Absheron National Park... almost

Only in Azerbaijan would a national park be closed on a Sunday, the one day when most people would want to visit.

I drove out to Absheron NP today only to be met by locked gates but the drive out there past miles of grassy sand dunes made me think this could be one of the great passerine migration points in the whole of Europe... think a twenty mile long Blakeney Point curving out into the Caspian.

There are several miles of dunes before the (closed) park gates which at this time of year were largely empty but off shore there were several large rafts of duck. Amongst some 800 tufted duck I picked out 5 black-necked grebe, a single male greater scaup (although I'm sure there were more further out) and a female goldeneye.

And like London buses, I followed yesterdays white-tailed eagle with two more drifting along the shore.

I just hope I can make it back before I leave for Egypt.

A flock of dalmatian pelican seen on the drive home