Hoynat Adası

Hoynat Island is a small, rocky islet rising from the sea within the boundaries of Ramazan village in the Perşembe district, right beside the Hoynat Tunnel on the coastal road. Wikipedia writes that the island lies about 100 metres off the shore and covers an area of some 700 square metres. The tunnel on the coastal road between Perşembe and Fatsa, level with the island, also takes its name from this little island. Because there are very few islands along Turkey's Black Sea coast, Hoynat immediately catches the eye of anyone looking out from the shore. The island has never been a place of permanent settlement. The Ordu Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism notes that sailors are thought to have used the island as a store and shelter in ancient times. There are remains of a castle and a cistern on the island, and Wikipedia reports that traces of walls suggest it was once surrounded by a fortification. Because of these remains, the Samsun Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage registered the island as a second degree archaeological site in 2004. If you look carefully from the shore, you can make out fragments of stone walls built between the rocks. What makes Hoynat famous today is its birds. The Provincial Directorate describes the island as a bird paradise where gulls and cormorants live. The island is a breeding site of the European shag; the Provincial Directorate calls it the only place in Turkey where this species nests, while press reports present it as one of two breeding sites. Since the sources differ on this point, it is safest to know the island as one of the very few breeding places of the species in the country. According to a count reported by the Demirören News Agency, about 90 pairs of European shags and 250 pairs of herring gulls live on the island. The European shag is a bird worth watching from the shore for a while. According to Wikipedia, it measures between 68 and 78 centimetres, with a fairly long tail and a yellow patch at the throat. In the breeding season a small crest appears on the heads of the adults and their black feathers take on a metallic green sheen. The species is one of the deepest divers among the cormorants and has been observed diving down to 61 metres. It builds its nests on rocky ledges and in crevices; Wikipedia writes that the nesting season begins at the end of February and can stretch into May. Landing on the island is forbidden in order to protect the birds. The island has been designated an Important Bird Area because it hosts endangered species, and it has been left as a habitat for the birds. The Mayor of Perşembe told Milliyet that the birds are startled by people and can attack when disturbed in the breeding season. For this reason you should not make noise or sound your horn at the roadside opposite the island. It also matters for the birds that swimmers off the beach do not head out towards the island. The way to watch Hoynat is from the viewing terrace on the opposite shore. The Ordu Metropolitan Municipality has placed a viewing terrace, wooden steps down to the beach, seating areas, railings and observation binoculars opposite the island. When you reach the terrace, first look at the whole island with the naked eye, then use the binoculars to search one by one the white streaked areas on the rocky summit and the birds in the crevices. Bird activity is more noticeable early in the morning, and the light then falls on the eastern face of the island. If you bring your own binoculars, you can watch comfortably even at busy times. Since the island lies right beside the coastal road, it is easy to reach. Simply follow the coastal road from central Ordu or from Perşembe towards Fatsa, and stop beside the viewing terrace as you approach the Hoynat Tunnel. Those who wish to use public transport should get current information in the district about the routes running along the coast. On windy days, when the sea rises, the waves crashing against the rocks of the island offer a different sight. If you continue west from here, a short drive brings you to Yason Burnu.