Kaunos

With your back to the mosque and facing the river, take the river front path to your left and walk so that you pass the refurbished Tazcan Hotel and continue until you come to the Kaunos Kral Bahcesi, marked B on the map below. There is a wooden jetty here and you can take the rowing boat across to the other side to get the road to Kaunos, costing 3.5 lira in 2011 return journey. Simply get the boat across and when you return from Kaunos the boat will bring you back across the river.

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Once on the other side you have a choice of two places for a drink, we usually wait until we have returned from Kaunos. Follow the only road which leads to Çandir passing Kaunos on the way. Almost immediately when you set off you will come across a cemetery on your right, this is a good spot for Coal Tit and especially Jays and the odd Hooded Crow.

Once you have spent some time here make your way along the road, keep an eye out for raptors above. Pictured below is the entrance to the cemetery, do your bird watching from the perimeter, then head along the road marked E on the map below heading towards farm track marked F, this will only take about five to ten minutes to reach.

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At the fork in the road keep straight on bearing to your right, the turn to the left takes you back to the river.The road gently rises and a short way along there is a track to your right. This leads to the meadows and scrub to your right. At the end of the track about 500 meters there is a gate and this is a good quiet spot to spend some time . Return to the road and head back up the gentle incline and you will come across the turn for Kaunos on your left,go up this track and the entrance is at the top.

The entrance fee was 8 lira in October 2009 . It doesn’t matter how you decide to go around Kaunos, however, we offer a circular route for your bird watching . Look at the map below to give you a visual idea of the route.

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From the entrance bear left towards the Amphitheatre and on reaching the Amphitheatre follow it round to your right. Rock Nuthatch are abundant at Kaunos and Blue Rock Thrush both male and female have been seen here along with Blackeared Wheatear, as have Red Squirrels. At the back of the Amphitheatre take the track leading down the hill until you get to a direction finding post pictured below.

The track to the left of this direction post will take you to public toilets if they are needed, we are going to take the track to the right and then take the first track to your left (almost immediately) and this will lead you down to the lake where good views of Heron, Night Heron, Great and Little Egret may be had, an Osprey was present in October 2009 and again this area is good for resident and passing raptors. Raptors seen around here being, Short Toed Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Osprey and Rough Legged Buzzard as well as the smaller raptors such as Hobby,Red footed falcon and kestrel. Make your way to the lake passing a small pond area see the map below. Follow the edge of the lake bearing to your left and this will lead to a small track along the side of the lake. Penduline Tits have nested in the overhanging trees and bushes in the past though not consistently, you may be lucky, otherwise the best place to see them is on the river going up to the lake on the right hand bank.

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Follow the track right to the end and this eventually come to an end at a rocky point where you will see steps carved in the rock from thousands of years ago leading up the rocks towards the top of the hill, you can make your way up these if you feel confident and it offers good views over the reed beds towards Ala Gul on the right and towards the beach straight on and slightly to your left. It is possible to set up a scope in this area.

Once you have finished here make your way back to the small pond and you will find a track to your left (see map above) which you should follow to explore the rest of Kaunos. When you have finished at Kaunos make your way back along the road and enjoy a drink in one of the two restaurants before heading back for a well deserved siesta. Below is a view over the reed beds looking towards the beach with Ala Gul and Çandir to the far right. Purple Heron are present in the area and you may get view as they relocate from one position to another. Also getting the boat to the beach often gives good but brief views of Purple Heron , if you have hired a private boat and have moored at the rivers edge , you sometimes get purple Heron relocating and settling near you,often though once down they quickly conceal themselves, but on occasions good view can be had.

Recent sightings in Dalyan

Birds seen or reported at this site

Barn Swallow

Black Redstart

Blackcap

Black-crowned Night Herons

Black-eared Wheatears

Black-headed Gulls

Coal Tit.

Collared Doves

Common Buzzard

Common Kestrel