Introduction

(Photos from this trip)

Situated in the extreme southeast of the Western Palearctic Armenia has been somewhat neglected as a birding destination. Overshadowed by it's larger neighbour Turkey, the closed border between the two countries has prevented the many birders who have visited eastern Turkey continuing east into Armenia. Hosting many of the specialities of eastern Turkey (including Caucasian Grouse, Mongolian Finch and Grey-necked Bunting), Armenia has an advantage in that the majority of the key birding sites are located within easy striking distance of the capital, Yerevan. In terms of accessible Western Palearctic birding Armenia hosts one endemic, Persian Wheatear.

Georgia lies adjacent to, and to the north of, Armenia and after reading a gripping account of a visit by Phil Benstead (and noticing that Sunbird were leading tours to Georgia) I decided I must visit the area myself in search of the three Western Palearctic endemics found there: Caucasian Snowcock, Güldenstädt's Redstart and Great Rosefinch.

After studying an itinerary offered by Birdquest I decided that combining the excellent birding on offer in Armenia with the montane specialities of Georgia would make an excellent summer birding trip. Lee Evans, Andrew Holden and Tom Lowe accompanied me.

The Collins Bird Guide covers the birds of Armenia and Georgia well but for extra information the 'Songbirds of Turkey' by C.S.Roselaar is useful.

I bought International Travel Maps for 'Armenia and Azerbaijan' and 'Georgia' for £7.95 each from Stanfords but they are not very detailed and are not really necessary. A better map of Armenia is the Reference Map for the Birds of Armenia Project which can be purchased here.


Logistics

I found and booked flights online at AOL Travel (this AOL Member service uses the travel agent Travelocity) for £305 per person including taxes and booking fee. We flew with Czech Airlines from London Stansted to Yerevan, Armenia (changing planes in Prague). Disappointingly Czech Airlines cancelled our outbound flight on 25th June less than a fortnight before we were due to fly and, worse still, cancelled our return flight without notifying us. This left us stranded in Yerevan on 3rd July and we were forced to make our own way home with Armenia International Airways to Paris then onward to England by a variety of planes and trains.

The cost of the whole trip, including visas, flights, taxes, booking fee, vehicles, drivers, fuel, guide, accommodation and food, came to £614.50 for the five day trip and £839.50 for the nine day trip (the nine day trip would have been cheaper per person had there been four people).

Armenia
Searching the internet I found several trip reports for Armenia at OSME. Most useful were Simon Busuttil's accounts of tours to Armenia leading for Birdwatching Breaks (who have a useful itinerary) in 2000, 2000(?) and 2001. Otherwise Fatbirder gives a good overview of birding in the country whilst reports from the Birds of Armenia Project and an article by Martin Scott in Birding World Vol.10 No.5:190-195 provide as useful overview.

One thing that I immediately noticed from all these reports was the involvement of Armenian birder and guide Vasil Ananian. I e-mailed Vasil and he was able to act as a guide and organise a 4x4 with driver. He also arranged twin rooms at Erebuni Hotel in Yerevan for £12.50 per person per night. I would not recommend organising a birding trip to Armenia without Vasil. A 4x4 is necessary to reach several key sites and permission is necessary to enter Armash Fishponds. There seemed to be a lack of road signs and none of the published information actually features directions to any of the sites.

