© Oscar Campbell and Chris Mills Flock of Greater White-fronted Geese skimming above Caspian waves We’ve just returned from a week at Besh Barmag, basing ourselves in Siyezen town and heading up to the famous watchpoint every day. As always, it was a fantastic experience. We logged a tonne of birds and had some great moments… Continue reading Monitoring migration at Beshbarmag, 1 – 9th November 2025
Important update! Unfortunately, we have to cancel our activities at Besh Barmag for autumn 2025. We could not find proper accommodation near the counting station, but hope to find a solution for autumn 2026. We are still busy behind the scenes and will keep you updated about future activities. Exciting update on the Besh Barmag… Continue reading Besh Barmag Bird Migration Count 2025
Photos © Simon & Fred Olk, Elvin Mammadsoy and Leyla Muslim Today is a bittersweet day. After just over a month of dedication, we've wrapped up the Besh Barmag Bird Migration Count. Although it was a joy and privilege, financial constraints and limited counters made it unsustainable to continue without additional support. Despite the challenges,… Continue reading Last day of the autumn count
Text © Zulfu Farajli After 20 intense days of birdwatching, our dedicated counting team has now recorded a massive 854,312 birds migrating south. This season has not only delivered incredible numbers but also some truly exciting highlights we’re thrilled to share. “Little Bustard Bonanza” One of the most thrilling days was October 22, when we… Continue reading Exciting and spectacular October at Besh Barmag bottleneck!
During this time, our team recorded notable sightings, including around 40,000 Little Bustards, 57,000 Calandra Larks (and other lark species), 740 large eagles, 213 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (mainly Heuglini/Steppe), around 43,000 ducks, and much more. Compared to the last two years of October counts, some species—like the large flocks of Little Bustards and certain ducks… Continue reading First 10 days of the autumn count 2024 are complete!
Although our start to the Besh Barmag Bird Migration Count was delayed this autumn, we're thrilled to be back in action! The first day greeted us with cloudy skies and a bit of a chill, but the experience was no less rewarding. While passerine numbers were low, a juvenile Pallid Harrier and a flock of… Continue reading Start of BBBMC 2024
Dear birding community, We regret to inform you that the Besh Barmag Bird Migration Count for September 2024 has been canceled due to an insufficient number of counters. With only 1-2 local ornithologists available, it has become logistically challenging and inefficient to carry out the count for the whole September given the high costs for… Continue reading Important Update: September at Besh Barmag Canceled
We are happy to announce another bird migration counting season at Besh Barmag bottleneck for autumn 2024! After the very successful full season counts in 2018, 2022 and 2023 we are in good spirit and eager to run another long-awaited round of the epic bird migration count. With some highly motivated additions to our local… Continue reading Call for Counters: Besh Barmag Bird Migration Count 2024
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!
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