Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 14 Apr
Great Snipe at Akhna Dam on 10 Apr.
* indicates that a photo of the species is included please visit Flickr site to view.
It’s Monday and never a good day for birding. However, I did make it to Paralimini Lake and although plenty of birds were present, nothing extraordinary was seen. 3 Spotted Redshanks* and a Woodchat Shrike were probably the highlights with a very tired looking male Whinchat* posing for the camera. The earlier reported female Caspian Plover appeared to have moved on but it could have been hunkering down in the vast expanse of the now, in many places lake. There were a good number of Kestrels present – at least 15, although suspected that they were Lessers, at distance and with all being females it was impossible to discriminate.
Tuesday and a quick visit to Cape Greco to look for the reported Southern Grey Shrike was unproductive. Paralimini Lake on the return was also very quiet although a ringtail Montague’s Harrier was seen close by. At Akhna Dam, 28 Wood Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers and 4 Little Ringed Plovers was all that was present. As I returned home driving across the agricultural land to the south of the dam, I encountered another Yellow Wagtail “fest”. Amongst the 2 – 300 birds present were at least 200 Blue-headed (flava), 3 Black-headed (feldegg), 1 supercilliaris (feldegg x flava), 1 xanthrophys (feldegg x lutea), 2 Grey-headed (thunbergi), 2 Syke’s (beema) and at least 3 dombrowski (feldegg x flava / feldegg x beema) – which was a new one for Cyprus for me. I spent at least half an hour grilling them which I sadly really enjoy doing. It’s amazing that in the last 2 weeks the majority were feldeggs and now they’re flavas. It’s obvious that each form has a peak passage period, so only lutea to find – which will be easier said than done.
Whilst shopping for some bread in the North I visited the Fresh Water Lake South, Glossy Ibises were present in the Cattle Egret colony and look set to attempt breeding. Also present was a Great White Egret, 2 Slender-billed Gulls, 3 Black-headed Gulls (getting late) and 6 Yellow-legged Gulls but not much else. I was scanning the gulls at Clapsides Beach when I received a text message confirming that the Southern Grey Shrike was still at Cape Greco. We headed back over the border immediately. When we arrived at Cape Greco, I walked the area and suddenly a black and white bird sat on top of a bush, long enough for me to get a view of it in the bins, it then flew low and fast as Shrikes do for a long distance – not to be seen again in typical Shrike fasion. In any event with little white in the wings and being smaller and more slender than a Great Grey Shrike there is no doubt of its identity. Others apparently have pictures of the bird confirming that it’s of the race aucheri – a Middle East race, not known for migration and only the second record for Cyprus – so a Cyprus “tick” for me. At the 3rd attempt, this is an elusive bird, so well done for those who firstly found it (Jonannes & Thiejs) and secondly managed to photograph it.
With no significant bird news, I thought I’d give Akhna Dam a whirl. With a target species in mind and with this being the peak migration period for them, I set off to find a Great Snipe. I have only previously seen 2, both at Akhna Dam, 1 on 18 Apr 1998 and the other on 21 Apr 1999. Despite my worldly travels, it has remained a fairly difficult species to catch up with. The muddy areas to the south of the dam with small pools and dryish ground looked perfect for one the other day, so that’s where I started. 30 Wood Sandpipers* and 2 Green Sandpipers* were present along with 2 Ruff, 12 Black-winged Stilts, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Spur-winged Plovers and 7 Little Stints. As I drove up the track to depart, I noticed a small pool on my left with some waders. Bins up – Great Snipe* with a Common Snipe – SUPERB. I got a few quick record shots and then inched the car closer, it fed actively and seemed fairly settled and not bothered by the car, the result being some really close pictures of this difficult to find species. Very pleased with myself I went for a walk flushing a male Sparrowhawk and then alerted by a call looked around and saw some Beeaters. When my brain finally engaged, I thought Arabia – they were of course Blue-cheeked Beeaters* and a bird I thought I’d missed this Spring. Although not perching close to me, I did manage a couple of ropey, distant record shots for the gallery. Some say discriminating between those and European on call is not possible – I say that’s rubbish. Blue Cheeked have a shorter, higher pitched call that is less throaty than European and it’s fairly obvious. Before I departed 13 Glossy Ibises did a flyby and it was time for the most enormous pork chop I’ve ever seen in my life, at our local grill. I would love to see the size of the pig that produced the monster! The end of an excellent day and a tot of Cap’n Morgan’s Spicey and all was good in the world with Akhna Dam back in favour and returning from the brink of oblivion.