Georgia
In an attempt to keep the cost of the whole trip under control I initially researched public transport from Yerevan to Tiblisi and found that there were both trains and buses covering this route. However, as our schedule became squeezed by the change in flights I decided that speed and efficiency were more important factors than cost. I contacted a number of Georgian tourist agencies for quotes for a package consisting of 1) a private vehicle with driver to collect us from Yerevan Airport early on Monday morning and drive us (via the Armenia/Georgia border at Sadakhlo) to Kazbegi, returning via the same route departing Wednesday morning, 2) a 4x4 Lada Niva with driver to meet us in Gergeti village (adjacent to Kazbegi) and take us uphill to Gergeti Sameba Trinity Church. 3) beds in a private guesthouse in Gergeti village for Tuesday night. The best quote I received for this package was US$740 from Intourist-Caucasia with less competitive (or less convincing) quotes coming from Hans Heiner Buhr, Zaza Makharadze, Caucasus Travel, Visit Georgia, Levon Travel, Business for Species Recovery, GeorgiCa Travel, Levan Palavandishvili and Ramaz Gokhelashvili. In the event Intourist-Caucasia charged an extra US$100 because they had to scramble an Armenia driver and vehicle due to the electronic transfer of money from my bank account taking eight days to reach their account. I would recommend you arrange the transfer of money more than a fortnight in advance to avoid such a penalty.

Coincidentally, a week after we returned to Britain Peter Alfrey and Darryl Spittle published an informative article 'Birding the Greater Caucasus, Georgia' in Birding World Vol.17 No.6:255-257.


Visas and exit taxes

Armenia
A visa is necessary to enter Armenia but this can be bought at Yerevan Airport on arrival. It seemed as if the only visas available were single entry visas and you have a choice of a transit visa (US$25 valid for 3 days) or a tourist visa (US$45 valid for 28 days).

When you check-in for your flight back to England at Yerevan Airport you are required to pay an 'exit tax' of 10,000 Armenian drams, or if you don't haven any drams, US$20.

Georgia
I was advised that on arrival in Georgia, it only possible to purchase an entry visa at Tbilisi Airport. As we would be arriving from Armenia it was therefore necessary to acquire our Georgian visas before leaving the UK. A visa can be acquired by sending your passport (must be valid for at least six months from date of visa application), a recent colour, passport-size photograph, a completed and signed application form (which can be downloaded here) and a cheque for £12 (made payable to Embassy of Georgia) to Consular, Embassy of Georgia, 4 Russell Gardens, London W14 8EZ. During our period of application a Mr Constantine was in charge of visas at the embassy but he proved a tricky man to contact, persistence being required on the direct line to the embassy 020-76037799. You only require a tourist visa but to qualify for this (cheaper than other visas) you require a letter of introduction from your travel company featuring name(s), date of travel and the name of the receiving tourist organisation; our tourist agent in Georgia, Intourist-Caucasia, were able to fax this to the embassy on 020-76036682 at short notice. You can apply any time up to three months before travelling and I would strongly advise sorting it out well in advance; I didn't and as a result I had to travel to the embassy in person to collect our visas on the morning of our day of departure.


Itinerary

Due to the cancellation of our outbound flight our party of four were forced to split in two, myself and Tom flying out on 23rd June, Lee and Andrew joining us on 29th. Obviously this affected our itinerary but in the event Lee and Andrew saw almost everything in their five days.

With three of the four main target birds being present in Georgia we had originally intended to arrive in Armenia and head straight to Georgia leaving the birding in Armenia until the end of the trip. However, due to the change in the flights Tom and I spent four days birding in Armenia before we all travelled to Georgia. We then finished with the last two days of the trip birding in Armenia.

Wednesday flew London Stansted, via Prague, to Yerevan

Thursday arrived Yerevan at 5:30am, met at the airport by Vasil Ananian in Lada Niva 4x4 with driver Mamik. Dropped luggage at Erebuni Hotel, Yerevan town centre then birded Vedi Hills, Armash Fishponds, Vedi Hills then Victory Park, Yerevan. Slept at Erebuni Hotel.

Friday with Vasil and Mamik in Lada Niva we birded near Hrazdan, Dilijan and Lake Sevan. Slept at Erebuni Hotel.

Saturday with Vasil and Mamik in Lada Niva we birded Oorts Mountains, Selim Pass and Lake Sevan. Slept at Erebuni Hotel.

Sunday with Vasil and Mamik in Lada Niva we birded near Hrazdan. Slept at Erebuni Hotel.

