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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Azerbaijan
3 17 May 2015

Participants: Ashley Howe, Josh Jones, David Monticelli & Dan Pointon

Introduction
Words Josh Jones | Images Josh Jones unless stated
Lying at the Western Palearctics eastern periphery, Azerbaijan is an intercontinental state straddling the Asian-European
border. For such a small nation it offers an outstanding array of habitats, ranging from steppe and semi-desert to the high,
snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus via the spectacular wetlands of the Caspian Sea coast and lush deciduous forests of the
Caucasian foothills. Azerbaijans avifauna is therefore rich and diverse, and it is somewhat surprising that the nation is hugely
under-visited by birders, who tend to favour more ornithologically-established destinations such as Georgia and Turkey.
For all four of us, this was a first visit to Azerbaijan. Primary targets included the High Caucasian specialities as well as Shikra,
which breeds in the south of the country. Beyond this each of us had individual target species that we hoped to see, while we
were also looking forward to exploring a wide range of habitats and hopefully enjoying some excellent general birding.

Logistics
Ash, Dan and Josh flew to Baku from London Heathrow with British Airways for a little over 410. These direct flights operate
from Heathrow daily, although it is also possible to fly via e.g. Istanbul with Turkish Airlines for a slightly lower cost. Davids

Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

trip began in his native Belgium, where he flew from Brussels to Baku via Moscow, arriving a few hours before the rest of the
team on the evening of 3 May.
The cheapest and easiest method to obtain an Azerbaijani visa is via the e-visa service. This is offered by various tour operators
in Azerbaijan; we obtained ours via Caspian Tours at a cost of $80 per person, considerably cheaper than the 100 quoted by
the Azerbaijan Visa Centre on Finchley Road, London. The e-visa comes as a PDF which can be printed out and produced on
arrival in Baku.
Many of the sites visited require off-road driving and thus a 4x4 is essential. We hired a Hyundai ix35 at a cost of US$80 per
day for the ten days we were in mainland Azerbaijan. At around 70 Qapik (50 pence) per litre, fuel costs will seem refreshingly
cheap to Western Europeans. Though we did purchase a roadmap, Dan brought along a satnav which navigated us around
the country without issue with English somewhat lacking among the Azerbaijani population and signage often poor, this tool
comes recommended.
Azerbaijan is a country obsessed with over-complicated bureaucracy. Its borders are guarded very closely and conflict with
Armenia is ongoing. As such any westerner particularly those carrying optics and/or cameras is likely to be confronted and
quizzed on a regular basis. This ranges from mildly annoying to downright tedious, and wed strongly recommend organising
the permits for various national parks prior to a trip. If you wish to obtain permits to explore the High Mountain Zone above
Laza in the Greater Caucasus (strongly recommended), the process must be instigated several weeks in advance as it can take
considerable time for this to be signed off by the relevant authorities.
Our initial plan had been to camp for much of the trip but we ended up seeking hotels on most evenings; prices ranged from
5-20 per night with the northern ski resort towns proving most expensive. As it turned out we camped for one night only, in
the Zuvand region.
Our Nakhchivan extension was organised by Dr Elchin Sultanov, director of the Azerbaijan Ornithological Society, and guided
by him and his former PHD student, Arzu Memmedov. This is a lengthy and difficult process, and anyone considering visiting
the state should start planning well in advance. Due to the ongoing political instability in this region, it is essentially impossible
to organise a trip to and indeed visit Nakhchivan independently and thus any prospective visitors should contact Dr Sultanov
(elchin_sultanov@aos.az). Finally, it is worth noting that any trip to Nakhchivan is unlikely to be cheap and the state, separated
from the rest of Azerbaijan, can only be reached by air on a single-entry visa. There are several flights daily from Baku, and a
return ticket cost 140 Manat (85) in May 2015.

Resources & Acknowledgements

Special thanks must go to Kai Gauger and Michael Heiss for their co-operation and patience while passing on information on
both species and sites the success of our trip was largely thanks to their help. We recommend that any visitor purchases a
copy of Gauger, Schmidt & Agayevas Birdwatching in Azerbaijan: a guide to nature and landscape which, although not the
most detailed of reads, acts as a useful reference and site guide.

Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

We would also like to thank Pierre-Andr Crochet and Eric Didner for their valued input as well as Dobromir Domuschiev for
additional information. Many thanks to Elchin Sultanov and Arzu Memmedov for organising a largely successful Nakhchivan
extension.

Itinerary
Sunday 3 May: Mid-morning flight from London Heathrow, arriving Baku early evening. Evening drive north to hotel in Qusar.
Monday 4 May: Early drive up to Khinaliq, birding en route. Day on slopes of Qizil Qaya before returning to Qusar in evening,
birding along return drive.
Tuesday 5 May: Morning at Laza, afternoon spent in valley south-west of Qusar.
Wednesday 6 May: Day at Laza then long drive south. Birding on plains west of Qobustan in evening. Overnight in Masalli.
Thursday 7 May: Birding around Masalli early morning before mid-morning visit to Ghizil-Agaj National Park. Early afternoon
back at Shikra site in Masalli before drive south to Lerik and Zuvand region, arriving mid-evening.
Friday 8 May: Birding in Zuvand until mid-afternoon. Drive north through late afternoon and evening to Quba.
Saturday 9 May: Day birding at Khinaliq. Overnight in Quba.
Sunday 10 May: Morning and early afternoon at Khinaliq. Afternoon and early evening birding along Caspian Sea coast north
of Baku. Overnight in Baku.
Monday 11 May: Morning arranging Nakhchivan trip. Late morning and afternoon birding around Hajigabul Lake and
fishponds. Ash, Dan and Josh on evening flight to Nakhchivan; David overnight in Baku awaiting morning flight to Brussels.
Tuesday 12 Friday 15 May: Birding Nakhchivan. Mid-evening flight back to Baku on Friday with late evening drive south to
Salyan.
Saturday 16 May: Birding around Kura Delta for much of the day; evening at Mahmudchala Lake. Overnight in Salyan.
Sunday 17 May: Early morning in Shirvan National Park; late morning and afternoon in Gobustan before returning to Baku.
Mid-evening flight from Baku to London Heathrow.

Daily Diary
3 May 2015
Having arrived in Baku on a very pleasant British Airways flight from London, we were given our first taste of Azerbaijans
paranoia and absurd bureaucracy almost immediately. It took a lot of convincing for customs to believe that my passport
photo did in fact show a young version of myself (admittedly clean-shaven and with a bit more hair), and that I truly was who
I was claiming to be. We were then accosted by security when they found my walkie-talkies buried in Dans bag apparently

Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

they constitute illegal contraband in Azerbaijan and were immediately confiscated. Ridiculously another pair remained
undiscovered in the other bag Dan was carrying!
Over an hour after arriving we were finally able to escape border control and were let in to Azerbaijan. Both David and our hire
car man, Fizuli, had been waiting patiently and so we wasted no time in heading back in to Baku to pick up supplies and finalise
the car hire agreement.
This in itself took forever and as such it was not long before midnight by the time we arrived at our hotel in the town of Qusar,
at the foot of the Greater Caucasus. Unfortunately the toilet had more than a faint whiff of sewage about it, and both Dan and
Ash were particularly alarmed to find that the taps spat out a brownish liquid. Thankfully wed bought bottled water and with
that it was time to catch some sleep, for an early start beckoned.

