September summary of the Besh Barmag Bird Migration Count autumn 2022

Text © Gabi Caucal

Photos © Philip Elbek, Elvin Məmmədsoy, Patrick Weber, Sebastian Andrejeff

Although less present than the last season with the same methodology (2018), the Garganeys and Marsh Tens have marked the first days of the count. The nice day September 11th was definitely the peak day for these species with respectively 4214 Garganeys and 3444 Marsh Terns (White-winged and Whiskered). In 2018, much larger numbers of these birds (e.g. a rush of 27 851 Garganeys on 2 September) were recorded on the first days of the season. The movements of these species were probably more concentrated in August this year. Common Terns have marked the end of days along the Caspian Sea from 10 to 20 September like this very beautiful session of September 14th with 3329 individuals, most of them between 2pm and 6pm. Besh Barmag is remarkable for its Grey Heron flocks from the second half of September. They were particularly amazing this year with 6054 individuals on 22, 23 and 24 September! The team will long remember this stream of 1092 birds in 10 minutes just before 6pm on 22 September! The passerines regularly set the pace in the early hours of our days, especially Yellow Wagtails with 16,995 birds counted. Sometimes accompanied by Ortolan Bunting, Common Rosefinch, Tawny Pipit, Citrine Wagtail and Tree Pipit, the acoustic atmosphere around the station was often enchanting! As in 2018, the migration of Black-winged Pratincole was very concentrated in time with 2108 individuals on the 20th September alone (3229 birds in total). What a wonderful show to see 650 individuals circling around the Besh Barmag cliffs during this time! More than ever, Besh Barmag has not betrayed its reputation. The diversity is the number one asset of this site. We can mention as examples this beautiful kettle of 3 juveniles Steppe Eagles, a Pallid Harrier male and a female Marsh Harrier, this group of Waders comprising 34 Common Snipes, 2 Kentish Plovers and 5 Sanderlings or these 2 Garganeys migrating with a Ferruginous Duck and a Great Crested Grebe! Concerning the surprises, the Lapwings are front of the rest, with two records of Sociable Lapwings (22 and 25 September) and one of White-tailed Lapwing (20 September). In the bushes below the spot, the Paddyfield Warbler on September 25th and the Green Warbler on September 28th were the best finds thanks to the daily involvement of the team members in these surveys! The area around the spot was also rich in mammal sightings such as these two Wolves crossing the dunes a little before the sunrise on September 30th! Hundreds of White Wagtails, thousands of Starlings and dozens of Calandra Larks are starting to move daily around the spot. The team is ready and full motivate to count these and other beautiful birds throughout October!

https://www.trektellen.nl/site/totals/1533/2022/9/0