Raptor watching in the Caucasus. Photo: Sunbird
This new and exciting tour will take us to one of the most mysterious and scenic countries in the Western Palearctic. Georgia straddles the borders of Europe and Asia and yet has its own special character, culture and ancient history. It has an amazingly high level of biodiversity for such a small country (among the highest in Europe) and a large number of endemic plants and animals. A land of contrasts, it varies from the cold high mountains of the Greater Caucasus to dry, hot, rocky steppes where the flora and fauna are similar to those of Anatolia and the Middle East.
There will be much to occupy us on this short tour but our main purpose will be to see the special birds of the High Caucasus, including Caucasian Snowcock, Caucasian Black Grouse, Göldenstädt’s Redstart and Great Rosefinch. And while searching for these birds we’ll also enjoy some of the best mountain birding in the Western Palearctic, encountering other high-altitude species from Lammergeier to Wallcreeper. As we drive through the splendid mountain scenery for which Georgia is famous we’ll have a very good chance of spotting a variety of interesting and rarely seen mammals. The mountain passes are natural gateways for migrants and we’ll witness a spectacular passage of raptors as they fly north over the Caucasus and into Russia. There is a good passage of passerines through the valleys as well with interesting migrants and the likelihood of finding something rare and unexpected.
From the mountains we’ll travel south to arid grassland steppe and striking red rocky landscapes. We’ll stay in a remote and beautifully located field station right next to rock caves that have been used as a monastery since the 6th century.
Day 1: The tour starts with a direct overnight flight from London to Tbilisi, arriving early on day 2.. Night in Tbilisi.
Day 2: We’ll start our journey north on arrival to the magnificent mountains of the Greater Caucasus. Our destination is the town of Kazbegi nestled in the Tergi Valley but along the way we’ll stop to look for a variety of wetland birds including White-winged Black and Gull-billed Terns. As we reach the foothills we’ll stop again to explore the oak and beech woods that cloak the lower slopes, where we should find Green Warbler and perhaps Red-breasted Flycatcher.
Continuing on along the spectacular winding road that leads to the higher passes, we’ll encounter our first mountain birds, with tame flocks of Twite, Shore Lark of the penicillata race and White-winged Snowfinch feeding alongside the road, all providing excellent photographic opportunities. We should also see our first raptors such as Griffon Vulture, Peregrine and the mighty Lammergeier.
Reaching the small town of Kazbegi in the late afternoon, we’ll check into our new and comfortable hotel perched alongside the river and below the majestic Himalayan-like peak of Mount Kazbegi. This is a wonderful setting rich in birds with a variety of migrants possible in the adjoining park and circling raptors viewable from our balconies. Night in Kazbegi.
Days 3-5: We have allowed four days to explore this wonderful habitat as our activities will be controlled to some extent by the weather and the snow line. It is here that we’ll look for two rare game birds: Caucasian Black Grouse and Caucasian Snowcock. We’ll use four-wheel-drive vehicles where possible to start us on our way but at some point we’ll have to rely on our own legs to take us farther. The walking is steadily uphill over good terrain and we should need to climb only 400-500 meters.
As we start our climb we are sure to hear the male Caucasian Snowcock’s evocative curlew-like call echoing around the mountains. With this eerie call to guide us we should find these birds relatively easily on the slopes. The dark shapes of Caucasian Black Grouse should also be easy to pick out and our local guides may well have located a lekking site before our visit. Of course there will be other species to search for as well: the enchanting Wallcreeper lives on the sheer rock faces, Red-billed and Alpine Chough wheel overhead and Alpine Accentor, Water Pipit, Black Redstart, Northern Wheatear and flocks of Red-fronted Serin feed on the grassy slopes or among the boulders. There will also be some mammals to look for including East Caucasian Taur (an endemic wild goat) and Chamois and we may even see Brown Bear, Wolf or Lynx.
Two other highly sought-after species—Göldenstädt’s Redstart and Great Rosefinch—breed on the high mountain slopes but at the time of our visit they will be found much lower, waiting for the snow to retreat. This is the only Western Palearctic location of these superb passerines and we should find them in the riverine scrub lining the valley bottoms, sharing the habitat with Mountain Chiffchaff, Green Warbler and a variety of migrants including European Bee-eater, Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes, Red-throated Pipit, Yellow Wagtail and Ortolan Bunting.
We are also likely to have one more treat in store. Sandwiched between the Black and Caspian Seas, Georgia is overflown by vast numbers of raptors each spring heading north. There are certain to be some raptors moving at any time but with the right weather the numbers could increase to hundreds or even thousands of birds each day. Honey Buzzard should be the most common closely followed by Montagu’s, Pallid and Marsh Harriers, Steppe Buzzard and Black Kite with the occasional Steppe Eagle, Red-footed Falcon and Goshawk. Nights in Kazbegi.
Day 6: After a final morning in the Kasbegi area, we’ll return to Tblisi. Night in Tiblisi
Day 7: We’ll leave the mountains and witness a dramatic change in birds, landscapes and temperatures as we drive to the arid grass and rocky steppe country of David Gareja. We’ll stop occasionally on the way at wet meadows where we should see Great Reed-Warbler, Lesser Grey Shrike, Penduline Tit and if it is a good year for them, huge flocks of nesting Rose-colored Starlings. At Jandari Lake we may find more wetland species including Pygmy Cormorant, Squacco Heron, White Stork and Whiskered, White-winged Black and Gull-billed Terns. Night at David Gareja.
Day 8: The wide-open spaces of the grassy steppes are a great place for wildlife and we’ll be greeted by hordes of birds, including Isabelline Wheatear and Crested, Short-toed Calandra and possibly Lesser Short-toed Larks while overhead we are likely to see Long-legged Buzzard, Imperial Eagle and Black Vulture. Nearby rocky escarpments are home to Rock and Eastern Rock Nuthatches, Blue Rock Thrush, Pied and Black-eared Wheatears, Black-headed and Rock Buntings and Rock Sparrow. Ruddy Shelducks live on the local reservoir and in these wild surroundings, sighting a Wolf is again a distinct possibility. There may be an opportunity to visit the fascinating rock caves of an ancient monastery before we head back to Tbilisi in the late afternoon. Night in Tbilisi.
Day 9: We’ll depart Tbilisi in the morning for London, where the tour ends later the same day.
Updated: 23 April 2006
Prices
- 2008 price about $3,600
- Single Occupancy Supplement $100
Notes
This tour is limited to 12 participants and two leaders oth leaders will accompany the group regardless of group size. This tour is organized by our English company, Sunbird.