Monday taxi to Yerevan Airport to meet Lee and Andrew. Met by Intourist-Caucasia Armenian driver and vehicle to drive us to Georgian border at Sadakhlo. Met at Sadakhlo by Intourist-Caucasia Georgian driver in Mercedes limousine. Driven to Gergeti village, arriving at 4pm. Dropped luggage in private guesthouse in Gergeti and driven in Lada Niva to Gergeti Sameba Trinity Church. Steep uphill walk for over 4 hours up the east slope of Mount Kazbek to camp below Gergeti Glacier (click here for a map kindly provided by Phil Benstead).

Tuesday birded below snout of Gergeti Glacier, walked down to Gergeti village. Slept in private guesthouse

Wednesday driven back to Yerevan. Slept at Erebuni Hotel.

Thursday met at Erebuni Hotel by Vasil Ananian and new driver Ashot in 4x4 minibus we birded Oorts Mountains, Armash Fishponds, Vedi Hills then Victory Park, Yerevan. Slept at Erebuni Hotel.

Friday with Vasil and driver Ashot in 4x4 minibus we birded Mount Aragats then Victory Park, Yerevan. Slept at Erebuni Hotel.

Saturday arrived at Yerevan Airport 3am, Czech Airlines flight cancelled. Took Armenia International Airways flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, each making our own way home from there.


Sites in Armenia

Armash Fishponds
Located in the Arax Valley these fishponds form a superb wetland comprising of large square reed-fringed tanks used for breeding fish. The fishponds are private but Vasil has permission to enter. The ponds are teeming with birds, key species being White-headed Duck, White-tailed Lapwing (15+ pairs), Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (c100 around a colony), Paddyfield Warbler (several singing) and Ménétries' Warbler (several singing). Other notable species we saw here included Pygmy Cormorant, Armenian Gull, Lesser Short-toed Lark, Black-headed Wagtail, Siberian Stonechat (form armenica), Savi's Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and Eurasian Penduline Tit.

Vedi Hills
An arid gorge with a natural spring attracting many passerines to drink. A 4x4 vheicle is necessary to reach the site. The key birds here are Mongolian Finch and Grey-necked Bunting but other species seen included Chukar, Egyptian Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, Bimaculated Lark, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Isabelline Wheatear, Finsch's Wheatear, Upcher's Warbler, Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Western Rock Nuthatch, Pale Rock Sparrow, Rock Sparrow, and Trumpeter Finch.

Oorts Mountains
Another arid gorge, this is a recently discovered site for Persian Wheatear. A 4x4 vehicle is necessary to reach the site. Other highlights here were Chukar, Lammergeier, Egyptian Vulture, Long-legged Buzzard, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, White-throated Robin, Isabelline Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Upcher's Warbler, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Eastern Rock Nuthatch, Western Rock Nuthatch, Pale Rock Sparrow and Rock Bunting.

Mount Aragats
Mount Aragats offers excellent, easily accessible mountain birding. Highlights here included Radde's Accentor, Siberian Stonechat (form armenica) and Crimson-winged Finch. We were lucky to see Semi-collared Flycatcher along with Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Shore Lark, Alpine Accentor, Bluethroat, Isabelline Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Barred Warbler, Twite (form brevirostris), Common Rosefinch, Rock Bunting and Ortolan Bunting.

Hrazdan and Dilijan
The key bird here is Caucasian Grouse which, despite two days of searching, we failed to find. Late June and July are a bad time of the year to look for this species as the males are moulting and the females are on eggs. Green Warbler and Caucasian Chiffchaff are common on the wooded slopes and Semi-collared Flycatcher breeds near Dilijan. Other birds recorded here included Lammergeier, Egyptian Vulture, Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Armenian Gull, Water Pipit, Alpine Accentor, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Twite (form brevirostris) and Common Rosefinch.

