Army Ornithological Society Blog

SPTA West

20th May 2013 | Posted in: UK Birding | Comments (0)

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.   

Cyprus Weekly

19th May 2013 | Posted in: Overseas Birding | Comments (0)

Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 19 May

Crested Lark at Vrysoulles on 19 May.

* indicates that a photo of the species is included please visit Flickr site to view.

Probably the worst week I’ve had in a year!  It was far from a memorable week with few photos to show for a fairly inactive period.  A lack of motivation and since the week has been a fairly slow affair for a number of reasons, a few stats.  To date this year, I’ve recorded 240, species, sub-species and identifiable forms (Wagtails/Bluethroats) and in the rolling year since Jun 10 has seen me record 259.  With more than half the year to go and an Autumn migration to look forward to, which can be more interesting with greater variety than Spring, I should reach at least 250 for the year.  With numerous issues at work, courses, car in the garage and “other stuff”, I was unable to get out in the early part of the week.  That said, the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler continues to sing behind the garden and there has been a continuous stream of Beeaters going over the house for the last couple of days.

On Wednesday afternoon I visited Akhna Dam for a couple of hours.  As I arrived on the approach track at least 7 Beeaters were sat on wires.  At the Dam several Eastern Olivaceous Warblers were singing and 2 Little Bitterns were flushed.  A Glossy Ibis flew into join the 5 or so Little Egrets that were present and as I was departing 3 White-winged Black Terns flew through. A lone Spotted Flycatcher flitted from bush to bush but it was fairly quiet with only a few Spur-winged Plovers being noted to represent the waders.

In the village of Vrysoulles we stopped to do some shopping and several Beeaters* were also sat on wires.  In the evening a large group of Beeaters were very noisy behind the house as they roosted.  They were consequently heard the next morning as I awoke.  With the car back in the garage, I don’t hold out much hope of any birding on Thursday afternoon.  As predicted, that’s how it turned out.

On Friday night there was Mess Dinner Night, so not only was Friday afternoon a write off but so was Saturday.  On Sunday, I visited the North and at Fresh Water Lake South, the Glossy Ibises have chicks and most of the Cattle Egret chicks have fled.  A Peregrine flew over and 3 Alpine Swifts drank from the lake with Common Swifts.  I proceeded to Koprulu Lake and on the way a pair of adult Bonelli’s Eagles was a fantastic site low over the fields in the village before Koprulu.  2 Whiskered Terns and a White-winged Black greeted me at Koprulu and were good to see as was a drake Garganey. 2 drake Ferruginous Ducks were present and a pair of Red-crested Pochards look set to breed.  Calandra Larks were seen in the surrounding fields and 4 immature Greater Flamingos were still present. 

Later at Akhna Dam in the south, a Hoopoe and a late female Red-backed Shrike was a surprise and a Roller flushed from a tree.  An adult Little Bittern in the open is always a good find and a lone Wood Sandpiper was the only wader present except for a pair of Spur-winged Plovers.  With no photos to show, in desperation, I stopped to photograph a Crested Lark*.

For pictures of birds with a * please click on the following Flickr links:

• Beeater at Vrysoulles.

Highlight of the Week:  A pair of close Bonelli’s Eagles is always a fantastic encounter.

Other Interesting Finds: Nothing to Report – although a number of interesting Dragonflies have been seen at the other end of the island so a trip down there is in order.

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

Cyprus Weekly

12th May 2013 | Posted in: Overseas Birding | Comments (0)

Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 12 May

Zitting Cisticola at Akhna Dam on 6 May.

* indicates that a photo of the species is included please visit Flickr site to view

A bank holiday Monday and an extra day’s leave on Tuesday is always a good start to the week.  We departed Troodos Station to the sounds of Swifts overhead and made our way down the river valleys towards Paphos, stopping on the way to look for butterflies and seeing the ubiquitous Cyprus Wheatears and hearing a Cretzchmar’s Bunting, in its familiar V for Victory song.  Without much to talk about we continued onto Kensington Cliffs where a single Griffon Vulture was seen with 4 Eleonora’s Falcons also being noted – Year “tick”.  Pausing once more at Lady’s Mile, 23 Little Stints, a Ruff and a Ringed Plover was all that was present with a White-winged Black Tern over Zakazi Marsh.  We continued home and ate our dinner in the north which consisted of some excellent, traditional Turkish fare – Iskender Kebab.

