Army Ornithological Society(5) Blog Posts Made in July 2014
Cyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 27 Jul
A selection at Akhna Dam on 20 Jul – Slender-billed Gull, Whiskered Tern, White-winged Black Tern & Gull-billed Tern.
On Monday after work a quick trip to Akhna Dam was productive although before I left Ay Nik a male Peregrine flew over the house. Akhna Dam loomed and as I drove in, at least 3 Hoopoes flushed from the scrub and the first, not unpredicted immature Masked Shrike was the first to arrive for the autumn on its migration for the winter. A Greenshank, 3 Little Stints and a Temminck’s Stint were on the main lake with a Wood Sandpiper and several Common Sandpipers also being present. A small pond is all that is left of the eastern arm of the dam (for the AOS exped members – the end where the Night Herons were seen), the rest is completely dry and vegetated – an amazing difference in 4 months. Consequently all the fish at that end have been boiled alive and died. The place is stinking – but the birds love it. Hawking the pond were 5 Gull-billed Terns (2 adults and 3 1st CYs), an adult moulting Whiskered and White-winged Black Tern accompanied by 2 adult Slender-billed Gulls, all feeding on the easy pickings. Hopefully with the reduction in Carp, the Dragonflies will stand more of a chance next year. Around the fringes, 9 Black-winged Stilts, numerous Hooded Crows, Magpies and 2 Squacco Herons all fed greedily.
On Tuesday a flying visit to Oroklini Marsh saw the Greater Flamingos number 93 and the 3 Spoonbills were still loafing. The Black-tailed Godwit and a single Redshank also made appearances. At Akhna Dam another or the same Peregrine, which was making the Stilts and other waders a bit anxious. 2 Slender-billed Gulls and a Temminck’s Stint were still present. In the evening on the way to dinner at the coast, a Peregrine flew over Freneros.
On Wednesday I had to make a visit to Troodos and at Larnaca Sewage Works an amazing Shelduck and not so amazing female Shoveller were amongst the Mallards. On the way up to Troodos, 4 Crag Martins and a pair of Cyprus Wheatears were at Amiantos Asbestos Mine and at the top the usual mountain species were well represented with an increase in Spotted Flycatchers and Eastern Olivaceous Warblers being bolstered by this year’s young. On the way down at the Caledonian Falls Trout Farm, a pair of Grey Wagtails were noted, and considering breeding was proved for the first time last year, this probably adds weight to the argument at this time of year. Masked Shrikes and a few Red-rumped Swallows were seen and on the way home, at least 8 Eleonora’s Falcons were at Kensington Cliffs. As I passed Skarinou on the motorway a Long-legged Buzzard was being mobbed by Jackdaws.
As I walked to the Mess on Thursday. I heard the first European Beeaters of the season. On Friday and surprising myself, I awoke and dropped Deb to work and headed for an early visit to Akhna Dam. A 1st calendar year Night Heron was the highlight and my first Little Grebe for the sight for some time. I drove around the back of Ay NIk and saw 5 Rollers but little else. In an attempt to cure my hangover I headed to the north for a shave and a haircut and fell asleep in the chair (routine). I purchased some groceries and a roasted chicken for lunch before looking at Fresh Water Lake South in Famagusta. Glossy Ibises numbered 9 and there was a good selection of waders including Black-winged Stilts, Spur-winged Plovers, Little Ringed Plovers, Ruffs, Little Stints, Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank and a very white looking Marsh Sandpiper. As I left the site I flushed a Hoopoe. Onward to lunch and the CO’s summer BBQ in the afternoon. Still feeling a bit worse for the wear, I decided to avoid alcohol (shock/horror), which set me up for Saturday. We visited Nicosia to pay the deposit for October’s Jordan adventure and although we visited 12 years ago, I now want a picture of a Sinai Rosefinch. That done and Nandos for lunch I stopped at Oroklini on the way home where a Slender-billed Gull roosted with 3 Gull-billed Terns. Another Marsh Sandpiper was present with Little Stints, the Spoonbills appear to have departed and the Greater Flamingos are steady at about 90.
Akhna Dam had seen and influx of waders with 4 Temminck’s Stints being active with a few Little Stints. A couple of semi-breeding plumaged Ruffs flushed, along with good numbers of Little Ringed Plovers and Common Sandpipers. A single Glossy Ibis fed actively and the many other common waders were flushed by a fly through Peregrine Falcon. 6 Collared Pratincoles landed briefly before flying off north east. Early on Sunday morning I left for the Cape Greco area. It was still very quiet except for good numbers of Eastern Olivaceous Warblers and a single Cyprus Pied Wheatear near the Picnic Site. I proceeded to Ayia Napa Sewage Works where there were several Eastern Olivaceous Warblers and a single Spectacled Warbler with 2 Common Sandpipers on the lagoons. Further up on the hill, a cracking adult Masked Shrike sat with another juvenile being present. There was a flurry of activity and no less than 6 Eastern Orphean Warblers flew into the same bush a began to mob the Masked Shrike – quite a moment. In the afternoon I visited Akhna Dam and an immature Gull-billed Tern remained and was joined by 3 White-winged Black Terns. The Temminck’s Stints had reduced to 2 and the surprise of the day was my first Common Starling of the autumn.
