Three years after our first visit (see the birding trip report of 1998) to this former Soviet country, we were glad to be able to do it all over and to visit lots of new places. This was not a birdwatching trip: we visited some of the interesting old monasteries, met friends en watched how the town of Giumri and its population - in 1988 greatly affected by the earthquake - try to survive. But on a number of places I kept my eyes open for birds and I made two excursions with Vasil Ananian (mainly in search for dragonflies - a detailed account of the odonata of Armenia was published on the web) and this excellent birdwatcher is a guarantee for some interesting bird species. As only a few trip reports on this country can be found on the internet, I think it worthfull to publish mine here even if it doesn't give full detail.

saturday 07/07
In the gardens in Nork Marash (a Yerevan suburb) I start the day with flocks of rosy starling, laughing dove, house sparrow and black magpie. One hoopoe sits in the garden, and this bird will become one of the most regularly seen species, from the valleys to high up in the mountains (Selim pass: altitude 2400 m). Also constantly swifts are in the air, although I fail to see the impressive numbers I've noted three years before.
In the afternoon together with Vasil Ananian we descend to the Hrazdan River Gorge in Yerevan city where we see grey wagtail, syrian woodpecker, kingfisher, carrion crow, and have good sightings of golden oriole. Later in the streets of Yerevan we find again laughing dove and goldfinch.

wednesday 11/07
South of Gyumri on the road to the overlook on Ani from the niva I see a longlegged buzzard, lots of bee-eaters, roller, lesser grey shrike and black-headed bunting. A small lake has white-winged tern.
A group of beautifull rosy starlings is very busy in the trees longing the Ajurian river at the Turkish border.

thursday 12/07
A morning walk in the fields near the village of Ajurian (just east of the town of Gyumri) yields black-eared wheatear with youngsters, yellow wagtail (feldegg subspecies of nowadays species) with entirely black crown and neck, plenty of black-headed bunting, black redstart, lots of skylarks and one rook. The town of Gyumri itself has laughing dove, house sparrows and goldfinch.
In the evening we drive to Harich monastery. On the way, before Artik we see great groups of rook and jackdaw on the fields.
At Harich I see my first ever common rosefinch (male in full color) after hearing it constantly with WIE-DJUU ... Rufous-tailed rock thrush feeds its youngster on the parking besides the monastery. Further species at the spot are: linnet, magpie, carrion crow, common whitethroat, black redstart, crag martin, house sparrow and a  cuckoo. A raven flies in the neighbourhood.

friday 13/07/2001
Trip to Alaverdi (monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin). After leaving Gyumri we see large groups of rook in the fields. In Vanadzor (formerly Kirovakan) we hear our first chaffinch in Armenia, this region is much more wooded than most of Armenia. The church of Haghpat has its black redstart and I hear a blackcap singing nearby.

saturday 14/07
Time for the return trip to Yerevan. The marshrutni (taxi van) goes fast, although on the heaviest slopes it has some difficulties. Near the road I watch northern wheatears and a lesser spotted eagle quite close.

Later that day we head for Vedi. A valley in this arid zone with yellow, grey, brown and rose-coloured rocks shows us an almost biblical landscape, with shepherd inclusive. But there is one very small waterhole (about 50 cm in diameter), which attracts the birds: upchers warbler, pale rockfinch, finsch wheatear, trumpeter finch, grey-necked bunting and, blue rock thrush. We don't see it but we can hear eastern rock nuthatch.

monday 16/07
The Geghard monastery is a must for every visitor, and the surroundings are really beautifull.
We get dipper very close, and near the impressive cliffs fly griffon vulture and kestrel. A short visit to the hellenic temple of Garni gives golden oriole, western rock nuthatch and lots of house martins.

wednesday 18/07
One of the old caravan routes from Persia to Astrachan leads over the mountains at the Selim pass (or Sulema pass) at 2400 m altitude. Just below the mountain pass there is a medieval caravanserai. The road is difficult but the robust building is worth a visit. And around are plenty of birds: ortolan bunting, hoopoe, common rosefinch, red-backed shrike, long-legged buzzard and white-throated robin. From the jeep we have 2 closeby observations of chukar partridge with youngsters, not shy at all.. At a river at Martumi near Lake Sevan we hear Cetti's warbler and observe red-backed shrike; also sand martins are present in great numbers.
Lake Sevan has it's Gull Island. Thousands of Armenian gull breed here, and they are still present in great numbers. We have a swim in the fresh water, which, combined with the gull's callings, gives us a seaside feeling.

Epilogue
These two weeks gave a total of 103 species. Not really much but the journey wasn't a birdwatching one. I hear from Vasil that specialised birdwatching tours manage to see in a 10-day period between 200 and 218 species, a decent total for a palearctic country only the size of Belgium.

Practical information

General information: In recent years some travel travel guides have been printed but more and more information available on the internet. I did put some interesting links and info on books on seperate webpages. These pages are in dutch but the books and links should speak for themselves.