On Tuesday, I visited Akhna Dam early and managed eventually after months of trying to get a good picture of a Zitting Cisticola (Fan-tailed Warbler, if you prefer).  Also present were a few Wood Sandpipers, Ruffs, a Roller, a Little Bittern and several other commoner passerines.  We visited the Fresh Water Lake South in the North noting another Little Bittern, a couple of what appear to be breeding Glossy Ibises and a few Squacco Herons amongst the Cattle Egret colony.  Clapsides highlight was a Greenshank and 1 lone immature Greater Flamingo remained at Gulserin Pond.  Before returning to work on Wednesday it was the traditional trip to the Turkish Barbers for the full monty.  Feeling young and refreshed, we had lunch did some last minute shopping and returned home.  At the border crossing point I photographed a Swallow* that was nesting for the gallery.  I then decided to drink too much with my sister which resulted in Wednesday being a write off after returning from Troodos.  Similarly, on Thursday it was a Silver Lunch in the Mess – need I say more, however I did manage to steel an hour to go and photograph and see an Oriental Meadow Brown* which was a new butterfly for me.

With the family departing on Friday, I was tied up with the emotional farewells etc but managed to get to Akhna Dam in the evening to console myself.  Interestingly a Golden Oriole has been calling in the mornings behind the house for about 2 weeks now – so more investigation required.  At Akhna Dam a couple of extravert Little Bitterns*, at least 8 Little Egrets, 5 Ruffs, 4 Wood Sandpipers, a single Little Stint and 2 Curlew Sandpipers* were present.  On the way home I visited a rocky outcrop in the local village where a Barn Owl had been reported.  As I arrived at c50 Beeaters rested on wires and the 4 Kestrel chicks were still present although a lot bigger than previously and looking like they were ready to fledge.  In another crack in the rocks, the Barn Owl* was present in a potential nest hole.  The Barn Owl is a very nocturnal species in Cyprus and rarely seen during daylight, so to get any sort of record shot was a real bonus.  I have only ever previously seen the species as fly overs when I’ve been in the car.

Saturday was a bit grim with not much happening, but Beeaters were still around the house and a Golden Oriole with an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler could still be heard from the house.  As we drove to Larnaca for an Inidan, (curry not person), 17 Purple Herons were over Akhna Dam.  On Sunday, a few Beeaters were on wires in the village and after completing some shopping, I did the Dragonfly survey at Akhna Dam and flushed a Little Bittern and saw a pair of Black-winged Stilts, 3 Spur-winged Plovers and at least 7 Little Egrets.  I checked a site for Small Desert Blues on the way home but none have emerged yet.  With a thunder storm looming and not much moving we had a BBQ for dinner and that concluded the week.

For pictures of birds with a * please click on the following Flickr links:

• Swallow at Black Night Border Crossing – Famagusta.
• Barn Owl at Vrysoulles (record shot in poor light).
• Little Bittern at Akhna Dam.
• Curlew Sandpiper at Akhna Dam.
• Oriental Meadow Brown at Ayios Kendeas Monastery.

Highlight of the Week:  Hmmm – struggling at the moment, but the Barn Owl was an interesting and unexpected find.

Other Interesting Finds:  The Oriental Meadow Brown very similar to the Cyprus Meadow Brown was interesting to finally ID one and note the differences.

Look Forward:  With no visitors planned for the summer – if you want a last minute holiday, now’s the time, settling back into the routine will be difficult.

If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at:   birder639@yahoo.com

Mark Easterbrook

Cyprus Weekly

6th May 2013 | Posted in: Overseas Birding | Comments (0)

Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 5 May

Griffon Vulture over the Artemis Trail, Mount Olympus on 5 May.

* indicates that a photo of the species is included please visit Flickr site to view.

Back to work and a long Monday didn’t do anything for my morale.  With Mess business to attend to and catching up with a deluge of emails resulted in no birding activity for the first day that I can remember for a long time!  I returned home and Deb and Gary alerted me to a large moth on the patio.  I eventually managed to photograph it after turning the patio light on and off like a disco and then id’d it as a Striped Hawk Moth*, so not a completely worthless day.

