My route was more or less the same as yesterday with the Agios Georgios area now devoid of people. Lady's Mile had provided some excellent views of Greater Flamingo, a Turtle Dove , a couple of parties of Ringed Plover, some Temminck's Stints , but little else. Agios Georgios provided a single Lesser Grey Shrike, Spotted and Pied Flycatcher and a couple of Willow Warbler.
With nothing else appearing I spent some time at the Rabbit Farm pools and had the most stupendous views of Black Francolin I've ever managed, which made up for the absence of anything else . Seen well , it's a very attractive bird recorded on virtually every occasion on call only, and , tantalizingly, never showing itself.
Despite a fair degree of effort I got virtually nothing else and returned to the hotel early afternoon to sort out arrangements for the car's return and other routine matters. Certainly the month has been a period of a fair number of high spots , the odd disappointment and a number of absolute surprises. Some of the anticipated migration just never seemed to happen, e.g. the usual Lesser Kestrel arrival hasn't yet happened in anything like the expected numbers, similarly Rollers have appeared in dribs and drabs, and where were those resplendent Curlew Sandpipers I was so much looking forward to seeing. You can't have it all as the saying goes ( neither should you ).
After a number of extremely interesting discussions with various people I would hope to put together a few Blogs looking at subjects such as shooting, poisoning, and the almost bewildering arrangements surrounding the UK's territorial presence on the island, one which is also still riven by partition and political tensions. On the other hand , Cyprus is an island of intriguing contrasts set against the situation back home. For instance, they've just been harvesting the grain fields and the large Catherine wheel straw bales are spread around the fields awaiting collection. We've a whole summer wherein our own crops grow and ripen before being harvested in early autumn. I got to thinking , and still don't know, what now happens with those fields in Cyprus given the very high summer temperatures. The last winter was very wet and some dams are at the fullest they've been in twelve years. What differences might that evoke for the agricultural systems and the habitats, in turn , which they provide for birds ? Irrigation might be "on " this summer, but what normally happens?
I shall leave feeling the need to return and experience possibly a different aspect of what is an extremely interesting place for bird migration ( Cyprus has a relatively low breeding list of species ), particularly as autumn migration can be markedly different in character to that in Spring. A great place, happy people, great food and one I'm pledged already to return to .
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Monday, 29th April...........an affinity with Swifts !
Out early to Lady's Mile where I found precious little until coming across a Red-footed Falcon at the very end of the track ! On to Agios Georgios where I thought it would be worthwhile to get there relatively early and see what might have arrived overnight. I ought to have reckoned there would be a church service given it was Easter Monday here and whilst things were relatively cool........120 cars worth in fact and two cold drinks stalls. I didn't see anything !
On to the Akritiri reserve where I met with Viktor , who was operating his ringing site. Views from the Tower Hide included Squacco Heron and Ferruginous Duck and one each of Woodchat, Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrike. Things were improving ! Viktor came up for a chat in between ringing rounds and we discussed recent sightings , including the large numbers of Swifts and hirundines over the reedbed the day previously ( 28th ). At that point a LITTLE SWIFT whizzed around the hide along with a few Swallow, odd Sand Martins and Common Swift and , at one point , was within touching distance. Tremendous ! It was about for less than a couple of minutes , but produced excellent views !
Later, I went down to Rabbit Farm pools where the water is rapidly disappearing since the temperatures zoomed. It was 27C down there and bird song, even of Cetti's Warblers , was beginning to wane. Wader numbers are going down by the day and nothing new had arrived. Two of the three Black tailed Godwits were still there whilst a Great Reed Warbler sang intermittently nearby. I went down to Kourian Bay as I still favour the place as a visible migration spot. Over three quarters of an hour two flocks of 30 + Glossy Ibis went east , but nothing else. Mid afternoon, and cutting back over the Akritiri wasteland area , a few Whinchat were in evidence, a female Black eared Wheatear ( pale throated form )and a couple of Hoopoe, but , otherwise, all was still and ferociously hot ! A check on various areas on the way back to the hotel produced nothing. And that was it, a slow day but with a very good Cyprus record nonetheless.
On to the Akritiri reserve where I met with Viktor , who was operating his ringing site. Views from the Tower Hide included Squacco Heron and Ferruginous Duck and one each of Woodchat, Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrike. Things were improving ! Viktor came up for a chat in between ringing rounds and we discussed recent sightings , including the large numbers of Swifts and hirundines over the reedbed the day previously ( 28th ). At that point a LITTLE SWIFT whizzed around the hide along with a few Swallow, odd Sand Martins and Common Swift and , at one point , was within touching distance. Tremendous ! It was about for less than a couple of minutes , but produced excellent views !