4 May 2015
We were out of the hotel by dawn, encouraged by the lingering stench emanating from the bathroom. Thankfully things took
a turn for the better along the road to Khinaliq as daylight encroached it soon became apparent it was going to be a
beautifully clear day and that the scenery was utterly spectacular. Though surprisingly chilly early on a stop at the village of
Cek brought great vistas as well as our first birds including Black Redstarts and Common Rosefinches.
Slightly further on we found Ortolan and the first Rock Thrush of the trip while a group of White-winged Snowfinches,
scattering from the road just before Khinaliq village, were the first of many seen. Parking in the village and walking up the
slopes was the strategy that had been recommended to us, but the spectacular scale of the scenery around us suggested
driving as far as possible would be a good way of saving energy. As such we began the challenging drive out of the village and
up on to the slopes of Qizil Qaya for the first time. We found that the ascent here isnt actually all that bad and was (just about)
achievable in a modest 4x4 such as our Hyundai ix35. Climbing to around 2,700 m, we noted several penicillata Shore Larks by
the track, while Northern Wheatears and coutellii Water Pipits were commonplace.
Parking by the old shepherd camp at 41.202, 48.139, wed already seen our first brevirostris Twite by the time we began the
slow and torturous uphill ascent. A Little Owl was a surprise while both Chough and Alpine Chough wheeled around in flocks
overhead. It wasnt long before we could hear the far-carrying wail of Caucasian Snowcock carrying down the mountainside
and Dan soon scoped a particularly chubby male sat on a rock a couple of hundred metres above us the first main target in
the bag!
We spread out to cover as much ground as possible and shortly after Ash called Wolf! By the time Id got on to the animal,
which had been lumbering across the slope above us, it had panicked and begun to scarper uphill. Still, wolf was a new mammal
for me after dipping them in several countries and the views werent too bad, if brief. It was also Ash that was the first to call
Gldenstdt's Redstart at around 2,850 m confusingly the rock on which it had sat was occupied by a Black Redstart by the
time I had arrived, but a gaudy flash of white, black and red soon betrayed the continued presence of the male Gldenstdt's
a short distance away. Though mobile, a pair of Gldenstdt's afforded Ash and I great views over the next few minutes, the
experience enhanced by the sudden appearance of a female Great Rosefinch on a nearby rock for a matter of seconds before
it flew off once more!

Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Little did we know that that would be our only sniff of Great Rosefinch all day, despite extensive searching right across the
slopes as high as 3,000 m. In contrast Gldenstdt's Redstarts were widespread and we estimated to have seen double figures
by mid-afternoon. Even more commonplace was Caucasian Snowcock there was rarely a spell in the day when the species
was not ubiquitous. Several Alpine Accentors were also noted (a long overdue tick for Josh), a single Goshawk cruised over at
stratospheric height, a Golden Eagle and several Griffon Vultures were no doubt residents while migrant birds of prey included
Montagus Harrier and a smart 2cy Eastern Imperial Eagle.
The descent back down towards Qusar was punctuated by a few stops, the first of which was for a Lammergeier cruising down
the valley just below Khinaliq. Ten Griffon Vultures also meandered over and the first Red-backed Shrikes of the trip were
noted. A chance stop by the first scrubby area between Cek and Qirizdhn produced several singing Green Warblers and, a few
kilometres further down, just below the large canyon, singing Red-breasted Flycatcher, Hawfinch and another Lammergeier as
well as plenty more Green Warblers.

Green Warbler, Cek

Back in Quba we found a reasonable restaurant on the junction at 41.3674, 48.5214, where we had our first typical Azerbaijani
meal grilled meat, bread and salad before returning to the hotel in Qusar where, thankfully, the water supply was running
a little clearer.

5 May 2015
The plan for the day was to explore the slopes around the village of Laza, which lies between Qizil Qaya and Shahdagh. The
slopes of Shahdagh support at least one Caucasian Black Grouse lek, and the area is also touted as the best spot to see Great
Rosefinch in the country. Unfortunately it appeared that the weather was going to try its best to disrupt our efforts, and disrupt

Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

us it did. On arrival in Laza the cloud was so low that it had enveloped the village, reducing visibility to a matter of feet not
what you need when searching potentially hazardous slopes!
A couple of Golden Jackals gave us early excitement in the half-light of dawn and, despite the weather, Red-fronted Serins
were quite apparent around the village with at least 10 seen. A Rock Bunting showed fairly well in the village and Water Pipits
were common. When the cloud eventually lifted slightly, scanning the slopes above the village revealed several Ring Ouzels.
Frustratingly this respite was short-lived: the cloud descended and the rain began again late morning, so we reluctantly decided
to head back down towards Qusar with the aim of birding the forests around the town.
As it transpired the rain was actually worse at lower altitude, although at least the valleys were (just) below the clouds and so
it was possible to see a few hundred metres. We decided to explore a valley south-west of Qusar that had been visited by a
French team a few years previously. After crossing the river in the 4x4, we continued south-west along the track which runs up
the valley. With the rain relentless we werent overly keen to explore much on foot and the appalling weather no doubt curtailed
bird activity quite heavily. That said we found at least three Red-breasted Flycatchers in the forest as well as a few samamisicus
Common Redstarts. Nuthatch was an addition to the trip list while Green Warblers were very common, with birds heard singing
at almost every stop. Nightingale, Red-backed Shrike and Corn Bunting as well as a typical range of woodland species were
also commonplace but we could not find our primary target.
A change of tactic was needed and so we decided to cut away from the mature forest of the valley slopes, concentrating
instead on the younger trees on the valley floor. We were utterly soaked and so

Semicollared Flycatcher

were naturally elated when Dan found a male Semicollared Flycatcher in scrub
on the banks of the river itself. The bird initially proved elusive and we soon
realised why when we relocated it: it was feeding at ground level, no doubt in a
bid to find insects sheltering from the deluge! We soon realised three individuals
(two males and a female) were present, and it was quite amazing to watch them
hopping about on the rocks in the river itself so bad was the weather that
these really were desperate times for insectivorous species.
Satisfied yet drenched, we decided to head back to the hotel to dry out although
realised that the days heavy rain was causing the river level to rapidly rise it
was clearly already a few inches higher than it had been just hours previously. If
the crossing had been hairy earlier in the day, it was genuinely treacherous on
the way back had we left it an hour or two longer, its unlikely we would have made it back to the hotel that evening! As it
was luck was on our side and we were able to return to the hotel for more grilled meat, salad and bread, washed down with a
much-needed alcoholic beverage.

