Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 2 Nov 14
Striated Heron at Zakaki Marsh on 29 Oct – 1st Record for Cyprus but unfortunately not found by me.
A fairly short one this week for a number of work and weather related issues.
The week started slowly due to work commitments so there was no birding on Monday or Tuesday, although whilst on the way to Troodos on the 28th a late European Beeater flew over the A1 motorway at the Kivisili junction. On Monday evening I had received an email alert regarding the first record for Cyprus of a Striated Heron (Thanks to Colin Richardson – Chairman of the sub-rarities committee and Jane Stylianou – the Cyprus recorder). Also known as Mangrove or Little Green with the US form being known as Green-backed. In any event, I couldn’t get to Zakaki Marsh on Tuesday so I thought Wednesday could be a possibility.
I left home at 0430 on Wednesday morning and drove to Zakaki Marsh in Limassol, arriving at first light at about 0550. No sign of the Heron but a Bluethroat and a couple of Kingfishers were in the area. I sat in the car and waited. At 0615, fearing the worst, I walked around the side of the sump/sluice that the bird had been seen in. It appeared! It jumped from a sunken drain up onto the wall and stood motionless. Grabbing a few shots, I watched as the bird was flushed by some (Fu**!!)ing feral dogs. It flew to another ditch across the road and as I watched, it flew into the reeds at Zakaki Marsh. Anyway – RESULT! I spent a few minutes at Zakaki noting a number of calling and then flying Penduline Tits, a Reed Warbler and my first Water Pipit of the winter. A late Sand Martin flew through and then the bloody dogs arrived and flushed everything. With nothing else for it, I drove back to Ay Nik, showered and got to work, only a little late. Stone Curlews numbered 26 in the Dhekelia roost – a little disappointing as numbers should be increasing. At Akhna Dam all was fairly quiet with only a couple of Redshanks and a Little Stint being at the water’s edge. An Osprey performed well which is getting quite late and a Water Pipit was with White Wagtails. As I drove home through the fields 5 Corn Buntings were sat on wires, the first for the site in some months.
On Thursday, unusually rain stopped play and on Friday, I was unable to get out, so the week and month ended with a bit of a whimper. Considering 169 species were seen last October and only 127 this year, it was a pretty poor October with slim pickings.
Highlights of the Week: The 1st Record of a Striated Heron (Little Green/Mangrove Heron) for Cyprus.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
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