a sky full of wings

Today we crossed greater Istanbul and made it all the way to Sarıyer in one hour— a fantastic feat, as driving anywhere near the city can be a hellish journey through traffic of the worst kind. Spring has officially arrived, and with it, the humming of bees and thousands of birds on their way back from their wintering grounds. As Sarıyer is located on one of the narrowest stretches of the Bosphorus, it is a major bottleneck for soaring birds on the Mediterranean/Black Sea Flyway.

We were prepared. Atilla the Krill Mobile (our noble, yet still slightly smelly car) was packed tightly with binoculars, folding stools, extra layers of clothes, sunscreen, bird guides, sketchbooks, and a telescope. The Dorjee thermos was full of mint tea, and our picnic basket held chocolate, oranges, cookies, and tuna sandwiches (which have become a bit of a birding tradition).



A group of three Turkish birders and a lone Englishman were scanning the sky with binoculars when we arrived at Sarıyer Keskin Viraj, a sharp curve in the road near Koç Universitesi which has some of the best views of the migratory crossing point. Pedro set up the telescope in a little clearing and I poured a cup of tea.

See all those dots in the sky?



In three hours, we saw over five hundred Lesser Spotted Eagles, 51 Short-toed Eagles, 86 Common Buzzards (including one Long-legged Buzzard), thirty Sparrowhawks, one Marsh Harrier, two Black Kites, two Booted Eagles, 116 White Storks, and the highlights: a Black Stork and one massive Imperial Eagle. How amazing is that?

At some point, while following an eagle through the trees, I noticed something that had not been there last year. Across the violet smog, something ominous was taking shape: the third Bosphorus Bridge. I understand the desperate need to alleviate the traffic situation, I do— but what will this bridge ultimately cost?

I remember Istanbul so much greener.



A third bridge, a third airport— there will be nothing left but concrete and thick air. Around two million soaring birds (pelicans, storks, raptors) pass through this point twice a year, every year. Where will they go when airplanes start claiming the sky and there's nowhere safe left to land?

above, in the grey sky

migration

One of the most marvellous things in nature happens every year, like clockwork. Thousands of storks— both black and white, as well as a wide variety of raptors, cross the Bosphorus on sunny days, making their way into Europe. At times, the sky is so full of birds, that you don't know where to point your telescope or binoculars, and while you are eyeing those beautiful storks, a Steppe Eagle slips silently by. We packed a picnic lunch of tuna sandwiches and potato salad, with the added treat of a bottle of wine. I carried the food, and Pedro was in charge of the equipment.



We headed to the hills behind Sarıyer, the northernmost district of Istanbul, just before the mouth of the Black Sea. As we hopped off the bus, the blue above us was already dotted with Lesser Spotted Eagles, Goshawks, and legions of White Storks circling within the thermals. We found an open spot with a view to set up, and settled in. Unfortunately my camera cannot handle the distance or movement of the birds, so all the raptor photos I have are fuzzy at best, making them look like moustaches in the sky, but I managed to get some of the White Storks.



So far, the highlights of the migration for me have been the elegant Black Storks (see one above) and a Griffon Vulture, neither of which I had ever seen before— and wow! Griffon Vultures are HUGE. I also really enjoyed seeing a lone Egyptian Vulture gliding past the cloud of White Storks, which caused a commotion among some nearby Turkish birdwatchers. I saw my first Egyptian Vulture in Pokhara, Nepal, while taking refuge from the heat in the shade of a tree. I looked up into the sky, and there it was: circling above, its white and black feathers contrasting vividly against a deep blue. I had seen them in Oman, and now, like an old familiar face, one was flying above me on the edge of Istanbul.