6 May 2015
After yesterdays disappointment we were relieved to find that the weather had improved by dawn. A clear morning was crucial
in order for us to see our main target, and so it was a relief when we arrived in Laza to find that the impressive slopes of Mount
Shahdagh were visible. High up on the hill, just below the snow line, several black blobs were moving around, some occasionally

Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

jumping in display Caucasian Black Grouse. At least ten birds, mostly males, were scattered across the hillside views were
distant to say the least, but on 60x magnification the birds long tail feathers were just about visible.
Behind us, a singing chiffchaff quickly transpired to be a Mountain Chiffchaff the bird showing well in the birch scrub and
responding well to brief bursts of playback, its subdued brown tones very much apparent although the supercilium was
nowhere near as prominent as the Collins Bird Guide suggested.
With these two targets in the bag early, we set about heading up to the Suvar Resort in order to continue our search for Great
Waterfall, Laza

Rosefinch. Red-fronted Serins were again prominent in and around the village
while an immature Lammergeier cruised by below us, giving excellent views.
Birds were aplenty: at least a couple of Wallcreepers showed well and both
Alpine Accentors and Ring Ouzels were numerous up on the slopes. At least
a couple more Mountain Chiffchaffs were singing in the birches above Suvar,
one affording excellent views, but our extended search brought not a sniff of
any Great Rosefinches.
As if to compound the frustration, the weather began to worsen again with
the clouds rolling in by early afternoon. With the forecast predicted to be
poor in the Greater Caucasus for the coming days, we made the decision to
begin the long drive south, where we hoped the weather would be better. As
we headed towards the coast from Quba we began to encounter our first
Lesser Grey Shrikes and Rollers while two Ruddy Shelducks were seen close
to Besh Barmeg. Rose-coloured Starling flocks were also conspicuous on the
coast as were Lesser Kestrels, which seemed to be everywhere.

By the evening wed arrived near the village of Qobustan, on the coast road south of Baku. With an hour to go before darkness
we decided to explore the adjacent plains, which brought a tick for Ash and myself a male Finschs Wheatear feeding two
fledged youngsters. A nearby pool held a Ruddy Shelduck while Isabelline and Black-eared Wheatears, Lesser Short-toed Lark
and Spanish Sparrows were common and a flock of c.50 Mediterranean Gulls flew through.
Despite being exhausted we decided to continue driving south. The road south of Alat is very poor and with so many HGVs
on the road, was extremely slow going. To make matters worse the rain returned and the drive south to Masalli was a real
struggle late at night, and we arrived in the early hours.

7 May 2015
A slightly later start than the previous couple of mornings saw us head south-west out of Masalli just after sunrise. The roads
were lined with countless Lesser Grey Shrikes and many Black-headed Buntings as we made our way towards the deciduous
forests of the nearby foothills. Our target here was a near-endemic the poelzami race of Great Spotted Woodpecker and it
wasnt long before we had our first sighting of this distinct taxon, flying across the wooded river valley at Istisu. Acquiring good
views was a different challenge altogether with the dense canopy making finding the woodpeckers in trees extremely difficult,
although we did manage views of an adult climbing up a tree trunk and revealing the distinct tea-stained brownish underparts

Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

one of a pair seen. The wood was alive with birdsong: Green Warblers were common although a singing Willow Warbler was
more of a surprise. Several Hawfinches called as they flew over and other trip list additions included Robin and Spotted
Flycatcher.
It was then back to Masalli for a crack at one of our main trip targets. Azerbaijan is the only country within the Western
Palearctic to support breeding Shikra, with the area around Masalli widely publicised as the most reliable spot to find the
species. Sure enough at least one male Shikra showed in flight over oaks, viewed from the clearing just east of the Olympic
Complex. Also seen were at least one Eurasian Sparrowhawk, many Rollers, Golden Oriole and plenty of Cuckoos and Rosecoloured Starlings. Unfortunately dark clouds were looming once more and figuring that wed need good weather for further
Shikra action, we made the call to head east to the coast with a view that wed return to Masalli later in the day.
The few hours we spent at Ghizil-Agaj State Reserve were undeniably some of the best we had during our fortnight in
Azerbaijan. The birding here was exceptional, not least for the stunning numbers of

Dalmatian Pelican

marsh terns over just about every waterbody. Most were White-winged Black Terns,
with birds busily feeding in all directions we estimated that there must have been
in excess of 50,000 birds; an extraordinary sight that will live long in the memory.
Good numbers of Whiskered Terns (2,000+) and Gull-billed Terns were noted but
just a handful of Black Terns could be found among the throng.
Great Reed Warblers sang from the reedbeds and our first Barred Warbler of the
trip was seen. Other passerines included Penduline Tits in the reeds and Redthroated Pipits moving through. Out on the lagoons a great selection of waders
included 15 Terek Sandpipers, 10 Broad-billed Sandpipers, three Red-necked
Phalaropes and Collared Pratincole among the much commoner Curlew Sandpipers
and Little Stints. Pygmy Cormorants were numerous while Purple and Squacco
Herons, Glossy Ibis and Caspian Gulls were also conspicuous the entire area was
alive with birds. Overhead a small flock of northbound Honey Buzzards carried with them a single Black Kite.
Moving round to the coast we found several Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters and a couple
of singing Mntries's Warblers by the road. The beach was quite birdy with another
flock of Terek Sandpipers the highlight, though we were soon shooed off by a rather
unfriendly-looking soldier who was immediately on the phone for backup. We made
a quick exit and made another stop a kilometre or so back down the road. The bay
here produced the arguable highlight of our visit to the area in the form of three
immature Dalmatian Pelicans a tick for all but myself. Also here was a drake Pintail
and a Bar-tailed Godwit, the latter apparently a particularly good Azerbaijani record.
Shikra

Back at Masalli a troublesome haze had formed and the mid-afternoon light was

harsh. Wed had another brief sighting of a male Shikra over roadside oaks south of the town but it had been far from satisfying,
so we returned to the clearing where wed tried earlier. Birds of prey were very much apparent: Short-toed and Lesser Spotted
Eagles, Sparrowhawks and then, just when David had decided to wander off, two male Shikras drifted over, giving reasonable
views typical! Fortunately we didnt have to wait long for another sighting: a stop just a few hundred metres away brought

Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

great views of a low-flying male that sat up in an oak and proceeded to eat some sort of invertebrate in full view for several
minutes at last, satisfying views for all the team!
With plenty of light left in the day we stocked up on supplies in Masalli and began the drive south to the Zuvand region. The
woods on the drive up to Lerik were impressively dense and we could only think that Caspian Tit the near-mythical species
not confirmed from these forests for many years must still exist here.
We arrived in Lerik late afternoon and the canyon a few kilometres to the south of the town produced nice views of a roadside
Western Rock Nuthatch, which was a lifer for Ash and Dan. We reached the plains west of Gosmajilion with a couple of hours
daylight left, and a stroll here produced a couple of singing Bimaculated Larks west of the road. Short-toed Lark, Tawny Pipit
and Isabelline Wheatears were all common.
We chose to camp in the river valley south of Gosmajilion where both Green and Syrian Woodpeckers, Cettis Warbler and
even Kingfisher were seen. At dusk two Purple Herons arrived from height and several Scops Owls began to sing on a beautiful,
if slightly chilly, evening.

