Army Ornithological SocietyArmy Ornithological Society Blog
AOS Eastern Germany Trip
An excellent day with Marsh Fritillary, Brimstone, Orangetip, Gizzled Skipper and Small Blue plus a host of others and we even managed a few birds taking our total to 102. Our first stop was at Wulfener Bruch where we spent all morning. This was another wet meadow area with some lakes. Our first bird was Grasshopper Warbler with 4 calling by the stop. During the walk Wryneck and Savi’s Warbler were added and Golden Oriole flew by on a few occasions. At a lake there was a nice viewpoint where we saw a range of ducks including Red-crested Pochard. At another lake a Whiskered Tern flew around with the Swifts. During our visit we met two wardens, Jacob and Andreas, who looked after all the reserves in the area and informed us about another place not in our guide book. After lunch at “the Golden Arches”, where Serin serenaded us, we parked by an old military training area, Oranienbaumer Heide. There are still signs of old tank training and ammunition storage. The area is huge and we managed only a small part in the north. We added Bullfinch, Crossbill and the star of the day a Great Grey shrike. Dark clouds gathered and driving north on the autobahn we could see the wall of water approaching. We drove through a major storm to our new hotel by the “tractor factory”. It then continued raining as we tucked into asparagus soup and various meats; we were close to the asparagus centre in eastern Germany.
CommentsAOS Eastern Germany Trip
The internet in our hotel tonight is giving me cause to despair unlike our birding today. We woke to the sound of rushing water which was the stream rather than rain. Our first stop was at some fish ponds where we were not welcome, as soon as we appeared the wardens arrived. Fortunately we could do most of the watching from the road. It was a succesful visit as Bittern boomed and Swifts and House Martins flew around. Red and Black Kites flew over our heads. There were several species of ducks and various warblers sang. A Blue-headed Wagtail and a Stonechat perched up high for us. Our next stop was at the local village where we walked along a track down towards a marsh by a reservoir. On one side of the track a Peregrine was tucking in to a unlucky bird and on the other side Kestrels patrolled the grass fields and Kites soared above the ridge. An Osprey sat in a dead tree at the marsh. We then travelled back into the Harz for a walk in the woods where birding was by sound rather than sight. Amongst the birds added were Black Woodpecker and Nuthatch. Our next stop was further to the east and whilst we drove there was some rain but it did stop for our visit to an Imbiss. At the quarry we found a Little-ringed Plover and then a pair of our target birds, Bee-eaters, that sat on the hedgeline providing excellent views. The omens were good as the noisy Great Reed Warbler was found singing from the top of a bush. A pair of Marsh Harriers showed us how to pass prey effortlessly. We also added Wheatear and Sand Martin to our list. Our next and final stop was by the River Elbe where we walked through woods and fields to get to the river. The highlight of our walk (or was it a trek?) was a juvenile White-tailed Eagle. A Barred Warbler sang from deep in a bush and a fleeting glimpse of a probable Middle-spotted Woodpecker set our expectations for tomorrow. Our list for the trip stood at 92 species when we called it a day and headed to our hotel. Takeaway pizza and a few beers was a fitting end to the day.
CommentsCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 26 May
European Roller at Tatilisu TRNC on 26 May * indicates that a photo of the species is included please visit Flickr site to view.
After last week’s shoddy effort, I decided to make more of an effort to get out this week. On Monday morning a Golden Oriole was calling from the woods at the back of the house, but I didn’t manage to see it. After work, I headed down to Akhna Dam, where 4 Hoopoes were present. Having not seen any for a while, there must be some movement going on. A Roller also flew over and 5 Little Egrets flushed. As we sat by the water’s edge, we heard and then saw a pair of Spur-winged Plovers and a Little Bittern flew across in front of us. A single Squacco Heron was feeding on the far bank and several Eastern Olivaceous Warblers were heard. Finally, a male Red-backed Shrike today to add to yesterday’s late female.
A curry night in the Mess gave me little time to get out but I managed to get to Oroklini to conduct the dragonfly survey. Whilst there, 3 Little Terns were seen along with a single Ruff, and 2 surprising Sand Martins amongst the House Martins. Black-winged Stilts were well represented and several Reed Warblers were heard but little else amongst the masses of Mallards and Coots with young.
On Wednesday, I managed to get to Cape Greco for the first time in about a month. I checked the Pines area first and surprisingly, there are still migrants passing through albeit in small numbers. A Willow Warbler caught flies as did 2 Spotted Flycatchers. However, the biggest surprise of the day was a cracking male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear (light throated), that was very active and quite showy. We stopped at the “Schnelly” wagon and purchased a couple of Cyprus Special Sandwhiches as we had missed lunch. Surely, the food of the gods and the ideal solution to a birders’ day out. The contents being, Ham, Halloumi, Bacon, Pork, Spicey Sausage, Chicken, Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomato and Mayo, (contents may vary – other sandwiches are available – you seem to here this everywhere else, so just to safeguard the AOS), all washed down with a can of diet Sprite – compensatory reduction. Anyway, with 2 days worth of calories consumed in a single sitting, we continued to the Picnic Area. Here, a couple of male Cyprus Warblers, a Spectacled Warbler and a singing male Black-headed Bunting. As I proceeded to the point, a male and female Red-backed Shrike was noted. With nothing else about, I visited Ayia Napa Sewage Works and saw another female Red-backed Shrike, Spectacled Warbler and singing male Black-headed Bunting. The lagoons held 6 Little Grebes and a single Coot. So that was it for the day and it was good to find the time to be able to get out.
