What’s going on up north?
Is there anything that says “Batumi” more than a dark morph male Marsh Harrier passing this close? Photo by Richard van Vugt.
Although we haven’t shared many updates about our pilot count at Kvirike, that doesn’t mean we haven’t been counting! Our dedicated counters have been scanning the skies from Station 3 at Chalet Kvirike: without clouds, in the clouds, and even above the clouds!
Since the start of the count on August 21st, we’ve logged over 200,000 raptors! Although the total number is relatively lower compared to our official counts from Sakhalvasho and Shuamta, the quality of sightings has been absolutely outstanding!
Crested Honey Buzzard flying over one our lower-level watch sites. Photo by Guus van den Berg.
During the Honey Buzzard and harrier peak in late August and early September, most individuals passed close by at eye level. On the days we counted above the clouds, we enjoyed spectacular views as the sunlight reflected off the cloud tops, beautifully illuminating the birds from below.
Throughout September, the diversity of raptors gradually changed, with highlights including multiple Crested Honey Buzzards, eye-level Griffon Vultures, and even a Golden Eagle!
In late September and the first two weeks of October, we witnessed a fascinating pattern in the migration of Steppe Buzzards: the vast majority of birds have been migrating eastward into the mountains north of our station. These birds likely end up flying through the inland valleys of Mtirala National Park — which could explain why, on some days, Station 3 counted more Steppe Buzzards than Stations 1 and 2 combined! These are also likely the same birds that Station 2 sometimes records in their (very!) far east.
A juvenile Black Kite showing off its beautiful plumage. Photo by Richard van Vugt.
Within the streams of Steppe Buzzards we often see nice eagles — such as this juvenile Imperial Eagle. Photo by Erik Jansen.
Altogether, Kvirike has so far proved to be a truly fantastic place to observe eye-level raptor migration while surrounded by pristine semi-tropical forests. Moreover, it provides valuable new insights into the dynamics of raptor flight paths within the Batumi bottleneck.
Make sure to keep an eye out for further updates and our final “Kvirike special” autumn report!
How we often see raptors from our station at Kvirike: in front of the sea and the city of Kobuleti. Photo by Tohar Tal.