Georgia - May 2026 - Day 2 - The Steppe

After an excellent sleep to make up for the loss of the previous night we drove the short distance back towards David Gareji Monastery, an impressive structure built into the escarpement and looking over Azerbaijan. I wonder if the monks use eBird?. A small shallow lake just before we got there held a pair of Great Reed Warbler, regular Reed Warbler and two Sedge Warbler, and on the other side of the road were both Tawny Pipit and Calandra Lark. What a place! The Monastery itself was closed at this early hour - good news for birders. The Pied Wheatear was still on the roof of one of the buildings, and we scoped a Blue Rock Thrush higher up. The real prize here for birders who have not been this far east before, me included, was Green Warbler, and we were able to pick out a couple of vocal birds on the hillside below the walls. There was also an extremely friendly Western Rock Nuthatch on the Monastery itself. Bee-eaters swooped below us, the first Griffon Vultures appeared in the sky, and as we walked back along the road towards the gorge we picked out Rosefinch and several Black-headed Bunting.

Green Warbler

Western Rock Nuthatch

The wind was much reduced thankfully, and as we picked our way down it was apparent that we could hear a lot more than yesterday. As we descended a call we did not recognise turned out to be Egyptian Vulture. Continuing down we found Eastern Orphean Warbler close to the track, and once down at the stream also the Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin that Rob needed for his country list but had missed yesterday. As we searched along the stream and the vegetation up the slope on the eastern side we could hear various Warblers chattering. Barred Warbler was a surprise, perhaps it should not have been, but the real target was soon found - Menetries's Warbler. These stayed quite high up but we eventually got clinching views of this species - a two tick morning for most of us, and three for some. 

David Gareji Gorge

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin

Menetries's Warbler

We returned to the accomodation to find a magnificent Georgian breakfast laid out with a view of rolling green hills and pasture. I failed to take a photograph of it but trust me when I say that the spread was sensational. The tomatoes were just wonderful, but apparently a shadow of their late summer potential. I made sure to eat a lot as Shelduck Nature Tours does not stop for lunch! As we stuffed our faces we could hear Calandra Lark drifting over the hillside. 

We now had a long drive towards the true Steppe, but there were points of interest along the way. At Udabno Salt Lakes we found a male Garganey, Common Shelduck and a Lapwing, alond with Wood Sandpiper and Black-winged Stilt, and on the hillside above a squabbling mob of Griffon and Black Vulture ripped the last of some unfortunate carcass apart. As we decended into Sataple we struggled with the ID of Levant Sparrowhawk and Lesser Spotted Eagle, and then at a spot that Rob near close to the Iori River we found our one and only Turtle Dove of the trip - even out here in this unspoiled habitat they are few and far between - the perils of migration over countless guns.

Montagu's Harrier

Siberian Stonechat

At the start of the long entrance road to the Chachuna Managed Reserve we stopped for a short break. Siberian Stonechat was found here and a Red-rumped Swallow zipped past with commoner Barn Swallow. A Pair of Montagu's Harrier cruised the edge of a field up towards the lake, and as we bounced our way along the track we picked up Isabelline Wheatear, loads of Black-headed Bunting, Roller, Golden Oriole and much more. The habitat became more and more open, more and more impressive as we picked our way south towards Azerbaijan along a track that became ever more haphazard. Short-toed Eagle was seen, and both Woodchat and Lesser Grey Shrike.

Ugh

Rufius-tailed Scrub Robin

We were aiming for a spot some distance away and beyond a large reservoir that was good for Turkestan Short-toed Lark, a tick for most of the Snowcocks. I'd seen them in central Turkey a few years back but was keen to see another. Here the landscape was truly amazing, photographs can't really do these kinds of wide open spaces justice. The Lark proved very hard to pin down amongst many more Greater Short-toed Lark, and for a period was totally forgotten as a stonking male Finsch's Wheatear very briefly appeared from nowhere before flying over the gorge and disappearing over the lip. I made a special winter trip to Cyprus for this bird before seeing more in the mountains of Eastern Turkey whilst looking for Caspian Snowock, but this was still a massive highlight. I cannot begin to describe the monochromatic purity of this bird, it is simply outstandingly beautiful, in a class all of its own. There were also many Isabelline Wheatear here, and three Pied Wheatear that were very nice in their own right but looked a little plain next to the Finsch's. Black Francolin was seen in the hazy distance, and more were calling from somewhere in a distant gully - apparently this is their real habitat, and birds I've seen previously in Cyprus and Hawaii don't count. Or rather they do but they have now been usurped in the eBird standings by these Georgian ones. Lesser Kestrel flew over we found a Chukar checking us out from a small cave in the side of a gorge. I have not enjoyed a birding session like this for a good while, just in awe of where we were. Birding is a great hobby just because of where it takes you. I'd have been fine seeing nothing from this particular place.

Chukar

Spur-thighed Tortoise

What a place!

We returned the way we had come, seeing much the same in beautiful light. A family party of Lesser Kestrel were hanging out on the dam tower of the Dali reservoir, and I picked out a distant Kingfisher. Rob had booked the Savanna Guest House in the village of Khornabuji, pretty much where you regain the tarmac. As we supped a reflective beer on the terrace a Scops Owl started to call, closing what had been a brilliant day.