2010 Volunteer Positions at Aras & Kuyucuk Bird Ringing Stations in Turkey

The environmental organization KuzeyDoga Society (www.kuzeydoga.org) 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 322 bird species in the Kars region, over two-thirds of the country’s species, including most of eastern Turkey specialties. 171 bird species have been ringed and both numbers are still rising. A bird list is here: www.kuzeydoga.org/index.php/birdlist   

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  and videos can be seen at
http://www.kuzeydoga.org/index.php/photo-gallery/view/1
http://kuzeydoga.org/index.php/videolar
Both wetlands have over 210 bird species, collectively exceeding 280 species, 60% of the entire avifauna of Turkey. Over 20,000  birds of 171 species have been ringed, including many Turkey specialties and rarities such as Ruddy Shelduck, Long-legged Buzzard, Levant Sparrowhawk, Pallid Harrier, Booted Eagle, Little Crake, Spotted Crake, Corncrake, Great Snipe, Terek Sandpiper, Syrian Woodpecker, Citrine Wagtail, 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.
Until now 121 volunteers from 16 different countries volunteered for KuzeyDoga Society’s fieldwork. You can see the full list at http://www.kuzeydoga.org/index.php/kv  and read some testimonials of our volunteers at http://www.kuzeydoga.org/index.php/testimonials
In fall 2010, ringing will begin at both Aras and Kuyucuk stations on August 15, 2010 and will end on October 30, 2010. We are looking for volunteers, preferably with ringing licenses, who will help ring birds at our stations between these dates. The facilities are basic but comfortable, with amenities such as hot showers and western-style flush toilets. Minimum participation must be at least 15 days, ideally one month or more. While we cover local expenses like food, accommodation and local transportation, unfortunately we can not cover travel expenses to/from Kars .
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 the meals with supplies provided by KuzeyDoga.
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. Since Lake Kuyucuk is mile-high in elevation, we recommend our volunteers to bring their own sleeping bags and cold weather clothes, particularly in October. During the day, it will be 15-25 C, cooling down as fall progresses.
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 usually 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.
Anybody who is interested and can volunteer at least 15 days between the dates mentioned above should get in touch with onder@kuzeydoga.org   and let him know your name, last name, the dates you are available, your ringing license details (if any), and any questions.
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.
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 this spring 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:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/tourism/eden/themes-destinations/countries/turkey/kars-kuyucuk/index_en.htm
 

Onder CIRIK
onder@kuzeydoga.org
KuzeyDoga Society
Projects Coordinator
www.kuzeydoga.org
 

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