Army Ornithological SocietyArmy Ornithological Society Blog
Fair Isle - Day 1
Sat 29 Sep 12
Not a promising start to the day with the FIBO warden, Dave, deciding whether or not to start the early morning trap run because of the wind and rain. In the end it was go and, whilst those new to the island learnt about the Heligoland traps and their use, the sum total of the trap run was two birds, a Meadow Pipit and a Song Thrush.
After breakfast the team headed out for an abortive attempt to find Barred Warbler and was just considering moving on when a ‘red flag’ event was called. All birders on the island moved to Furse where a Buff-bellied Pipit had been located and was showing well. After a Snipe search the team returned to the observatory for lunch.
Whilst everyone was enjoying a post lunch cuppa in the lounge a warbler popped in through the open door. Having stunned itself against the glass and dropped down behind a sofa it was recovered by one of the rangers who confirmed it as a Blyth’s Reed Warbler. It was bagged, allowed to recover in the ringing room, and then tagged before being brought out for a ‘press call’ and being realised. Armchair birding for rarities at its best!
After all the lunchtime excitement the team resumed the hunt over the southern half of the island turning up: Arctic Warbler, Little Bunting, Barred Warbler, Bluethroat, Yellow-browed Warbler, Lapland Bunting. Quite a collection for an afternoon and a fair few lifer’s for some.
After dinner Saturday night went with a swing and following an informative talk on the history of Fair Isle the CAOS team managed a creditable third place in the ’mystery birds’ quiz although, it has to be said, this achievement was marred slightly by the fact that there were only three teams!
CommentsFair Isle - Arrival
The Team Arrives - Fri 28 Sep 12
The two traveling teams made the RV at Tingwall Airfield in good time for the flight to Fair Isle, scheduled for 1430, having traveled to Shetland Mainland by either air from Inverness or the ferry from Aberdeen.
Following the team arrival at FIBO the team took over their rooms, dumped their kit and, after the welcome briefing, legged it out for quick tour of the island in the remaining available light.
Although only out on the ground for two hours much was seen the highlights being: Fair Isle Wren, Great Skua and Olive-backed Pipit. A cheeky Twite also welcomed our arrival greeting us from an adjacent gate top.
Sat 29 Sep will be the team's first full day on the island and expectations are high...
CommentsCyprus Weekly
Birding highlights for week ending 23 Sep
Male Peregrine Falcon of the Sub species brookei resident on Cyprus - smaller and darker than ours at Konnos Bay Cape Greco 22 Sep 12
An asterisk (*) indicates that an image of the bird is available for viewing on Flickr.
An interesting week ahead. With many early migrants now on the way, it’s time to look for the less common species amongst the throng of so many migrants and potential early winter visitors.
On Tuesday I picked up a UK birder at 0600. We visited Ayia Thekla and secured the Greater Sand Plover. We then moved to Ayia Napa Football Pitches where 3 species of Shirke, Yellow Wagtails and both Northern and Isabelline Wheatears were seen. We were attempting to locate a calling Eastern Olivaceous Warbler when Chris said he had a warbler in the scope but wasn’t sure what it was. I looked through the scope and thought the bird looked a bit odd and maybe it was a Garden Warbler. In any event as it flew it revealed its black and white tail and I new instantly it was a Red-breasted Flycatcher. I studied more and concluded that it was a female type. A Cyprus MEGA and tick for me – Well done Chris for finding it! Description already submitted. I’d hoped that we’d find something memorable and we did – so optimists are not always disappointed.
On a high we went to Cape Greco and 2 sites for the Cyprus endemics. I had staked these out last week so was hopeful. We secured Cyprus Wheatear and Warbler in fairly short order and moved on to the Sewage Works where 2 Stone Curlews, 5 Ortolan Buntings and a female Redstart were the highlights although a Red-backed shrike atop almost every bush was impressive.
Onto the wetlands that were predictable but a single Spoonbill remained at Oroklini Marsh as did a Spotted Redshank, 3 Marsh Sandpipers and a single Curlew Sandpiper. Akhna Dam brought further success with an active flock of 70 or so European Beeaters, a Purple Heron and a Squacco Heron. All in all a fairly productive day with 70 species recorded.