On Thursday, with a phone bill discrepancy to sort out (always a painful experience), that took a fair bit of my time, getting billed twice always upsets me, but the Cypriots don’t seem to get too excited about it, hence their “relaxed” approach to solving the issue, which is one of the main reasons why it takes so long to deal with. That sorted, we returned via Sotira Pond, to conduct the monthly Dragonfly survey and whilst there saw 14 breeding Spur-winged Plovers and a single Stone Curlew. Being pretty quiet, we returned home for a BBQ and a few beers.
Booked into a hotel in Bogaz for a couple of days over the bank holiday, should give me opportunities to explore some sights in the North. Before arriving, we journeyed via the Fresh Water Lake South and Famagusta Wetlands. Not much was present although a single Beeater drifted overhead. Onward to the Exotic hotel in Bogaz, I thought it was the Erotic, so needless to say I was disappointed. A few beers, a massage and a good meal and the day was over.
On Saturday and Sunday, I had arranged to meed Eddie John (Cyprus Butterfly Recorder) and Dave Sparrow (Drgaonfly Recorder), for a day out in search of a few sought after species. We headed off to Kantara with Red-rumped Swallows abouve us. We descended the Northern slopes but not before connecting with a Large Wall Brown* in the village. Along a track were numerous Strawberry Trees and bushes and it didn't take long to find the target - a cracking male Two-tailed Pasha*, what a beauty, we saw 4 in all. We covered the Kantara range stopping along the way, seeing a 3 Ravens, a breeding pair of Peregrines, a Little Owl and a pair of Hobbies. Numerous Cyprus Graylings, Eastern Rock Graylings, Cyprus Meadow Browns and a couple Oriental Meadow Browns were seen.
On Sunday we visited the Fresh Water Lake South where the highlights were a Squacco Heron and 2 Night Herons, although the biggest surprise was a Grey Wagtail. Searching the reeds we found 3 Small Redeyes* - a difficult to see Damselfly which was a result. We continued to Korprulu where a female Marsh Harrier was present and the usual breeding Stilts and Spur-winged Plovers, but little else.
For pictures of birds with a * please click on the following Flickr links:
- Two-tailed Pasha at Kantara.
- Large Wall Brown at Kantara
- Grass Jewel on the North Coast near Kyrenia
- Small Redeye at Fresh Water Lake South
Highlight of the Week: The sighting of a Two-tailed Pasha and a couple of Small Redeyes.
Other Interesting Finds: As per the highlights with few birds around this week.
Look Forward: A work visit to Troodos and hopefully the car back in working order.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
AOS Eastern GermanyTrip
The intrepid travellers met at Hannover Airport and were soon heading east in their trusty Ford Transit to the old border zone and the Dromling nature reserve area. There were two stops in the afternoon in fabulous wet meadow habitat. Though we never found the target species of Grasshopper and Barred Warblers there were some other birds besides Mallard and Red-backed Shrike. As we walked down the first track Black Redstart and Tree Sparrow sat on the path ensuring all features were picked up. We saw plenty of White Stork and a Black Stork did a slow fly by. Common Cranes played hide and seek in the grass fields. Nightingales regaled us from too many bushes and good views were had. Cuckoos called all around us allowing us to see them. A Golden Ori0le called from a belt of trees, a Marsh Warbler flitted and a River Warbler sang. There were plenty of Chifchafs, Whitethroats and Blackcaps as well as Buzzards, Red Kites and Marsh Harriers. Our final bird was a Corncrake calling near the minibus and then it was a drive south in the rain to our hostel at Braunlager in the Harz. A total of 44 birds for the first afternoon was a respectable tally. A few beers helped our dinner go down.
CommentsSPTA West
Whitethroats, Whinchats et al
It has been a few weeks since I updated you on SPTA West. We are well into surveys and and monitoring. The expectant summer visitors have arrived with Whitethroats once more dominating the scattered bushes. Whinchats have returned and this year we are checking the valleys rather than random grid squares. Practically every valley has had a bird reported and in some there are several pairs. Our PhD researcher has been busy with her experiments this year though at times she has been battling the elements. All our scrapes have reported sightings of Stone Curlew and we are using the same nomenclature as the RSPB to ensure no confusion. We have been checking some Schedule 1 land on the northern side for Corn Buntings which was missed in a previous survey and quite a few singing males have been recorded. In the Warminster Danger Area, Nightingales have been recorded in dense scrub though not yet in the grid square that is managing habitat for them. During the surveys up to 3 Short-eared owls were seen so we hope that they indicate a least one breeding pair on the west. Also recorded across the area was Grasshopper Warbler, Redstart, Wheatear and Willow Warbler. Our nesting Peregrines are doing well with 2 nests found though initial reports on owl boxes suggest many birds are breeding slightly later than normal. During my walks I have also been recording Fairy Shrimps and Toad spawn. I found a Common Newt in one puddle in a valley off Tinkers Track. Butterflies have been scarce and plants seem to be late. Unfortunately due to commitments of leaders there is no walk this month but hopefully in June we will find orchids, butterflies and and plenty of young birds.
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