PIRT “Via Pontica” Birdwatching Tour PROMOTING INNOVATIVE RURAL TOURISM IN THE BLACK SEA BASIN REGION 2014 Table of Contents Birdwatching Sites .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Armenia ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Bulgaria .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Georgia ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Turkey ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 51 Technical Requirements, Issues and Solutions ............................................................................................................................................................ 70 Detailed Itinerary ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 71 Birder-friendly Facilities & Accommodation ................................................................................................................................................................ 87 Other Sites and Accommodation Included in the Itinerary ......................................................................................................................................... 95 PROMOTING INNOVATIVE RURAL TOURISM IN THE BLACK SEA BASIN REGION 1 BirdwatchingSites Armenia Armenia's physical characteristics, variety of habitats and geographical situation at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East explain the rich avifauna found in the country. Some 359 species have been recorded in Armenia (of which 13 are rare or accidental in Armenia and are not included in the species count), with 245 proven to breed here and about 170 found in winter (including resident species). Following a major flyway more than 180 species pass through Armenia on the way to and from their wintering grounds in the Middle East and Africa. Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) -Armenia Nr. International Name Region Area Latitude Longitude Link 01. Khosrov Reserve Ararat 24422 40.03233 44.90833 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=3135 02. Lake Arpi Shirak 3871 41.06083 43.62417 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=3136 03. Armash fish-farm Ararat 4639 39.7515 44.76567 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=3137 04. Pambak mountain chain Lori 56675 40.69417 44.59283 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=3138 05. Lake Sevan Gegharkunik 154627 40.35133 45.33783 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=3618 06. Amasia Shirak 7802 41.04483 43.79017 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19751 07. Dsegh Lori 18508 40.869 44.68633 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19753 08. Gndasar Ararat 2345 39.86067 45.1655 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19754 09. Gorayk Syunik 5923 39.68417 45.77883 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19755 10. Haghartsin Tavush 6137 40.8125 44.94583 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19756 11. Jermook Vayots Dzor 9467 39.79317 45.63733 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19757 12. Meghri Syunik 33331 39.01467 46.3815 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19761 13. Metsamor Armavir 10296 40.096 44.18817 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19762 14. Mount Ara Aragatsotn 2540 40.40233 44.4545 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19763 15. Noravank Vayots Dzor 14002 39.65667 45.22583 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19764 16. Sardarapat Armavir 19363 40.13317 43.75283 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19766 17. Tashir Lori 17948 41.11317 44.2765 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19767 18. Zangezoor Syunik 23236 39.17517 46.09083 http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=19768 The best time to visit Armenia is mid-May – mid-June. Visiting in May could produce a number of late migrants and increase chances with Caucasian Grouse and Semi-collared Flycatcher (which become very hard to find from mid-June). But those who have Pale Rockfinch on their primary 'target list' should plan their trip closer to mid-June, as the species arrives normally in 1st-2nd third of June and in some years in the last PROMOTING INNOVATIVE RURAL TOURISM IN THE BLACK SEA BASIN REGION 2 third of the month! Early May visits, apart from unstable weather, could additionally result in difficulties with high-altitude species because of remaining snow on the way to their habitats, while mid-summer heat at low elevations could significantly decrease birds (and birder’s!) activity. Map 1.Birdwatching Sites, Armenia PROMOTING INNOVATIVE RURAL TOURISM IN THE BLACK SEA BASIN REGION 3 Useful sites: List of Birds of Armenia: o http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Armenia o http://www.armeniabirding.info/listbirds.html http://www.birdlife.org/europe-and-central-asia/partners/armenian-society-protection-birds-aspb http://www.armeniabirding.info/ http://www.aspbirds.org/ Some of the site descriptions are given in the table below (sorted from North to South). Birdwatching Sites - Armenia Nr. Name Site ID Card 01. Arpi Lake National Park Shirak Province, Armenia National Park http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=3136 Ramsar Site http://lake-arpi-aua.blogspot.com/p/national-park.html o o http://barevarmenia.com/travelblog/lake%C2%AD-arpi/ Coordinates: (43 37.45' East 41 3.65' North) Area:3,871 ha Altitude: 2,010 - 2,150m Arpi Lake National Park Visitor Center Contact: Qajik Tovmasyan, Director Address: Ghazanchi village, Ashotsk Region, Shirak Marz Phone: (+374) 93 94 95 92 PROMOTING INNOVATIVE RURAL TOURISM IN THE BLACK SEA BASIN REGION 4 PROMOTING INNOVATIVE RURAL TOURISM IN THE BLACK SEA BASIN REGION 5 Arpi reservoir, located in the very north-west of Armenia, evolved in the 1950s from the small Lake Arpi. Fed by thaws and four streams, it is the source of the Akhurian river. The landscape is mountain steppe with mostly grassy alpine vegetation. The site is adjacent to wetlands. In spring the reservoir floods, and water covers an area of 20 km2and two islands (2 and 4 ha) form. By autumn, when the lake waters are used for irrigation, the shores of the two islands merge. Arpi Lake National Park was established in 2009 on the area of 21179 ha. The Javakhq-Shirak ecosystem with its mountain steppes, sub-alpine grasslands as well as lakes and wetlands is unique to the Caucasus eco-region. The ecosystem is recognized as a globally important staging and breeding ground for migratory and resident bird species, of which 44 species of the Park’s birds are included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and Red Data Book of Armenia.The Arpi Lake and adjacent wetlands have been included on The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.The national park is a habitat for 89 species of butterflies and about 700 species of vascular plants, including a number of endemics of the Caucasus and Armenia. Many of these are very ornamental: orchids, gladiolus species, poppies and many others. Besides that, Arpi Lake National Park is the only habitat of Darevski’s viper in the world. More than 190 bird species have been observed in the area of which about 120 are breeding in the park. Local breeding avifauna is particularly notable for the diversity of birds associated with wetlands and mountain meadows. The lake is the habitat for the biggest colony of Armenian Gull (Larus armeniacus) in the world (7,000-10,000 pairs are known to breed on the two islands, comprising 60% of the population in Armenia)and the only breeding site of Dalmatian pelican (Pelicanus crispus) in Armenia. Among the endangered species that are regularly seen in the Park are Corn Crake (Crex crex), Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) and Common Crane (Grus grus). Over 100 species occur during spring and autumn migration and about 70 species overwinter in the Park despite severe winter cold. Migrant waterbirds could be found at the north-eastern and western shores of the lake, where they gather on mudflats, shoals and on the islands, as well as around marshes along the Akhurian River. Many migrating passarines are attracted to wooded areas near Shaghik and Garnarich villages, and to the woodland in the Akhurian River gorge. The best time to visit in breeding season is mid-April to late June, while autumn visit in late August to late October would be particularly rewarding for observing raptor migration. Ardenis Lake is located next to Ardenis village and represents a unique example of a high-mountain natural reservoir. Ardenis Lake is a site of a global importance from the