** Marshes around Van Lake 
Location: Van Lake, east Turkey. 
Description: IBAs 067, 069, 070, 072 are wetlands on the shores of Van Lake. 
Information required: recent detailed information on the ornithological importance 
of all of these sites is lacking. Eight days of fieldwork during the period 1 May- 
15 June would be required to establish their importance again. 
Details: One can hitch-hike around the lake. 
New Birds of Turkey recording forms 
If you are travelling to Turkey, but do not intend to visit any of the sites listed 
below, you can still help by completing the new Birds of Turkey recording forms. 
From spring 1993, DHKD is asking all birdwatchers to standardise the way they 
submit their records so that the information can be entered into a sites and species 
database. This will revolutionise the conservation of species and habitats in 
Turkey. Many of Turkey's key habitats and important globally threatened 
species are under pressure from planned developments. DHKD has the energy 
and influence to prevent many damaging changes, but needs the help of visiting 
birdwatchers to collect the data to support their case. 
Please contact Murat Yarar for forms. Detailed instructions will be provided and 
all contributions will be acknowledged in the new IBA inventory. 
Murat Yarar, IBA project Officer, PK 18, 80810 Bebek-Istanbul, Turkey. Fax 
(901)279 55 44 
This list of sites is welcome. OSME would happily publish lists of sites that need 
surveying, or other projects that visiting birdwatchers could undertake, from any 
other part of the OSME region. Ed 
Ahlat Marsh, eastern Turkey 
Mark Cocker and John Temple-Lang 
During June 1991 and 1992, the Naturetrek birdwatching groups to 
eastern Turkey have spent four nights at Ahlat, a small town situated 
about 20 km northeast of Tatvan, on the northwestern shore of Lake Van. 
On each occasion, a number of hours was spent at a small freshwater 
marsh, which lies approximately two kilometres southwest of the centre 
of Ahlat Although it is a relatively small area (possibly less than 40 
hectares in extent), the site was extremely good for birds, including a 
number of species listed in ICBP's Birds to Watch: Pygmy Cormorant 
Phalacrocorax pygmaeus, Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris and 
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucoctyhala. 
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