Cyprus Weekly

30th Sep 2012 | Posted in: Overseas Birding | Comments (0)

Birding Highlights for Week Ending 30 Sep

Juvenile Montague's Harrier at Akrotiri Gravel Pits - 24 Sep 12 courtesy of Deb Easterbrook

* A photo of the species is included please visit the Flickr site.

An enjoyable month with 1038 records submitted detailing 148 species.  The Cyprus year list now stands at 170 and the Cyprus life list has increased to 273 with 9 additions since arriving back on the island.  Some good species have been added throughout the month including 5 Cyprus “ticks” and the earliest record of a Moustached Warbler.  September birding in Cyprus is non stop and it appears so is the illegal poaching which is currently at an intensity that I have not witnessed previously – truly shocking!  A mist net, limestick and tape lure appears to be in every patch of trees or orange grove; it is very worrying for the future populations of several species.

I had arranged to meet Colin Richardson the recorder at Akrotiri for the day so set off at 0630 to arrive at 0800.  On arriving I saw Colin’s car and he was already stood on the salt lake about half a mile away.  We scanned the waders with a Whimbrel being noteworthy.  I also saw a couple of year ticks with a White Pelican and Grey Plover being present.  We soon found the prize feeding amongst the Greater Flamingos, a Bar-tailed Godwit – a very scarce migrant and another Cyprus “tick” for me.

We progressed to Bishop’s Pool and it was clear that there was some good raptor passage occurring with numerous Marsh Harriers, Honey Buzzards and Montague’s Harriers* passing.  At Bishop’s Pool, we were searching for a particular bird that has been reported intermittently for about 2 weeks.  This is as close to a twitch as it gets in Cyprus.  In any event almost immediately, Colin spotted our quarry – an adult White-throated Kingfisher (Smyrna).  The rarest of the 3 Kingfishers that occurs on the island and less than annual.  For me another new Cyprus bird.  A Peregrine flushed the Teal and a few Red-footed Falcons passed overhead quickly followed by a dashing dark phase Eleonora’s Falcon - a bit of a falcon fest to be sure.

Since there was some good raptor passage occurring we decided to take lunch under the eucalyptus trees near Phasouri Reed Beds and opposite the large antenna array.  No sooner had we sat down and we were viewing Honey Buzzards, Marsh Harriers, Montague’s Harriers and Red-footed Falcons all spiralling above us.  Soon 1,2 and eventually 5 Black Kites* circled above us and amongst them a bird which drew our attention.  Another scarce passage migrant, less than annual and another addition to my Cyprus list – a juvenile Egyptian Vulture*.  A real red letter day for me on Cyprus with 3 new birds for the country and a good number of additions to the year list.  As we continued to watch we eventually teased out and identified a distant pale phase Booted Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, 2 Lesser Kestrels and to finish the day a juvenile Bonelli’s Eagle drifted quickly over the salt lake.

At Akhna Dam on Tuesday evening all was normal, however 2 Great White Egrets were present and a single Little Crake continued its stay, although it appears to be becoming more elusive.  Searching the reed beds produced 3 (Eastern) Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler*, 26 Willow Warblers and another Moustached Warbler*.  A late flurry of 4 Wood Sandpipers kept the single Ruff company and a late Hoopoe was seen – the first for about a week.  Three Whiskered Terns remained faithful to the site and a Kingfisher looks set for a long stay.

A quick walk around Akhna Dam on Wednesday produced a Purple Heron, Little Crake several Red-backed and Masked Shrikes and a Sedge Warbler.  Probably the highlight was the first White Wagtail of the winter that was reported yesterday by my Cypriot counterpart.  Other than that the experience was uneventful.  With a Mess lunch on Thursday – you know where this is going to end up – no birding in the evening.  Deb and I picked up our friends from Larnaca airport at 1500 on Friday, so this allowed me a quick trip to the Larnaca Sewage Works area prior to their arrival.  A very quiet scene greeted me with only Kentish Plovers and Yellow-legged Gulls on the beach whilst a lone Black-necked Grebe continued at Larnaca Sewage Works.

Early on Saturday morning saw me visiting Akhna Dam in an attempt to track down a least one of the several Bluethroats that have recently been reported.  I was not successful with the Bluethroats although 2 Little Crakes,2 Great White Egrets and 3 Sedge Warblers and 2 Ospreys were evident along with some commoner species.  The count was actually 3 Ospreys but one was found shot deat.  The mindless destruction that this nation carries out is beyond belief.  I was contacted by a birder who was reading this blog and he informed me that his group had witnessed the "hunters" shooting many European Beeaters at Kiti Dam near Larnaca.  Leaving them where they fell, he commented that they looked very proud and pleased with themselves - pathetic.  In the evening I had European Beeaters over my house and a small passage of hirundines including 2 Red-rumped Swallows and a House Martin amongst the numerous Barn Swallows.

On Sunday I visited Oroklini Marsh in the morning which was relatively quiet with only a Great White Egret and 2 Marsh Sandpipers being of interest.  Later I drove past Dhekelia Fire Station and found 14 Stone Curlews.  In the afternoon I went to Akhna Dam and there were 2 more Great White Egrets, 7 Sedge Warblers, a Little Crake, Great Reed Warbler and finally a female Bluethroat, which was the 170th bird of the year.

For pictures of birds with * please click on the following Flickr links:

• Red-footed Falcon at Spiros Beach
• Black Kite at Akrotiri Salt Lake
• Egyptian Vulture at Akrotiri Salt Lake
• Black-necked Grebe at Larnaca Sewage Works
• Sedge Warbler at Akhna Dam
• Coot at Oroklini Marsh

Other interesting finds: NTR.

Highlight of the Week:  A difficult decision with a choice of 3 this week but I think for rarity value it must be the White-throated Kingfisher at Bishop’s Pool with the juvenile Egyptian Vulture a close second followed by the Bar-tailed Godwit, although, a large raptor passage is always exciting.

Look Forward:  October is the month where passage birds begin to peter out and winter visitors begin to arrive in larger numbers, I’m hoping for a Blue Rock Thrush this week.

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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