On Tuesday I visited Paralimini Lake to do the bi-monthly Dragonfly survey.  2 Lesser Grey and a Red-backed Shrike were present along with a Little Bittern.  A drake Garganey was a surprise and the Spur-winged Plovers are behaving as if they may well have chicks.  Several commoner waders were also present but little else of note.  On returning through Vrysoulles 3 Rollers sat on the bluff that usually houses the Little Owl and a pair of Kestrels were tending 3 large chicks.  Wednesday was a bit of a “fusaster”; busy at work and with lots of things happening at home, there was no chance to get out, although the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler continues to sing in the garden.

Thursday and with my wife and sister at the partners’ lunch, Gary and I headed off to the Gabion Dam area a seldom visited part of the country.  We were greeted by a flushed Little Bittern and a couple of Beeaters overhead.  Soon a pair of Bonelli’s Eagles was seen and a Grey Heron and 2 Night Herons were seen.  The trees contained at least 4 Eastern Olivaceous Warblers with 2 being seen and the surrounding area held at least 1 pair of Cyprus Wheatears.  A singing Serin and a male Masked Shrike concluded the line-up.  On the return journey home, a Roller and Hoopoe were seen along the road.  Oroklini Marsh held little of interest but 2 family parties of Red-crested Pochards was noteable.  A brief stop at Akhna Dam brought at least 2 Temminck’s Stints, a couple of Little Stints, 3 Squacco Herons and a female Little Crake.  Rollers, Red-backed Shrikes, 2 Little Bitterns and a Cuckoo also made appearances.

We departed early on Friday for the Troodos area and paused at Pera Pedi for a chance encounter with a meadow which held several Eastern Festoons and a target butterfly in the form of a Dark-veined White being photographed.  As we proceeded to the mountains the commoner species began to appear with Jays, Coal Tits, Blackbirds and Chaffinches being seen.  A Wren darted into a nest hole, a species that has proved difficult in recent months.  Pallid Swifts were seen in the Troodos Station area and as we returned from dinner in the village at least 6 Scops Owls were calling with one being seen chasing another in flight views – a year tick!

Saturday was spent wandering the various trails in the Troodos area and a visit to the Mandria to Ayios Nikolaos road (F616) which produced 2 Southern White Admirals.  At Pera Pedi Dam, Pallid Swifts drank, a Turtle Dove flushed, a Serin sang, a surprise Common Sandpiper was seen and Nightingales and Corn Buntings were heard.

The final day of the week and feeling pretty good about our chances of success we headed off to Prodromos Dam – which was fairly disappointing with hardly any butterflies and only a singing Serin and Cyprus Wheatears.  We had lunch in Kakopetria where more Nightingales were seen, a Cuckoo heard and a Grey Wagtail seen in the village on the stream that runs through it.  We walked the Artemis Trail in the afternoon seeing a Griffon Vulture*, a species that is becoming difficult to see.  Also along the trail, Serins, Cyprus Wheatears, a Short-toed Treecreeper, Coal Tits and Jays were all present.  A Wall Brown was good for the area and as a Masked Shrike tried to catch it a Cuckoo was heard.

For pictures of birds with a * please click on the following Flickr links:

• Black-veined White at Ayios Nikolaos.
• Speckled Wood (Cyprus Ssp) at the Caledonian Falls.
• Brown Argos at Pera Pedi.

Highlight of the Week:  Seeing a Scops Owl in any sort of view is always a joy and Griffon Vultures in any situation is becoming a rarity.

Other Interesting Finds:  A Striped Hawk Moth* on the patio and a Southern White Admiral was a new butterfly for me.

Look Forward:  With Monday and Tuesday off a bit more searching for migrants and butterflies, but with migration appearing to be all but over it’ll be all hard work in the heat for a few months to come.

If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at:   birder639@yahoo.com

Mark Easterbrook

Cyprus Weekly

28th Apr 2013 | Posted in: Overseas Birding | Comments (0)

Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 28 Apr

Red-backed Shrike expelling a pellet at Ayios Nikolaos (ESBA) on 27 Apr.

* indicates that a photo of the species is included please visit Flickr site to view.

