Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 21 Sep 14
Bar-tailed Godwit at Glapsides Beach on 17 Sep
In a break with tradition, I headed for Fresh Water Lake South in Famagusta on Monday evening to avoid Akhna Dam as I didn’t want to be reminded of the Long-legged Buzzard shooting. In any event with the sun going down it was an enjoyable hour or so. The Avocet has returned and 2 Marsh Sandpipers were still present. Greater Flamingos numbered 29 and there had been an influx of Teal with a pair of Garganeys. I found a Water Rail feeding under a tamarisk and 5 Glossy Ibises flew into roost. The 50 or so European Beeaters roosting in the eucalyptus were very vocal and a pair of Kingfishers chased each other. 3 Night Herons appeared at dusk and as I searched an adult male Little Crake worked its way along the front of a small reedbed. A pair of Whiskered Terns and a White-winged Black Tern concluded the evening and by the time I got home it was almost dark.
On Tuesday as I entered work 11 European Beeaters passed above me. I managed to twitch a Bar-tailed Godwit* at Glapsides Beach in the north that had been reported yesterday. Arriving at the site I saw 2 Dunlin and then the Godwit which I photographed and was a welcomed addition to the year list. Bar-tailed Godwit is much less common on Cyprus than Black-tailed, with there only being about 20 or so records, many of which are recent. 2 Common Redshanks and a Little Ringed Plover was present with 11 Little Egrets flying in. As I left I noted a Honey Buzzard spiralling upwards and heading out to sea. In the evening I visited Fresh Water Lake South again where I was greeted by a Pied Kingfisher flying from the South to the North Marshes area. 2 Common Kingfishers were also present along with the 2 Marsh Sanpipers, 9 Curlew Sandpipers, 1 Spotted Redshank and 8+ Common Redshanks. A couple of Dunlins and a Ruff joined later with 2 Whiskered and 1 immature White-winged Black Tern resting on dead snags in the water. A Water Rail showed briefly and 23 Greater Flamingos remained. Circa 90 European Beeaters passed overhead and a few Swallows drifted through. 12 Night Herons flushed and searching revealed the presence of at least 7 Squacco Herons.
At Akhna Dam on Wednesday a Great White Egret was possible with 1 adult male Masked Shrike and 7 Red-backed Shrikes including 1 adult male. A lone Tree Pipit alighted and called from the grass and a few waders were present although nothing unusual. 3 Marsh Harriers were present and a nice male was unusual, females are usually the norm. A Whiskered Tern over the water and a Hobby were highlights with a Greenshank and a couple of Turtle Doves ending the session. Later at Fresh Water Lake South, 2 female Marsh Harriers were present, the 2 Marsh Sandpipers remained with a handful of Curlew Sandpipers and Dunlins. A single Kingfisher appeared and the usual Heron collection was present in good numbers. A good passage of hirundines occurred with good numbers of Sand Martins, Red-rumped Swallows and Barn Swallows being represented. 25 Greater Flamingos were still feeding and a White-winged Black Tern and 2 Whiskered Terns hawked the water. As the light faded, c20 Turtle Doves and c50 European Beeaters roosted.
I had visitors on Thursday, so whilst sat on the patio having a beer, the only thing I saw was a Honey Buzzard drifting slowly eastwards. On Friday was the Mess cheese and wine afternoon, so guess what – no birding. On Saturday, I managed to pull myself out of the house and get to Akhna Dam where it was fairly quiet although 4 immature Whiskered Terns were a good count. 9 Red-backed Shrikes, including 1 male and a male Masked Shrike continued to pass through. The regular passage waders were present but there wasn’t much to get excited about.
On Sunday, I did a bit of a tour of the north and stopped at Silverbeach for the first time in months. Good decision, a Lesser Spotted Eagle* had obviously roosted overnight and took off joining a Steppe Buzzard, Honey Buzzard and Marsh Harrier, 2 Cattle Egrets were also on the marsh. I carried onto Glapsides Beach where the Bar-tailed Godwit had gone, however a Whiskered Tern flew over me and on the marsh, a Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlins, 2 Redshanks and 16 Little Egrets, with the toilet block being pumped out, Deb and I left before we re-visited our bacon sarnie that we’d had for breakfast. We continued to Fresh Water Lake South where the Avocet and 2 Marsh Sandpipers were still present. 3 Marsh Harriers flew through the site and a Steppe Buzzard passed high overhead. The 2 Whiskered Terns and a White-winged Black Tern were still at the site, however the Greater Flamingos had reduced to only 5. Good numbers of Sand Martins continued to pass overhead with a few Swallows and several European Beeaters caugh insects from nearby eucalyptus trees. Perhaps the surprise of the site was the first Cormorant of the winter circling above.
Later in the day at Oroklini Marsh 16 Little Stints, 2 Redshanks and a Black-winged Stilt was all that was there at a site where the water is rapidly diminishing, the highlight was a single Red-rumped Swallow passing above me. At Dhekelia 3 Shags were on the rafts and at the fire station c30 Stone Curlews were present. At Akhna Dam, Shrikes were noticeable by their absence but it gave me a good opportunity to photograph a close and compliant Great White Egret*. 8 marsh terns were present consisting of 4 Whiskered* and 4 White-winged Blacks*, as far as comparison images go for both Terns* it probably doesn’t get much better than the opportunity I had. A single Greenshank was joined by 9 Glossy Ibises and 2 Turtle Doves drank from the dam as a Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin and the Little Stints looked on. On the fields above the dam 2 Tawny Pipits flushed before I returned home and concluded another week.
Highlights of the Week: Bar-tailed Godwit – never an easy bird to see provided a good photo opportunity of a close bird in Cyprus. Always nice to see a bit of raptor passage.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
Follow us:
