Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 16 Mar 14
Laughing Dove at Limassol Port Canal 16 Mar
Visiting Akhna Dam for the first time in a while paid dividends with my first Montague’s Harrier – a female of this years campaign. A female Marsh Harrier was also present along with a couple of Green Sandpipers and a Redshank. 4 Ruff flushed and drew my attention to a rocky area which contained 11 Little Ringed Plovers. 1 Cormorant and a reduced number of Grey Herons were present and a fairly dull looking Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler was actively fly catching from a nearby bush. As I returned home via Vrysoulles, a Little Owl was in its favoured roost site.
On Tuesday I went to Cape Greco via Ayias Trias, at the fishing shelter a lone Sandwich Tern flew east however the Greater Sand Plovers and Grey Plovers appear to have departed. I continued to Cape Greco where at the pines, 3 Hoopoes flushed and several Chiffchaffs called. Further down onto the Cape, 4 Isabelline Wheatears, 1 male Northern* and a female Finsch’s were present. There had obviously been an influx of Chiffchaffs with at least 6 being in one bush. A male Blue Rock Thrush sang from below me and a couple of Song Thrushes called as they went. Towards the picnic area, a Woodchat Shrike* obligingly posed for the camera but it wasn’t exactly heaving with migrants. At the Cape Greco Tip area, a pair of Cyprus Wheatears appeared to be on territory and a Yellow-legged Gull did a fly-by. I continued to Kermia Beach but again no Greater Sand Plovers to be seen and continued quickly on to Ayia Napa Sewage Works. Again, numerous Chiffchaffs and the harsh “Zit” call revealed a feeding Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler. Several Spectacled Warblers sang in the open and a flighty male Ruppels Warbler gave itself away with its conspicuous tail feathers as it flew across in front of me and perched briefly. A male Blue Rock Thrush and a Black Redstart were also present and a local gave me some wild artichoke to taste as she picked them – quite tasty in a Bear Grylls type way.
Pausing at Paralimin Lake as I returned home was not a wasted trip. A Sedge Warbler sang, a Quail called and a Black Francolin also remained hidden as it called. 3 Temminck’s Stints were the highlight amongst Green Sandpipers, Little Ringed, Kentish and Ringed Plovers and 2 Snipe called as they passed overhead.
On Wednesday the duty visit to JUMBO gave me the opportunity to cut around the Oroklini area briefly stopping at the now famous JUMBO drain. In the drain, 8 Little Ringed Plovers, 9 Temminck’s Stints, 2 pairs of Spur-winged Plovers, a Snipe, a Black-headed Yellow Wagtail, a flyover Little Egret and 18 Black-headed Gulls – so a good start. The new hide at Oroklini, just in time for the AOS trip is excellent and in the right place for a change. As I worked my way through the gulls 6 Slender-billeds were amongst the Black-heads. Wildfowl was still well represented with c340 Shoveller, 6 Pintails, 5 Red-crested Pochards and several other commoner species. 11 Greater Flamingo remain at the site and as I scanned through amongst the Black-winged Stilts a Black-tailed Godwit. As I watched I heard a Penduline Tit calling and when I scanned the reeds, a nice male was in full view. As I watched the reed bed, a Reed Warbler was singing and was then chased by another and a male Bluethroat showed briefly. At the south end of the marsh, 2 Water Pipits were still present, Redshanks flushed and a pair of Great Tits carried food. I returned via Oroklini coast (Dolphin Rocks), where 4 Slender-billed Gulls were amongst the numerous Black-headed Gulls with 3 Sandwich Terns also being present. An adult Mediterranean Gull with partial breeding hood also stood on the rocks and a Hoopoe flew over the road as I departed. I also shopped for victuals for the impending AOS tour and all is going to plan!
On Thursday, I took a day’s leave and visited Petounta Point and the Larnaca area. Although not very impressive Petounta produced a couple of Isabelline Wheatears, a Black-headed Yellow Wagtail, 3 Green Sandpipers, a Bluethroat and a Snipe – with another Black Francolin, heard only. I drove back via the coast road to the Pervolia area. Along the road another Isabelline Wheatear, a Hoopoe and hundreds of hirundines and Swifts coming in off the sea, also reported by many at various locations across the island. The throng included at least 25 Red-rumped Swallows, there seems to have been a large movement of this species today. I stopped sharply overlooking a cereal field to confirm my first male Pallid Harrier of the year which is a fantastic bird. At Pervolia, I heard another Black Francolin* which was determined to play hide and seek. Being fed up with heard only records, I eventually won the battle, another Red-rumped Swallow passed overhead. At the Larnaca Airport Fields, I flushed 4 Whimbrels and at the sewage works which has had a mass exodus of wintering wildfowl, a breeding plumage Black-necked Grebe, male Pintail, a pair of Ferruginous Ducks and a lone male Garganey were the highlights. Apparently c1000 Garganeys were sat off Akrotiri in Curium Bay during the day with Shovellers etc. This is a known migration pattern in the spring, so my chap appears to have fancied a stop over and departed the group.