After staying at the Bellapais Monastery Village Hotel overnight we were ready to explore the north west coast – Cape Kormakitti of the TRNC.  We stopped along the route looking for butterflies and at one stop saw a calling male Black Francolin, a quartering male Montague’s Harrier, 2 Tawny Pipits a Bonelli’s Eagle and a couple of Corn Buntings.  We pulled up where a British bird tour group had stopped, being led by Steve Cale and they alerted us to a Monarch type butterfly, we alighted the car and quickly confirmed that it was in fact a Plain Tiger* – a migratory species on Cyprus and very difficult to see.  Many thanks to Steve and his group for finding this cracker and for the bird news throughout the week as we bumped into them on several occasions.  We moved onto the cape which wasn’t exactly heaving with birds. A Turtle Dove flushed, many Tree Pipits passed overhead and a Sand Martin hawked a small pond that a Serin sand from.  Nearby a Thrush Nightingale sang and a Sparrowhawk was mobbed by Hooded Crows.  We continued around the area to Morphou and found Kanlikoy Dam which held 11 Beeaters a Whinchat but little else.  Cyprus Wheatears were ever present and as we returned to the Kyrenia area a couple of Alpine Swifts passed over us.  Back at Bellapais, a couple of cool EFES and a Beeater, Red-rumped Swallows and a showy Chukar* posed for the camera.

Tuesday the 23rd and the Silver Wedding Anniversary.  We planned to visit Kantara Castle which was fantastic and I added a year tick with 2 Ravens.  Now extinct on the south of the island due to shooting and poisoning (well done the Cypriots), the north of the island is the only place where you can reliably see them.  Birds along the way included Rollers, Alpine Swifts, Cyprus Wheatears, Blackcaps and Corn Buntings.  We returned to the hotel enjoyed the Wedding Anniversary with great company, food and a superb cake* that Deb had made for us – only a birdy cake for a birding husband and widow!

On Wednesday morning 11 Beeaters passed over the hotel and whilst returning to the south, Alpine Swifts, Red-rumped Swallows and a single male Red-backed Shrike was seen.  Before hitting the barbers (of course), we stopped at the Famagusta Wetlands seeing 3 Cuckoos – obviously a bit of a passage occurring, a Greenshank, some of the commoner Sandpipers, with a few Glossy Ibis and c200 Greater Flamlingos still in residence at Gulserin Pons.  After returning home and completing some post trip admin, we visited Akhna Dam.  Here waders were in force including 4 Temminck,s Stints, Little Stints and numerous Wood Sandpipers, Ruffs and a single Marsh Sandpiper.  The highlights was a male and female Little Crakes and a Little Bittern out in the open*.  At the conclusion of the visit, we’d seen 25 species of butterfly in 4 days – so a good start.

With migrants still much in evidence, I visited Cape Greco on Thursday morning.  Although fairly quiet, at Cape Greco Pines, a couple of Wood Warblers caught flies with several Lesser Whitethroats, a male Pied Flycatcher, a Spotted Flycatcher, my first Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and a surprise female Semi-Collared Flycatcher.  In the afternoon after lunch we drove to the Larnaca area for some shopping but of course also the wetland sites.  At Larnaca Airport Pools North a bit of a wader fest with 6 Red-necked Phalaropes (2 in breeding plumage) being the highlight.  A single adult Slender-billed Gull was unseasonal and breeding plumaged Curlew Sandpipers are always cracking birds to bump into.  We proceeded to Spiro’s beach where I eventually found the target bird of the day in the shape of 6 Broad-billed Sandpipers (a good count).  Around the pools were 2 White-winged Black Terns and 3 Little Terns with a host of waders.  At the Sewage Works Baltic and Armenien Gulls were late migrants and I photographed an obliging Roller*.  11 Greater Flamingos were still present at the airport south pools.  With Barred, Icterine and a very rare Olive Tree Warbler being reported at Akrotiri along with numerous other commoner migrants, it was clear that there had been a massive fall in the centre of the island following an easterly wind which was witnessed by the lucky few – missed this one, but you can’t be everywhere at once!