Later, I went down to Rabbit Farm pools where the water is rapidly disappearing since the temperatures zoomed. It was 27C down there and bird song, even of Cetti's Warblers , was beginning to wane. Wader numbers are going down by the day and nothing new had arrived. Two of the three Black tailed Godwits were still there whilst a Great Reed Warbler sang intermittently nearby. I went down to Kourian Bay as I still favour the place as a visible migration spot. Over three quarters of an hour two flocks of 30 + Glossy Ibis went east , but nothing else. Mid afternoon, and cutting back over the Akritiri wasteland area , a few Whinchat were in evidence, a female Black eared Wheatear ( pale throated form )and a couple of Hoopoe, but , otherwise, all was still and ferociously hot ! A check on various areas on the way back to the hotel produced nothing. And that was it, a slow day but with a very good Cyprus record nonetheless.
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Sunday 28th April......a very distinct fall of passerines.
An inspection of the Lady's Mile area didn't , at first , give much of an impression of things having arrived in any numbers. Moving across the salt lake, towards Bishop's Pool and beyond, it was obvious that some common migrants at least had arrived with various Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, and Spotted Flycatcher being in evidence and a single Black eared Wheatear in the village even.
Agios Georgios was alive with birds with Masked and Red backed Shrike, Common Redstart, Nightingale ( in partial song ), Wood Warbler s, a couple of Willow Warblers, Whinchat, Spotted and Collared Flycatcher and a very distinctive song about which the jury is currently in session ( but which I'm convinced of the answer ). I only had a very brief glimpse of the bird but remain happy ! (Keith and his wife regaled us with accounts of recent visits to the area when they had clearly hit lucky having seen Barred Warblers and Black headed Buntings on occasions when we were off elsewhere ).
On to the Akrotiri wetland areas which, apart from three Black tailed Godwits which fed voraciously throughout the 45 minutes we were on site, held very little else.
Sadly the time had arrived when we needed to return to the hotel as my colleague leaves shortly and things of one sort or another needed to be tied up. I've still more time in hand so will have to see what goodies might yet arise ! It turned out to be extremely tranquil in the confines of my room at the hotel, given it was Easter Sunday, which, in turn, allowed me to get these Blog entries up to date and plot and plan ahead !
Comment........I'm firmly convinced the bird in song was Olive-tree Warbler , which I've heard in various places previously. Some questions arose concerning the possibility of it being Great Reed Warbler, but I believe the cadences and structure of that species' song is more contrasting and that of Olive tree Warbler, whilst just as harsh , is contained within more of a band and exhibits less of the extremes . Describing bird song is a minefield and each of us relates both to the description and reality in different ways. But there we are.........
Agios Georgios was alive with birds with Masked and Red backed Shrike, Common Redstart, Nightingale ( in partial song ), Wood Warbler s, a couple of Willow Warblers, Whinchat, Spotted and Collared Flycatcher and a very distinctive song about which the jury is currently in session ( but which I'm convinced of the answer ). I only had a very brief glimpse of the bird but remain happy ! (Keith and his wife regaled us with accounts of recent visits to the area when they had clearly hit lucky having seen Barred Warblers and Black headed Buntings on occasions when we were off elsewhere ).
On to the Akrotiri wetland areas which, apart from three Black tailed Godwits which fed voraciously throughout the 45 minutes we were on site, held very little else.
Sadly the time had arrived when we needed to return to the hotel as my colleague leaves shortly and things of one sort or another needed to be tied up. I've still more time in hand so will have to see what goodies might yet arise ! It turned out to be extremely tranquil in the confines of my room at the hotel, given it was Easter Sunday, which, in turn, allowed me to get these Blog entries up to date and plot and plan ahead !
Comment........I'm firmly convinced the bird in song was Olive-tree Warbler , which I've heard in various places previously. Some questions arose concerning the possibility of it being Great Reed Warbler, but I believe the cadences and structure of that species' song is more contrasting and that of Olive tree Warbler, whilst just as harsh , is contained within more of a band and exhibits less of the extremes . Describing bird song is a minefield and each of us relates both to the description and reality in different ways. But there we are.........
Saturday 27th April.......things tern around somewhat.
