Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 19 Apr 15
Dotterel at Akhna Dam on 13 Apr
Walking back from being CDT’d for about the 10 time this year, a Red-rumped Swallow flew over my head on camp. A long day on Monday but now that it’s light until about 1915, I had time to get to Akhna Dam which proved to be a wise choice. As I drove in from the southern arm, the water levels had risen once more (pumped in from other dams on the island which are full due to a very wet winter), the first bird I encountered in a newly wet area was a Great Snipe* feeding actively – great result! It was very confiding and allowed for some excellent close photos. It suddenly looked skywards and ran into the grass crouching, as I looked up, another year tick, and Osprey was overhead being mobbed by Hooded Crows, number 233 for the year! It was a great decision to visit Akhna Dam today. Anyway as the Osprey circled a female Marsh Harrier flew up to meet it and as a result the rest of the birds flushed. 31 Glossy Ibis, the 5 Black-tailed Godwits from yesterday and 4 Wood Sandpipers with a number of other Egrets. That over as the Osprey continued north and left the dam things settled down again. I photographed a Common Sandpiper and flushed several as I walked around. Finally, a Snipe rising from a reedbed with no white trailing edge and no distinctive call as it rose was another Great Snipe. I headed home content with a good start to the week.
On Tuesday I visited the Larnaca area in the hope of finding some of the birds that had been reported yesterday. As I arrived at the Larnaca Airport Fields – 4 Dotterels, 2 Males and 2 Females with a couple of Kentish Plovers. I observed the birds for about 15 minutes and was then moved on by an over zealous Policeman as it was facing the airport and no photographs were allowed, I explained that it was not a camera but a telescope to no avail and was unceremoniously moved on. So at the sewage works a dozen or so Sand Martins were still around with a couple of feldegg Yellow Wagtails. A Collared Pratincole flew over the lagoons but there wasn’t much about until 15 Gull-billed Terns flew through. On the Airport Pools South, a couple of Greenshank and Marsh Sandpipers were amongst the Ruffs and Black-winged Stilts with a single Common Sandpiper on the fringes. As I looked at the c450 Greater Flamingos, there it was standing out like the proverbial sore thumb – the “Black Flamingo”*, which had obviously relocated from Akrotiri. Assumed to be the only one of its kind in the world it was a novelty more than anything. As I looked at it I noticed two small birds on the surface of the water amongst the Flamingos which, once scoped proved to be 2 Red-necked Phalaropes – “tick” for the year.
At Akhna Dam several fisherman were present (illegal – but never mind the law – as usual), with nobody enforcing it and the Cypriots being like naughty schoolboys, unless they are continually corrected and monitored they begin to push the boundaries until somebody does something – which is very rare. In any event as a result I was unable to relocate the Great Snipe, if indeed it was still present. I did however manage to photograph a very vocal and fairly obliging Great Spotted Cuckoo* before returning home. As I drove, my first Whinchat for the site this spring was in the fields along with a Fan-tailed Warbler.
Taking Deb to Limassol for an appointment, I managed a bit of birding in the area – shame not to. The area was generally quiet with only a pair of Ferruginous Ducks and 2 Glossy Ibises being present at Zakaki Marsh, that were of any note. We returned via Larnaca where the Dotterels* were a little closer to the track allowing for some acceptable photos. 4 Collared Pratincoles* were in the field adjacent to the hide at the sewage works and on the south pool Red-necked Phalaropes had increased to 4 but were a little far away for a photo. After returning from the Poly Clinic in Limassol with Deb, we headed to the north for some last minute fancy dress shopping and I managed a couple of hours at Koprulu. Again, an excellent site which soon produced a year tick with 2 White-winged Black Terns hawking the water and a female Montague’s Harrier in the fields behind with a 2 female Marsh Harriers. Circa 50 Glossy Ibises were present and 4 Squacco Herons flushed from the vegetation. 3 Great Reed Warblers sang and 2 were seen whilst the site remains the only place in the east to see Gadwall and Pochard with good numbers of Garganeys also being present. Several Calandra Larks were in the surrounding fields and a pair of Stone Curlews called as they came into land.
