Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 27 Oct
Penduline Tit at Akhna Dam on 21 Oct
* Indicates that a photo of the species is included please visit Flickr site to view or click on the link.
A day off on Monday and I attempted unsuccessfully to see a Knot at Akrotiri – a rare bird in Cyprus although I have seen one previously. As I searched a Gull-billed Tern and 2 Shelduck were over the salt lake with a couple of Marsh Harriers but amongst the thousands of Greater Flamingos there was little else. Search complete and with only Dunlins, Little Stints and Kentish Plovers noted I headed to Lady’s Mile for more of the same. At Zakaki Marsh where there is a large amount of construction work taking place, a huge area has now been opened making the marsh visible for the first time since I’ve been here. Anyway, 2 Wood Sandpipers, an immature White-winged Black Tern, 3 Kingfishers, a Grey Heron and 2 Stonechats graced the area. I moved on back towards the Larnaca area and visited the sewage works where I heard and saw my first 4 Skylarks of the winter. The first Caspian Gulls had arrived along with an adult Baltic Gull. All things being equal – it was pretty dull.
In the afternoon I went for a shave and haircut, which was its usual unique experience and visited the Fresh Water Lake South in Famagusta where a Great White Egret was obvious and 2 Redstarts were very active. A couple of Black-winged Stilts, a Spotted Redshank and a Common Sandpiper added to the numbers and as I left a female Blackcap chased a Redstart. In the evening I made for Akhna Dam where 5 Penduline Tits were present, a Reed Warbler lingered and I caught up with the Black-necked Grebe which was a new bird for the site. A Sedge Warbler was late as was a female Whinchat and Chiffchaff numbers appear to be increasing as Willow Warblers dwindle. Stopping at Vrysoulles on the way home, the Barn Owl remained faithful to its roost site.
On Tuesday, a quick visit to Akhna Dam, where patience and persistence were rewarded with a not bad picture of a male Penduline Tit*. 3 Greenshank and a late Squacco Heron flushed and the Reed Warbler* was again very showy at the top of a reed. A single Bluethroat was difficult but obvious to see, a Spotted Crake flew away into the reeds and a single Cormorant sat on a dead snag in the water. A Sparrowhawk did a fly through flushing what remained of the passage waders. In the fields above the dam, Corn Bunting numbers are increasing and a single Red- throated Pipit was visible in the furrows of a ploughed field. I stopped opposite Dhekelia Fire Station where Stone Curlew numbers had increased to 38 and a Robin was seen, meanwhile at Dhekelia Power Station, 7 Shags were present. After dropping Deb off, I returned home in the dark without further observations. It is now dark by 1810 and once the clocks go back, birding in the evening will be all but over.
After 3 Dotterel being found at Akrotiri yesterday, I headed off to the fields surrounding Larnaca Airport, a likely place for the species – in any event it was without success. However, on the Sewage Works lagoons, a Spoonbill and Greater Flamingos had increased to 41. At least 4 Armenian Gulls had arrived with Black-headed numbers rising by the day and another Baltic Gull loafed by the lagoons. Few waders were seen, although a single Yellow Wagtail is getting late and 2 Common Cranes passed high overhead. As I drove to the Larnaca Airport Fields area I saw a Wheatear on the dried out Spiro’s Pool which after investigation turned out to be a female Desert Wheatear* and another was in the stubble fields further along. A Red-throated Pipit was also there and a couple of Skylarks called as they took off. In the general area, I flushed a couple of male Black Francolins. I stopped at Oroklini Marsh on the way to Akhna Dam and at least 5 Redshanks and 4 Snipe were present with a reduced number of smaller waders. I then found a couple of Little Stints and at the end of the channel the Terek Sandpiper was still present entering its 3rd week of residence, a Common Sandpiper also flushed from the same area. My arrival at Akhna Dam was greeted by a perched, fly catching male Black Redstart – my first for the winter. Much was the same at the dam although a Green Sandpiper alighted as did a Greenshank when I entered. A Reed Warbler was still present, 2 Bluethroats performed as usual and the Penduline Tits have increased to 7. As I departed the Black-necked Grebe continued its occupancy and a pair of Lapwings called noisily as they landed.
