Batumi, Georgia - Guns, Raptors & Rain. |
|
|
|
Written by Jos
|
Driven by a quirk of geography, funnelled by the Black Sea to the west and the Caucasian Mountains to the east, the Batumi area of eastern Georgia sees one of the greatest raptor migrations in the World - in a short two-month period, over a million birds of prey use this bottleneck, Honey Buzzards, Steppe Buzzards and Black Kites accounting for the bulk, though no shortage of assorted eagles, harriers and hawks adding to the variety. |
Last Updated ( Friday, 24 October 2014 )
|
Read more...
|
|
Georgia 2009, Caucasus & Steppe. |
|
|
|
Written by Jos
|
A bloody incursion by Russian troops eight months earlier, current uprisings in Tbilisi, presidential assassination plots, opposition protests and Russians back on the borders of the separatist region of South Ossetia. Yep, Georgia might not seem the obvious locality to partake in a little birding. However, for all the negative news, it remains a remarkable place - stunning sceneries, welcoming people and amazing birding. High in the Caucasus, my main destination was the Kazbegi area. In the shadow of peaks towering to 5033 metres, this rugged outpost of the Western Palearctic harbours such mouth-watering species as Caucasian Snowcock and Caucasian Black Grouse, Guldenstadt's Redstart and Great Rosefinch, plus oodles of added extras, including Green Warblers, Lammergeiers, Wallcreepers, Red-fronted Serins and plenty more. After excellerating days in the mountains, I then enjoyed a couple of days near the Armenian border, rich in raptors, larks, buntings and shrikes. All in all, an excellent trip. |
Last Updated ( Friday, 20 May 2011 )
|
Read more...
|
|
|