Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 10 Aug 14
Long-legged Buzzard at Akhna Dam on 9 Aug
Monday’s visit to Akhna Dam was fairly uneventful although I did pass a Roller on the roadside at Avgorou as I headed to the site. The Little Owl didn’t let me down once more as I entered the South end of the dam. 1 Glossy Ibis remained from yesterday’s influx and was joined by 2 immature Night Herons and 4 Black-winged Stilts feeding on the mud. Much was the same with a pair of White-winged Black Terns and a 1st winter Citrine Wagtail still in place. The Green and Wood Sandpipers had reduced and the Common Sandpipers had increased to 11. As I drove around I found my first male Red-backed Shrike* of the autumn - I never get bored with such a cracking well plumaged bird. As I left c200 Spanish Sparrow were in the tamarisks. The end of the day finished with an excellent Sirloin Steak and a flake on the settee.
On Tuesday, despite having to go shopping I managed to get over to Fresh Water Lake South in the north. There were plenty of waders at the site but the most interesting was a single Redshank, with all the other usual suspects. 19 Greater Flamingos were at the site obviously following the dwindling water. A pair of Glossy Ibises fed on the fringes and 4 Squacco Herons were amongst the reduced Cattle Egret roost which included 2 Little Egrets. A drake Ferruginous Duck caught the eye as it flew across the water with its obvious white wing bars and a moulting adult White-winged Black Tern came into view, but that was about it for the day.
An airport run to Larnaca provided an opportunity to stop at Oroklini Marsh on the return journey. A Glossy Ibis was looking lonely but 3 Redshanks had arrived and were joined by a leggy looking cousin in the form of a Spotted Redshank. 20 Flamingos were present with a few commoner waders but there was nothing else worth talking about. Later at Akhna Dam, 5 White-winged Black Tern adults were moulting and were the highest count so far. 9 Common Sandpipers and 2 Greenshanks outnumbered the lone Green Sandpiper and a few BW Stilts. A Hoopoe flushed as did a female Masked Shrike and as I was driving across the mud I flushed a number of female type Yellow Wagtails not identifiable to ssp which included 2 1st winter Citrines. As I drove a little further 8 Collared Pratincoles became apparent including 5 immatures – again the highest count for me so far this autumn. I returned home Deb and I visited the north for an Iskender Kebab which was excellent!
I wasn’t able to get out on Thursday, however on Friday; a late evening visit to Akhna Dam was very productive. There was a small raptor passage with 2 Long-legged Buzzards, a dark phase Booted Eagle, (remarkable how small it looked next to a Long-legged Buzzard), a ringtail Montague’s Harrier passed high overhead and at distance and a Hobby flushed the few waders that were present. 1 Glossy Ibis was present on the mud and a pair of White-winged Black Terns fished actively. I heard a Turtle Dove in the eucalyptus stand and a pair of female type Yellow Wagtails took off calling as I drove by. The only other bird of note was a Greenshank with 4 Wood Sandpipers.
On Saturday I drove to Ayia Napa Sewage Works and I wasn’t disappointed with my first adult male Lesser Grey Shrike* of the autumn and then an adult male Woodchat Shrike (a common bird in the spring but fairly scarce in the autumn), of course an immature Masked Shrike was also present and 3 Pallid Swifts passed overhead. A Common Sandpiper was on the lagoons and the bushes were full of the usual Eastern Orphean and Eastern Olivaceous Warblers. A single immature Sardinian Warbler was seen and a little later at the Cape Greco rubbish tip, a moulting male Cyprus Wheatear put in an appearance. I arrived at Akhna Dam to be greeted by the pair of Long-legged Buzzards* and 6 Collared Pratincoles were on the mud. Green Sandpipers numbered 24 – a good count and Yellow Wagtails were at 9. A Squacco Heron and immature Masked Shrike rounded off the morning.
On Sunday, I needed to go shopping as I was hosting a BBQ but before hand stopped at Oroklini Marsh where 2 Whiskered Terns (an adult and immature), hawked the water 3 Pallid Swifts were overhead and paused before moving east and a few commoner waders were active on the mud. I stopped at Akhna Dam where 7 Collared Pratincoles were running around on the mud (probably a different set of birds from yesterday). However, it was fairly quiet so I moved on to the shopping. Needing some rolls I went over to the north and stopped at Fresh Water Lake South in Famagusta. A pair of immature White-winged Black Terns flew in and a Ferruginous Duck took off from its hiding place in the reeds. A large number of Spur-winged Plovers and Black-winged Stilts were present with 6 Ruffs. 2 Squaccos hid in the reeds and then suddenly the waders took to the air. Looking around quickly, a pair of Bonelli’s Eagles was the cause and the soon flew through and perched in trees above the lake.
A BBQ and a few beers rounded off a productive week.
Highlights of the Week: A Woodchat and Lesser Grey Shrike were good finds as were a few late Pallid Swifts but the accolade must go to a pair of majestic Bonelli’s Eagles at Fresh Water Lake South.
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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