8 May 2015
The morning dawned clear and we were treated to crippling views of a pair of roosting Scops Owls as we packed up our tents.
Our destination was the village of Mistan, a short drive to the east, where we intended to explore the surrounding hills for two
of our primary target species.
The highest peak here exceeds 2,300 m and so despite the unbroken sunshine, it was refreshingly cool for much of the morning
very helpful when climbing punishingly steep slopes. Species selection was similar to that in the Greater Caucasus with Rock
and Blue Rock Thrush, Water Pipit, Shore Lark, Ring Ouzel, Alpine Accentor
and Rock Bunting all numerous. Black-eared Wheatears were also common
on the slopes with both Crag Martins and Alpine Swifts seen overhead.
Occasionally raptors would pass through with small groups of Honey
Buzzards heading north as well as 2cy Steppe Eagle, Short-toed Eagle,
Egyptian Vulture and two Montagus Harriers, the latter including a stunning
dark morph.
While on the ascent Ash had flushed an Asian Crimson-winged Finch one
of our targets from beneath his feet but the bird had quickly disappeared.
David had remained not far from the vehicle but the rest of us reconvened
at the top of the ridge east of the village. Not long after we were pleasantly
Raddes Accentor

surprised to stumble across our hoped-for target, singing from a rocky

outcrop at the very top of the hill a male Raddes Accentor. The bird proved

extremely mobile and quite elusive in the midday sun but eventually gave some great views, even allowing time for David to
make the arduous climb to see it.

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On the way up David had glimpsed a Crimson-winged Finch and so Ash, Dan and I headed down towards the area in which
hed seen it. It didnt take long for the bird to show but it remained extremely skittish and mobile, denying any decent photo
opportunities.
With our main objectives achieved we decided to start the momentous drive back north to the Greater Caucasus to
recommence the search for better (or just any) views of Great Rosefinch. En route back to Lerik we stopped in the same canyon
as the previous day and quickly found a singing Barred Warbler and Red-fronted Serin among the expected species. A couple
of kilometres further south produced a hillside littered with Black-headed Buntings as well as both Marsh and Great Reed
Warblers in scrub no doubt both migrants. Our first Quail of the trip was singing, Western Rock Nuthatch was seen on the
slopes above and a Long-legged Buzzard drifted over.
Distracted by the buntings, Id stupidly left the car key in the ignition and managed to leave the air conditioning on. Returning
to the vehicle, we found the battery to be completely flat! At least the locals were both friendly and willing to help: within just
an hour were back on the road after a local couple had been to retrieve jump leads from Lerik. Whod have thought a battered
old Lada could power up a brand new 4x4?! Wonders never cease.
Aside a White-tailed Eagle flying over the car near Mahmudchala Lake at dusk and a typical Azerbaijani dinner in nearby Salyan,
the long drive north was utterly uneventful and we pulled up at a hotel in Quba at around 01:00.

9 May 2015
Early morning arrived and with it the familiar ascent up through Khinaliq village and on to the slopes above. Despite our
previous struggles we were reasonably confident of finding the rosefinches, particularly with the weather quite settled. Alas a
days searching once again proved extremely frustrating: though we searched at a higher altitude more consistently our
sightings amassed to a flyover male (seen by Ash and David, heard-only by Josh) and an extremely distant and brief perched
female (Dan only).
Consolation came in the form of 15+ Gldenstdt's Redstarts, 20+ Caucasian Snowcocks (both species were widespread and
conspicuous), several brilliant Lammergeier sightings and memorable encounters with Wallcreepers, including a couple of
males fighting in a meltwater stream right in front of Dan and I. Other highlights were at least four Cinereous Vultures, Golden
Eagle and the regular high-altitude species seen on previous visits, including abundant Alpine Accentors.

10 May 2015
Once again we returned to Khinaliq but, as on previous visits, the rosefinches proved elusive. To compound matters I suffered
a bout of altitude sickness and, despite trying to battle through it, my symptoms worsened as I gained height and I had no
option but to return to the car after just a couple of hours. The others continued their search but it was only Dan who was
rewarded for the toil, obtaining decent views of a pair of Great Rosefinches at around 3,150 m. On returning to the vehicle to
try and sleep off the nausea, I was soon accosted by a truckload of army personnel wanting to know what I was doing, where
I was from and if I was with anyone. In fairness this particular bunch were reasonably friendly but nevertheless a pain, hanging

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around over an hour before Dan returned from the higher slopes and repeatedly stating that it was not permitted to walk
freely here.
Fed up with the barrage and a little sick (in my case literally) of Qizil Qaya, we elected to leave the area for good and head
back to the coast. Stopping off in Quba, a brief bit of Wi-Fi was enough to send Dan in to delirium with news of a Citril Finch
present in Norfolk. Ash, though not as distraught, was also getting a bit twitchy and the atmosphere among the team became
very tense as we headed south. Once again the drive produced typical species included Lesser Kestrel, Roller, Lesser Grey
Shrike and Rose-coloured Starlings.
With plenty of time left in the day we stopped off at Shuraabad, situated on the coast about 40 km north of Baku. Black-necked
Grebe, Garganey and Shoveler were all seen on flooded fields near the village. Further along the road runs along a peninsula,
with a shallow inlet on the landward side forming a sheltered coastal lagoon. Despite the howling wind (which is typical of the
coast here) we located two immature Dalmatian Pelicans, a flock of Spoonbills, good numbers of Little Stints, and a few Slenderbilled Gulls and Little Ringed Plovers. Among the Caspian Gulls offshore were smaller numbers of Mediterranean Gulls as well
as a single Little Gull. A White-tailed Eagle was seen distantly.

Mediterranean Gull, Shuraabad

On our previous drive past the Azerbaijani capital wed spied a small, bird-filled lagoon near Sumgayit at 40.620, 49.543.
Stopping off here and viewing from the south side, we again found it to be hugely productive. Waders were present in brilliant
numbers and among the dozens of Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints we found 10 Black-winged Pratincoles, 3 Broad-billed
Sandpipers, 20+ Temmincks Stints, 11 Red-necked Phalaropes and 3 Black-tailed Godwits. Wood Sandpiper was comfortably
the most numerous species with over 200 present. At least 50 White-winged Black and a handful of Whiskered Terns patrolled
the lake while our first Woodchat Shrike of the trip was seen and a Garganey was also present.

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Thankfully both Dan and Ash had elected against trying to fly back to the UK for the Citril Finch (as it proved, a very sensible
decision given the birds departure early the following morning). Much of the evening was spent trying to find suitable
accommodation on the coast east of Baku something that proved extremely challenging. Tiredness caused our tempers to
fray and it wasnt actually until the early hours that we were finally settled in a hotel back in the city itself after a wasted 80
km detour!

