On a two week holiday based in Alanya at the Monart City Hotel from 8th to 22nd May. I got out each morning early before 6.30am and usually found something of interest. I often walked along the promenade early but the species were limited as Alanya is a large city. I also visited Dim Cayi ( a dam at the head of a river up in the Taurus mountains) on three early mornings taking the local bus system. Two mornings I visited a pine forest near a large cemetery above the city which was great for Shrike and Bee eater. One visit was made to the Roman city of Side which was very good birding. I also took a boat trip down the Manavgat river which proved successful. 54 species seen in total. I used the Collins guide as an aid to identification and thanks to a number of internet found trip reports for information of areas to look. Very enjoyable bird watching and a great holiday. I will outline areas seen of some birds in brackets.
House Sparrow Barn Swallow Laughing Dove (seen throughout the city) Collared Dove Feral Pigeon Hooded Crow Little Ringed Plover (seen on river outlet by hotel) Scopoli's Shearwater (50+ seen off shore from hotel most mornings, sometimes coming close. Able to get good id views to pin down tell tale features) yellow Legged Gull Wood Sandpiper (one on river outlet in city) Little Stint (one on river outlet in city) Little Egret grey Heron Red Backed Shrike (many seen most days) Blue Tit Great Tit Jay (these are a southern subspecies atricapillus with a smart black crown to the head) Short Toed Eagle (two seen at Dim Cayi and one at Side) Red Rumped Swallow (a number seen at Dim Cayi and Manavgat as well as other places in smaller numbers) Blackbird Chaffinch Swift House Martin Raven Long Tailed Tit Serin (one seen and heard by Dam at Dim Cayi) Squacco Heron (up to 15 seen in flocks a few days in the morning over the sea from the hotel including one from my sun lounger) Mallard Peregrine Barred Warbler (one female seen at Side by main car park) Eastern Olivacious Warbler (many seen and heard around area even some in the city but more in the hills) Eurasian Bee Eater ( 5 seen at Side then 100+ seen above Alanya in a spectacular feeding display on 2 occasions) White Stork (1 seen flying near Side) Cetti's Warbler Greenfinch Great Crested Grebe Coot Great Reed Warbler (3 seen singing in reeds down Manavgat river) Whiskered Tern (flock of 50+ down Manavgat river) Black Crowned Night heron (2 seen down Manavgat river) Lesser Black Backed Gull Reed Warbler Grey Wagtail Ruppell's Warbler (2 males seen at Dim Cayi and 1 male seen above Alanya) Coal Tit Eastern Orphean Warbler (one female seen briefly in Dim Cayi) Goldfinch Common Tern Masked Shrike (a number seen 2 days above City) Elenorara's Falcon (1 seen 2 days above City) Alpine Swift (2 seen with Bee eater flock above City) Lesser grey Shrike (1 seen above City) Lesser Whitethroat White Spectacled Bulbul (seen in both rural and city locations in Side and Alanya)
It was a good enough area but a trip further into the Taurus mountains would have produced many more birds. I missed out on the number of woodpeckers and Krupers Nuthatch that are in the area, so would hire a car next visit.
House Sparrow
Barn Swallow
Laughing Dove (seen throughout the city)
Collared Dove
Feral Pigeon
Hooded Crow
Little Ringed Plover (seen on river outlet by hotel)
Scopoli's Shearwater (50+ seen off shore from hotel most mornings, sometimes coming close. Able to get good id views to pin down tell tale features)
yellow Legged Gull
Wood Sandpiper (one on river outlet in city)
Little Stint (one on river outlet in city)
Little Egret
grey Heron
Red Backed Shrike (many seen most days)
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Jay (these are a southern subspecies atricapillus with a smart black crown to the head)
Short Toed Eagle (two seen at Dim Cayi and one at Side)
Red Rumped Swallow (a number seen at Dim Cayi and Manavgat as well as other places in smaller numbers)
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Swift
House Martin
Raven
Long Tailed Tit
Serin (one seen and heard by Dam at Dim Cayi)
Squacco Heron (up to 15 seen in flocks a few days in the morning over the sea from the hotel including one from my sun lounger)
Mallard
Peregrine
Barred Warbler (one female seen at Side by main car park)
Eastern Olivacious Warbler (many seen and heard around area even some in the city but more in the hills)
Eurasian Bee Eater ( 5 seen at Side then 100+ seen above Alanya in a spectacular feeding display on 2 occasions)
White Stork (1 seen flying near Side)
Cetti's Warbler
Greenfinch
Great Crested Grebe
Coot
Great Reed Warbler (3 seen singing in reeds down Manavgat river)
Whiskered Tern (flock of 50+ down Manavgat river)
Black Crowned Night heron (2 seen down Manavgat river)
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Reed Warbler
Grey Wagtail
Ruppell's Warbler (2 males seen at Dim Cayi and 1 male seen above Alanya)
Coal Tit
Eastern Orphean Warbler (one female seen briefly in Dim Cayi)
Goldfinch
Common Tern
Masked Shrike (a number seen 2 days above City)
Elenorara's Falcon (1 seen 2 days above City)
Alpine Swift (2 seen with Bee eater flock above City)
Lesser grey Shrike (1 seen above City)
Lesser Whitethroat
White Spectacled Bulbul (seen in both rural and city locations in Side and Alanya)
It was a good enough area but a trip further into the Taurus mountains would have produced many more birds. I missed out on the number of woodpeckers and Krupers Nuthatch that are in the area, so would hire a car next visit.