An early start to Lady's Mile and adjacent areas. Four Tawny pipit along one of the tracks seemed newcomers and a Whimbrel flew over calling. A "cloud" of around 120 Glossy Ibis over Akrotiri salt lake and an accompanying swarm of 40/50 Slender billed Gulls appeared to have been disturbed by something. We settled by one of the farthest pools , now clearly reducing in size by the day , and soon had 42 Gull billed Terns descend and start feeding. After a short while, and great views , they all set off almost in line ENE and were lost to view. A little later I found a flock of 46 of them down on a small island at the northern end. I couldn't rid myself of the close coincidence in numbers but felt that the birds were actually separate despite the ( then ) total of 88 being rather high !! Within this same time frame 6 Little Terns arrived and dispersed. Remarkably this movement didn't appear to include generally any common waders as only a single Kentish Plover was found.
Moving across to Agios Georgios Blackcaps and Spotted Flycatchers were seen at various places and a further 90 Glossy ibis were seen moving north. A usual inspection round of the wetlands produced increased numbers of Collared Pratincole with some appearing to be on the move. Finally , a return inspection of the Lady's Mile area produced a Lesser Grey Shrike , a Red backed Shrike and a rather dark female Montagu's Harrier which struck off ENE across the bay ascending very gradually until lost to view.
Moving across to Agios Georgios Blackcaps and Spotted Flycatchers were seen at various places and a further 90 Glossy ibis were seen moving north. A usual inspection round of the wetlands produced increased numbers of Collared Pratincole with some appearing to be on the move. Finally , a return inspection of the Lady's Mile area produced a Lesser Grey Shrike , a Red backed Shrike and a rather dark female Montagu's Harrier which struck off ENE across the bay ascending very gradually until lost to view.
Friday 26th April......RBS surges, that's shrikes not shares ( got it ? ).
Collecting the car I realised I was surrounded by whirling House Martins in the underground garage , all near the exit, but not venturing outside. The first youngsters from an early nesting ?
On to the Troodos on what was Good Friday in Cyprus for the Greek Orthodox Church. Few people were around and we soon were at the final area you can reach. It was calm, became bright and pleasantly warm and a walk along a summit trail was a real joy. Cuckoo's called down in the valley, Cyprus Pied Wheatear chased among the sparse mature trees, a Hoopoe put on a fine display and Coal and Great Tits enveloped the whole atmosphere in song and calls. A Turtle Dove called and Blackbirds quietly foraged on the woodland floor . Swifts whirled among the trees and I finally pinned down a Pallid Swift. Both Common and Pallid breed in the villages nearby apparently. Despite walking several trails ,and really enjoying the atmosphere and surroundings , no Short-toed Treecreeper came my way so down the winding road we went, meeting ever increasing numbers of cars ascending higher to the much favoured restaurants located at higher elevations.
Rabbit Farm pools was the next stop which provided a couple of Marsh Sandpiper and Little Stint, a single LRP and a couple of Common Sandpiper. Over 20 Ruff in tremendous plumage were extremely excitable and spooked at every opportunity, clearly on the brink of setting off on the next leg of their migration. It was now 24 C so warming up a little. A small party of Bee-eaters flew over in a cloudless blue sky so we never saw any of them and 19 Collared Pratincole were around.
A deliberate trawl of the "heath/scrub areas of the Akrotiri peninsula and that surrounding Lady's Mile produced 10 male Red-backed Shrike, all showing off their colours and hunting expertise. Locate the shrike rather became the end game of the day, but was productive and satisfying.
On to the Troodos on what was Good Friday in Cyprus for the Greek Orthodox Church. Few people were around and we soon were at the final area you can reach. It was calm, became bright and pleasantly warm and a walk along a summit trail was a real joy. Cuckoo's called down in the valley, Cyprus Pied Wheatear chased among the sparse mature trees, a Hoopoe put on a fine display and Coal and Great Tits enveloped the whole atmosphere in song and calls. A Turtle Dove called and Blackbirds quietly foraged on the woodland floor . Swifts whirled among the trees and I finally pinned down a Pallid Swift. Both Common and Pallid breed in the villages nearby apparently. Despite walking several trails ,and really enjoying the atmosphere and surroundings , no Short-toed Treecreeper came my way so down the winding road we went, meeting ever increasing numbers of cars ascending higher to the much favoured restaurants located at higher elevations.
Rabbit Farm pools was the next stop which provided a couple of Marsh Sandpiper and Little Stint, a single LRP and a couple of Common Sandpiper. Over 20 Ruff in tremendous plumage were extremely excitable and spooked at every opportunity, clearly on the brink of setting off on the next leg of their migration. It was now 24 C so warming up a little. A small party of Bee-eaters flew over in a cloudless blue sky so we never saw any of them and 19 Collared Pratincole were around.