Friday already and still plenty of migration occurring. However, the North was decidedly average but at Cape Greco I caught up with a male Collared Flycatcher and then showed some visiting birders the Great Snipe which was still present at Akhna Dam
On Saturday morning I’d arranged to meet members of the Cyprus Dragonfly study group that are visiting this end of the island and show them the local sites. I met them at 1000 and headed for Oroklini Marsh. However, prior to this, I had risen early and visited the Larnaca area. Larnaca Airport Fields had a Greater Short-toed Lark and my first Roller of the Spring. Black Francolin males were calling and seen everywhere with at least 5 being seen in the area. At Spiro’s Pool a Squacco Heron and Red-throated Pipet whilst Black-headed Yellow Wagtails appeared to be gathering nesting material. I moved along to Larnaca Airport Pools North which had a good number of waders present. A year tick came with a couple of Curlew Sandpipers – one in breeding plumage, whilst 3 Black-tailed Godwits were also feeding along with numerous Little Stints and Ruffs. 13 Slender-billed Gulls were also present. At Larnaca Salt Lake North, 2 Avocets were amongst the Ruffs, Marsh Sandpipers, Greenshanks and a couple of Spotted Redshanks. 2 resting Little Terns were also new birds for the year and 18 Greater Flamingo juveniles are hanging on. At Oroklini, the pair of Red-crested Pochards remain with a Sedge Warbler and female Montague’s Harrier making an appearance. On the way to Sotira at Freneros another 2 Rollers sat on wires and as we arrived at Sotira Ponds to see the Dark Spreadwing colony, now numbering 1000s, a male Golden Oriole flew over heading north and later a Black Kite did likewise.
On Sunday I met the Dragonfly group at Fresh Water Lake South, in the North. Before meeting them I had gone to Cape Greco early and in the pines saw 2 Wood Warblers, an Eastern Bonelli’s, a female Pied Flycatcher and a Spotted Flycatcher. On the opposite side of the road a male Red-backed Shrike looked resplendent and another was seen nearer the Cape’s tip along with a Whitethroat, Wryneck and a couple of Lesser Whitethroats. As I left the area a Whinchat sat atop a bush and at the Picnic Site, Cyprus Warblers continue to sing and a juvenile was also seen. 3 Ortolan Buntings flushed from the grass and a Purple Heron flew over Konnos Bay.
At the Sewage Works, a male Collared Flycatcher hunted and a couple of Ortolans fed on the floor with a few Lesser Whitethroats. A single Black-winged Stilt on the lagoons looked lonely and the rest of the area held a Masked Shrike, Whinchat, a pair of Cyprus Wheatears and a couple of Blackcaps. I met the Dragonfly group in the North at Fresh Water Lake South and we found a new Damselfly for me with a pair of Blue Eyes* sitting on a reed. A Gull-billed Tern was over the lake and a couple of Squacco Herons flushed, as a pair of Slender-billed Gulls did a flyby. A Cuckoo flew from cover and the Glossy Ibises remain in the Cattle Egret colony. After an enjoyable lunch in Famagusta Square – always a joy, we returned over the border and headed towards the motorway. Under the guise of showing them the way, I said to Deb “since we’re almost in Larnaca, we may as well look for the Red-necked Phalaropes that have been reported”, we did this without look as the birds had been disturbed from Spiro’s Pool. A Stone Curlew stood in the Larnaca Sewage Works hide field with an Isabelline Wheatear, some Spur-winged Plovers with a Spotted Redshank and a couple of Garganeys in the Sewage Works. Knowing the area, I thought I’d check Larnaca Airport Pool North before departing the area. My hunch paid off as the 3 Phalaropes were feeding amongst the many Little Stints and 5 Curlew Sandpipers.
For pictures of birds with a * please click on the following Flickr links:
- Spotted Redshank at Paralimni Lake.
- Whinchat at Paralimni Lake.
- Green Sandpiper at Akhna Dam.
- Green & Wood Sandpiper at Akhna Dam.
- Blue-cheeked Beeaters at Akhna Dam (distant record shot).
Highlight of the Week: Eventually getting an acceptable view of the Southern Grey Shrike was a bonus bird for the year and an addition to the Cyprus list. But finding a Great Snipe is always a highlight.
Other Interesting Finds: Sadly, I have to admit, there’s no items to report, with migration in full swing, I have been preoccupied, however the Blue Eye Damselfly was new for me.
Look Forward: My sister and brother-in-law (4th set of visitors this year) arrive at the end of next week, so with some leave looming and visits to the North, Paphos and Troodos planned anything is possible. As my brother-in-law is a keen butterfly enthusiast, you know where this is going – standby for some butterfly pictures and perhaps I’ll see my remaining Cypriot species.
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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