produced great views of a Wallcreeper and 4 Alpine Accentors. Along the river we saw several White-throated Dippers.

Checking Cek for birds © Michael Heiß

Wallcreeper © Kai Gauger

The asphalted road led us further to Xinaliq and arriving there we were happy that we had no trouble with snow and the sun warmed us with about +6°C. The weather conditions above 2.000 m asl were much more comfortable than in the lowland. A little hike up to 3.000 m asl produced more sightings of Lammergeiers, Griffon Vultures, Horned Larks, 27 Chukars, 42 Alpine and about 220 Red-billed Choughs. We also observed the spectacular hunting of up to 3 Golden Eagles preying on Caucasian Snowcocks at Qizil Qaya.
After a long day we left Xinaliq in the evening and had once again a comfortable night in our hotel.

Flock of Red-billed Choughs © Kai Gauger

Picturesque Greater Caucasus © Michael Heiß

Road to Xinaliq © Michael Heiß

Red-billed Chough along the road © Michael Heiß

Xinaliq in winter © Michael Heiß

Impressive rock formation named Qizil Gaya... © Michael Heiß

...where we observed Golden Eagles hunting for Caucasian Snowcocks © Steve Klasan

High mountain birding can be very relaxing © Lukas Pelikan

Great panorama © Pia Fetting

Sunlit Xinaliq in the evening © Michael Heiß

The following day we drove down to Qusar, where we checked orchards and arable land for some wintering species. Besides the common species we were really happy to see two quite tame Red-fronted Serins. Until these two individuals, we had only disappointing observations of this species. Another big disappointment was that we had no observation of Pine Buntings, which was one of the highlights from our last winter birding trip. Near Qusar, we saw about 120 Yellowhammers and checked each individual carefully. At least 5 individuals showed features of both species and we logged them as possible hybrids Emberiza citrinella x leucocephalos. Another birding stop in the lowland forests of Samur-Yalama produced as a new species for the trip: a single Middle Spotted Woodpecker.

Yellowhammers and a possible hybrid (upper left) © Michael Heiß

Long-legged Buzzard © Michael Heiß

Beautiful Red-fronted Serins © Michael Heiß

...and a short video of them © Lukas Pelikan

Azeri birdwatcher © Michael Heiß

Winter trip 2015. Besh Barmag: Gulls, gulls, gulls...

Text © K. Gauger & M. Heiß 

After a night in Qəbələ we continued the way back to the coast. Unfortunately, the weather along the mountains was all but good with low clouds, rain and no visibility at all. So we couldn't enjoy the beautiful landscape. Thus birds were rare and there is nothing to tell except three Imperial Eagles along the road in Gobustan, including a pair at the nest, and a Peregrine.

In the afternoon we finally reached Besh Barmag. Some birding in the bushes and at the beach quickly showed that there are a lot of birds in the area. Most prominent were of course the gulls. We pitched our tents at the traditional site to stay here for two nights. In the evening we had a nice campfire and were curious what the next day might bring. But before a little night excursion produced a flushed Short-eared Owl and, much better, a long and close observation of a Jungle Cat- great!
 

Gulls and morning light on the snow-covered caucasus © Steve Klasan

Our camping site at Besh Barmag © Michael Heiß

The next day started with early birding and walking to the dump. The camping site, the bushes, the migration watchpoint, the lagoon, these are all nice places. But to be honest, the dump is really disgusting. Streams of slaughterhouse wastewater and tons of poultry dung produce a weird scenery. But exactly therefore the place is full of birds. 
After several estimations we finally noted 100.000 gulls of which ~60% were large ones and ~40% heinei-Mew Gulls. They were sitting at the beach, swimming offshore and flying around in huge clouds. These clouds were building eddys down to the feeding and despite the poor quality this video gives a little impression of the steady gull stream to the delta of the main wastewater outflow.
We were wondering what the eagles and vultures might feed her. But just until an old tractor brought a hanger of dead or even more or less living chicken and dropped them off. Now we knew...
The maximum count of White-tailed Eagles was 205, Black Vultures were at least 42, Black Kites about 30 and also each a handful of Griffon Vultures, Long-legged Buzzards and immature Imperial Eagles were around. Other numerous species were thousands of Rooks, hundreds of Jackdaws, 300 Grey Herons and some thousand Starlings.

Fresh food for eagles, vultures, wolves and jackals © Kai Gauger

...and chicken feet with tomato sauce for the gulls © Michael Heiß

Gull feeding © Kai Gauger

Too much gulls © Michael Heiß

A few of more than 200 W-t Eagles and 40 Black Vultures © Kai Gauger

Juvenile Imperial Eagle © Kai Gauger

Immature White-tailed Eagle © Kai Gauger

Among the gulls we managed to find Azerbaijan's second Glaucous Gull (after the first one at the same site in April 2012) and the first ever Herring Gull. It was hard to get close to the huge, chaotic and rather shy mass and there might have been a lot more to find... The discussion about how much barabensis are amoung the cachinnans is still going on. But there were basically no dark birds (heuglini, fuscus) as we know from migration times.
Other birds to mention were some migrating flocks of ducks, two unidentified divers, 8 Dalmatian Pelicans and 12 Flamingos and each the only Red-breasted Merganser and Woodcock of the trip. There were quite a lot songbirds in the bushes but nothing new for the list. Very interesting and great to observe were about 10 Water Rails on just a few meters along one of the bloody creeks.

Distant Besh Barmag © Michael Heiß

The sky full of birds © Michael Heiß

2cy Glaucous Gull in flight © Steve Klasan

Video of the same Glaucous Gull on a framework © Lukas Pelikan

Azerbaijan's first Herring Gull © Cornelius Schlawe

A flock of Flamingos resting at the shore © Michael Heiß

Water Rail at a bloody creek © Kai Gauger

Brilliant video of a bloody fight © Lukas Pelikan

...and everywhere are the gulls © Michael Heiß