Shellduck and Greater Flamingos were present on the salt lake but Slender-billed Gulls, in pink plumage were represented in good numbers. At the north end of the salt lake a couple of Water Pipits in breeding plumage were nice to see and a little further out, lots of Ringed and Kentish Plovers with 4 Ruff, a Redshank, 3 Dunlin and 2 Little Stints were flushed by a passing Common Buzzard. A brief stop at Oroklini revealed all the same as the day before save for a newly arrived Spotted Redshank and I paused to photograph the Red-crested Pochards* that were on a pool close to the road. Akhna Dam was productive with a Marsh Sandpiper*, accompanied by 5 Green Sandpipers, a Redshank and 7 Ruff. A Great Crested Grebe was still present and with 10+ Water Pipits (obviously migrants), numbers were up. The “zit, zit” revealed the presence of a very active Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler and a couple of Chiffchaffs also fed. 3 Serin “jingled” away and flew revealing their yellow rumps and a female Marsh Harrier caused havoc with the Coots.
In the afternoon I headed over to the north to do some more AOS provision’s shopping – I hope you appreciate the loss of birding time? I stopped at the Fresh Water Lake South and unbelievably the drake Goosander* had returned, a little closer, I fired off a few shots. The Cattle Egret roost numbered c400 and 8 Glossy Ibises were now in situ. A Great White Egret continued its stay and Little Ergets had increased to 3. The Cormorant roost remains at a constant 25, a Reed Warbler sang and 2 Teal flushed.
After a heavy night on Friday, Saturday and heavy drinking stopped play. On Sunday, I headed to Limassol to see 2 new Orchids, more of that later stopping at a few sites. At Larnaca Sewage Works, the drake Garganey was still present and 2 late Wigeon were seen. A year tick came with a lone Avocet and 4 Red-throated Pipits were heard and then flushed from the grass by the hide. At Pervolia a pair of Calandra Larks displayed (a site recce for the AOS trip), for the month. Checking Petounta Point revealed a late Lapwing – my first March record and at least 7 Black-headed Yellow Wagtails and a “supercilliaris” hybrid. 2 late Skylarks went out to sea a Hoopoe came in. As I drove to Limassol a Common Buzzard and a Long-legged Buzzard were over the motorway at Moni and as I drove past Limassol Port hoping to see the lingering Pied Kingfisher, unsuccessfully I did see a Laughing Dove*. This species is probably from as escaped population but now growing fast and extending in the Limassol area, it’s self supporting so by all accounts “tickable”. The hide a Zakaki Marsh has been finished and is now accessible – very timely, as this will be an excellent site with the AOS group arrive. On Lady’s Mile amongst the numerous Dunlins, Little Stints and Kentish Plovers, 3 unexpected Sanderling were present and a little further along a pathetic looking singleton Flamingo looked a bit lost, whilst 13 Grey Herons came in off the sea. Akrotiri Gravel Pits didn’t hold much apart from a Hoopoe and Isabelline Wheatear and a Curium Beach 38 Cormorants flew in formation, purposefully north east.
I met my Orchid buddies at Anoygra and was seen photographing a White Naked Man Orchid* and Green-winged Orchid* and further down in the valley 2 new species in the form of Monkey* and Dense-flowered Orchid* – reducing the wants list to 10 on the Cyprus list. A bye product was a calling and showing well Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler. On the way home I stopped at Oroklini Marsh where 12 Greater Flamingos were present along with the Black-tailed Godwit and 7 Red-crested Pochards (4 spanking males). I returned home and went to the local village restaurant to book a table for the AOS’ last night Meze and to ensure that it was still up to standard.
Highlights of the Week: A Laughing Dove was a good one to find if not a little plastic but it’s good to see migrants arriving in reasonable numbers.
A Look Forward: 1 week to go until “The Eagle Has Landed” – the AOS tour of Cyprus – I hope the weather improves!
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
Follow us:
