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KUŞKOR started the 2015 autumn season with its best attended bird-watching trip for quite some years!.

Thirty four birders took part in the opening trip of the 2015 autumn season on Saturday 19th September.

Meeting-up at Lemar Supermarket Çatalköy, we headed east along the coast road to meet up with twelve conservation volunteers from the Marine Turtle Conservation Project at Alagadi. Spotting Kestrel, Cyprus Wheatear, Red-backed Shrike and Grey heron along the way to our first port of call for bird spotting at Mersinlik reservoir, where beautifully marked Purple heron were amongst a list including Chukar, Cyprus Warbler, Wood Pigeon, Coot and Little Grebe. Some Bee Eaters were heard with 3 Marsh Harriers in off the sea, including a male - not a bad start to the day.

Then our convoy headed over the mountains through Mersinlik village, where at the pass we observed Red-backed Shrike, adult Bonelli's Eagles, a Peregrine and Rock doves. On the way down towards Sınırüstü reservoir - Spotted Flycatcher, Lesser Grey Shrike, Whinchat, Red-backed shrike and at Iskele irrigation pool an Olivaceous Warbler.

At Sınırüstü itself we spotted Bee Eater, Roller, a flock of Garganey, Glossy Ibis, Grey Heron, Snipe, White-winged Tern, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Corn Bunting and Red-backed shrike.

Then on to Köprülü where our list included:- Cattle Egret, Great White Egret, Red-backed Shrike, Bee Eaters, over 50 Flamingo, Whiskered Tern, White-winged Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Spur-winged Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Glossy Ibis, Dunlin, Little Stint, Ringed Plover, Snipe, Grey heron, Wood, Common and Curlew Sandpiper, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Marsh Harrier (1 male), 3 Montague harriers, 1st year Bonelli’s eagle, Black kite, Collared Pratincole (7), Turtle Dove, Corn Bunting, Masked Shrike a juvenile Black-crowned Night heron and a Muscovy Duck!

KUŞKOR volunteers then erected 10 nest boxes for European Roller around Köprülü, bringing the number erected on the Mesaoria Plain to fifteen. On Friday 25th September, volunteers with support from Marine Turtle Conservation Project produced a further 10 nest boxes and machined wood to produce a further 20 boxes to be erected during the coming winter. We are hopeful that some Rollers will take up residence for breeding in 2016.