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The Kocacay Delta unfolds along Türkiye's southern Marmara Sea coast, roughly 25 kilometers north of Karacabey in Bursa province.
Lagoons, flooded forests and wide mudflats line the wetland, a protected area that draws large numbers of migratory birds each autumn as long journeys south approach.
Flocks of celtikci, known internationally as glossy ibises, gather in growing numbers across the delta's shallow lagoons.
Groups move together through the water, a pattern typical of the species as autumn migration approaches and birds converge on reliable feeding grounds before departure.
The delta's mix of shallow water and soft mud forms the core feeding ground for the gathering flocks.
Sediment left by the Kocacay River as it reaches the Marmara Sea creates the muddy shallows the birds rely on, an ecosystem shaped by centuries of seasonal flooding.
A glossy ibis stands apart from the flock, its dark plumage catching a green-and-bronze sheen in direct light.
The bird's long, downward-curved bill sets it apart among the delta's wading species, suited to probing soft ground rather than open water.
Lowering its bill into the mud, a celtikci searches for prey hidden beneath the surface.
The curved shape allows the bird to reach insects, larvae and mollusks buried in shallow sediment, prey that make up the bulk of its diet during the pre-migration feeding period.
Several birds forage side by side, each repeating the same probing motion in the shallow water.
Small invertebrates surface with each strike of the bill, sustaining flocks that spend long stretches of daylight moving methodically across the delta's feeding zones.
Feeding intensifies as the season progresses, with flocks spending extended periods in the water building fat reserves.
Energy stored during this period supports the long, uninterrupted flight migratory birds undertake once they leave the Kocacay Delta for wintering grounds farther south.
As autumn advances, flocks continue moving in coordinated groups across the wetland, a rhythm that will carry on until departure.
The Kocacay Delta remains one of several wetland stopovers along Türkiye's migratory routes, offering food and shelter before birds resume their journey.
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