Journeys with Turkiye’s Eymir Ornithological Research Center: Part one

For several field seasons OSME has supported the Eymir Ornithological Research Center outside Ankara, Türkiye. It’s connected to the Biology Department of the Science Faculty, Ankara University. An amazing number of students from several universities have participated here to learn the basics on bird conservation, bird ringing and how to carry out field work for a thesis. OSME believes that creating opportunities for these young naturalists, and cheer them on in their early-career moves on the path of conservation, is vital for nature and humans alike in the OSME region.

This is the first of a two-part guest blog featuring the reflections, thoughts and personal experiences from some of these students. Great examples of how sustained funding can build a whole community of committed up-and-coming conservationists.

The impact that Eymir Ornithology Research Center had on me has changed my entire career path – let me explain: I initially started my MSc journey in a different university, where I was studying systematic entomology. In the meantime, I kept volunteering for Eymir biannually active seasons, a week per season. I noticed my interest beginning to shift towards the study of birds, rather than bugs. In addition to this, the fieldwork that we were tasked with at the Eymir was far more engaging and fun in comparison, and the fulfilment the activity of bird-watching gave me, along with the feeling of importance one feels when contributing to the science of birds on a day-to-day basis, absolutely charmed me.

Even though I loved entomology, thanks to the Eymir, I knew deep down that this was what I had always imagined doing. It was a tough choice, but eventually I chose to go down the path of ornithology. Now, I´m preparing for my thesis fieldwork, and I couldn´t have been happier in terms of academic choices.

At that time, when I was a newcomer, I was morally affected by the Pandemic. Eymir has offered me a new perspective on what it meant for me to be a biologist, and biological studies as a whole, apart from labwork and data analysis – it showed me how out of touch I had become from fieldwork, how I had distanced myself from nature itself. The first few seasons I´ve been there were also fresh breezes of new air for me, and I began to love being out there, participating in scientific studies, once more.

The friendship aspect is something I cannot brush off – I made many friends as I kept volunteering, and they have become my closest friends in this city. Those same friends have now become my colleagues one by one as we grew together. The feeling of finding a home is strong with the Eymir Ornitological Center.

Lastly, the Center is offering opportunities, still, to participate in ornithological studies that concern the birds of Ankara, the birds of Türkiye, as well as the birds of the Palaearctic.

Studies on migration specifically have an impact on monitoring populations, which allows us to scientifically model upcoming scenarios of population dynamics which will be impacted by climate change, along with other factors. This, in return, allows us to inform the governing bodies to take action and prevent population declines. The reason we help monitor the avifauna is that birds play a key role in ecosystem health, and anything that happens to them

is anything that happens to us as a species as well. The Center makes sure to provide ample scientific information to keep in store, just in case, as well as providing crucial info on current matters.”

I have always loved being in nature. And I believe that having direct contact with nature is important for developing an awareness of the need to protect it. Observing wildlife in its natural habitat and being immersed in nature bring a new level of awareness and helps build a personal connection that motivates individuals to take action for its conservation.

For me, birds are the most beautiful and fascinating part of nature. I greatly enjoy going on nature walks and observing birds in my free time. I learned about the Eymir Bird Ringing Station through a friend. Until that day, I had only observed birds from a distance with my binoculars, so being able to see them close and even hold them was an incredible experience.

I believe that if we want to protect nature, we must first understand it, and that is only possible through scientific research. Contributing to the work carried out at the Eymir Bird Ringing Station as a volunteer was a very meaningful experience for me. Located in the heart of the Anatolian steppe, Eymir Lake is a lush and wet area, making it an important spot for migratory birds. Therefore, the research conducted there provides rich and unique data for the scientific literature.”

The Eymir Ornithology Research Center has become a significant part of my academic and personal life. I first joined the center in my second semester, and since then, I have remained a committed volunteer. The Eymir Ornithology Research Center has reshaped both my lifestyle and career path.

Throughout my life, I was used to working alone and doing things independently. I’ve always enjoyed outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and observing wildlife. However, volunteering at Eymir taught me the value of collaboration and the importance of nature conservation. I began to enjoy being around people, working as part of a team, and taking on responsibilities. I became a reliable team player.

Before long, I had learned how to correctly identify bird species, and improved my birdwatching skills, and developed the ability to coordinate and guide others in the effort of nature conservation. Thanks to these new skills, I have become a certified bird ringer this spring. In the upcoming fall season, I will officially serve as a ringer for the first time. I hope to inspire and guide new bird enthusiasts, just as those before me did when I was starting. I look forward to becoming a great mentor for the newcomers on this journey.”

At first glance, this expression might seem very simple and cliché, but Eymir has literally given me a family.

When I started university, the effects of the pandemic were still ongoing. Moving from the city I´d lived in for years to Ankara, spending time with strangers in a city I didn´t know at all, felt terrifying. Studying in the Biology department had always been my dream. But what now? I wasn´t interested in botany, microbiology… Maybe zoology was for me. For a semester, I struggled to adjust to this new life, unsure of what I wanted or where I was headed. Then, in my second semester, I met Arzu GÜRSOY ERGEN. In class, she mentioned a place called Eymir Lake and the bird ringing studies being conducted there. Although I wasn´t very enthusiastic when I first heard about it, the idea of helping with the season opening appealed to me.

