Wildlife of Lycia

From the lofty snow-capped summits of Ak Dagi it is just a ninety minute drive down to beautiful rocky bays by the deep blue Mediterranean Sea. Autumn bird migration lingers long in a series of wetlands in intermontane basins and down by the coast whilst late season butterflies and dragonflies are still present in numbers. Ibex pose on clifftops above Kas’s beautiful harbour, a rich diversity of reptiles inhabits the diverse maquis and a magical display of flowers garlands the glorious late autumn landscape in the unspoilt Western Taurus. The many famous sites of antiquity scattered throughout these mountains does credit to Turkey’s claim to be the biggest open-air museum in the world. In short Kaş and Dalyan are a veritable playground for the naturalist with a wonderful range of flora and fauna, superb landscapes, comfortable hotels and great restaurants to enjoy.

We’ll start up in the mountains where we’ll find Shore Larks and White-winged Snowfinches in the little basins that pepper the marble slopes. Red-fronted Serins, Finsch’s Wheatears and Cretzschmar’s Buntings are amongst a birdlife redolent of areas farther to the east. Overhead soar Long-legged Buzzard and Chukar will erupt from tracksides as we walk. The Juniper dotted slopes are decorated with the large goblets Colchicum boissieri and rare Colchicum sanguicolle. Wetlands in the valleys below hosta range of waders, egrets and herons, ducks, and migrant passerines. The lovely little Krüper’s Nuthatch is common in the Cool Cedar Forests alongside various woodpeckers and Goshawk.

We’ll descend through oak, pine and maquis, home to abundant Middle-spotted Woodpeckers, Sombre Tits and Ruppell’s Warblers. Here bloom Crocus cancellatus subspecies pamphyllicus and in crevices in almost white limestone are pockets of the fine pink stars of Colchicum stevenii, their narrow glossy green leaves help make a fine picture. The chequered blooms of Colchicum variegatum adorn slopes below the haunt of golden Sternbergia clusiana and the weird Biarum pyrami. Late season butterflies include Two-tailed Pashas and a range of skippers and graylings. Down on the coast we’ll stay in Kaş, whose narrow streets are lined with tempting little shops, cafes, bars and restaurants as the town rises up from its picturesque harbour. Green Turtles swim just offshore of the hotel and are common in these coastal waters. Patara’s coastal wetland offers great birding whilst dragonflies are abundant, and we’ll visit the ancient city too, and most especially the impressive roman-era lighthouse which was destroyed by a tsunami in 1481 but has just been fully rebuilt. Birdlife is varied with a range of raptors, herons and egrets, Fan-tailed Warvlers and flocks of wagtails and pipits as well as colourful Bee-eaters, Hoopoes and Rollers. Great-Spotted Cuckoos and White-breasted Kingfishers are resident. We’ll take a boat trip through the islands off Kekova marvelling at the underwater archaeology and searching for both Green Turtles and Loggerheads, both of which are quite common at this time of year. You’ll have the chance to snorkel at a couple of localities on this boast trip (and from your hotel) and the range of fish is quite good with shoals of long thin Cornetfish, lots of colourful Wrasse, notably the exquisite Ornate Wrasse, and a decent chance of seeing Octopus and Squid, and of course, the turtles.

Colourful cliffs beset with spectacular Lycian Rock Tombs dominate the pleasant little town of Dalyan nestled against a bend in the Dalyan (ancient Calbys) River. Dalyan could hardly have more diverse habitats. Within a few kilometres are reedbeds, lakes, beaches, limestone maquis, pine forests, globally important Liquidambar Forests, mountains and cliffs. Not surprising then that Dalyan is so rich in wildlife. A gentle walk takes us through the ruins of the Carian Port at Kaunos where Rock Nuthatches shout from ancient arches and you’re sure to see numerous Agama Lizards and even the odd Balkan Green Lizard sunning themselves. Tall spires of Maritime Squill line the track and we’ll photograph the tessellated stars of Colchicum variegatum. White-breasted Kingfishers can be seen from the river front of our hotel and perching on the wires of the many little boats moored up along the river. We’ll use one of these boats to explore the river system and Lake Köyceğiz, a wonderfully relaxing trip, and with plenty of birds; Herons and Egrets, Terns and Harriers. Lesser Emperor Dragonflies and Slender and Epaulet Skimmers race by, or perch on the boat’s rails. Marshy pools and reedbeds next to the Liquidambar woods, themselves full of autumn colour, are home to the gorgeous Indigo Dropwing, Eastern Willow Spreadwing and the rare Turkish Red Damsel Ceriagrion georgifreyi. Eleonora’s Falcons and Short-toed Eagles drift overhead as we take another boat trip to see Euphrates River Turtles – over a metre long with extraordinary leathery shells and tube noses – and you can see them just a couple of feet away! Another turtle, the impressive Loggerhead, sometimes basks in the reed fringed lagoon that sits behind Dalyan’s beach. They nest on the beach from spring to mid-summer and at this season the last of the hatchlings will be scurrying for the sea. The dunes are decorated with the beautiful scented Sea Daffodil.