Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus 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
Hyder Jaffer | 10th Feb 2014 10:24 AM
Hi Mark,
The above image which identifies the bird as a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus Brookei) is in fact a Eurasian Hobby (falco Subuteo)