On Wednesday evening I visited Akhna Dam and after recorded the usual commoner species, I saw a juvenile Pallid Harrier and the by now resident Osprey fishing once more. As I was leaving the site, my attention was drawn to a small stand of reeds as a Little Crake weaved in and out of the reeds. Whilst watching there was some warbler activity and I noted the first Great Reed Warbler of the month and a skulking Cetti’s Warbler. I then saw another bird that I initially thought was a Segde Warbler, as I watched and Deb photographed it, I quickly realised with a flared supercillium that it was the first Moustached Warbler of the season – a regular winter visitor to the site. The record would be the earliest ever so is causing some interest and you guessed it – another description! Sadly, that night I reported more tape luring from the SBA, just outside the camp fence. I have now reported occurrences on every evening/morning from my first report of 13 Sep. There however, appears to be no appetite from the SBA Police to take any action, it is very depressing. I also received a report from the UK birder that I guided on Tuesday of a European Beeater being shot and left to die at Ayia Napa Football Pitches, he has now witnessed the harsher and darker side of the Cypriot race – a nation that is undoubtedly sick and beyond help. I am beginning to adopt the Homer Simpson approach to the problem – “The first step to failure is trying”, it gets you that way after a while.
A visit to the fantastic shop that is JUMBO (well for Deb anyway), allowed me the opportunity to survey Oroklini Marsh which produced 29 species with 11 of them being waders. A lone Spoonbill continued its stay. We returned via Akhna Dam where an Osprey continued to fish, however the site was much less busy than yesterday although 114 Yellow Wagtails was the highest count yet. Another Wryneck was probably the highlight.
Friday evening was a bit depressing at Akhna Dam with a large number of limesticks being present. I released a Willow Warbler and removed 5 sticks before I was seen, however being outnumbered and with Deb, I couldn't do much. Sadly the Red-backed and Masked Shrikes, Willow Warblers, Yellow Wagtails, Wrynecks, Spotted Flycatchers and Whinchats were "All doomed" in the words of Frazer. A Common Crake showed itself again and a Purple Heron hid in the reeds. A solitary Whiskered Tern continued its stay.
I picked up the UK birder again on Saturday morning and we added the Peregrine, a Sardinian Warbler and a Quail at Ayia Napa Football Pitches - you don't see many of them alive in the autumn. We visited Ayia Napa Sewage Works and were confronted by a group of 3 "men" limesticking. They were very aggressive and threatening but not particularly frightening - the ignorant cowards. One said "You come here again - I kill you" and then threatened to phone the Police. Remarkable and amazing that a poacher was going to ring the Police in the belief that it was to his benefit - surely the sign of a completely broken lawless system. We left quietly realising there was little we could do and I reported the incident to the Cyprus Game Foundation. We noted at least half a dozen warbler species hanging from the gluey sticks before we departed and Chris was truly angry and shocked.
Anyway, in an attempt to prolong my life a little longer I headed off the Larnaca area on Sunday morning which proved to be a good decision. As I drove towards the sewage works there was an obvious movement occuring. Two Red-footed Falcons moved along the beach whilst Marsh and Montague's Harriers quartered near the sewage works. As I drove along Spirios Beach I managed to photgraph one of the falcons* and flushed a Tawny Pipit* and Northern Wheatear. Later at the Sewage Works I spotted the first 2 Black-necked Grebes* of the winter. On the way home Oroklini held the usual waders, with the Spoonbill still being present and I flushed a pair of Water Rails.
Akhna Dam held nothing new but Masked Shrikes and Wrynecks are always nice to see and a single Little Crake continued to parade in the open during the day - most bizarre! The week ended with circa 30 European Beeaters around the house and a flyover Stone Curlew at dusk.
For pictures of birds with * please click on the following Flickr links:
Juvenile Pallid Harrier at Akhna Dam
Moustached Warbler at Akhna Dam
Great Reed Warbler at Akhna Dam
Little Egret at Oroklini Marsh
Moorhen at Oroklini Marsh - just to prove it's not all about rairities and watching common birds is just as enjoyable
Tawny Pipit at Spiros Beach
Other interesting finds: Not much doing on the butterfly front at the moment but the autumn is the time to start looking for Little Desert Blue.
Highlight of the Week: The finding and identification of a female/juv Red-breasted Flycatcher at Ayia Napa Football Pitches with Chris Godding. A less than annual passage migrant that is rarely recorded and another Cyprus “tick” for me. The Cyprus list now stands at 269.
Look Forward: October is looming and more winter visitors should be arriving and the Common Crane passage is due.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
CommentsCyprus Weekly
Birding highlights for week ending 16 Sep
An asterisk (*) indicates that a photo of the species is available to view on Flickr.
The tally continues to rise with 154 birds now on the Cyprus year list with some excellent additions last week. I’ve added an Akhna Dam list to my Wildlife Recorder database. As the site is my local patch and I visit it at least once a day when time allows I was interested to see how many species I’ve recorded there over the years. The total stands at 182 with some note able rarities.