On Thursday it was an overdue visit to Cape Greco. I arrived at about 1400 and looked in the pines first. It wasn’t particularly busy but a female Pied Flycatcher and male Common Redstart were immediately visible. 11 or so Tree Pipits flushed from the grass and perched in nearby trees and a female Pallid Harrier* was on the open ground opposite the pines. Cape Greco was empty save for the 2 on territory, singing Cyprus Wheatears. I carried on to Ayia Napa Sewage Works where 2 Masked Shrikes and a male dark throated Eastern Black-eared Wheatear where near the approach track. A lateish Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler was calling and feeding in the bushes along with a female Redstart. An Ortolan Bunting flushed from the undergrowth and a Lesser Whitethroat showed itself as I walked around. A Hobby and Lesser Kestrel passed overhead together and the usual Spectacled Warblers went about their business. As I was leaving a bird perched on the works fence was my first Red-backed Shrike of the year – a cracking male. Later in the afternoon, I visited Akhna Dam where a Greenshank was with 7 Wood Sandpipers and 4 Common Sandpipers flushed from the water’s edge. Herons were well represented with Grey, Squacco*, Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets and a showy (for a change) Purple Heron*. A female Marsh Harrier cruised around and my first Turtle Dove of the year, made for the eucalyptus stand. A drive around the back of the camp at Ay Nik produced a Great Spotted Cuckoo.
On Friday, before attending the Mess I managed to get out for a few hours and visited the Famagusta wetlands in the north. A Spotted Redshank was present and an Osprey was mobbed by Hooded Crows. At Clapsides a Great White Egret* was with Little Egrets and a lone Gull-billed Tern was with 3 Slender-billed Gulls on the rocks. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the large number of Armenian Gulls that were roosting. 2 Greater Flamingos were at Gulserin Pond with 4 Spur-winged Plovers and 8 Black-winged Stilts. My final stop in the north was a Fresh Water Lake South where 6 pairs of Glossy Ibises were in the Cattle Egret* colony and a 2nd CY Night Heron flushed from the reeds. A female Marsh Harrier flew over as I was departing. In the late afternoon I visited Akhna Dam where a Great Reed Warbler was heard and not seen. An Eastern Olivaceous Warbler was singing on territory, chased by a Cetti’s Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat was in the tamarisks. A pair of Rollers* were my first for the year as was a fleeting glimpse of a Turtle Dove. A couple of Common Sandpipers were flushed with a Greenshank and a Squacco Heron as a female Marsh Harrier flew over.
On Saturday morning, following a Back to School fancy dress in the Mess (images on Facebook), I slept in and in the afternoon we flew to Dalaman via Istanbul for a bit of a Turkish adventure before we depart the island. Arriving late on Saturday I didn’t manage to get out birding until early on 19th when I visited Kayakoy Ruins. Many of the species that had passed through Cyprus last month were present with a singing male Cretzschmar’s Bunting* and Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler. At least 4 pairs of Rollers were on territory and in display flight and a Common Buzzard passed overhead. Alpine Swifts and Red-rumpled Swallows were numerous as were Serins and the most common Wheatear was the Eastern Black-eared. I finally located the bird I’d come for and photographed a Western Rock Nuthatch*. The most common butterfly was the Eastern Festoon with Eastern Dappled White also being present. In the woods nearby I saw a Grey Wagtail, Tree Pipit and a surprising Rock Sparrow. I soon heard the distinctive call of another target bird and managed to photograph an obliging Kruper’s Nuthatch*. Returning to the car 2 Common Buzzards and a Long-legged Buzzard were over the hills. Jays were the most common bird and eventually I saw a calling Coal Tit. In the afternoon we visited Babadag (where the para scenders leap off for Olu Deniz beach). We climbed to 1900 metres but unfortunately no Ascenters were present and once more the most common bird was the Eastern-black Eared Wheatear with a single Northern also being present. We descended to the 1200 metre area where our friends new of a plateaux. I had specifically asked if there were any such habitats and they took me to it. Things looked promising – an alpine meadow and perfect habitat to speculate about a potential lifer. Serins and Cretzschmar’s Buntings were common and a couple of Eastern Bonelli’s Warblers and Cirl Buntings were also seen. A Cuckoo was heard along with at least 2 Green Woodpeckers and a single Whinchat was also obvious. As I scanned the hillside I was struck by a flash of red in a tree. It must be! Yes – a male Red-fronted Serin – LIFER what a result! I watched as the birds came down and fed on seeds with the more numerous Serins. Creeping forward; the birds were quite tame and confiding, I photographed a cracking male Red-fronted Serin* as it fed. The end of a perfect first day!
Highlights of the Week: 2 Great Snipe at Akhna Dam and an Osprey on the same day were good finds. Dotterels are rare in Cyprus so to find and photograph 4 was quite an event.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
Bill Robshaw | 7th May 2015 10:29 PM
Hi Mark,
Hope you are well. When we left you on the Saturday before our departure we called in again at the dam (name escapes me) and saw a semi collared flycatcher plus a long eared owl. Since arriving back in England things have been quiet but I did get to see the Hudsonian Godwit at Meare Heath last week. I’ll be keeping an eye on your blog sounds like Turkey was good for you. I am hoping to be working there later in the year as we are after some work on the Sinop peninsular.
All the best
Bill