When Arzu Hoca mentioned that the opening would be crowded and that there would be a few people from the ministry, I didn´t realize that “opening” meant the start of the station—setting up the nets—and, thinking it was a real ceremony, I went to the site dressed quite smartly, in a light-colored pair of pants that were completely unsuitable for the field. Looking back now, my unfamiliarity and shyness that day seem very funny. In fact, whenever we talk about our first days, Arzu Hoca and I always laugh about me wearing light-colored pants.

This is how I met Eymir. The following season, my volunteer week, which I call “The week that changed my life” began. October 2022. I call it the week that changed my life because, after that week, I decided exactly what I wanted and who I wanted to become. The people who volunteered with me that week were the people I was sure I would live side-by-side with for the rest of my life. We had as much fun as one could have in a week. We learned a lot about birds and nature conservation.

Every bird we took out of the net, every piece of information our ringer shared, was so magnificent and unique to us… Like the excitement of a small child starting to talk, we spent hours telling each other what we had learned about birds. When our volunteer week ended, I had made three wonderful new friends. That week, I learned to be part of a whole that everyone can talk for hours about a topic they love, and that I could be valued just for being me, regardless of where I came from or my identity. All of this made me feel like a bird. As free as a bird, as endless as a migration…

The process that followed continued with me looking at every flying thing I saw, chasing every sound I heard, and crossing kilometers for new experiences related to birds and nature conservation. I made many observations and started spending all my free time at Eymir, even outside the weeks I officially volunteered during the season. Hearing that the ministry was going to open a ringing training program was perfect news for me. It meant I could take responsibility and be even more involved in the process and the work at a place I love spending time in so much.

In 2024, I started taking a more active role at the station as an apprentice ringer. Together with my teammates, we have founded a university club aiming to raise awareness about birds and biodiversity, as well as nature conservation. For those who heard about Eymir for the first time—people like me who were wondering what to do next—this club has become a wonderful tool for all of us to raise even a tiny bit of awareness for birds.

I know I´ve gone on for too long. I started my words by saying Eymir has become a home for me. A swift flying over me in my most helpless and lowest moments; a Scops Owl calling out to me while I was crying in the dark of the night; Great Tits whose song made me smile as I walked down the road… Eymir taught me to be as free as a bird in moments when I felt bad.

Thanks to the friendships I have made here, I have built a family for myself.

Currently, Ayşenur, the ringer I stayed with during my first week, and I are roommates. Even when the season is closed, we have a communication group where we always spend time together and constantly poke each other with new project ideas for nature conservation. Putting all that emotion aside, the journey that started with Arzu Hoca’s explanation in my first year of university continues today as I write this, having registered for my Master´s degree.

During my university life, I have gained experience in presenting a poster and writing a scientific research project using the data we have collected at the Eymir Ornithology Research Center. I have attended various bird conferences and have started developing myself in malaria by joining a COST Action. With the start of my Master´s, I have become the new licensed ringer of the Eymir Ornithology Research Center. As I mentioned at the beginning of my story, putting effort into Eymir and seeing its development from the day I started until now fascinates me. Seeing a place I was completely foreign to transform into a

place where I am familiar with everything—from the number of birds ringed to the volunteers coming this season—makes me feel like I have grown. My journey will continue with doing my Master´s research using the data collected at the Eymir Ornithology Research Center, contributing to nature conservation efforts. Furthermore, I will be serving as an experienced ringer for the first time in the 2025 autumn season. Although this makes me a little nervous, the excitement of explaining what ringing is and how the collected data is processed to newcomers washes away all my anxiety.

In short, I can say that the Eymir Ornithology Research Center has opened the door to an academic path about birds and nature conservation while giving me wonderful friendships and unforgettable memories. I hope everyone can find a research station like this one, where they feel at home, and where everyone passes on what they know, far from competition!

With love, Havva YALAZ, Ankara University”

This was at a timewhen I had no real knowledge about birds or ornithology. I didn´t know how migration worked or how bird species were identified. But after spending time at the Center, learning from experienced people, and joining the fieldwork, I have started to feel a strong connection to birds and nature.

This connection has shaped my academic journey: I wrote a TÜBİTAK project titled “Investigation of seasonal variations in feather morphology and feather density of four bird species distributed in Lake Eymir”, and now I plan to pursue my Master’s degree in ornithology. None of this would have happened without Eymir. The Center not only taught me about birds, but also helped me understand how important nature conservation is to protect our world.

We are a group of young volunteers who support each other, learn together, and grow together. Being part of such a well-organized and welcoming environment gives us the chance to explore science early and find our direction. I truly believe that every young person who joins Eymir carries that impact forward into their careers, their research, and their efforts toward nature conservation and the protection of the natural world.”