Lake Sevan and Selim Pass
Lake Sevan hosts the largest colony of Armenian Gulls in the world. Other attractions in the area include Citrine Wagtail, Barred Warbler, Caucasian Chiffchaff and Common Reed Bunting (form caspia). The nearby Selim Pass offers higher altitude species. Notable species between the sites being Ruddy Shelduck, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Marsh Warbler, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Rock Sparrow, Twite (form brevirostris) and Common Rosefinch.

Victory Park, Yerevan
The star birds at Victory Park were showy Levant Sparrowhawks and Syrian Woodpeckers.

Lake Arpi
In the remote northwest of the country, Lake Arpi did not feature in our itinerary. Dalmatian pelican occurs but is not guaranteed, Citrine Wagtails have recently been found here.

Vardenis Mountains
This is a site for Caspian Snowcock, although we did not visit (having seen this elusive species in Turkey in 2003).


Sites in Georgia

Mount Kazbek and Kazbegi
Climbing up the slopes of Mount Kazbek to the snout of the Gergeti Glacier seems to be the easiest way to find Caucasian Snowcock, Güldenstädt's Redstart and Great Rosefinch during the summer months. Earlier in the year (May seems most popular), when the snowline is lower, all these birds can be found at lower altitudes within easy reach of roads. In summer it is necessary to walk up to a higher altitude.

From the 4x4 drop-off point at Gergeti Sameba Trinity Church it took us over four hours of arduous uphill walking to reach c3,000 masl (metres above sea level) where we slept overnight in sleeping bags inside the waterproof Blizzard Survival Bags we had invested in before the trip. We were probably unlucky with the weather as when dusk fell torrential rainfall started, and didn't stop until dawn. At dawn it began to snow and we were then subjected to blizzards for almost the entire time we spent searching the boulder fields and scree below the Gergeti Glacier for our three target birds. Despite this we located 3 Güldenstädt's Redstarts (2 singing males and a female), 4 Great Rosefinches (a singing male and a party of 1 male and 2 females) and - when the low cloud lifted briefly - 2 Caucasian Snowcocks were seen briefly on a crag (although we had earlier heard at least 6 others calling). In the event, the poor weather may possibly have been a blessing in disguise as it may have forced the Güldenstädt's Redstarts lower, as some literature suggests that in the summer months they occur only above 3,600 masl.

On the descent to Gergeti village the birch woodlands held many Green Warblers and Caucasian Chiffchaffs. Other abundant birds in the area included Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Alpine Swift, Shore Lark, Eurasian Crag Martin, Water Pipit, Alpine Accentor, Black Redstart, Alpine Chough, Red-billed Chough, White-winged Snow Finch, Red-fronted Serin, Common Crossbill and Common Rosefinch.

As in Armenia, Caucasian Grouse eluded us at Kazbegi. In May they have been described as common in the general area with seemingly every suitable slope being occupied. They apparently favour steep slopes between 1,500 and 3,000 masl in the transition zone where birch woodland meet areas of dwarf rhododendron scrub and boulder-strewn slopes. From mid June, when display finishes, until September this species is extremely difficult to locate.

David-Gereja
Southeast of Rusthavi, near the border with Azerbaijan, this area of rocky steppe supports Eurasian Black Vulture, Imperial Eagle, Pied Wheatear and perhaps Saker but we did not have time to visit.


Selected target birds

Caucasian Snowcock
Georgia: from the literature we knew this species occurs commonly on steep slopes with rocky outcrops and scree at 3,000-4,000 masl and we were advised they are considerably commoner through their range than Caspian Snowcock is in e.g. Turkey and that they are not usually too difficult to see. During May they can sometimes be seen distantly on the crags from Kazbegi town. By late June it is necessary to explore at higher altitude and the easiest way of reaching the required height seems to be by following the steep grassy ridge west (uphill) from the Gergeti Sameba Trinity Church for around 4 hours until you drop down slightly into an area off scree and boulder fields (click here for a map). We heard at least 8 snowcocks singing from many of the high crags in this area and saw 2 together on crags on the left before you drop into the boulder fields.