Highlights of the Week: 4 Crag Martins at Amiantos Asbestos Mine and a pair of Grey Wagtails, potentially breeding were good finds.
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 the Week Ending 20 Jul
Slender-billed Gull at Akhna Dam on 16 Jul
Tuesday was fairly dull with 3 Ferruginous Ducks, 13 Glossy Ibises and several juvenile Squacco Herons at Fresh Water Lake South, Famagusta but disappointingly no sign of the Pied Kingfisher. Akhna Dam was equally quiet although an adult Gull-billed Tern lingered and waders had reduced to 3 Greenshanks, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Wood Sandpiper and a couple of Black-winged Stilts. Little Ringed Plovers remained at 8. A Hoopoe flushed from the grass and an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler fed young. 4 Grey Herons were joined by a Squacco and as I left the site I photographed a Little Owl – my first at the site for some time.
Off to the coast on Wednesday afternoon, and result – 5 Kentish Plovers at Ayia Thekla were joined by the first returning Greater Sand Plover. The evening was spent at Akhna Dam, where much the same was present although Green and Wood Sandpiper numbers had risen as had Greenshanks to 5. The adult Gull-billed Tern was still present and was joined by an adult Slender-billed Gull*, although not a rarity, it was my first ever for the site in 6 years of visiting taking my Akhna site list to 210. 3 Hoopoes were present and a flock of 13 Little Ringed Plovers alighted as I arrived.
On Thursday I went to the Larnaca area and it was blowing a hooley. In the airport fields, 61 Yellow-legged Gulls loafed under a sprinkler with c20 Kentish Plovers and 1 Ruff. 4 Greater Flamingos flew west over the sea as I watched. At the sewage works, another Ruff, several Wood Sandpipers and 2 Dunlins were all that I could manage in the very strong wind. Further along the coast at Pervolia no sign of the Calandra Larks – always difficult when they’re not singing although 2 Black Francolins, a male and a female were in the fields with several Fan-tailed Warblers. I stopped briefly at Oroklini Marsh, where the Spoonbills now number 3 and Greater Flamingos 78. A single adult Slender-billed Gull remained but there was little else of interest. At Akhna Dam, the Gull-billed Tern and Slender-billed Gull remained with 3 Greenshanks and 3 Hoopoes. 11 Green Sandpipers were alongside 34 Wood Sandpipers – the most I’ve seen in one sighting and careful scanning revealed a single Little Ringed Plover and Temminck’s Stint. 2 Collared Pratincoles blended into the mud but eventually were teased out and with not much else doing, I returned home.
On Friday we travelled to the north to Alagadi Beach, on the way a Roller was sat on wires at Ay Nik and a Little Owl was heard at Alagadi. A known nesting beach for Green-backed and Loggerhead Turtles. We arrived at 2030 and slept on the beach until about 0030 when news came of a turtle excavating an egg chamber. We waited a little longer until the turtle had started to lay and then approached seeing a fantastic Green-backed Turtle* laying and then camouflaging the nest site – a fantastic moment.
On Saturday, we slept in and I watched the cricket, venturing to Akhna Dam in the evening where a Whiskered Tern had joined the Gull-billed and Slender-billed Gull. The usual waders were present but it was fairly quiet. With migration approaching I went to Ayia Napa Sewage Works and the Cape Greco area early on Sunday morning. I have never seen the area so quiet! However, I did manage a female/immature Eastern Orphean Warbler at the sewage works – the first of the autumn. A few Spectacled Warblers were obvious but no Cyprus Warblers – post breeding, when not singing they can be tricky even at the known nesting sites. The evening at Akhna Dam saw 2 Hoopoes flush as I arrived and on the lagoons all was the same except for 3 Little Stints and a Temminck’s were joined by a Greenshank and a solitary Wood Sandpiper. 3 Common Sandpipers flew in and a moulting adult White-winged Black Tern joined the Whiskered, Gull-billed and Slender-billed Gull*.
Highlights of the Week: In a fairly quiet week the turtle laying was a success but to find the first of a species for the season is always notable, so Eastern Orphean Warbler it is!