On Friday we had planned a visit to the Paphos area to meet with a long standing friend who had agreed to give up her time to aid us in finding a rare Cyprus Butterfly, the African Ringlet.  We left at 0700 and arrived in the Paphos area at about 0915.  I briefly visited Colin Richardson and handed him the Society’s Polo Shirt, which he was delighted with and promised to wear it with pride – thank you Roger and the Society.  We proceed to Mavrokolymbus Dam where we met Alison MacArthur and after some searching and a couple of Masked Shrikes and Blackcaps, we soon found 2 African Ringlets*  We visited another Ringlet site where we saw another, with a couple of Red-backed Shrikes, 2 flyover Tree Pipits and the ubiquitous Cyprus Wheatear.  Alison led us to the Kathikas area which turned out to be a result as I saw my first singing male Black-headed Buntings* of the year and a cracking Lesser Grey Shrike.  Thank you Alison for you time and company throughout the morning.  We moved onto Kannaviou village and Picnic area where I found a new Damselfly for me in Cyprus, several Banded Demoiselles*, with the female having a white spot in the pterostigma it’s a different sub species to the one in the UK.  Also present were several Odalisques and after some searching a pretty poor example of the target butterfly – an Eastern Festoon.  As we left, a male Golden Oriole perched briefly before proceeding on its way.  We carried onto the dam where we found a much better Eastern Festoon specimen.  We returned to the East via Nata Ford where a male Golden Oriole was seen and although not seeing the target Orchid, another new species was seen in the form of a Ploughshare Orchid – (Serapia v).  A female Montague’s Harrier flew over us as we made for the motorway and superb fish and chips at Dhekelia Beach Restaurant conclude a varied and enjoyable day.

Up early on Saturday and a drive to Cape Greco in the hope of some migrants.  Although quiet, all was not lost with several Red-backed Shrikes and a Lesser Grey Shrike* being present.  A female Barred Warbler at the cape was a year tick, 2 male Black-headed Buntings sand and I flushed a Nightjar as I walked the area.  I returned via Ayia Napa Sewage Works seeing some more Red-backeds, a female Masked Shrike and a couple of Ortolan Buntings.  A Tree Pipit flushed from the grass and another Barred Warbler was seed before I returned home.  In the afternoon we traversed the Ay Nik area and found several Little Tiger Blue* butterflies, a female Red-backed Shrike*, displaying not particularly good table manners as it expelled a pellet in front of us.  Rollers appear to be posturing to breed at the usual site and we flushed 3 Stone Curlews which are probably breeding in the area.  We returned home reported our butterfly sightings with the tally now on 27 species – not bad.

I had arranged with Joe Donald to meet for a beer in Protaras.  Joe is a visiting birder to the Cape Greco area every year for about 2 months, he knows the area well, I’ve enjoyed his company throughout and he also alerted me to the Turkestan Shrike that he found – thanks Joe.  Several beers later, a late night and the ensuing headache ensured that on Sunday I ate a late bacon sandwich before getting out.  We went to the market at Leivadia and then onto Oroklini Marsh which was fairly quiet with a couple of Wood Sandpipers 18 Black-winged Stilts and 21 late Black-headed Gulls.  We crossed to the north at Pergamos and headed to Koprulu Dam, although not exceptional the lake was full of waders, mostly Ruffs with a Little Bittern being flushed, a couple of Glossy Ibises, 2 Whiskered Terns and 10 White-winged Black Terns being present.  A single Grey Heron drifted overhead and a couple of Squacco Herons were around the edge of the lake.  With many areas that are not viewable due to the length of the vegetation we returned home for a BBQ and a few beers.  The week concluded and blog pending it was the end of a varied and enjoyable week.

For pictures of birds with a * please click on the following Flickr links:

• Little Bittern at Akhna Dam.
• Lesser Grey Shrike at Cape Greco Pines.
• Redstart at Ayia Napa Sewage Works.
• Black-headed Bunting at Kathikas.
• Chukar at Bellapais.
• Ploughshare Orchid at Nata Ford.
• African Ringlet at Mavrokolymbus Dam.
• Plain Tiger at Sadrazamkoy TRNC.
• Banded Demoiselle in the wheel position.
• Male Banded Demoiselle at Kannaviou Dam.

Highlight of the Week:  A couple of year ticks, Black-headed Buntings and a late female Semi-collared Flycatcher and also finding good counts of Red-necked Phalaropes and Broad-billed Sandpipers.

Other Interesting Finds:  A Plain Tiger, African Ringlet, Ploughshare Orchid and Banded Demoiselles.  Also an interesting insect an Owlfly*, a member of the Ant Lion family -  (Libelloides macaronius)*.

Look Forward:  Back to work on Monday, so only afternoon birding next week so hopefully, Icterine and Garden Warblers.

If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at:   birder639@yahoo.com

Mark Easterbrook