11 May 2015
After a couple of long days and a late night the previous evening we decided not to rush around, instead enjoying a rare liein until mid-morning, when we were due to meet Dr Elchin Sultanov to sort out preparations for our Nakhchivan extension. As
it turned out, finding the AZAL office was the biggest challenge and purchasing our flight tickets was straightforward. After
agreeing to meet Elchin at the airport in the evening, we decided to head south from Baku to the Hajigabul area in order to
get something out of the day.
It was the midday (and very hot) by the time we reached Hajigabul. The intensity of the heat haze made viewing the lake a
challenge in itself, unfortunately rendering the distant wader flocks virtually unidentifiable though the 50 or so Greater
Flamingoes and five Avocets were easy enough to decipher. Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters were numerous while our first Rufous
Bush Chats of the trip were noted in the surrounding tamarisk scrub. Other passerines included numerous Eastern Olivaceous
and Mntries's Warblers, Isabelline Wheatears and Lesser Short-toed Larks. Adjacent fishing lakes held the usual waterbirds
including White-winged Black and Whiskered Terns, Wood Sandpipers, Purple Herons and Great White Egrets, but activity was
slow in the heat of the day.
We decided to check out the saltpans and fishing lakes a little further west (40.0255, 48.8809) and found a little more diversity.
As well as further views of the above passerines, sightings included our first caspia Reed Buntings illustrating their curiously
bulbous bill shape, three Red-crested Pochards, a drake Pochard, two Ruddy Shelducks, three Terek Sandpipers and a singing
male Black Francolin.
With the afternoon wearing on we started heading back to Baku, but were pulled over a police checkpoint just north of
Hajigabul. It transpired that Id been caught speeding and that they were looking to impose a substantial fine but, as ever,
playing the quintessential dumb British tourist proved successful and I was let off after several minutes of shrugging coupled
with blank expressions.
After a week of punishment our hire car was in a bit of a state and so we stopped off to have it washed before returning it to
the hire car company fortunately they didnt look too hard underneath and missed the rather bruised underbelly! Fizuli, our
car hire representative, was in a seemingly foul mood that was compounded when he received a ticket for parking illegally as
we dropped David off in the centre of Baku. Saying our goodbyes, David offered us the best of luck for the trip to Nakhchivan
and hoped that we managed to stay alive until we reached the airport. Despite the raging Fizulis efforts to break just about
every basic rule of sensible driving, we did remain intact until the airport and quickly fled in to the terminal for our flight to
Nakhchivan, where we arrived late evening and were quickly introduced to Azru Memmedov, Elchins former PHD student and
just about the only birder living in the region.

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12 May 2015
We awoke early but neednt have bothered it appeared Arzu and Elchin werent as keen to get an early start despite it likely
to be hot as the day progressed. In fact, the first of many bewildering quotes from Elchin during our four days in Nakhchivan
was that birds become more active as it gets warmer.
One of the first birds of the day was a Pygmy Cormorant flying over Nakhchivan City. As we drove east towards the village of
Ordubad we scored a few sightings of flyover Black-bellied Sandgrouse and an Egyptian Vulture. Our first stop was at a bridge
east of Ordubad at 38.888, 46.047. The highlight here was one of our Nakhchivan targets a pair of manky Persian Wheatears
that were evidently feeding young in the wadi. The far-carrying call of Eastern Rock Nuthatch could be heard all around us and
careful scanning of the hillsides produced distant views of several birds another tick for both Dan and Ash. Several Finschs
Wheatears were also found around the wadi while a Lammergeier and a couple of Griffon Vultures floated overhead. Other
birds included both Woodchat and Red-backed Shrikes, Golden Oriole, Rock Sparrows, Crag Martin and the ubiquitous Rosecoloured Starlings.
Heading back west to Yayci we stopped for some lunch by a small almond grove at 38.9808, 45.6782. Desert Finches were
quite conspicuous here: we recorded at least five adults and found two nests in the small almond trees. Black-headed Buntings
were also making the most of the cultivation with a number of territorial
males. Other birds included Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat, Rufous Bush Chat,
Woodchat and Lesser Grey Shrikes plus four Black-bellied Sandgrouse and an
Egyptian Vulture overhead.
After lunch we made the short drive north towards Dari Dagh. Dan quickly
spotted a pair of See-see Partridges from the van where it crosses a small
bridge just before the building at 39.001, 45.679. Piling out of the van we
soon noticed a family of Persian Wheatears on the opposite slope, the adults
feeding at least three fledged youngsters. While the wheatears performed
well for the camera a passerine began to sing close by, any mystery quickly
dissolving when it perched on wires above my head: male Grey-necked
Bunting!
Desert Finch

Things continued to improve as a large, grey Hippolais warbler lumbered

past, slowly working its way up the slope among the scant weeds Upchers Warbler, and the third of our key Nakhchivan
targets at this spot in the space of 10 minutes! While Dan and Ash searched for the See-sees I wandered further up the valley
and, now familiar with the song of Grey-necked Bunting, quickly found more territorial males in total 6-7 were present, a real
surprise to Elchin whod confidently stated that the species would be difficult!
Further birds seen at this excellent spot included a couple of flyover Trumpeter Finches, a Lammergeier and a couple of
Chiffchaffs before a spectacular thunderstorm brought an end to proceedings. After a meeting with Tariel Talibov, the director
of Nakhchivans Bioresources Institute, in which we were shown some truly gripping camera-trap footage of Caucasian
Leopards, Brown Bears, Caspian Snowcocks and much more besides, the rest of the evening was spent relaxing in the hotel
bar a brief walk around the outskirts of Nakhchivan city Syrian Woodpecker and nest-building Penduline Tits were the avian
highlights.

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

13 May 2015
Another late start meant it was already mid-morning by the time we arrived at our first destination. It had rained quite
considerably overnight and our old Mercedes van was far from suited to tackling the slippery off-road terrain, but eventually
we reached our target destination in the Negram Mountains.
The scenery here was fantastic with brilliant vistas, and the birding proved very good too. Both Persian and Finschs Wheatears
seemed quite common along the rocky escarpments and small parties of Trumpeter Finches were regularly encountered. At
least a couple of male Grey-necked Buntings were holding territory and both Eastern and Western Rock Nuthatches were
noted. Occasional fly-bys from Black-bellied Sandgrouse amounted to around 20 birds; other flyovers included Golden Eagle,
Long-legged Buzzard, a couple of Egyptian Vultures and Ruddy Shelduck. Our primary target, however, took some time to nail
down but eventually we found a flock of 11 Mongolian Finches along the escarpments, over a kilometre from our start position.
Though they proved extremely mobile and generally unapproachable, we were eventually rewarded with decent views of this
difficult-to-see WP species.

Mongolian Finch, Negram, Nakhchivan (Ashley Howe)

With another success under the belt we decided to drive north towards the village of Gal. Exploring from the road at 39.0990,
45.7356 we were treated to at least three further Grey-necked Buntings, several singing Pale Rock Sparrows, Trumpeter Finch,
Long-legged Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle and three Egyptian Vultures. Migrants in the small roadside wadi included a female
Ortolan as well as Garden Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher.
Exploring the roadside hills at 39.049, 45.749, just north of Diz, produced a pair of See-see Partridges as well as a familiar
selection of the typical Nakhchivan species: at least two singing Grey-necked Buntings were located plus a couple of Pale Rock
Sparrows, several Persian Wheatears and, overhead, five Griffon Vultures and a Honey Buzzard.

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

14 May 2015
After promising an early start, Elchin and Arzu left us pretty infuriated when they decided to show up at 07:00, rather than the
agreed start time of 05:30. Citing poor weather in the hills at our destination, the Lesser Caucasus mountains above the village
of Gney Qlaq, it was extremely frustrating when we arrived to find the mountaintops clear with no sign of any rain.
We soon set about ascending to search for our main target, Caspian Snowcock, only to receive a call from Elchin after half an
hour telling us not to go too high as we would be shot by the Armenian army! Unfortunately it was about this point that the
rain and mist began to roll in and our visibility was cut close to zero, ruining any slim hopes we had of finding the snowcock.
The long walk back to the village in dismal conditions was barely made tolerable by a selection of typical high-altitude species
including Rock Bunting, Rock Thrush, Ring Ouzel, Water Pipit and Dipper, though Grey Partridge was a new species for the trip
among the commoner Chukar.

Clouds roll through the Lesser Caucasus above Gney Qlaq, Nakhchivan

The rain seemed well set and so we took refuge in Arzus family home, where his sister and parents lived. Here we experienced
an authentic taster of life in Nakhchivan quite basic but we were welcomed warmly nonetheless and drank plenty of tea while
Dan scoffed the chocolates put out for us.
After almost two hours the rain began to ease and so we seized the opportunity to begin the drive back down towards
Nakhchivan City. We were keen to try for White-throated Robin but Elchin insisted the strong rain (which had become little
more than drizzle by this point) would mean wed fail. Nevertheless we persuaded him to pull over at a likely-looking valley at
39.4662, 45.5979 and found a singing male White-throated Robin within about five minutes of arriving. The rain soon stopped
and it transpired that at least three males were singing in the immediate area, with sightings of at least one female. The birds
tended to keep returning to a putrid manure pile by some farm buildings, no doubt attracted by the multitude of invertebrate
life swarming all over the dung. Lesser Grey and Red-backed Shrikes, Rock and Black-headed Buntings, and Red-fronted Serin
were the best of the rest. Following this, we returned to Nakhchivan City (again prematurely, well before dusk) and settled in
for another night in the hotel.

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

15 May 2015
Our final day in Nakhchivan was to be dedicated to photographing Upchers Warblers. Our first stop was east of the village of
Beneniar, where a congregation of gulls and birds of prey to the north of the road betrayed the presence of the local refuse
dump at 39.136, 45.680. Closer examination revealed a 2cy Lammergeier and a single Black Vulture, these gargantuan beasts
dwarfing the seven Egyptian Vultures, 20+ Steppe Eagles and scores of Black Kites, White Storks and Armenian Gulls also
present, all within the shadow of the mighty Ilan Dag.

Cinereous Vulture (left) and Lammergeier east of Beneniar, Nakhchivan

Continuing south-east along the minor road for a few kilometres, we stopped to explore the open plains. A handful of
Bimaculated Larks were singing overhead although they proved nigh on impossible to see on the ground. Isabelline Wheatears,
Short-toed and Crested larks were all very common.
Our next stop was towards the village of Gal, a little further north of where we had visited a couple of days previously. Here, at
39.1066, 45.7414, we found a singing male Grey-necked Bunting and Pale Rock Sparrow. Continuing north of the village, we
stopped at a picnic spot by a small pond at 39.126, 45.7414, where a 2cy male Levant Sparrowhawk gave great views a tick
for both Dan and Ash. Also here were both rock nuthatches (including an active nest of Western very close to the ground) and
a Barred Warbler, but no Upchers Warblers.
It was a similar story to the north-east at Shurut. We explored a wadi that Arzu had described as good for Upchers but found
none presumably they were simply not in yet and thus our sightings a couple of days previous were fortuitous. We did find
three more singing male Grey-headed Buntings as well as a singing Marsh Warbler, several Golden Orioles and, best of all, two
Sheltopusiks, which we failed to catch despite trying.
The final stop of our Nakhchivan trip was a wadi south of Camaldn where we found a single Upchers Warbler (though not
seen well enough for photos) in addition to at least two singing Grey-necked Buntings, several Persian Wheatears, singles of
Finschs Wheatear and Egyptian Vulture, a showy Golden Jackal and a Greek Tortoise. It was then back to Nakhchivan airport,
where we said our goodbyes to Arzu.

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Unfortunately our flight back to Baku was delayed by almost two hours due to poor weather over the Lesser Caucasus, and it
was in the early hours by the time we had finally got out of Baku airport and on the road south. Eventually we arrived in Salyan
at around 03:00, where we found a decent hotel and flopped straight in to bed.

16 May 2015
After the previous evenings escapades we were not out until sometime after 07:00. Our plan was to explore the Kura Delta for
the morning, starting on the south side. One of the first birds of the morning was White-tailed Lapwing a pair feeding on a
stagnant roadside pool just south-east of Banka. The fishponds on the south side of the delta were fairly productive with a
male Black Francolin and Broad-billed Sandpiper seen close to the track. The fishponds themselves were teeming with the
usual waterbirds, although views were not great due to distance Garganey and Gadwall were new for the trip. In the scrub
both Rufous Bush Chats and Mntries's Warblers were numerous and Blue-cheeked and European Bee-eaters were scattered
around.

White-tailed Lapwing, Banka

By lunchtime we decided to move round to the north side of the river, first of all taking an extremely bumpy track north
from Banka for four kilometres to a small settlement. We were truly astounded at what we found on the edge of the
village (co-ordinates 39.4899, 49.2653): a huge colony of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, which we were able to watch feeding
and digging nest holes in the ground at point-blank range. Definitely one of the highlights of the fortnight!
The nearby lagoon was fairly quiet although 20 Mute Swans represented a new species for the trip. Offshore a Caspian
Tern drifted by and the beach held c.50 Whimbrel and a single Turnstone all new species for the trip list.
The bee-eater colony was so brilliant that we agreed to return later in the afternoon when the weather cooled and the light
softened, so we headed south to the large coastal lagoon at 39.384, 49.342. This turned out to be the best place we visited all
trip for shorebirds: the number and variety was simply exceptional and we estimated that there were 400+ Red-necked

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Phalaropes, 150+ Broad-billed Sandpipers and 200+ Terek Sandpipers among the hundreds of Little Stints and 1,000+ Curlew
Sandpipers present. Other birds present included a couple of Avocets, Sanderling and 200+ Greater Flamingos as well as the
ubiquitous Lesser Short-toed Larks. The only downside to the spectacle was the intense heat haze that had enveloped the
lagoon if only wed known about this spot earlier, as views (and photo opportunities) would have been exceptional early
morning!
The old salt pans just west of here were somewhat less birdy, although five Terek Sandpipers showed quite well and we
managed three new trip ticks: Little Grebe, Green Sandpiper and Common Snipe.
After returning to the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater colony for a photo-shoot in improved (but still far from perfect) light conditions,
we decided to head west to Mahmudchala Lake for the final couple of hours of the day. The lake here is easily viewable from
the main road and we were able to obtain distant views of a mixed flock of wildfowl that contained six White-headed Ducks,
five Red-crested Pochards and a couple of Ferruginous Ducks among the commoner species (three Eurasian Wigeon were new
for the trip list). A handful of Black Terns were also over the water and a Calandra Lake sang overhead.
Wanting to explore further, we took the extremely bumpy track southwards along the east side of the reservoir. This allows
considerably better views of the extensive reedbeds. A typical selection of waterbirds gave excellent views while our first
Moustached Warblers of the trip were seen and heard and a Bittern flew over the reeds. Osprey was another trip list addition
and Penduline Tits seemed common. Best of all, though, was a Jungle Cat that gave excellent views as it rested along the track
some 50m in front of our vehicle towards dusk a mammal tick for all three of us!

