Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 7 Dec 14
1st Winter Kittiwake at Larnaca Sea Front – McKenzie’s Beach Marina on 7 Dec (The 7th Record for Cyprus).
Monday and a long day prevented any birding once more. On Tuesday I managed to get to Fresh Water Lake South for about 45 minutes as dusk which was productive. 7 Night Herons were in the usual roost and the 2 wintering Glossy Ibises joined the Cattle Egret throng at dusk. Cormorants numbered 61 (the biggest count so far this winter) and 7 Ferruginous Ducks were present. A few Redshanks were amongst the numerous Spur-winged Plovers and several Kingfishers were very vocal.
A quick visit to Akhna Dam on Wednesday and the Little Owl was back in its favourite roost with a Great White Egret and 5 Redshanks on the dam was about it. A Grey Wagtail flew over the road at Ay Nik, however it was all pretty dull. On Thursday, came the news that I’d been selected for promotion to Major, so the obvious happened – no birding. On Friday, I was busy so didn’t manage to get out. Saturday 6th and I went on a KUSKOR field trip in the north in the hope of finding some Rock Buntings at Five Finger Mountain. The search was unsuccessful but there were numerous Black Redstarts, Sardinian and Cyprus Warblers with a good sprinkling of Song Thrushes. C90 Cormorants passed overhead and above the peaks a pair of Peregrines chased each other. As we were leaving a female Hen Harrier passed overhead. Onto Buffavento Castle where a Raven was a good sighting (they are becoming very difficult to find), with many Kestrels a Sparrowhawk and a Goshawk over the peaks. A few Blackbirds were present with the usual Sardinian Warblers. At Tashkent the search for Finsch’s Wheatears was successful with 2 being seen and a supporting cast of Black Redstarts and Stonechats.
We continued to a seasonal wetland at Sinirustu where a couple of Widgeon, Mallard and Teal were joined by a single Shoveller and several Little Grebes. The biggest surprise here was loan Greylag Goose – the first of the winter. Koprulu was a shadow of its former self but did provide views of 3 female Marsh Harriers and some Mallards and Teal, whilst in the fields Corn Buntings, Skylarks and Crested Larks flew away from the car. We finished the day at Fresh Water Lake South where a respectable c50 Cormorants were seen. The 2 Glossy Ibises came to roost, joined by 4 Great White Egrets and an impressive count of 23 Night Herons were in the roost. 11 Ferruginous Ducks flushed and c3000 Starlings were in a mermeration. Gulls of mainly Black-headed types with a few Yellow-legs and Caspians bathed before flying to roost. A wintering Spotted Redshank was with a handful of Common Redshanks, 4 Green Sandpipers were on the muddy fringes and a good count of 74 Spur-winged Plovers were in the majority. The only Snipes of the day were seen and as we were departing a Sparrowhawk did a fly though.
An early start of Sunday saw me driving to Asprokremnos Dam near Paphos in search of a previously reported possible 7th record of Scaup for Cyprus. The bird, a female looked convincing but a hybrid or strange Tufted Duck had not been ruled out. In any event it was gone but a male Pintail was amongst a sizeable flock of Teal, Mallards and Cormorants. A pair of low flying Bonelli’s Eagles was a bonus and a Great Tit and Sardinian Warbler was seen on the hillside as I watched. Whilst there I spoke to Colin Richardson who’d found the bird and he told me of a White-headed Duck and Kittiwake in the Larnaca area. I waited and searched for another half and hour before heading east. Arriving at Larnaca c200 Greater Flamingos were on Kiti Pool and on Larnaca Airport Pool South a few gulls, mainly Yellow-legged, and Caspians were joined by 2 Med Gulls – an adult and 1st Winter. At the sewage Works 12 Flamingos were present with the 8 wintering White-fronted Geese. A couple of Cormorants loafed with a Shelduck in close proximity. 3 Ruff and a Redshank were on the black plastic surround and careful searching produced a drake Pintail and 2 Black-necked Grebes. A pair of calling Curlews passed over the lagoons and 2 Black-winged Stilts were feeding near 4 Widgeon. Sadly, no sign of the White-headed Duck, so 2 dips in a day – not good! C150 Golden Plovers were on Spiro’s Pool but with nothing else for it, I decided to got to McKenzie Beach Marina in search of the previously reported Kittiwake for my 3rd dip of the day. As I looked amongst the yachts, remarkable there was a 1st winter Kittiwake* washing – the 7th record and a Cyprus “tick” for me - I was delighted so took a few decent photos of the bird. It washed for about 10 minutes as I watched and then gone over the breakwater and out to sea – so a stroke of luck to end the day. Heading for a celebratory KFC, I stopped at Dolphin Rocks, Oroklini where c150 Black-headed Gulls were joined by a single Yellow-legged Gull and on the rocks a pair of Sandwich Terns.
The day had ended in success with my 261st bird of the year and number 312 (with one pending on my Cyprus List).
Highlights of the Week: The 1st winter Kittiwake at Larnaca Seafront, McKenzie Beach Marina, constituting the 7th Cyprus record and a bird I didn’t imagine I’d get on my Cyprus List.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
Rob Wheeler | 16th Dec 2014 02:24 PM
Congratulations on your promotion.
Hope it doesn’t mean a) less time bird watching b) move away from Cyprus.
For those of us who only spend a couple of weeks in Cyprus Spring and Autumn (usually just missing the main migrations) your blogs are more than a good read - they are almost like being at your elbow.
Keep up the good work and compliments of the season.
Rob.