A deliberate trawl of the "heath/scrub areas of the Akrotiri peninsula and that surrounding Lady's Mile produced 10 male Red-backed Shrike, all showing off their colours and hunting expertise. Locate the shrike rather became the end game of the day, but was productive and satisfying.
Thursday 25th April......in some senses, best forgotten !
Early morning saw us on our way eastwards towards Larnaca where we first of all looked at the various wetlands , although these weren't our intended goal. Things started reasonably well with a selection of waders including some fine Temminck's Stints and 11 White-winged Terns and a Whiskered Tern at Larnaca Sewage Works. So far so good.
Our primary objective was to see Calandra Lark and , whilst we did inspect some suitable places , I don't think we ever found the main area for which we'd been given directions. We did become familiar with two particular villages I wish to forget in our quest to find some lighthouse type structure, which one would imagine might be near the coast, but apparently wasn't and, in any case, was surrounded by holiday developments. After my having driven for around four hours I declared "enough was enough" and struck off back westwards. An inspection of some stretches of telephone wires ( yes, it had reached those sort of desperate levels ) that were virtually guaranteed to hold Lesser Kestrel at this time of year didn't raise the atmosphere one jot !
We went up to Germasogeia Dam and at least had a pleasant afternoon and saw some birds. A Mallard with a brood of 16 young in tow was impressive and good views were had of Purple Heron and Squacco Heron. A walk up along the inflow stream and the various "ponds" along its route provided some Great Reed Warbler song and extended views of a male Little Crake feeding out in the open. Various birds sang, it was warm and pleasant , but no raptors appeared ,which rather summed up the delivery rating of the whole day in many senses.
Our primary objective was to see Calandra Lark and , whilst we did inspect some suitable places , I don't think we ever found the main area for which we'd been given directions. We did become familiar with two particular villages I wish to forget in our quest to find some lighthouse type structure, which one would imagine might be near the coast, but apparently wasn't and, in any case, was surrounded by holiday developments. After my having driven for around four hours I declared "enough was enough" and struck off back westwards. An inspection of some stretches of telephone wires ( yes, it had reached those sort of desperate levels ) that were virtually guaranteed to hold Lesser Kestrel at this time of year didn't raise the atmosphere one jot !
We went up to Germasogeia Dam and at least had a pleasant afternoon and saw some birds. A Mallard with a brood of 16 young in tow was impressive and good views were had of Purple Heron and Squacco Heron. A walk up along the inflow stream and the various "ponds" along its route provided some Great Reed Warbler song and extended views of a male Little Crake feeding out in the open. Various birds sang, it was warm and pleasant , but no raptors appeared ,which rather summed up the delivery rating of the whole day in many senses.
Wednesday 24th April........somewhat slow by comparison.
After a day's absence it seemed appropriate to concentrate on the Akrotiri peninsula. The Tower hide produced what was to be the only Marsh Harrier for a while and a Golden Oriole nearby. Farther on The Rabbit Farm pools had a few Wood Sandpiper, a Collared Pratincole, Temminck's Stint and a glorious Red-throated Pipit.
Things were certainly not as hectic as we'd hoped ! We journeyed on to Kensington Cliffs along the coastal track and spent some time assembling a very short list of observations. Again, we saw no vultures but had views of Eleonora's Falcon and Shag desmarestii .Returning along the coast we found a Lesser Whitethroat , Hoopoe and Spotted Flycatcher, so odd things were getting through.
A call into Agios Georgios produced a Pied Flycatcher and a couple of Blackcaps , but nothing else, so we cut across to Lady's Mile where we had a couple of Little Tern that were clearly new and a few Caspian and Armenian Gulls and a single immature BHG. Thin pickings it would seem for a full day's effort.
Things were certainly not as hectic as we'd hoped ! We journeyed on to Kensington Cliffs along the coastal track and spent some time assembling a very short list of observations. Again, we saw no vultures but had views of Eleonora's Falcon and Shag desmarestii .Returning along the coast we found a Lesser Whitethroat , Hoopoe and Spotted Flycatcher, so odd things were getting through.
A call into Agios Georgios produced a Pied Flycatcher and a couple of Blackcaps , but nothing else, so we cut across to Lady's Mile where we had a couple of Little Tern that were clearly new and a few Caspian and Armenian Gulls and a single immature BHG. Thin pickings it would seem for a full day's effort.