On Thursday a quick visit to Akhna Dam produced little new of interest although 2 Lapwings were moving through and Penduline Tits remained at 7. On Friday the SSAFA “Big Brew” ate up some time and therefore no birding took place. I rose early on Saturday and made for the Cape Greco area via Ayia Napa in search of my first Finsch’s Wheatear of the winter. The football pitches at Ayia Napa produced 2 late European Beeaters but little else. As I drove the track to the sewage works, Stonechats were very common and then a flash of white, scope to the window – a female dark throated Finsch’s Wheatear in exactly the same place as last year – a very pleasing result. At the sewage works a couple of Black Redstarts, Song Thrushes, a female Blue Rock Thrush and finally a female Hen Harrier signalled that migration must be nearly over and the winter visitors are arriving in good numbers. At Cape Greco Pines, a late Red-backed Shrike and a couple of Chiffchaffs, although notable was the number of Chaffinches in lowland areas – another tell tale sign of winter arriving. I drove to the area below the Army camp at Cape Greco and walked along photographing 2 Pygmy Skippers which are getting towards the end of their flight season. A Blue Rock Thrush* male sang above me and I noted 2 female Fincsh’s Wheatears and 2 Northern Wheatears. I then saw a cracking male Finschs’ and walked across the volcanic rock in an attempt to photograph it. Without luck as it gave me the run around, I lost my footing and fell over, cutting my hands to shreds, but saving my bins and camera. I hope the AOS are happy that I have identified a wintering area for a male Finsch’s Wheatear in March at great personal injury to myself? Wintering Sardinian Warblers could be heard everywhere but not much else was about. At Akhna Dam in the evening a Lesser Whitethroat was late, 4 Bluethroats was a good count and a Sedge Warbler was still present.
On Sunday morning, I visited Oroklini Marsh whilst Deb was at the market and found my first Temminck’s Stint of the month amongst Little Stints and Dunlins and although the Redshanks were vocal there was no sign of the Terek Sandpiper. A Bluethroat and Water Rail added to the interest and Spanish Sparrow were very active in the reeds. After picking Deb up we moved to the Larnaca area where on the approach to the Sewage Works I flushed a pair of Black Francolins. The Sewage Works held 2 adult Armenian Gulls and the Bar-tailed Godwit was still present but apart from 3 Cormorants and a pair of immature White-winged Black Terns there was not much amongst the hundreds of wildfowl. On the way back along the Larnaca Strip we stopped for a Cyprus mixed sandwich – they truly are the food of the kings and I noticed 2 birds perched on the rocks (I call them Dolphin Rocks – as there is a small statue of the obvious on them), which proved to be a pair of Sandwich Terns.
At Akhna Dam in the evening, as I drove along the road a call of a Water Pipit alerted me to the presence of at least 3 in a ploughed field and a bird landed on the road which I photographed. There had obviously been a sizeable influx of the species and with a bird with pinky/orange legs it alerted me to the possibility of a Buff-bellied Pipit. Still under discussion with the photos being studied, they are thought to pass through Cyprus but have never been reported until last year’s first with many now believing that they are more common than previously thought – we shall see. The drawback being it didn’t turn around and I couldn’t relocate it. With no hope of birding on Monday due to the long day and the clocks going back, I’ll have to look again on Tuesday – but I don’t hold up much hope. No less than 16 Common Snipes and 2 Jack Snipes were present and the 3 Greenshanks continued their stay with the Black-necked Grebe. A Sparrowhawk perched in a eucalyptus briefly and at least 4 Penduline Tits were in the reed bed where I also photographed another Bluethroat* A call alerted me to the first Reed Bunting of the winter – a female type, a Red-throated Pipit called as it passed overhead and a (Caspian) Reed Warbler* was outstaying its welcome. Across the water I noticed a fairly large duck which proved to be a female Red-crested Pochard but with the light failing early – 1650, it was time to go.
Highlight of the Week: Finsch’s Wheatears are always good to find, the first Reed Bunting of the winter and the mystery Pipit.
Look Forward: I’m off over the north next weekend for a field trip with KUSKOR the Turkish group into the Troodos hills in the north.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
Roger Dickey | 28th Oct 2013 07:56 PM
For duties in the field martyrdom will surely be yours.