A day’s leave on Monday left me still recovering from a hangover but also wishing to check on what was moving. Deb wanted to visit Larnaca so that was the day decided. I did nip out at first light to Akhna Dam for a couple of hours and 4 roosting Purple Herons greeted me amongst the numerous Grey cousins. Nineteen Night Herons passed above with a couple of Wryneck showing well. Spotted Flycatchers, Red-backed Shrikes and Whinchats were very evident with singleton Isabelline Wheatear, Lesser Grey Shirke and Hoopoe also being present. A fair selection of waders was present with a Temminck’s Stint being the highlight. A Peregrine passed overhead whilst a Little Crake and Common Kingfisher continued feeding unperturbed.
I visited Larnaca Sewage Works and found my first Turnstone at the site but little else was moving. On leaving the site a cracking adult male Marsh Harrier passed over on route to Oroklini Marsh. On arrival it was obvious that the Spur-winged Plovers had increased to 54 whilst the Black-winged Stilts had reduced dramatically from in excess of a 150 to 13. Four Marsh Sandpipers, a Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin and 5 Redshanks were present, however the site was much quieter than I’ve come to expect. As I returned home via Akhna Dam where I added an immature Black Kite and also witnessed a Whiskered Tern being shot out of the sky which I found quite distressing. The mindlessness of these people is unbelievable and leaves me totally confused as to what motivates them – apart from money, rhetoric and bravado obviously. It’s such a good place to birdwatch but I remain pleased that major birding tour operators avoid it. Returning home via the back of camp, a female Montague’s Harrier made steady progress westwards.
Two Stone Curlews passed over the house at dusk whilst a Night Heron called and roosted in the woods behind and as I checked for evidence of tape luring and bird trapping at night a small flock of European Beeaters passed over in the dark calling as they went.
It’s Tuesday and during the weekend I reported bird song at night from behind the house. This is a ploy of the illegal bird trappers to lure migrating birds down. I thought nothing would happen but I received the following information:
The patrol found the following equipment, all of which is used for illegal poaching in the area:
21 Mist Nets, 5 Car Batteries, 5 CD Players, 7 Loud Speakers
All this equipment was confiscated by the SBA Police.
This will represent the saving of thousands of migrating birds. As I’ve said previously, 1 net catching 10 birds a day (conservative estimate), multiplied by 21 and multiplied by 50 days – you do the maths!
Still on a high from the poaching news I visited Akhna Dam in the evening. Although there was nothing earth shattering or new, the juvenile Collared Pratincole remained and 3 migrant Marsh Harriers passed over. A Wood Sandpiper*, Ruff and a couple of Whinchats were seen along with a Sedge Warbler whilst I was watching the regular Little Crakes. Two Little Owls and a couple of Stone Curlews at Ay Nik completed the day’s highlights.
I did the usual Wednesday round ending up at Ayia Napa Sewage works which was relatively quiet in a lull in migration – or the Cypriots have killed so many birds there’s nothing left? At the site a Long-legged Buzzard soared above the bluff and the female Eastern Black-eared Wheatear remained. A couple of Lesser Whitethroats and a Blackcap remained whilst at Ayia Napa Football Pitches the highlight was 3 Tree Pipits and a lingering Lesser Grey Shirke whose numbers have decreased rapidly and significantly. They have a fairly small concentrated window of migration save for a few stragglers. At Ay Nik the largest flock of European Beeaters yet that numbered c70 passed over the house.
A Little Bittern* and a Little Crake* were seen again at Akhna Dam on Thursday with the usual commoner migrants and residents. I managed to photograph a moulting adult Dunlin* and a Beeater. Lesser Grey Shrike numbers have dropped although several Red-backs and a single adult Male Masked Shrike remain. Three Little Stints were new arrivals and Ruff numbers increased to 8.
On Friday prior to the Battle of Britain Ball I managed a couple of hours at Akhna. Although not very much had changed watching an Osprey fish whilst being mobbed by a female Marsh Harrier was enjoyable. I spent the remainder of the time attempting to photograph the now contentious Eastern (Caspian) Reed Warblers* and an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler*.
No birding took place on Saturday as I had the mother of all hangovers, although a flock of about 40 European Beeaters and 4 Stone Curlew passed over the house.
