Experienced Ringers Urgently Needed in Turkey

Experienced Ringers Urgently Needed in Kars, Eastern Turkey from May 5-June 15. Airfare and other expenses will be covered. Ringers with eastern Europe experience preferred. If interested, please email your ringing resume and references to Dr. Cagan Sekercioglu, cagan@stanford.edu  and Onder Cirik, onder@kuzeydoga.org

The environmental NGO KuzeyDoga Society has been monitoring and ringing birds at Aras and Kuyucuk Bird Ringing (Banding) stations in northeastern Turkey's Kars and Igdir provinces. We have so far recorded 321 bird species in the Kars region, over two-thirds of the country’s species, including most of eastern Turkey specialties. 172 bird species have been ringed and both numbers are still rising. A bird list is here: http://www.kuzeydoga.org/index.php/birdlist

This is a part of the Kars-Igdir Biodiversity Project led by ornithologist, ecologist and conservationist Dr. Cagan Sekercioglu (http://www.sekercioglu.org), senior scientist at Stanford University Biology Department and the president of KuzeyDoga. As a result of our multi-year efforts to protect and monitor the region’s bird diversity while benefiting local people from ecotourism, KuzeyDoga was honored to receive from HRH Princess Anne the 2008 Whitley Gold Award, the most presitigous grassroots conservation award of the United Kingdom (http://www.whitleyaward.org/display.php?id=133).

Our conservation and ecotourism efforts have culminated in the designation of Lake Kuyucuk as Turkey’s 13. and eastern Turkey’s first RAMSAR wetland, and Kuyucuk’s election as Turkey’s 2009 European Destination of Excellence by the European Commission. At Kuyucuk Lake, we have also built Turkey's first island created for wildlife conservation.

Aras Station (950 m a.s.l., 40º 07' N, 043º 35' E) is in a wetland by the Aras river and is surrounded by reeds and willows. Kuyucuk Lake (1627 m a.s.l., 40º 45' N, 043º 27' E) is a bird-rich steppe lake surrounded by wheat fields and alpine meadows. Photos can be seen on http://www.kuzeydoga.org/index.php/albuem/view/1

You can see the lists of species ringed daily at both stations in the following blogs:

http://arasbirdstation.blogger.com
http://kuyucukbirdstation.blogger.com

Both stations have over 200 bird species, collectively exceeding 270 species, 60% of the entire avifauna of Turkey. Over 25,000 birds of 172 species have been ringed, including many Turkey specialties and rarities such as Spotted Crake, Great Snipe, Terek Sandpiper, Long-legged Buzzard, Ruddy Shelduck, Levant Sparrowhawk, Pallid Harrier, Little Crake, Syrian Woodpecker, Citrine Wagtail, Corncrake, River Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Caucasian Chiffchaff, Green Warbler, Paddyfield Warbler, Short-toed Lark, Siberian Stonechat, Finsch’s Wheatear, Moustached Warbler, Upcher’s Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Menetrie’s Warbler, Barred Warbler, Red-throated Flycatcher, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Rose-colored Starling, Common Rosefinch and Black-headed Bunting.

We are looking for ringers who will help ring birds at our stations from May 5th ideally until June 15th. The facilities are basic but comfortable, with amenities such as hot showers and Western-style flush toilets. Minimum participation must be at least for 3 weeks, ideally for the entire period above.

Volunteers will be expected to spend most of the time ringing at Aras. Accommodation at the Aras station will be provided in the former teacher's house with a capacity of 5 beds. Western-style flush toilet, hot shower, kitchen, and stove are available in the house. Volunteers are responsible for preparing breakfast whereas lunch and dinner are cooked locally. Night temperatures are 10-15 C and day temperatures are 20-30C. Occasional rain is possible.

At Kuyucuk, accommodation will be provided in the former teacher's house with 6 beds in the village and in a cabin by the lake with a capacity of 4 beds. Western-style flush toilet, hot shower and kitchen are available in the house. Volunteers are responsible for preparing the meals with supplies provided by KuzeyDoga. Night temperatures are 5-10 C and day temperatures are 15-25 C. Occasional rain is possible.

Each station will be led by a licensed master ringer(s) and volunteers will be responsible for checking the nets hourly, collecting birds from nets, bringing to the ringing center, recording the data on data sheets, making orientation experiments, releasing the ringed birds and preparing the meals. We have English speaking ringers at the stations and our English-speaking staff can be reached at all times. KuzeyDoga Society may move volunteers between stations depending on available capacity.

At our stations, you can, by alternating, go hiking, go birdwatching, look for herbs, butterflies, and dragonflies, go fishing at Aras river as long as it is catch and release, watch fall raptor migration, stargaze, ride horses and have exciting cultural experiences, such as participating in village festivities.

Anybody who is interested and can volunteer from May 5 at least to May 31 (ideally until June 15) should get in touch with onder@kuzeydoga.org and let him know your name, last name, the dates you are available, and any questions.

Logo from www.bto.org
Onder CIRIK
KuzeyDoga Society
Projects Coodinator
www.kuzeydoga.org
www.kuyucuk.org