1. CHOROKHIDELTA
JustsouthofBatumitheChorokhiriverflowsintotheBlackSea.Thisestuaryisanimportantstopoversiteforallkindsof
passerinebirdsduringthespringandautumnmigration.Someoftheuniquebirdsfoundintheareaincludethecritically
endangeredSociablelapwing,Black-wingedpratincoleandTereksandpiper.Thedeltaalsoinhabitsoneofthelastbreed-
ingpairsofPurpleswampheninGeorgia.Nexttoasuperbbirdingplace,thebeachinthedeltaprovidesanideallocation
forswimminginanaturalandquietenvironment.
Pointsofinterest
1.Gonio
EnteringtheChorokideltafrom Gonioisapleasantexperience.Afterastrollnorthwardsontheboulevard,youencounterasmall
river.Thisstream isatitsmostnarrowwhereitenterstheseaandisusuallyeasytocross.Inthereedbedsjustbehindtheriver,
PurpleswamphenandLittlecrakemaybeseen(especiallyatduskordawn).
2.Seaside
Apartfrom beingaperfectplaceforswimming,thepebbledshoreoftheBlackseaoffersthepossibilitytospotseveralspeciesof
seabirds,forexampletheYelkouanShearwater(inwinter)andwaders(duringmigration).Onaluckydayyoumightevenseethe
Blackseacommondolphin,BlackseaporpoiseorBottlenosedolphinaswell.
3.Grassyarea
Themeadowsanditssparselydistributedoldmilitarybuildingsoffergoodbirdingspotsduringthespringandautumnmigration:
wheatears(e.g.IsabellineandPied),pipits,stonechatsandwhinchatscanbeseenhere.Thethicketsprovidetheperfectlookout
forshrikes(LessergreyandRed-backed),RollersandHoopoes,andwithinthethicketsitispossibletofindBarredwarbler,
Red-breastedflycatchers,LesserwhitethroatandBlack-headedbunting(bestduringspring).
4.Ponds
Southoftheriver,closetothesea,aninterestingcombinationofpondsandmarshesisdividedbysmalldikes.Thehuntertrailsbe-
tweenthepondsalloweasypassageandsomegoodviewpointsontheresidingwaterfowl(Littlecrake,Littlebittern,Greatreed
warbler).Somepathscanbeovergrownbythornyvegetationorinterruptedbysmallchannels,butit’sstillpossibletocrossthese
onsandals/barefoot.Justaftersunriseandjustbeforesunset,thisisagoodspotforrailsandcrakes,suchasLittleandBaillon’s
crake.
5.Rivermouth
Thepebbleislandsintherivermoutharethebestsiteforwaders.From thisviewpointit’spossibletoobserveBlack-wingedpratin-
cole,Curlewsandpiper,MarshsandpiperandCaspianternduringmigration.WithalittlelucksomeBroad-billedsandpipersor
aTereksandpipermightbefoundaswell.ThisspotalsooffersgoodopportunitiesforIsabellinewheatearanddifferentlark
species.
6.Batumientrance
TheBatumientrancejustsouthofthebridgeismarkedbyabigarchabovetheroad.Crossthearch andfollowtheroadtowards
theseathroughsomegrassyareas(pointofinterest3).
Whentovisit
Springandautumnarethebestperiodstovisitthearea,inparticularMayandSeptember.Yet,withbreedingbirdsasPurple
swamphenandLittlebitternandlotsofwinteringwaterfowl,thedeltahasalwayssomethingtooffer.
Pointsofattention
Inautumnyoumightencounterlocalhunters.Hearinggunfirecanbefrightening,butletthisnotpreventyoufrom continuingyour
journey.Thehuntersknowthisareaisvisitedbyalotofpeople,sotheywillfriendlyacceptyourpresenceandwillnevershootin
yourdirection.Alsokeepinmindthatafterheavyrainfallspathscanbefloodedandaccessibilityofthedeltacanbelimited.
How togetthere
ThedeltaissituatedalongtheE70betweenBatumiandtheTurkishborder(Sarpi).Itisbestenteredalongadirtroadbehindthegas
stationssituatedonthesouthsideofthebridgecrossingtheChorokhiriver.
Thedeltacanbereachedbypublictransportaswell.Takeamarchrutka(minibus)from theregionalbusstationinthedirectionof
Sarpi(SARP)/Gonioortakeayellowbus(nr.2or201)from Makinjauritrainstation.
BIRDSofCHOROKHIDELTA BIRDSofCHOROKHIDELTA
Citrinewagtail-Motacillacitriola
Golderplover-Pluvialisapricaria
Marshsandpiper-Tringastagnatilis
Black-wingedpratincole-Glariolanordmanni
LittleBittern-IxobrychusminutusBlack-neckedgrebe-Podicepsnigricolis
Caspiantern-Hydroprognecaspia
Kingfisher-Alcedoatthis
Littlecrake-Porzanaparva Pallidharrier-Circusmacrourus
Sociablelapwing-Vanellusgregarius
Purpleswamphen-Porphyrioporphyriopoliocephalus
CHOROKHIDELTA
visitorsguide