birdwatching alongthe Nabran coastline
Nabran is a unique area near the border with Russia (Dagestan) in far north-eastern Azerbaijan where the humid subtropical climate allows forest to grow right up to the Caspian shoreline. The forest – formed of oak, beech, ash, alder, the endemic ironwood, and other tree types – largely falls within the Samur Yalama National Park, an 11,772.45 hectare area also comprising fields and rivers and home to rare animals like roe deer, lynx and reed cats, plus birds including buzzards, falcons and eagles and fish such as bream, asp and Caspian kutum swimming in the rivers. In summer this strip of coastline comes alive with family vacationers, but before the crowds arrive, in spring there are plenty of birds here to delight ornithologists. However, it is worth bearing in mind that most of them can also be seen elsewhere, in Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
Target species:
Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
Lesser Spotted Eagle (Clanga pomarina)
Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius)
Red-breasted Flycatcher (Fidecula parva)
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaetus albicilla)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Eurasian Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)
When to visit:
April-June.
Where to stay:
The Nabran coastline hosts a variety of seaside hotels and guest houses.