An early Sunday morning start saw me at Ayia Napa Sewage Works with many Blackcaps being present and some other common migrants with the highlight being a male Cretzchmar's Bunting. Cape Greco revealed a Cyprus Wheatear, numerous Whinchats, however, 2 singing male Cyprus Warblers gave exceptional views and I managed to photograph a female Redstart, only my second of the autumn. I returned via Ayia Napa Football Pitches where a Lesser Grey Shike remains and I spotted 2 Golden Orioles in flight, one being an adult male.
Onward to the market and Oroklini Marsh! The marsh held 4 Marsh Sandpipers, 5 Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 5 Little Stints. I also managed to photograph an adult Spoonbill* that was accompanied by 2 juveniles. Returning home, Akhna Dam held an Osprey, 29 European Beeaters, Red-backed and Masked Shrikes, 2 Little Crakes, 2 Reed Warblers (fuscus), many Yellow Wagtails and a Purple Heron.
For pictures of birds with * please click on the following Flickr links:
- Dunlin at Akhna Dam
- European Beeater at Akhna Dam
- Little Crake at Akhna Dam
- Female Redstart at Cape Greco
- Spoonbill at Oroklini Marsh
- Little Bittern at Akhna Dam
- Wood Sandpiper at Akhna Dam
Other interesting finds: Shed loads of mist nets, confiscated – RESULT and some fairly glum looking illegal bird trappers.
Highlight of the week, during a fairly uneventful period was probably the Turnstone - not a common bird, remarkable what sets you alight in Cyprus?
Look Forward: I have a day’s leave on Tuesday to take a visiting UK birder out for the day which I’m looking forward to – hopefully we’ll find something memorable.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
CommentsCyprus Weekly
Birding highlights for week ending 9 Sep
An asterisk (*) indicates that a photo of the species is available to view on Flickr.
Monday and Tuesday comprised of two days leave. The obsession has finally taken over, so I really needed to attempt the Demoselle Cranes again. I visited Akrotiri Salt Lake early on the Monday but again, no Cranes. This has been a particularly poor year for the migration
of the species. Perhaps, because the Salt Lake is so full of water it has affected their usual stop over habit. More worrying is perhaps that it's indicitive of the declining population of this threatened Western Palearctic species. I continued the day noting the many Slender-billed Gulls, four Great White Egret and six Spoonbill. Two Whimbrel remained and did several Marsh Terns. At the back of Zakaki Marsh, four Eleanora's Falcons hunted at close range and two Ringtails and a sub-adult male Montagues Harrier hawked the reedbed. Perhaps the highlight of the day was seeing the c350 Honey Buzzards roosting on the salt lake, rising on the thermals and forming several large kettles of perhaps 70 birds in each. A real spectacle and well worth the trip. My time at Akrotiri was cut short as I managed to find a nail on the gravel pits and hence my first puncture of the tour. Not unexpected or surprising but still a pain in the obvious. Anyway soon underway, I got the tyre repaired at a garage for 5 Euros (at least something is cheap in Cyprus) before heading West.
I returned home via Oroklini Marsh where a pair of Marsh Sandpipers* were present along with a couple of Redshanks and the usual expected species. Not being able to resist the draw of Akhna Dam as I have to pass it, I decided to stop for a couple of hours. It was a good decision. Thirteen Honey Buzzards made their way east, a ringtail Montague's Harrier and female Marsh Harrier drifted ove the reeds carefully watched by the resident Long-legged Buzzard. Then, everything seemed to happen at once, a group of terns that I watched intently, proved to include all three species of marsh tern with a juveinile Black Tern* being a new bird for the tour. Suddenly eveything began to flush, a Great White Egret, Glossy Ibis, many Spur-winged Plovers and Cattle Egrets and then I was treated to about half an hour of an Osprey (a new bird for Cyprus for me) fishing*. Feeling fully satisfied, as I left, I photographed a couple of Turtle Doves including a juvenile* and was lucky enough to see another Wryneck. What a fantastic couple of hours birding!
The following morining, I arrived early at Ayia Napa Sewage Works. Seveal Whinchats were present which are passing through in large numbers now. An Isabelline Wheatear, the usual three species of Shrike and a juvenile Barred Warbler. As I climbed the escarpment, I flushed a few Ortolan Buntings and then at the top saw a bird on a rock which I photographed and identified as a Tree Pipit*. The first reported for the autumn I think and a new bird for the year.
Ayia Napa Football Pitches held seven Isabelline Wheatears, three Hoopoes and a couple of Lesser Grey Shirkes with many Yellow Wagtails becoming evident. A picnic lunch with Deb at Cape Greco allowed me a chance to see another 39 migrating Honey Buzzards and a Marsh Harrier whilst a Cyprus Warbler also gave brief views. A nice Cyprus Wheatear* and a male Blackcap ended the lunch.
