Photos © Elvin Mammadsoy A long-awaited new bird species for Azerbaijan! A male Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata) was found by Colin Steer during the Neophron Tours spring tour in Azerbaijan in Abşeron Milli Parkı-Absheron National Park while Elvin from our team was guiding them. Congratulations to the lucky observers who enjoyed the stunning views of… Continue reading First record of Pied Bushchat for Azerbaijan
Photo © Martin Schuck/Macaulay library More thrilling updates are pouring in on Global Big Day as anticipated! This week, we were delighted to receive not one but two reports of the magnificent Red-footed Falcons (Falco vespertinus) spotted in separate locations on 9th and 10th of May! Despite being an annual migrant through #Azerbaijan, this species… Continue reading Sightings of Red-footed Falcons on spring migration
Photos © Lars-Göte Nilsson Exciting news from recent birdwatching adventures in Azerbaijan! Another group of international birders, namely Erik Hirschfeld, Lars-Göte Nilsson, and Teet Sirotkin, made a remarkable sighting: a pair of Red-rumped Swallows, unexpected spring migrants. These distinctive birds are often overlooked, with only about 10 recorded sightings, the most recent being noted during… Continue reading Red-rumped Swallows in southern Azerbaijan!
Photo © Peter Alfrey Spring migration is in full swing, eagerly awaited by lucky observers! Among the species often overlooked is the Oriental Honey Buzzard in Azerbaijan, with only two confirmed sightings in the past few decades. Despite higher populations in neighboring regions, especially noted by our friends at Batumi Raptor Count, we believe more… Continue reading Oriental Honey Buzzard hybrid on spring migration
Photo © Erik Hirschfeld The first spring record of the Little Bunting in Azerbaijan! The bird was spotted by Erik Hirschfeld, Teet Sirotkin, Lars-Göte Nilsson, and Elvin Memmedsoy in Absheron National Park on 24 April 2024. Located just about 60km from central Baku, this park teems with birdlife and boasts a charmingly remote setting at… Continue reading Spring record of Little Bunting
Text © Zülfü Fərəcli Concluding the Besh Barmag Bird Migration Count marks the completion of 90 days of dedicated bird observation. In the final two weeks, the counters were treated to remarkable highlights, notably on the 19th, when a staggering 749 Meadow Pipits, 16 Water Pipits and 235 pipit sp. gracefully migrated south, accompanied by… Continue reading Besh Barmag bird migration count finnished for autumn 2023!
Text © Zülfü Fərəcli November team at the counting station © Leyla Muslim The Besh Barmag Bird Migration Count has now logged 75 days of tracking for the autumn of 2023. As the station braces for plummeting temperatures, sightings of winter birds have commenced. On November 4th, noteworthy sightings included over 1000 Pintails, 79 Dalmatian… Continue reading Great mix of species at Besh Barmag in November
Text © Zülfü Fərəcli Busy counters © Anna Klassen The Besh Barmag Bird Migration Count has progressed over a span of two months into the current season, with a notable count of eight weeks for autumn 2023. With the gradual drop in temperature, a noticeable influx of late migrants has been observed. Some days were… Continue reading Eight weeks counted at Besh Barmag
While Georgia has rapidly established its reputation as a must-visit for birders, Azerbaijan remains still rather unexplored. But there is little justification for this. The country is home to all the famous Greater Caucasus endemics, has huge coastal wetlands hosting millions of migrants, subtropic lush forests where the only Shikra of the West Palearctic breed,… Continue reading Undiscovered Azerbaijan – Batumi Birding: 20 May – 1 June 2024
Today, the team at Besh Barmag bottleneck enjoyed excellent bird migration thanks to the prevailing south and south-east winds. The bird counters were blessed with impressive sights of large flocks of Great White Egrets, Cormorants, thousands of Calandra Larks and several flocks of Little Bustards passing close to the counting station. Check the results: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/1533/20231018… Continue reading Good passage of Great White Egrets, Cormorants, Calandra Larks at Besh Barmag
Birding Azerbaijan 