Jungle Cat, Mahmudchala Lake

17 May 2015
We started our final day in Azerbaijan at the famous Shirvan National Park. Several Black Francolins were audible near the park
entrance and a number of good-sized flocks of Rose-coloured Starlings were flying around. Stone Curlew took us past 250
species for the trip and several Calandra Larks gave good views but, ultimately, we found the park disappointing for birds. Save

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

a few herons and ducks, the main lake was extremely quiet and the birding was nothing on the previous day. After a couple of
hours we decided to leave Shirvan and head north towards Gobustan to look for Greater Sand Plovers.
Wed been given GPS co-ordinates for several small pools in the Gobustan region, west of Baku, but our search for sand plovers
drew a blank the best we managed were commoner species such as Little Ringed Plover and Black-winged Stilts, and some
of the pools had either disappeared or were rubbish-filled and polluted.
A great surprise, however, were two falcons high overhead at 40.4594, 49.4038. Watching them through the telescope, each
of us became convinced that they were more likely Sakers than Lanners although the smaller, older (3cy+) bird was very pale.
Fortunately both came considerably closer and I was able to obtain a reasonable series of record shots. The 2cy bird was
particularly large and imposing and more convincing as Saker, although the older bird less so. Subsequent circulation of the
images brought a mixed response with Dick Forsman declaring that he would be happy to call them Sakers; this is a pretty
good record for Azerbaijan at this time of year a few isolated pairs of Lanner are now known to breed in Azerbaijan, while
Saker is thought solely to be a scarcer winter visitor.
A final stop at Red Lake, on the outskirts of Baku, brought nice views of a flock of eight Terek Sandpipers, a male Little Bittern
and both Little and Gull-billed Terns. It was then back to Baku airport, via our final meeting with the ever-unreliable car hire
man Fizuli (who refused to take us back to the airport unless we paid him we opted for a taxi). From many aspects it had
been a superb trip: birds, general wildlife and scenery had been difficult to beat, but I think its fair to say that all three of us
were happy to be leaving certain things behind as we headed for the airport the stressful end to the fortnight somewhat
typified the hassle and difficulties in this otherwise brilliant country.

Terek Sandpipers, Red Lake, Baku

SELECTED SPECIES NOTES

Dalmatian Pelican: a common wintering species in Azerbaijan, the vast majority of birds leave for breeding grounds further
north in spring and thus a May trip is likely only to encounter stragglers, invariably immatures, hanging on along the Caspian
coast. We had no real expectations to connect with this species and so were pleased to find three immatures on the coastal

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

lagoon viewed from the car park at 38.865, 48.855 at Ghizil-Agaj State Reserve on 7 May, followed by two further youngsters
sheltered bay south of Shuraabad at 40.782, 49.542 on 10 May.
Shikra: seemingly fairly common in the lowlands around Masalli, generally keeping close to the large oak stands, and
substantial concentrations of this habitat are well worth exploring. On 7 May we saw at least three birds over the clearing north
of the Olympic Complex, viewed from 39.0227, 48.6975, as well as had fantastic views of a male perched in an oak at 39.025,
48.700. A further bird was also seen over the main road at 39.012, 48.706 clearly the species is quite easy to find.
See-see Partridge: absent from mainland Azerbaijan, this is a speciality of Nakhchivan that was only rediscovered in recent
years. A pair was seen at Dan Dagh (39.001, 45.679) on 12 May with another pair at 39.049, 45.749, just north of Diz, the
following day. Birds were seen in dry wadis on both occasions and with no shortage of similar habitat spread across Nakhchivan,
the species is presumably quite common and widespread.
Caucasian Black Grouse: the only truly accessible lek of this species in Azerbaijan lies on the slopes of Mount Shahdagh, high
above Laza. Note that this is a restricted area that can only be accessed by arranging the necessary permits several weeks in
advance something that, due to an unfortunate series of circumstances and being fed misinformation, we did not realise. We
therefore had to make do with extremely distant views from the approach road to Laza village a telescope is essential, ideally
with the capability to zoom to 60x. Even at this magnification the birds were little more than black blobs, although you could
make out their impressive tails and watch them dance. The lek can be viewed by looking high up the slopes from 41.2994,
48.1174, along the road in to Laza for the exact area of the lek itself, please email me.
Caucasian Snowcock: the far-carrying, Curlew-like call of this species is one of the defining features of the pristine Greater
Causcasian landscape. We found them very numerous and easy to see from ~ 3,000 m at Khinaliq, both perched on the rocky
escarpments and in flight when spooked by passing birds of prey. Though we did not venture high enough to encounter birds
at Laza, we nevertheless heard them calling on a few occasions.
Bimaculated Lark: though fairly common and widespread in Nakhchivan this species is restricted to the Zuvand region in
mainland Azerbaijan, where it is scarce. We found at least two birds holding territory on the plains north of the road at 38.675,
48.350 during a relatively brief search early evening on 7 May. Though we did not search thoroughly for the species in
Nakhchivan, we easily found several singing males over the plains south-west of Ilan Dag on 15 May suitable habitat can be
found right along this stretch of road, although we walked around at roughly 39.112, 45.686.
Raddes Accentor: just one was seen around the escarpment at the very top of the highest peak to the east of the village of
Mistan (38.645, 48.449) on 8 May. Though quite mobile and elusive, it could often be heard singing and responded well to
playback. The species has also been seen in the Batabat region of Nakhchivan, though our relatively tight timescale and earlier
success in Zuvand meant that we didnt try here.
Gldenstdt's Redstart: seemingly reasonably common above ~ 2,800 m at Khinaliq, this species was found with relative ease
around the boulder fields and rocky scree slopes as high as the snow line. Birds were typically seen in pairs, the gaudy males
generally seen first, and were usually mobile and difficult to approach. We did not search high enough at Laza to encounter
the species.
Semicollared Flycatcher: three birds, including two males, were observed along the river south-west of Qusar at
approximately 41.3365, 48.3418 on 5 May. This area can be accessed off the main Qusar-Quba road at 41.4104, 48.4698,

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

although note that it is necessary to cross the river bed at 41.3885, 48.4261 to reach the north side and continue along the
track to the good areas of forest a 4x4 is essential.
Mountain Chiffchaff: a few were seen, heard and photographed in the birch scrub on the slopes immediately above Laza
village. We had particularly good views of birds at 41.300, 48.120 and approximately 41.283, 48.118, both individuals
responding well to playback. The low number of birds suggested that they may only have recently arrived.
Green Warbler: common in all forested areas, both in the Greater and Lesser Caucasus and also the forested hills of the Hirkan
National Park. Several presumed migrants also seen along the Caspian Sea coast.
Upchers Warbler: supposedly common in the dry wadis of lowland Nakhchivan, we encountered this species at just two
locations our suspicion was that, despite it being mid-May, they were only just beginning to arrive. Two were seen at Dan
Dagh (39.001, 45.679) on 12 May and a single bird south of Camaldn on 15 May.
Great Rosefinch: if the redstarts had proved surprisingly easy to locate, Great Rosefinch was anything but it took several
days of searching the slopes above Khinaliq for us all to see this species. A female was seen very briefly early on 4 May (AH,
JJ), a flyover male (AH, JJ, DM) and a very distant female (DP) on 9 May and, finally, a showy pair at 3,150 m on 10 May (DP
only). Given that other teams visiting Khinaliq have connected with significantly less effort in years gone by, we can only
conclude that it was either a poor year for the rosefinches or that we had been desperately unfortunate. Similarly, searching
the slopes above Laza also failed to produce sightings in spots that they have been seen previously.
Asian Crimson-winged Finch: the only sightings of the trip were of single birds on the slopes east of Mistan on 8 May both
times about half-way up the slope.
Mongolian Finch: another species found only in Nakhchivan, we found a flock of 11 birds along the ridge in the Negram
Mountains on 13 May. A rough GPS position for the obvious ridge is 39.0565, 45.5340, although the birds were mobile and
seen several hundred metres in either direction from this waypoint.
Grey-necked Bunting: another species absent from mainland Azerbaijan, this is a speciality of Nakhchivan. In mid-May we
found males singing at almost every site we visited throughout the republics lowlands, with some spots producing several
birds. Typically they occupy rocky escarpments on the edge of dry wadis, or open hill slopes with very little vegetation. For
specific sites, see the main text.