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 the Week Ending 13 Jul
White-winged Black Tern at Akhna Dam on 13 Jul
On Monday morning as I left Ercan airport in the TRNC, a Peregrine flew over me, but that was it for the day. On Tuesday, Akhna Dam was very quiet, although a bit of migration is taking place. My first Hoopoe at a lowland site for several months paid testament to that. 2 Greenshanks were present with 5 Wood Sandpipers and 1 Green Sandpiper and my first 2 returning Common Sandpipers were seen. 7 Black-winged Stilts were present with at least 12 Spur-winged Plovers whilst Cattle Egrets were numerous and included 1 Little Egret and 2 Squacco Herons.
On Wednesday a brief visit to Oroklini Marsh prior to attending a leaving function on the Larnaca Strip, 2 Spoonbills, 2 Slender-billed Gulls, 83 Greater Flamingos, 1 adult Night Heron, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Black-winged Stilts and 14 Spur-winged Plovers with 3 chicks were present, but the visit was all too brief and I had to go and attend the meal in short order. Akhna Dam on Thursday revealed that the Gull-billed Terns had increased to 3 adults, the Greenshanks to 5 and that the breeding plumaged Spotted Redshank* was still present. 5 Wood Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper and the first Little Ringed Plover of the autumn at the site completed the waders. Another Hoopoe was present with a Roller and a lone Squacco Heron fed at the water’s edge. The 11th was a day off, having consumed too much KEO at the regular Friday afternoon debrief.
I got my sorry self out of bed eventually and took Deb to JUMBO – sadly the drain remains a shadow of its former self. Oroklini Marsh was fairly dull with 70 Greater Flamingos, the 2 Spoonbills remained, a lone Black-tailed Godwit became visible and the 2 Slender-billed Gulls were still at the site. As I drove towards Akhna, a Hoopoe flew over the road at Xylotymbou. Driving around Akhna Dam, I flushed 4 Hoopoes – clearly a bit of passage occurring and a Roller. Wader numbers had increased but the majority were Wood and Green Sandpipers. The Spotted Redshank remained and then I flushed 3 Collared Pratincoles* – 2 adults and an immature which were quite early migrants. Always a cracking bird to see, I stopped admired and photographed them.
At Fresh Water Lake South on Sunday, not much was doing with a few immature Glossy Ibises and a single immature Squacco Heron being present and accompanied by adults. However, on the far side of the lake a movement caught my eye and sure enough it was a female Pied Kingfisher. As I watched it catch insects it then repeatedly flew to a hole in the bank. It returned to the perch, minus the food. Although no chicks were seen, it seems likely that the species may have bred there. I will keep an eye on the site in the coming couple of weeks and see if they’ve bred. There is only one breeding record for Cyprus in 1996 – so it would be a good find. At Akhna Dam the Pratincoles had increased to 5 and the Gull-billed Terns to 4. Also present was a moulting adult White-winged Black Tern which still looked quite special despite its moult. Green and Wood Sandepipers were in the ascendancy and the Shanks had moved on. Another week over – they go to fast in Cyprus and migration appears to be in full swing. A trip to Cape Greco is in order next week.
Highlights of the Week: Re-finding the female Pied Kingfisher at a potential breeding site.
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 the Week Ending 6 Jul 14
Brown Fish Owl at Oyampinar Reservoir on 6 Jul
Well an absence of 2 weeks in the UK was not without its highlights. Travelling from Northumberland to Plymouth allowed me to catch up with a few County ticks in the North with the Black-winged Pratincole and Great White Egret, although I dipped on the Bridled Tern and Little Bittern. In Devon, at Bowling Green Marsh in a Gull fest, I saw the Ross’s and Bonaparte’s along with a few breeding plumaged Spotted Redshanks. Of the other interesting sightings, I saw Heath and Marsh Fritillaries* in Devon, along with Small Pearl Bordered*. Adding to the list were Green Hairstreak*, Large Skipper* and Holly Blue*. A Dragonfly lifer - Broad-bodied Chaser - was a good photo opportunity so not all was a disaster in the UK. However, we both returned to Cyprus on the 25th with colds and ear infections and we are both struggling to hear very much at the moment – What? Yes I’ve heard them all thanks.
Back in Cyprus with not many birds about which is usual for June, I added a new Orchid – Red Helliborine* and photographed Dense-flowered Helliborine* in flower this year as I’d missed it last year. At Akhna Dam on the last day of the month, a Gull-billed Tern and White-winged Black Tern was a surprise as was the breeding plumaged Spotted Redshank. Waders are returning with Wood and Green Sandpipers being the most obvious although at Oroklini, 5 Black-tailed Godwits and the first returning. Wintering Redshank was in situ.
So to the beginning of another week and much of the above was still in place although Fresh Water Lake South in Famagusta added to the heron species with Squacco Heron immatures being present with Glossy Ibises and numerous cattle Egrets. 3 Greenshanks were present with large numbers of Black-winged Stilts and 6 Ferruginous Ducks were feeding with 2 immatures suggesting breeding in the area.
