Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 8 Jun 14
Juvenile Swallow at Akhna Dam on 29 May
The beginning of the week and a stop at Akhna Dam revealed that the Curlew Sandpiper and 12 Little Stints were still present. The Little Egret remains at the site and the usual breeding species could be heard all around the site. As I departed, 2 Rollers were sat on wires opposite the dam entrance track. In the afternoon I visited the Fresh Water Lake South in Famagusta, at least 3 Glossy Ibises now have chicks and there appears to be 4 Night Heron nests. Whilst watching the now very large Cattle Egret chicks I noticed a tern on the other side of the lake which proved to be an adult Gull-billed. 8 Ferruginous Ducks flew across to the northern lake – my biggest count here so far. The Squacco Herons appear to have 3 nests with the birds sitting, but there’s still no sign of any chicks. That concluded Monday’s activities.
Living up to its reputation as a very dull month, this continued at Akhna Dam on Tuesday where only 3 Little Stints, 3 Little Egrets, a Squacco Heron and 11 Spur-winged Plovers including one juvenile were present. As I was leaving the site, I did manage to see a Temmink’s Stint which represented my first June record ever. And so it continues…….. Akhna Dam on Wednesday was dire! 2 Little Egrets, 1 Squacco Heron and 6 Spur-winged Plovers – desperate. I did however see 2 Turtle Doves and on the way home a Kestrel and a Roller at Vrysoulles. June is without doubt the worst month for birding in Cyprus and unless you want to see Cyprus Wheatear and Cyprus Warbler and you’re on a family holiday, you should not visit in this month!
On the 4th Akhna Dam held a couple of Turtle Doves, a Squacco, 2 Little Egrets and 6 Spur-winged Plovers and in Vrysoulles a Roller flew over the road. On Thursday, a trip to JUMBO had the drain holding 4 Spur-winged Plovers and 2 Moorhens – one a juvenile. Oroklini Marsh was a little more interesting with a fly over 1st Summer Black-headed Gull and a flushed Green Sandpiper. The late Shelduck continued to consort with the Mallards and a Black-headed Wagtail continued to call – they must be breeding here. Greater Flamingos had increased to 37 and a singleton Little Stint and Little Ringed Plover were present. A surprise Red-rumped Swallow flew across the road at Dhekelia and apart from 2 Little Egrets at Akhna Dam there was literally, nothing of interest.
On Friday afternoon we travelled to Limassol to stay over night and visit a restaurant that had been recommended – it was worth the trip, the food was superb! Rising early on Saturday morning I visited the Limassol sites. At Zakaki Marsh 5 Wood Sandpipers were surprising, whilst 3 Ferruginous Ducks and 2 Reed Warblers were also seen. At the edge of Akrotiri Salt Lake, Greater Flamingos numbered 92 and Black-winged Stilts 19, but the Kentish Plovers were notable by their absence. A single Little Tern landed briefly but there was little of interest so I drove to Episkopi, pausing at Phasouri Reed Beds were 7 Eleonora’s Falcons were hawking insects. 4 Eleonora’s Falcons were also at Kensington Cliffs and a genuine Rock Dove put in an appearance. Moving to Happy Valley Cliffs, my first Cyprus Wheatear of the month and a couple of Sardinian Warblers but no Alpine Swifts or Griffon Vultures. I drove the Troodos Foothills seeing Black-headed Bunting, Red-rumped Swallows, Serins and Rollers but as the rain started to fall, I headed east to the Larnaca area. At Spiro’s Beach, 3 Shags were roosting on the mooring buoy and at the sewage works an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Greenshank and a Spectacled Warbler broke the boredom. Driving to the North shore of Larnaca Salt Lake was rewarding, where I managed to see and photograph my first immature Great Spotted Cuckoo* of the year and 5 Sand Martins were amongst a throng of House Martins. 2 Glossy Ibises flushed and a pair of breeding Spur-winged Plovers were very vocal.
Stopping at Oroklini Marsh on the way home produced a surprise moulting adult Whiskered Tern, Greater Flamingos had increased in number to 66 and 2 Glossy Ibises were present, (probably the same pair that were at Larnaca Salt Lake). Pausing briefly at Akhna Dam was a waste of time, with the exception of an adult Black Tern which was hawking the water’s edge. On Sunday a trip to the supermarket at Demirhan in the north for some shopping before returning to the UK on 11 June, allowed me to have a look at Demirhan Pools, a site which I rarely visit. There were hundreds of Terrapins around the sides of the pool and a Grey Heron immediately flushed, followed by 11 Night Herons and 2 Little Egrets. 2 Rollers were perched on the reeds and a European Beeater glided above. As we left the site a male Black Francolin stood proud on an earth mound as it called – as they do. Shopping done, I had a haircut and a shave at the local barbers – a most enjoyable experience, before having a look at the Fresh Water Lake South. Nothing really new here but may chicks in the nests of Glossy Ibises, Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Night Herons. Then I eventually found what I was looking for a Squacco Heron tending a chick – result and confirmation of breeding. At Akhna Dam in the evening 2 Black Terns were present with a Little Stint and a Roller, with another passing over the road as I returned home.
Highlights of the Week: An adult Gull-billed Tern in Famagusta and Temminck’s Stint at Akhna was my first June records for these species.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
Follow us:
