Tell-tail Sıgns

Started the day off determined to try for some shots of White-headed Ducks, and it worked rather well, with 14 found and quite close in.

a group of White-headed Duck hanging out wıth Pochard

Another group doing its own thing - feeding

and as close as İ could get

Further scanning revealed a redhead Smew and a few Wigeon - both unspectacular for the site but Turkey ticks nonetheless. Other birds on site were some Great Egret, proving I can annoy more than one if I really try, and a Kingfisher which was spitting out something. Couldn,t get good focus as I had driven past it and there was a weed in the way for auto.

Great Egrets wıth TEM - Istanbul's fast bypass - in the back

Out of focus but I'll get ıt next tıme

On to the next site and maybe the best find of the day -Pedro! He told me I had just walked under the bridge as a Pallas's Gull had flown over - the bad news! (but it ain't over yet). But he also shared some gen on Caspian Gull and Slender-bılled which came up trumps later in the day (obrigado!) at Menekşe - more on that later. The usual Marsh Harrier (actually two) was here, and also 22 Lıttle Gull. I returned wıth Pedro to check outthe White-heads again but the Smew as nowhere to be found - although a flock of Teal not seen earlier put in an appearance

The ubiquitous Marsh Harrier

Whoopers remain

After returning home and behaving like an adult for a while my wonderful wife took the info Pedro had given me and delivered my lenses directly in front of a lovely Slender-billed Gull. I'm still working on the Caspian pics. Another cracking day and off to Gallipoli (Gelibolu) tomorrow.Should be awesome :)

Slender-billed Beauty