On Tuesday afternoon, Akhna Dam held much the same, however the Gull-billed* and White-winged Black Tern had returned and 2 Marsh Sandpipers and a Black-tailed Godwit were present on the dwindling puddles.
On Thursday I was packing after work and in the evening we flew to Antalya, were picked up and spent the night in the hotel at Side. A brief walk around the hotel area on Friday morning produced at least 12 White-spectacled (Yellow-vented) Bulbuls*, a Turkish “tick” for me. A couple of Eastern Olivaceous Warblers were obvious whilst tail pumping but there was little else of interest. We visited Side (pronounced See-deh) and added a single Yellow-legged Gull. A walk in the evening by a canal behind the hotel produced a couple of Reed Warblers, a few Coots and 2 Little Grebes.
On Saturday, we took a day trip to Antalya. We visited a waterfall at Kursunlu National Park beforehand and apart from a few Damselflies there were only House Sparrows. As I headed for the exit, a movement caught my eye and there was a Kruper’s Nuthatch*, incredible in a bird-less zone, a target bird for most, although I’d seen them previously in south west Turkey – I managed to get a record shot. Antalya for some shopping and I added several more Yellow-legged Gulls in the harbour, 2 more Eastern Olivaceous Warblers and the ubiquitous Palm Doves. On returning to the hotel, Deb did the spa treatment thing and I walked around the local woods for an hour or so for a Hoopoe and a Great Tit. As I was departing a Sparrowhawk rose from the pines and was chased by a Hobby.
On Sunday the main event – the Brown Fish Owl boat trip at Oyampinar Reservoir – the only site in the Western Palaearctic for the species. We were picked up at 0400 and arrived at the reservoir at about 0500. The sun was coming up and several Yellow-legged Gulls were visible. We headed to “Little Canyon” at the east of the main body of water. The wind was getting up and there were no Owls in the usual place, as the guide suggested they were probably sheltering from the wind in their nest holes. Oh dear, – with another 2 British Birders from Norfolk on board (Justin and Andy), the mother of all dips looked likely, far surpassing my failed Black Lark episode from Bedfordshire to Anglesey and only just surpassing Tim Cowley’s mega dip on a White-tailed Plover in Scotland. Anyway with the guide looking worried and his 100% record this year in jeopardy, we travelled to the “Grand Canyon” at the west of the reservoir. Passing 30 or so Cormorants and more Yellow-legged Gulls as we went, a Western Rock Nuthatch called and then showed itself as it headed up the rock face.
With all involved looking pensive and worried the search continued, until one of the crew shouted, “There”. On the rock face sat on a ledge was a cracking female Brown Fish Owl* and soon a male was spotted roosting behind an olive tree and was well concealed. It alighted and flew across the front of the boat and perched high to our right in an obvious roosting site. The female continued to pose for the camera. What a great moment and fantastic bird! We congratulated each other and 3 British birders were spared the ignominy of an expensive dip and Ozcan from Vigo Tours, 100% record this year remained intact. I thank Justin and Andy for their company and Ozcan for organising the transfers and boat trip very effectively.
Back to the hotel and a snooze before some more Russian food – the hotel had 90% Russian occupancy which led to some strange cuisine, it has to be said. A trip to Side for a bit of sightseeing and shopping, followed by an early night and a return flight at 0630 from Antalya to Ercan – Northern Cyprus on Monday left us feeling a bit tetchy by the time we got home and I returned to work at 0930, thinking of Owls and stuff.
Highlights of the Week: Needless to say – The obvious.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
CommentsSPTA West
At the beginning of June I organised a Bioblitz of the Warminster Danger Area with 46 bird species including Cuckoo and Nightingale. Skylark topped the bill for numbers with Whitethroat 2nd and Yellowhammer 5th just a few behind 2nd place. It was an excellent day and it is intended to do this again. There were 22 butterfly species and lots of wildflowers. Everywhere I look there are Common Spotted Orchids on the way out and Pyramidal Orchids in their splendour. Last Wednesday I went out in the morning and at Vedette 3 saw a Marsh Harrier complete with orange wing tag. Today I took our Canadian colleague out as he cannot drive at present (bike, road, not on 2 wheels, hospital). The object of the day was to show him a Grasshopper Warbler. It did not take too long before we found one on Southdown track reeling at the top of a bush. There were plenty of orchids, and butterflies (Marbled White and Large Skipper) as well as birds. There were at least 3 Stonechat families plus of course Whinchat, Yellowhammer, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and the list goes on. It was a lovely sunny day and we headed over to the east to view the Montagu's Harriers which did a food pass in front of us as we watched from a safe distance. There were Swifts high up in the sky and Swallows nesting at a Vedette. A pair of Lapwings were on a scrape but we did not look for Stone Curlew.
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