(8) Blog Posts Made in May 2013

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.

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AOS 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.

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Cyprus 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:

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
 

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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.

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SPTA 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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Cyprus Weekly

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:

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

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Cyprus Weekly

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:

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

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Cyprus Weekly

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:

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

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