Lammergeier
Armenia: at least 1 flew over the gorge in the Oorts Mountains and another was seen near Hrazdan

Levant Sparrowhawk
Armenia: a pair present in Victory Park, Yerevan gave superb views.

Lesser Spotted Eagle
Armenia: we saw at least 3 in the hills near Hrazdan and at least 2 over the lower slopes of Mount Aragats.

White-tailed Lapwing
Armenia: the private Armash Fishponds is the only regular site in Armenia

Armenian Gull
Armenia: very Common at Lake Sevan with a huge colony on the western shore at Gull Island. Also seen at Armash Fishponds and at the roadside.
Georgia: present on the River Kura in Tiblisi

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Armenia: we located a colony, perhaps hosting more than 25 birds, in a bund at the private Armash Fishponds.

Syrian Woodpecker
Armenia: 2 were seen in Victory Park, Yerevan.

Citrine Wagtail
Armenia: at least 2 at Lake Sevan, a new site for this rare species in Armenia.

Radde's Accentor
Armenia: a family showed very well on the lower slopes of Mount Aragats.

White-throated Robin
Armenia: several seen in a gorge in the Oorts Mountains

Güldenstädt's Redstart
Georgia: 3 (2 singing males and a female) were seen on Mount Kazbek in the boulder fields below the snout of the Gergeti Glacier.

Siberian Stonechat
Armenia: a juvenile male was present by the entrance track to Armash Fishponds and a pair was seen on the lower slopes of Mount Aragats. Also several European Stonechats noted.

Finsch's Wheatear
Armenia: present in Vedi Hills

Persian Wheatear
Armenia: 2 were seen in a gorge in the Oorts Mountains. Previously it was necessary to visit quarries by the Iranian border near Meghri for this species. Meghri is about a 12 hour drive from Yerevan.

Paddyfield Warbler
Armenia: several were singing in the reeds at the private Armash Fishponds.

Upcher's Warbler
Armenia: present in arid areas in Vedi Hills and Oorts Mountains.

Ménétries's Warbler
Armenia: several were singing in the reeds at the private Armash Fishponds and once in reeds by the roadside.

Green Warbler
Armenia: very common in woods near Hrazdan.
Georgia: common in the birch woodland by the track between Gergeti and Gergeti Sameba Trinity Church.

Caucasian Chiffchaff
Armenia: common in woods near Hrazdan and at Lake Sevan.
Georgia: common in the birch woodland by the track between Gergeti and Gergeti Sameba Trinity Church.

Semi-collared Flycatcher
Armenia: a recently fledged juvenile was seen in the woods at Dilijan. More satisfactory was a male in poplars on the lower slopes of Mount Aragats.

Eastern Rock Nuthatch
Armenia: present in arid gorges in Vedi Hills and Oorts Mountains.

Pale Rock Sparrow
Armenia: present in arid gorges in Vedi Hills and Oorts Mountains.

Red-fronted Serin
Georgia: present on Mount Kazbek and by the Georgian Military Highway south of Kazbegi.

Crimson-winged Finch
Armenia: at least 3 seen on the lower slopes of Mount Aragats

Mongolian Finch
Armenia: the Vedi Hills are the only site in Armenia for this species and we saw a pair here, although they required time to locate. First discovered here in 2001 and present again in 2002 and 2004.

Great Rosefinch
Georgia: We knew this species to breed from mid July at 3,000-3,500 masl, feeding below the snow and glacier line in alpine meadows at 2,500-2,700 masl. We saw 4 (a single male and a party of male and 2 females) on Mount Kazbek in the boulder fields below the snout of the Gergeti Glacier.

Grey-necked Bunting
Armenia: we saw at least 4 in the Vedi Hills.

Postscript

Shortly after we returned home Georgia made the BBC News with renewed threats of conflict. If you are planning a trip it is well worth keeping an eye on the travel advice issued by the Foreign Office.


Complete trip list of 199 species (following taxonomy and nomenclature used at Western Palearctic Birds)