I took a friends father to Akhna Dam, whos local patch is at North Cave Wetland, so he was an interested birder. He was delighted to see sixteen European Beeaters as we entered the site along with a Spotted Flycatcher. Hoopoes totalled four and a few smart Yellow Wagtails were also present. A lone Wood Sandpiper and three Ruff fed amongst the seven Squacco Herons and a Glossy Ibis put in a late appearance. Finally, as we left the site a Hobby passed over the top of the car.
Back to work on Wednesday so only the afternoon to birdwatch. I had to visit the tailor's shop to have my summer Mess Dress fitted, due to the fact that I've lost so much weight since being here - I thought that would grab your attention - not really. Anyway, that visit coupled with trying to get to grips with the new Blog on the AOS Website saw me eating into birdwatching time. I eventually arrived at Ayia Napa Sewage Works at 1630. There wasn't much about with a late Pallid Swift, two Honey Buzzards, three Ortolan Buntings and an Eastern Orphean Warbler being the highlights. It would appear that the Eastern Orpheans have passed through and that only a few tardy stragglers are now being encountered. A good thing to remember if wishing to see this species, it's a very early autumn migrant in Cyprus so a visit from late July through to early September should bring success.
Thursday already and the monthly visit to Jumbo. Jumbo is a large shop near Larnaca that sells everything and it's one of Deb's favourite places. Whilst I can't boast that, it is only five minutes from Oroklini Marsh. So the deal is..... I drop Deb to Jumbo for two hours, birdwatch the marsh, pick Deb up, go for a coffee and a sandwhich and return home via Akhna Dam - "PERFECT", I hear you say - and I agree. Oroklini Marsh held three Marsh Sandpipers*, three Ruff, seven Redshanks and a Spotted Redshank with only one Wood Sandpiper remaining. Teal have increased to 43, Shovellers to three and a lone female Red-crested Pochard continues its stay.
Later at Akhna Dam, a skulking Little Bittern eventually gave itself up, two Little Crakes fed actively in the open* and three Glossy Ibisis flew into feed. Perhaps the surprise and most exciting bird was a Eurasian Starling, a new bird for the Cyprus year and amazing what you get excited about in different parts of the world.
I attended a dinner at Troodos station on Friday evening which put paid to any birding, however, I did manage a walk around the local area in order to record a number of the common mountain species for the month.
I managed an hour or so before showering and encountered a familiy group of 5 Woodlark, a Short-toed Treecreeper, Cyprus Pied Wheatear and Isabelline Wheatear with 5 Serins along for the ride. On Saturday, I travelled back on the minibus with a headache and apart from 6 or 7 Beeaters at the back of the house, I noted nothing else.
Having missed Saturday I rose early on Sunday and made for Ayia Napa Sewage Works. The site was alive with birds and a female and male (eastern black-throated form) Black-eared Wheatears were a highlight. Another couple of Ortolan Buntings made an appearance and I flushed another 2 Corncrakes. Isabelline Wheatears and Whinchats were everywhere, as were Red-backed Shrikes. It was pleasing to see a female Cyprus Warbler which are becoming difficult. I saw a Turtle Dove and another 3 shot by hunters. Later at the Football Pitches a female Black Francolin* and a Tree Pipit was picked up on call and then seen perched on a fence.
The afternoon at Akhna Dam saw me sight my first female Pallid Harrier of the tour - obvious with its very pale collar and bouyant flight. Nothing new was noted but the juvenile Collared Pratincole continued its stay and I saw another 2 or the same pair of Little Crakes. For pictures of birds with * please click on the following Flickr links:
- Osprey at Akhna Dam
- Eastern Black-eared Wheater female at Ayia Napa Sewage Works
- Whinchat at Cape Greco
- Willow Warbler at Ayia Napa Sewage Works
- Chukar at Ayia Napa Football Pitches
The week was once again very productive. For me the highlights were the spectacle of Honey Buzzard passage over Akrotiri Salt Lake and a fishing Osprey at Akhna Dam.
Other interesting finds: Definately not the Jumbo swag bag that Deb managed to accumulate durng the monthly visit.
Look Forward: A day's leave on Monday so I must plan well, I also have to do a recce for next week as I'm picking a UK birder up and guiding him for a day, so I need to locate his hotel and we have friends visiting at the end of the month (yes I do have non-birding friends), that Deb and I will have to get prepared for, ie buy more beer and brandy sour making ingredients. The Battle of Britain Ball is at the end of the week so birding is likely to be curtailed next week due to the effects of alcohol - is there a theme developing?
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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