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Tuesday 23rd April..........a day to treasure !
Met Colin at Asprokremnos Dam and , almost immediately, had terrific views of a Cyprus Warbler adjacent to where we were parked . A lucky start! Nearby we had a single Green Sandpiper, a falcon flew over ( probably a Peregrine ) , and local Red rumped Swallows put on a show as well as a Collared Flycatcher revealing itself in the plantation.
Off to the Timni Beach area to view the flooded area which has been so productive this Spring. The Forestry Department appear to be operating a bewildering policy of habitat destruction here around the picnic site by felling the mature trees. All was brought to a close when the area was then flooded by the excessive winter rains. Sadly it's beginning to dry out ! A small group of Wood Warbler, with one even in song, gave tremendous views, better than I sometimes get back on the breeding grounds in the UK. Following this , Common Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, lots of flava wagtails, a Spotted Crake, a Black tailed Godwit, Ruff, Marsh Sandpiper , 3 Baltic Gull flew west and a variety of supporting species was present and time simply flew by ! A chat with Anders Grey wherein we discovered a mutual friend ( Phil Saunders ) who himself had been out in Cyprus not that long ago studying Rollers.....what a small , but wonderful , world that of birdwatching actually is !!
Onwards and upwards to Anarita Park where a local Little Owl showed well . Sadly little else appeared , so we moved on and toured a bewildering panoply of what might best be described as "the real Cyprus countryside " ! A river valley provided a glimpse of a Kingfisher, singing Golden Oriole. and various singing Olivaceous Warblers. We checked a peregrine site just as an adult brought in prey and enjoyed the cacophony which resulted ! A privileged look at a Cyprus Scops Owl left me speechless ( not something I'm known to be afflicted with ! ). As with quite a few experiences of the last few days I was also quietly furious at my camera having seized up , but I guess I'm not the first.
On to a hillside area of open scrubby vegetation where we soon found singing Cretzschmar's Buntings ( at least three I suspect ). A memorable and distinct call too.
It all had to end of course as , by this time it was actually late afternoon. A day with fast moving memories appearing in sequence. Thanks Colin. But another highlight of the day was the absolutely delicious Armenian Easter Cake kindly provided by Mrs Sylvia Richardson which sustained the birding troops through these exciting times. A confection which contained almond and cinnamon and something I guess not many have the privilege of tasting more than once ( there were several slabs for everyone ! ). Thanks Sylvia, much appreciated !
I need to offer a correction to some information I provided previously about Crossbills in Cyprus and about which I'd been misled . There are coloured male birds which have been seen, orange-gy I'm told, as opposed to the brick red types most of us see back home. Apologies for the confusion.
Off to the Timni Beach area to view the flooded area which has been so productive this Spring. The Forestry Department appear to be operating a bewildering policy of habitat destruction here around the picnic site by felling the mature trees. All was brought to a close when the area was then flooded by the excessive winter rains. Sadly it's beginning to dry out ! A small group of Wood Warbler, with one even in song, gave tremendous views, better than I sometimes get back on the breeding grounds in the UK. Following this , Common Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, lots of flava wagtails, a Spotted Crake, a Black tailed Godwit, Ruff, Marsh Sandpiper , 3 Baltic Gull flew west and a variety of supporting species was present and time simply flew by ! A chat with Anders Grey wherein we discovered a mutual friend ( Phil Saunders ) who himself had been out in Cyprus not that long ago studying Rollers.....what a small , but wonderful , world that of birdwatching actually is !!
Onwards and upwards to Anarita Park where a local Little Owl showed well . Sadly little else appeared , so we moved on and toured a bewildering panoply of what might best be described as "the real Cyprus countryside " ! A river valley provided a glimpse of a Kingfisher, singing Golden Oriole. and various singing Olivaceous Warblers. We checked a peregrine site just as an adult brought in prey and enjoyed the cacophony which resulted ! A privileged look at a Cyprus Scops Owl left me speechless ( not something I'm known to be afflicted with ! ). As with quite a few experiences of the last few days I was also quietly furious at my camera having seized up , but I guess I'm not the first.
On to a hillside area of open scrubby vegetation where we soon found singing Cretzschmar's Buntings ( at least three I suspect ). A memorable and distinct call too.
It all had to end of course as , by this time it was actually late afternoon. A day with fast moving memories appearing in sequence. Thanks Colin. But another highlight of the day was the absolutely delicious Armenian Easter Cake kindly provided by Mrs Sylvia Richardson which sustained the birding troops through these exciting times. A confection which contained almond and cinnamon and something I guess not many have the privilege of tasting more than once ( there were several slabs for everyone ! ). Thanks Sylvia, much appreciated !
