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As a bunch of Ornifolks recently discovered, Turkey is a land of magnificent scenery, fine carpets and rather a lot of men sitting around drinking tea! It is also a country where the cultural clash between east and west is perhaps most stark, for many parts of Anatolia have become to some extent 'European', but away from large towns the lives of most low-income Turks remain much as they have been for decades. Nonetheless, even in rural backwaters changes have been wrought in recent years with the spread of mechanised farming being a particularly obvious example. Despite such developments, Turkey remains a fascinating place for birdwatchers, indeed is one of the classic destinations for those interested in the Western Palearctic avifauna, as our recent tour found out. The tour ranged across much of central and eastern Anatolia, covering high mountains to lowland semi-deserts and a range of habitats in between. Among the many highlights were both male and female Wallcreepers giving superb views at Demirkazik, along with an impeccable supporting cast that included a pair of Caspian Snowcocks and lots of lovely Fire-fronted Serins; both Cyprus breeding endemics; near-endemics to Turkey such as Caucasian Blackcock, Bright-green Warbler and Krüper's Nuthatch; great looks at many of Turkey's special buntings and wheatears including Grey-necked Bunting and Red-tailed Wheatear; superlative views of that much-underrated bird, Pale Rockfinch; a suite of rare waterfowl including Marbled and White-headed Ducks; oh, and there was a lot of those tricky Old-World warblers too! The participants were: Gordon Allison, Michael Duffy, Bill Heady, and Candy & Paul Prevett. Guy Kirwan & Chris Bradshaw Our 1999 trip report is 24 pages (6 sheets) and can still be downloaded.: |