TRIP LIST

Mute Swan

Shoveler

Quail

Shelduck

Pochard

Black Francolin

Ruddy Shelduck

Red-crested Pochard

See-see Partridge

Pintail

Ferruginous Duck

Black-necked Grebe

Garganey

White-headed Duck

Great Crested Grebe

Teal

Caucasian Black Grouse

Little Grebe

Wigeon

Caucasian Snowcock

Moorhen

Gadwall

Chukar

Coot

Mallard

Grey Partridge

Dalmatian Pelican

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Cormorant

Ringed Plover

Collared Dove

Pygmy Cormorant

Little Ringed Plover

Turtle Dove

Greater Flamingo

Kentish Plover

Ring-necked Parakeet

Squacco Heron

Grey Plover

Common Cuckoo

Night Heron

Lapwing

Little Owl

Little Egret

White-tailed Lapwing

Scops Owl

Cattle Egret

Sanderling

Black-bellied Sandgrouse

Great White Egret

Dunlin

Common Swift

Bittern

Curlew Sandpiper

Alpine Swift

Little Bittern

Broad-billed Sandpiper

Hoopoe

Grey Heron

Little Stint

European Bee-eater

Purple Heron

Temmincks Stint

Blue cheeked Bee eater

White Stork

Wood Sandpiper

Roller

Glossy Ibis

Green Sandpiper

Green Woodpecker

Spoonbill

Common Sandpiper

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Lammergeier

Terek Sandpiper

Syrian Woodpecker

Griffon Vulture

Common Redshank

Middle Spotted Woodpr

Cinereous Vulture

Spotted Redshank

Eastern Rock Nuthatch

Egyptian Vulture

Greenshank

Western Rock Nuthatch

White-tailed Eagle

Whimbrel

Sky Lark

Steppe Eagle

Stone Curlew

Crested Lark

Golden Eagle

Black-tailed Godwit

Wood Lark

Eastern Imperial Eagle

Bar-tailed Godwit

Short-toed Lark

Lesser Spotted Eagle

Ruff

Lesser Short-toed Lark

Short toed eagle

Turnstone

Bimaculated Lark

Osprey

Common Snipe

Calandra Lark

Black Kite

Red-necked Phalarope

Shore Lark

Marsh Harrier

Black-headed Gull

Sand Martin

Montagus Harrier

Slender-billed Gull

Crag Martin

Steppe Buzzard

Mediterranean Gull

Swallow

Long legged Buzzard

Armenian Gull

House Martin

Honey Buzzard

Caspian Gull

Tawny Pipit

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Little Gull

Water Pipit

Levant Sparrowhawk

Little Tern

Tree Pipit

Shikra

Caspian Tern

Red-throated Pipit

Goshawk

Sandwich Tern

White Wagtail

Kestrel

Gull-billed Tern

Yellow Wagtail

Lesser Kestrel

Common Tern

Grey Wagtail

Hobby

Black Tern

Dipper

Peregrine

White-winged Black Tern

Dunnock

Saker

Whiskered Tern

Alpine Accentor

Avocet

Rock Dove

Raddes Accentor

Black-winged Stilt

Stock Dove

Rufous Bush Chat

Collared Pratincole

Wood Pigeon

White-throated Robin

Black-winged Pratincole

Laughing Dove

Robin

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Nightingale

Upcher's Warbler

Starling

Common Redstart

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

Rose-coloured Starling

Black Redstart

Willow Warbler

Golden Oriole

Gldenstdt's Redstart

Common Chiffchaff

House Sparrow

Northern Wheatear

Mountain Chiffchaff

Spanish Sparrow

Isabelline Wheatear

Green Warbler

Tree Sparrow

Black-eared Wheatear

Wren

Rock Sparrow

Persian Wheatear

Spotted Flycatcher

Pale Rock Sparrow

Finschs Wheatear

Red-breasted Flycatcher

White-winged Snowfinch

Whinchat

Semicollared Flycatcher

Chaffinch

Caspian Stonechat

Great Tit

Linnet

Song Thrush

Coal Tit

Twite

Mistle Thrush

Blue Tit

Goldfinch

Blackbird

Long-tailed Tit

Greenfinch

Ring Ouzel

Bearded Tit

Red-fronted Serin

Rock Thrush

Nuthatch

Desert Finch

Blue Rock Thrush

Common Treecreeper

Bullfinch

Barred Warbler

Wallcreeper

Hawfinch

Blackcap

Penduline Tit

Trumpeter Finch

Common Whitethroat

Lesser Grey Shrike

Mongolian Finch

Lesser Whitethroat

Red-backed Shrike

Common Rosefinch

Mntries' Warbler

Woodchat Shrike

Great Rosefinch

Sedge Warbler

Magpie

Crimson-winged Finch

Moustached Warbler

Jay

Ortolan Bunting

Reed Warbler

Jackdaw

Black-headed Bunting

Marsh Warbler

Alpine Chough

Corn Bunting

Great Reed Warbler

Chough

Grey-necked Bunting

Cetti's Warbler

Hooded Crow

Yellowhammer

Garden Warbler

Rook

Rock Bunting

Icterine Warbler

Raven

Reed Bunting

Total: 252 species

GALLERY
A selection of images taken during our fortnight in Azerbaijan can be found on the following pages. All photos are by Josh
Jones. To see more images from our May 2015 trip, consider visiting the following websites:

David Monticelli (pbase): Bird trip to Azerbaijan (May 2015)

Josh Jones (Flickr): Azerbaijan, May 2015

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Above: Gldenstdt's Redstart, Khinaliq, 4 May 2015

Below: Mountain Chiffchaff, Laza, 6 May 2015

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Above: Finschs Wheatear, Qobustan, 6 May 2015

Below: White-winged Black and Whiskered Terns, Ghizil-Agaj National Park, 7 May 2015

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Above: Bimaculated Lark, Gosmajilion, 7 May 2015

Below: Black-headed Bunting, Lerik, 8 May 2015

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Above: Caucasian Snowcocks, Khinaliq, 9 May 2015

Below: Lammergeier, Khinaliq, 9 May 2015

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Above: Persian Wheatear, Dari Dagh, Nakhchivan, 12 May 2015

Below: Grey-necked Bunting, Dari Dagh, Nakhchivan, 12 May 2015

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Above: See-see Partridge, north of Diz, Nakhchivan, 13 May 2015

Below: White-throated Robin, Nakhchivan, 14 May 2015

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Azerbaijan May 2015 by Josh Jones

Above: European Bee-eater, Kura Delta, 16 May 2015

Below: Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Kura Delta, 16 May 2015