I need to offer a correction to some information I provided previously about Crossbills in Cyprus and about which I'd been misled . There are coloured male birds which have been seen, orange-gy I'm told, as opposed to the brick red types most of us see back home. Apologies for the confusion.
Monday, April 22, 2019
Monday 22nd April. disappointing in the extreme !
The day dawned calm, sunny and warm. Ho, ho , ho, was this going to be a good one , particularly after yesterday's notable Common Swift passage ?
A timely departure straight to Lady's Mile. Just as we drew to a halt we disturbed a gull from the shoreline that we then failed to relocate. Combined opinion suggested an immature Mediterranean Gull. An immediate disaster that didn't bode well I thought. A few Little Stint and Kentish Plover and 2 Spoonbill relieved the frustration. On to the Akritiri peninsula proper, but this brought no respite either with very little around or new.
Kourian Bay and the Rabbit Farm areas yielded nothing much either , so we called in at Agios Georgios where the wind strength even made opening the car door difficult. A beast of a day! We explored various areas, but succeeded with nothing. And so , here I am typing this back at the hotel mid afternoon, acknowledging that this is the first day since my arrival where I haven't seen something new. Pitiful! What do I do until dinnertime I ask ?
Happy Easter Monday for all back in the UK
A timely departure straight to Lady's Mile. Just as we drew to a halt we disturbed a gull from the shoreline that we then failed to relocate. Combined opinion suggested an immature Mediterranean Gull. An immediate disaster that didn't bode well I thought. A few Little Stint and Kentish Plover and 2 Spoonbill relieved the frustration. On to the Akritiri peninsula proper, but this brought no respite either with very little around or new.
Kourian Bay and the Rabbit Farm areas yielded nothing much either , so we called in at Agios Georgios where the wind strength even made opening the car door difficult. A beast of a day! We explored various areas, but succeeded with nothing. And so , here I am typing this back at the hotel mid afternoon, acknowledging that this is the first day since my arrival where I haven't seen something new. Pitiful! What do I do until dinnertime I ask ?
Happy Easter Monday for all back in the UK
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Sundat 21st April.....mixed and slow.
An early start up into the foothills above Pareklesia to try and locate Cretzschmar's Bunting. It was sunny and bright , but with a very cold wind from the mountains . Despite covering what we thought were various locations the venture wasn't successful and we never even had a suspect in our sights. The truth was that there were virtually no birds on show and no accompanying song.
Back down to the lowlands and on to Lady's Mile where a few Caspian Gulls and a Slender billed Gull were present. A few Kentish Plover and an overflying flock of 40 Little Stints were on the farthest pool plus Common Swifts were beginning to come through. Eventually we drove across the sandflats and came out on the Bishops Pool road, making our way to near the Environmental Education Centre. from here we had a good view of most of the saltlake and counted at least 280 Greater Flamingos. Common Swift movement was in full swing with seemingly unending lines of birds making their way through.
We spent some time on the coast where a couple of Little Tern flew west and a female Black eared Wheatear showed well. All the flava wagtails of yesterday had gone from the cut fields so we went on to the Rabbit Farm pools. We met the "Howards" there and although birds were few the jokes were good !!! A single Greenshank and odd Collared Pratincoles were around and still the Common Swifts came through. Further time was spent around the Akrotiri area and, as we prepared to leave later in the afternoon, a couple of Gull billed Tern flew westwards through the military area.
Not a lot for a day's efforts with small birds being at a particular premium.
Back down to the lowlands and on to Lady's Mile where a few Caspian Gulls and a Slender billed Gull were present. A few Kentish Plover and an overflying flock of 40 Little Stints were on the farthest pool plus Common Swifts were beginning to come through. Eventually we drove across the sandflats and came out on the Bishops Pool road, making our way to near the Environmental Education Centre. from here we had a good view of most of the saltlake and counted at least 280 Greater Flamingos. Common Swift movement was in full swing with seemingly unending lines of birds making their way through.
We spent some time on the coast where a couple of Little Tern flew west and a female Black eared Wheatear showed well. All the flava wagtails of yesterday had gone from the cut fields so we went on to the Rabbit Farm pools. We met the "Howards" there and although birds were few the jokes were good !!! A single Greenshank and odd Collared Pratincoles were around and still the Common Swifts came through. Further time was spent around the Akrotiri area and, as we prepared to leave later in the afternoon, a couple of Gull billed Tern flew westwards through the military area.
