Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 26 Oct 14
Greater Sand Plover at Ayias Trias on 21 Oct
A new week and it was decidedly cooler today. The recent storms have cleared the humidity and a cooler front is upon us. It will soon be time to put the quilt on but for now a pair of long trousers and a sweatshirt will do for birding. I visited Fresh Water Lake South after work and it was a lot quieter than it has been with very few waders present. A Spotted Redshank and 3 Common Redshanks were obvious with the Green and Common Sandpipers being least so. 14 Greater Flamingos remained at the site as did a Great White Egret which was joined by 3 others as dusk approached and 2 Night Herons became active. The Cattle Egret roost is increasing and numbered c250 with a handful of Little Egrets and Grey Herons. The 2 Glossy Ibises also roosted once more and this represents the latest occurrence in Cyprus for me, having never seen one this late in October before. Circa 40 Swallows also came to roost but on this occasion no Crakes were seen but a Water Rail was heard.
On Tuesday, I met up with Neville Weston once more, as after following a fairly unproductive morning at Cape Greco on the 19th due to bad weather, I felt I owed him a bird – Cyprus Warbler. We met up at about 1330 and first went to see a pair of Greater Sand Plovers* at Ayias Trias; they should have been present the other day but the sea was too rough and the rocks were awash. In any event they were there today with a Kentish Plover and a Common Sandpiper. Moving to Cape Greco Picnic Site area, we passed a Cyprus Wheatear and searched for a Cyprus Warbler. 2 were heard and about 6 Sardinian Warblers were seen along with a Song Thrush and a 1st calendar year Night Heron heading out to sea. Ominously – no Cyprus Warbler was seen so we visited a couple more sites before returning. Under the Army Camp cliffs (where AOS members will remember the Hooded Wheatear), we walked for a while seeing nothing but Stonechats. I paused in the favoured wintering site for Finsch’s Wheatears and BINGO! The first female of the light throated form for the winter at the site and an excellent and unexpected “tick” for Nev. I have seen them as early as the 15th of the month so it was spot on time. We continued to the Ayia Napa area passing through a housing estate and we lucked in again as a Laughing Dove was sat on the telegraph wires – lifer number 2. This site has become the reliable place for this species, now a self supporting small population that is not surprisingly growing. On to Ayia Napa Sewage Works where several Willow Warblers and Spectacled Warblers were present. Notable was a late Lesser Whitethroat which cause a bit of initial confusion. With nothing much else happening we drove around the football pitches adding only an immature Red-backed Shrike.
Returning to the Cape Greco Picnic Site, more bloody Sardinian Warblers and Spectacled Warblers. We added a female Blackcap and then at the death at about 1730, with the sun beginning to drop, I heard a Cyprus Warbler in the same bush as our previous visit. Suddenly it appeared on an exposed perch and began to sing in the sun. A result, I was beginning to get nervous about the bird with my 100% strike rate looking like it was about to go down the pan. It dropped and then reappeared in better light, where all the relevant ID features could be seen more clearly. Any way, with victory clutched from the jaws of defeat, Nev had his final and much sought after lifer. Having said that, I thought bird of the day was the female Finsch’s Wheatear which was a good find.
The regular trip to JUMBO in Larnaca on Wednesday resulted in a very uninspiring trip to Oroklini Marsh where a lone Greater Flamingo was accompanied by 24 Little Stints, 2 Dunlins and a Ringed Plover. Circa 80 Mallards were in the fields and a male Black Francolin fed on the edges in the vegetation. Birding poor but the buying of Halloween paraphernalia excellent (hoorahh), a cup of coffee at Oroklini Coast – Dolphin Rocks, resulted in the first 2 Black-headed Gulls of the winter for the site and a Little Egret. Pausing at Akhna Dam was equally dull, but 2 immature Red-backed Shrikes remained as did a pair of Redshanks. Grey Herons, Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets were present and a Fan-tailed Warbler moved amongst the reeds. I finally got a picture of a European Robin*. They are extremely timid in Cyprus (I wonder why)? That was about it for the day which was particularly disappointing.
Thursday and the monthly Ops visit to Troodos. Rain! Twice in a week, “What’s happening”? So much for a sunshine tour! On the way up I stopped at Giant Juniper picnic site and managed to see the mountain species in quick succession including the usually difficult Wren and Crossbill. I was drawn to a large flock of birds and several were perched – a year tick – Hawfinch, at least 10 perched and several flying with Chaffinches. Prodromos Dam held a Grey Wagtail and White Wagtail and on the back to Ay Nic, Trimiklini Dam also held a Grey Wagtail.
On Saturday I visited Fresh Water Lake South in the afternoon, where 2 Wood Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank and a Common Redshank were present. 9 Greater Flamingos held on and a female Marsh Harrier flew through briefly. 5 late Swallows passed overhead and 3 Night Herons were roosting. On Sunday Akhna Dam was equally dull with only a Redshank being present with some commoner Herons. The highlight was a Great White Egret and a Eurasian Teal, just to prove how very quiet it was. With winter well and truly setting in, migration appears to be over, so it’s a search for scarce winter visitors and the AOS long weekend in November to look forward to.
Highlights of the Week: Hawfinches are never easy in Cyprus and the first returning Finsch’s Wheatear at Cape Greco with the company of a another UK birder – Thanks Nev
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
nev | 29th Oct 2014 08:41 PM
Wed 23rd a Black Francolin !!!!! Blow me (or something like that) 1 day out. Now I’ll have to come back again. Mark, had a great time visiting SE Cyprus and thoroughly enjoyed our trips out, some fantastic birds with 13 lifers. Best wishes Nev
Ethan | 11th Nov 2014 11:00 AM
Next weekend my brother is going to Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone Lake and Fresh Water Lake with his family and has a plan to choose the <a >yellowstone national park tour package</a>. Can you give him suggestion how he can make his tour memorable? As well as give him suggestion to enjoy fishing there.