Georgia


Spring Migration in the magnificent Greater Caucasus

Tuesday 10^th-Wednesday 18^th May 2011

Cost per person according to group size:

This tour is run using our unique sliding price scale, where the more people who come on a trip, the less you pay – this makes our tours truly great value as our starting price already compares favourably to that of similar trips.
Also, if you have travelled with Altiplano before, you will receive a 5% discount on the prices below.
 

9-10 participants - £1,495

7-8   participants - £1,650

5-6   participants - £1,790

3-4   participants - £1,985

Lying in the extreme east of the Western Palearctic, Georgia straddles the border between Europe and Asia. An ancient land, wrapped in mystery to many Westerners, Georgia has its own unique character and culture, influenced for centuries by the Orient and Middle East. It is a land of contrasts, from the high, cold mountains of the Greater Caucasus to hot dry, rocky Steppes reminiscent of Anatolia giving it a scenic beauty of its own.

Georgia has about 360 regularly occurring bird species, over 250 of which breed in the country. Lying across a migration corridor between the Black and Caspian Seas, the number and diversity of birds in Georgia increases astoundingly during spring and autumn migration and the country provides some of the best mountain birding in the Western Palearctic.

Target birds on this trip will be some of the species inhabiting the High Caucasus, including Caucasian Snowcock, Caucasian Black Grouse, Güldenstadt’s Redstart and Great Rosefinch. By visiting in early spring, with snow and cold still remaining at higher altitudes all these species should be found at much lower down than later in the year, avoiding the necessity for harder climbs and treks that would otherwise be needed to see them. We should also find other high altitude species such as Lammergeier and Wallcreeper as well as a real chance of finding something rare or unexpected among the many migrants.

Tour Itinerary

Day - 1 Depart Heathrow, arrive Tblisi and bird our way to Kazbegi

We shall depart London Heathrow on a morning flight with Lufthansa to Tblisi where we shall be met by our guide and driver.

We the drive some 150km. north 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 shall stop at some lakes 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 some of the oak and beech woods that cloak the lower slopes, where we should find Green Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher and perhaps Semi-collared Flycatcher.

Reaching the small town of Kazbegi in the late afternoon we’ll settle in for our overnight stay in hotel ‘Stepantsminda’.

Day 2 - Kazbegi
The day begins with a short drive Sameba Temple (2200m above sea level) where careful scanning of the high alpine meadows should reveal the dark shapes of Caucasian Black Grouse.
Among the rocks we should find Guldenstadt’s Redstart and Great Rosefinch and hopefully will also come across 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.
Overnight: Hotel Stepantsminda

Day 3 - Kazbegi
We’ll bird the area around Kazbegi on foot, encountering our first mountain birds, with surprisingly tame flocks of Twite, Shore Lark of the penicillata race and White-winged Snowfinch feeding alongside the road, all giving excellent photographic opportunities.
We should also start to see our first raptors such as Griffon Vulture, Peregrine and the mighty Lammergeier. We’ll also have good chances of Levant Sparrowhawk and, as we start our climb up the slopes, we are sure to hear the male Caucasian Snowcock’s call echoing around the mountains. With this eerie call to guide us, we should find these birds relatively easily.
Overnight: Hotel Stepantsminda

Day 4 – Kazbegi to Chachuna
We set off straight after breakfast to drive the 300km. to Chachuna. The Chachuna Nature Reserve is a part of a region called the Iori Upland (200 – 800m) that lies at the far eastern end of Georgia. Here we find steppes and savannah– like landscapes, arid woodlands and semi– deserts, and an abundance of relic and endemic plant species, birds of prey, and large predators. We shall make several birding stops en route.
Chachuna is noted for one of the largest communities of breeding birds in the Caucasus. Raptor breeders include Long– legged Buzzard, Lesser and Common Kestrels, Black Kite, Egyptian, Cinereous and Eurasian Griffon Vultures, Levant and Eurasian Sparrowhawks, Northern Goshawk, European Honey Buzzard, Common Buzzard, Eastern Imperial, Lesser Spotted, and Short– toed Eagles, Eurasian Hobby, and Lanner Falcon.
Overnight stay in nature reserve cottages.

Day 5 - Chachuna
Nature and birdwatching in the Chachuna Reserve.
Riparian forests and grassland provide the habitats for Black Francolin and a few pairs of Black Storks. A typical bird of the site is Chukar. Large aggregations of European Bee– eater, European Roller, and Hoopoe regularly raise their young on the cliffs’ steep banks and tree holes. The stunning list of passerines to be found at the site includes Calandra Lark, White-winged Lark, Crag Martin and Rufous– tailed Scrub Robin.
We will visit several canyons where usually we find some interesting birds such as White-throated Robin, Finch’s Wheatear, Red Tailed Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, various species of warbler, Rock Nuthatch, Lesser Grey and Woodchat Shrikes, Rose– coloured Starling, Rock Sparrow, Black– headed and Ortolan Buntings to name but some.
Even though the site is almost void of wetlands, the Dali Reservoir sustains considerable numbers of Ruddy Shelduck.
Overnight stay in nature reserve cottages.

Day 6 – Chachuna to Davit Gareji
After breakfast we all pile into the vehicle and drive some 160 km toward Davit Gareji.
In Davit Gareji we shall see the breeding colonies of Eurasian Griffon and Egyptian vultures, breeding Imperial Eagles, Roller, Hoopoe, Blue Rock Thrush; large aggregations of Bee-eaters, Rock Dove and possibly Rose-coloured Starling and Chukar.
Other attractions include are Cinereous Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, and Saker Falcon and passerines such as Calandra Lark, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Isabelline Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Pied Wheatear, Orphean Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Rock Nuthatch, Spanish Sparrow and Rock Sparrow. Moreover, this is one of the most spectacular sites in Georgia, where historical and wildlife attractions are located side-by-side and can be enjoyed at the same time.
Here in these Mediterranean-type arid badlands, with multi-coloured clay hills covered with shrub and steppe- like vegetation, is the site of one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world.
Overnight stay in Country house hotel, near to Tbilisi.

Day 7 – Tbilisi to Javakheti Plain
Drive to Javakheti. (250 km) birdwatching on the way.
This is a mountain grassland area in southern Georgia, along the border with Armenia and Turkey. The lakes and their surroundings support breeding populations of many bird species. This site gives birders a great opportunity to enjoy observing Velvet Scoter, Ruddy Shelduck, Ferruginous Duck, and several other species of wildfowl. Also during the spring migration there is good chance of seeing White-Headed Duck, White tailed Plover and the rare Sociable Plower.
Overnight stay in Motel Eurostar.

Day 8 - Javakheti Plain
We will visit Lake Khanchali where we can find; Corncrake, Marsh and Montagu’s Harriers, Common Crane, Dalmatian and White Pelicans, Red– necked and Black– necked Grebes, White Stork, Squacco Heron, Great White Egret, Eurasian Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Terek and Marsh Sandpipers. Other species may include Great Black– headed (Pallas’s) Gull, Gull– billed Tern, and White– winged Black Tern.
Hikers climbing up the volcanic mountains of Javakheti will be rewarded with a good opportunity to see Crimson– winged Finch and Radde’ s Accentor.
The villages of the area are perhaps the most important nesting sites of White Stork in the Caucasus.
Overnight stay in Motel Eurostar.

Day 9 - Javakheti Plain to Tbilisi
On our last day we’ll drive back to Tbilisi stopping at the Vardzia caves. Vardzia is a famous cave complex in southern Georgia, in the upper part of the river Mtkvari (Kura) valley, close to the border with Turkey. The area has a number of typical east– Mediterranean species. Most remarkable are vultures and several species of reptile. It is possible to observe; Egyptian Vulture and Lammergeier, Golden Eagle, Short– toed Eagle; Long– legged Buzzards are a common sight. Other birds of prey that frequent the area are Levant Sparrowhawk and Peregrine.
Other birds to look out for include Black– eared Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Orphean Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Rock Nuthatch and Black– headed Bunting as well as other typical songbirds of semi-arid landscapes.
We then return to Tblisi airport for our afternoon departure to Heathrow.