Not a lot for a day's efforts with small birds being at a particular premium.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Saturday, 20th April......migrants still trickling in !
An early trip to Lady's Mile produced little other than numbers of Common Swift over the adjacent heath. All the Akrotiri marsh sites produced nothing that was new, but it was pleasant walking around in the warm sunshine. Rabbit Farn pools produced 3 Little Stint, 7+ Collared Pratincole ( a noticeable increase ), a few Wood Sandpiper and Ruff and low numbers of Black winged Stilt. I suspect the Spur winged Plovers, based on the aggressive actions of the assumed male , are nesting on site , particularly as I then saw the other bird appear to "descend " on a nest. Despite a "watch" we had nothing new so we went along the coastal track.
The farmer had cut a couple of fields of grain crop, the straw from which was left lying out . Here we found around 200 flava wagtails, mainly Grey headed types, but with fewer Blue headed and only the odd feldegg present. It was great simply parked next to the field watching them frantically feeding within metres of us. Odd Red rumped Swallow and Sand martin fed above the fields along with more numerous Swallow and Common Swift. A Great Spotted Cuckoo spent time in a nearby bush and gave great confiding views and then , later , we found a couple of Tawny Pipit nearby .
Despite searching a few other locations we had nothing new. With the wind rising yet again, a common feature of recent afternoons, our visit to Agios Georgios showed the Woodchat Shrike still present in its favourite spot , but with a Hoopoe providing good views whilst feeding n the open field surface.
The farmer had cut a couple of fields of grain crop, the straw from which was left lying out . Here we found around 200 flava wagtails, mainly Grey headed types, but with fewer Blue headed and only the odd feldegg present. It was great simply parked next to the field watching them frantically feeding within metres of us. Odd Red rumped Swallow and Sand martin fed above the fields along with more numerous Swallow and Common Swift. A Great Spotted Cuckoo spent time in a nearby bush and gave great confiding views and then , later , we found a couple of Tawny Pipit nearby .
Despite searching a few other locations we had nothing new. With the wind rising yet again, a common feature of recent afternoons, our visit to Agios Georgios showed the Woodchat Shrike still present in its favourite spot , but with a Hoopoe providing good views whilst feeding n the open field surface.
Friday, 19th April..........success amongst the snow.
We set off straight after breakfast and , despite my misgivings, got through the rush hour traffic in Limassol without mishap on our way into the Troodos Mountains. It wa sa pleasant journey at the onset , but turned cooler as we gained elevation. We stopped at a fish farm area where I managed Grey wagtail , of which there's only a few known sites. Wren and Blackbird were in song so there was almost a UK atmosphere to things.
We pressed on and , quite soon , reached Troodos village, a mixture of the inevitable tourist facilities and a selection of chalet type structures. We went on higher and began to see lenses of snow left over from the winter, besides feeling the penetrating cold. Jays and Coal Tit were easily seen , both of which have been suggested candidates as endemic species at one time or another ( notably by David Armitage Bannerman, no relative I would add !! ). A single Cyprus Pied Wheatear sat atop a fence and provided excellent views. Driving up the road even higher I cracked the jackpot by noticing a single bird sitting at the very top of a gnarled, bare tree trunk..... a Crossbill, a species which has certainly been the subject of a lot of conjecture on Cyprus in recent times. I'm told a "red male" has never been seen , and this bird, despite giving out the typical pose of a singing male on its favourite perch, was definitely a green type. I also thought the bill to be slightly deeper and more robust in build than in Common Crossbill ( perhaps best not to set that particular hare coursing I thought later ! ). Try as we might we couldn't find a Short toed Treecreeper, definitely a rather robust type here that wouldn't seem out of place among similar brethren in South America and , again, a suggested candidate for endemic status. And then it started snowing and sleeting somewhat seriously so we decided to return later and head back down the hill.
We did , went to Akrotiri , where we had similar waders to yesterday and where it started to rain rather heavily ( cyclonic stuff with all the accompanying thunder and lightning ). We gradually made our way back to the hotel given it was early afternoon , calling in at convenient birding spots. At Lady's Mile a few Caspian and Armenian gulls provided some interest. A quick circuit of a couple of the pools provided a highlight to the day when we found 4 Spoonbills feeding very close to us. I've never been closer so it was a situation where we looked at them and they looked at us !! After returning to feeding they soon took off after providing excellent close up views that will doubtless be treasured . So we trailed back to the hotel late afternoon where the weather decided to improve......
