Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 21 Dec
Blue Rock Thrush at Cape Greco Army Post Cliffs on 21st.
After a lay off of a week with no birding, I managed to get back into the saddle on Thursday 18 Dec. Dodging another festive celebration, I thought I’d better regain some birding credibility and add a few records to the monthly tally. I visited what is known as the Famagusta Wetlands. These are basically, all the sites in the north around Famagusta that contain water in the winter.
Silver Beach was very quiet so I moved along to Clapsides Beach where I was met with 4 Grey Plovers on the beach and another 2 on the rocky outcrop. A Grey Heron waded in the surf and was close to a good number of Armenian Gulls with an adult Slender-billed and 1st winter Mediterranean Gull also being present. At Gulserin Pond 59 Greater Flamingos were present with a pair of Pintails, 1 Snipe, 2 Black-winged Stilts and 4 Spur-winged Plovers – not exactly heaving. The not often visited Fresh Water Lake North, as it’s very difficult to view currently looks exceptional and has a lot of potential. Good numbers of wildfowl were present with 11 Gadwalls which is a very high count along with Widgeon, Teals, Mallards, Shovelers and 14 Pintails. C250 Greater Flamingos were also present but there must be outer interesting things here that remained out of sight.
My final stop was at Fresh Water Lake South as I wanted to count the roosting species. The Cattle Egrets reached a credible 362 with 1 Great White Egret and the usual pair of wintering Glossy Ibises. 82 White Wagtails flew to roost and a massive c5650+ Starlings. 79 Cormorants roosted in the eucalyptus, a Water Rail was heard and a single Little Egret made an appearance. Grey Heron numbers have reached 22 and a Peregrine did a fly through. Only 9 Spur-winged Plovers were present and were the only waders present. 7 drake Ferruginous Ducks were looking very appealing and a Kingfisher fed from a dead snag. The usual wintering passerines were present but that was it for the day and it was good to be out. Friday at Akhna Dam was a washout with a very heavy thunder storm stopping proceedings and all I managed was 2 Redshanks and a Little Stint before retiring to the bar.
On Saturday afternoon we visited the Famagusta Wetlands in the north. Gulserin Pond held good numbers of Flamingos and Black-headed Gulls and amongst them was a breeding plumaged Slender-billed Gull complete with a pinkish was to the breast. 3 Black-winged Stilts were a surprise but 3 Spur-winged Plovers were expected. At Clapsides I paused before reaching the beach to photograph a male Kestrel* and at the beach another 2 Slender-billed Gulls, an adult and a 1st winter were present along with a good number of Armenian Gulls (7) of differing ages. A Curlew rested on the rocks and 2 White Wagtails were on the beach. Moving along to Silver Beach, another Curlew* passed overhead and on the marsh 8 Redshanks were joined by a Green Sandpiper and a Greenshank. 9 Teal had taken up residence and a Meadow Pipit and 2 Woodlarks called as they went. Stopping briefly at Fresh Water Lake North – I have found a place to wade in wellies, revealed 4 Snipe, a Marsh Harrier a Great White Egret and c30 Spur-winged Plovers. Viewing is still difficult but when the water resides a little this new viewing area should prove fruitful; I’m thinking Feb/Mar time. Finally at Fresh Water Lake South, 8 Ferruginous Ducks were looking very handsome, whilst a Kingfisher was seen and a Water Rail Heard. The regular birds were present although because it was too early for the roost, in reduced numbers. 42 Cormorants were joined by 15 Grey Herons and 2 Great White Egrets.
An early rise on Sunday morning saw me heading for the Cape Greco area for the first time in months. I drove via Ayias Trias to find 3 Greater Sand Plovers, 3 Grey Plovers, a Kentish Plover and Kingfisher on the rocks. As I was departing a Shag flew by and 2 adult Audouin’s Gills paused briefly on the rocks before continuing east. At the Cape’s Picnic Site, several Spectacled Wablers, Sardinians and a single Cyprus Warbler were all singing. My first Greenfinches of the month were obvious and 2 Song Thrushes were their usual flighty selves. I continued along under the Army Camp Cliffs to be welcomed by good numbers of Stonechats, Spectacled Warblers and Chukars. As I continued at least 5 Black Redstarts were noted and then 2 male Blue Rock Thrushes* were looking cracking. A little further and I was pleased to find a pair of wintering Finsch’s Wheatears. A flock of c40 Linnets was the largest I’ve ever seen in the east of the island which was a surprise. A single Chiffchaff kept the monthly figures on the increase. At Kermia Beach another adult Audouin’s Gull was loafing and a lone Greater Sand Plover hid amongst the rocks. Ayia Napa Sewage Works was mobbed with hunters – more shotguns than birds, however I did add my first Common Sandpiper of the month on the lagoons with some more Chiffchaffs but there was little else of not amongst the echoes of many shotguns – A very sad nation!
As I continued around the back of the football pitches, I paused at a site I’d discovered in previous years for wintering Finsch’s Wheatears and there sat on a rock was a dark throated female which was a result – I don’t give much for its chances with the amount of shooting however. Driving to the coast at Ayia Thekla, I was pleased to find good numbers of Corn Buntings, a small flock of Spanish Sparrows and on the rocks 74 Kentish Plovers, 6 Greater Sand Plovers, 6 Dunlin and 2 Common Sandpipers – a good day for Sand Plovers. There was also another sizeable flock of Linnets further along the coast towards Potomas Liopetri.
After picking up Deb we headed for Larnaca, Jumbo, Lidl, Lunch and of course Oroklini Marsh. The marsh held 46 Greater Flamingos and a Marsh Harrier circled above. At least 300 Black-headed Gulls were present but nothing unusual was amongst them. Circa 50 Spur-winged Plovers was a good count and as I moved to the south side of the marsh, I flushed 2 Redshanks and a flock of 42 Lapwings – so that’s where they were. A Peregrine flushed the wildfowl and as I watched I spotted a Long-legged Buzzard circling high above. Having lunch at the Dolphin Rocks café allowed me to scope the loafing gulls which were all Black-headed with the exception of a 2nd year Armenian, 2 1st year Caspians and a Sandwich Tern resting on the rocks.
On the way home a brief stop at Akhna Dam revealed the presence of 4 Redshanks, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Cormorants and at least 5 Crested Larks. Not a bad day and a good end to what was a fairly birdless week to begin with.
Highlights of the Week: C5650+ at Fresh Water Lake South was an impressive count. A wintering pair of Finsch’s Wheatears is always a good find.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
mark wilde | 26th Dec 2014 01:03 PM
Hi your details have been passed on to me by Tim Cowley , i am visiting Cyprus first 3 weeks in April staying on dhekelia base and would be grateful of any info of good birding sites and what might be seen there . I will have access to a car many thanks mark