Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 22 Feb 15
Griffon Vulture at Santa on 22 Feb.
Akhna Dam was very quiet after work on Monday. In fact I’ve never seen it looking so birdless. A Grey Heron was on the lagoon with a Black Redstart and c30 Corn Buntings on wires as I left. Very Dull indeed, but it does have a habit of redeeming itself as migration picks up and it turns up a good rarity when it’s least expected.
Tuesday brought a trip to the north and Koprulu Dam. Wildfowl were present in good numbers with c300 Flamingos. Of most interest was a pair of Black-necked Grebes, 8 Wigeon, a Gadwall and a couple of Pintails. As I scanned I found a pair of Red Crested Pochards which is unusual for the site and Common Pochards numbered 86. 2 female Marsh Harriers were in the area and a ghostly male Hen Harrier was mobbed by Hooded Crows. 2 Great White Egrets were in the grass and a Common Buzzard perched in a tree. Circa 300 Greater Flamingos remained in situ and 8 Ferruginous Ducks eventually showed well. I stopped at Fresh Water Lake North for a changed and the 2 Glossy Ibises rose from the reed bed. Good numbers of Redshanks and Spur-wiinged Plovers were present with a single Ruff. 12 Pintails was a good count and 24 Flamingos fed actively on the far side of the marsh. At Silver Beach 14 Flamingos were present with 14 Common Shelduck and a drake Pintail. A Spotted Redshank was with 2 Common Reshanks and a Green Sandpiper called as it went. Gulserin was fairly quiet, with the c200 Flamingos still at the site and 7 Black-winged Stilts loafed in the grass with Spur-winged Plovers. 2 female Blackcaps were in nearby tamarisks and although many Black-headed Gulls came to roost there was nothing interesting amongst them. A Robin was in the quarter area as I drove home and they appear to be reducing as they come to the end of their wintering period.
On Wednesday with a howling wing, I went to Cape Greco – still no migrants. Yellow-legged Gulls were being blown along the coast and a Common Buzzard cruised by the Sea Caves. At the picnic site a male Blue Rock Thrush and Black Redstart were seen. Stopping at Paralimni Lake on the way home, the 9 Ruddy Shelducks had been joined by a Common Shelduck. Ruffs had increased to c300 (a good count for Feb) and a single Spotted Redshank and 2 Common Redshanks were also present. 14 Dunlins were with the Ruffs and several Little Egrets were seen.
On Thursday I visited Paralimni Lake once more which is looking interesting. The Ruddy Shelducks were still present with c250 Flamingos. Ruff numbers had grown to c150 and 2 Spotted Redshanks were also present, with a Ringed Plover and 43 Dunlins. I eventually spotted a previously reported Black-tailed Godwit and c200 White Wagtails flew to roost as I was departing.
On Friday morning I met the US birder again at Paralimni bus station and we proceeded to Ayias Trias where 3 Grey Plovers were in the company of their Greater Sand Plover cousins. 3 male Cyprus Warblers were singing at Cape Greco Picnic Site and Song Thrushes were everywhere, with in excess of c150 being seen around the cape. A cracking male Finsch’s Wheatear was still present under the Army Camp Cliffs with a male Blue Rock Thrush and several Black Redstarts. Sardinian and Spectacled Warblers were very vocal but no Sylvia migrants were present yet. Travelling from the cape to the sea caves my first Isabelline Wheatear of the year was in fields near Cape Greco Pines and at the Sea Caves another was present with good numbers of Meadow Pipits. A Great White Egret came in off the sea and a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls drifted by. A pair of Audouin’s Gulls loafed at Kermia Beach before we headed off to Akhna Dam via Paralimni Lake to see the Ruddy Shelducks. At Akhna Dam it was fairly quiet with c120 Corn Buntings, a Great White Egret, a few Grey Herons and 3 Cormorants. The highlight was a Peregrine attacking a Marsh Harrier and Common Buzzard. Returning to Paralimni via Vrysoulles a pair of Little Owls were in their usual nesting hole.
On the way to the airport in the north for a 0430 flight to Istanbul and onwards to Barcelona, we passed a Barn Owl and later on the approach road to Ercan Airport a Long-eared Owl. We arrived in Barcelona at 1050 without incident and headed north to Sietamo near Huesca for a 4 night stay. We stopped at several sights along the way seeing a Bonelli’s Eagle at Santana Dam and White Storks and were all along the roadsides.
The next day was an early start and we began birding at Rio Formiga, where we saw 2 Rock Buntings, a Wren, several Griffon Vultures and a few Red Kites. At a nearby Vulture feeding station, c200 Griffons* were in the area and allowed close views and 2 Lammergeier* were also seen circling above. We continued to Cacon Dam where we found our first Wallcreeper and 3 Ravens were overhead. We proceeded to Monte Aragon where a pair of Black Wheatears, a male Blue Rock Thrush and 17 Choughs were notable. A Red Kite* drifted overhead and a male Dartford Warbler* posed as it sang. We finished the day at Sotonera Lake where Common Cranes roost before attempting to cross the Pyrenees the next day. Circa 1000 Cranes were present and on the lake 9 Greylag Geese were a Spanish “tick” 73 Baltic Gulls were of interest, not common and obviously migrants were joined by c250 Black-headed Gulls. Marsh Harriers and Cormorants were also present before we returned to the hotel for “Tea and Medals” – well Tapas and Vino Tinto.
Highlights of the Week: The first Isabelline Wheatears of the year and of course Lammergeier.
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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