Beached at a shallow island in the marsh where we could walk out a bit, as we approached another section of marsh about a dozen purple herons rose in flight, circled, then alternately dropped back down or flew around us. Drove back for a good supper, then Turan and another boy played saz for us while we reclined and had Turkish coffee., Early to bed for early start tomorrow.

June 5 Wednesday Started at 6 am for what was billed as a 3 hr ride. Same cramped jeep over bumpy roads and tilled fields. Saw variety of birds, but few very close so few pictures - lagwing, larks, squacco heron, reed warbler, kestrel, egrets, stilts, water spider, plover, white heron, spoonbills, long legged buzzard, marsh harriers, ruddy shelduck, flamingoes in far distance, pochard and marbled ducks. Also saw 2 wolves trotting across the fields in the distance. Atalay said they'd taken a cow in the last week. On our way back stopped at a reed drying field, where some of his relatives were making packets of reeds that would later be shipped to England and other countries for thatched roofs. Stopped in a small village to take pictures of a stork and 3 young in a nest, and of course attracted a crowd. Soon Perk had several of the older women coming out to see what the commotion was. Alternate display options:.[Show thumbnails].