We pressed on and , quite soon , reached Troodos village, a mixture of the inevitable tourist facilities and a selection of chalet type structures. We went on higher and began to see lenses of snow left over from the winter, besides feeling the penetrating cold. Jays and Coal Tit were easily seen , both of which have been suggested candidates as endemic species at one time or another ( notably by David Armitage Bannerman, no relative I would add !! ). A single Cyprus Pied Wheatear sat atop a fence and provided excellent views. Driving up the road even higher I cracked the jackpot by noticing a single bird sitting at the very top of a gnarled, bare tree trunk..... a Crossbill, a species which has certainly been the subject of a lot of conjecture on Cyprus in recent times. I'm told a "red male" has never been seen , and this bird, despite giving out the typical pose of a singing male on its favourite perch, was definitely a green type. I also thought the bill to be slightly deeper and more robust in build than in Common Crossbill ( perhaps best not to set that particular hare coursing I thought later ! ). Try as we might we couldn't find a Short toed Treecreeper, definitely a rather robust type here that wouldn't seem out of place among similar brethren in South America and , again, a suggested candidate for endemic status. And then it started snowing and sleeting somewhat seriously so we decided to return later and head back down the hill.
We did , went to Akrotiri , where we had similar waders to yesterday and where it started to rain rather heavily ( cyclonic stuff with all the accompanying thunder and lightning ). We gradually made our way back to the hotel given it was early afternoon , calling in at convenient birding spots. At Lady's Mile a few Caspian and Armenian gulls provided some interest. A quick circuit of a couple of the pools provided a highlight to the day when we found 4 Spoonbills feeding very close to us. I've never been closer so it was a situation where we looked at them and they looked at us !! After returning to feeding they soon took off after providing excellent close up views that will doubtless be treasured . So we trailed back to the hotel late afternoon where the weather decided to improve......
Thursday, 18th April........a long hard day.
The day dawned bright and sunny with little wind, so we decided to cover the usual areas on the Akrotiri peninsula and then strike off elsewhere. We checked the area around the Cat Sanctuary , where Chaffinch breed in what is thought to be their only lowland site on Cyprus ( it's common in the upland forests ) and had a few of the Serins that are there. A Common Buzzard near to the Tower Hide was the only bird of interest so we moved on to the Rabbit farm pools .
There was a good variety of waders , including at least 70 Ruff, 2 ( new ) LRP, 2 Temminck's Stint and at least 4 Common Sandpiper. A single Common Snipe remained to taunt optimistic visitors !!
nearby 40/50 Garganey flew west over the sea , which provided a wonderful backdrop of azure blue.
We decided to move on to Kensington Cliffs , our ill fated destination of a few days ago for which we couldn't find the correct access road !!
Arriving at the cliff top we selected a convenient spot and waited. Throughout the afternoon we had views of Eleonora's Falcon several times, the first bird to arrive back a couple of days ago, Kesret, Jackdaw, a single Yellow legged Gull and a single Cyprus Pied Wheatear. Local information suggested that the griffon Vultures arrived back "around 4pm " so we waited patiently, only to have our vigil interrupted by two rather charming female security officers who wanted all our particulars given we were overlooking the Military Base, ( bloody residential area I would add ! ). In the end they only took down the details of yours truly which included passport number, driving licence number and mobile phone number ! I proffered my card as confirmation and felt like confirming my inside leg measurement was 28 " , but remained on my best behaviour as it had turned into a jolly occasion. All the passengers of other parked cards had wandered off so were never approached !!
But I ask you......and we never saw the Griffon Vultures either despite waiting.
There was a good variety of waders , including at least 70 Ruff, 2 ( new ) LRP, 2 Temminck's Stint and at least 4 Common Sandpiper. A single Common Snipe remained to taunt optimistic visitors !!
nearby 40/50 Garganey flew west over the sea , which provided a wonderful backdrop of azure blue.
We decided to move on to Kensington Cliffs , our ill fated destination of a few days ago for which we couldn't find the correct access road !!
Arriving at the cliff top we selected a convenient spot and waited. Throughout the afternoon we had views of Eleonora's Falcon several times, the first bird to arrive back a couple of days ago, Kesret, Jackdaw, a single Yellow legged Gull and a single Cyprus Pied Wheatear. Local information suggested that the griffon Vultures arrived back "around 4pm " so we waited patiently, only to have our vigil interrupted by two rather charming female security officers who wanted all our particulars given we were overlooking the Military Base, ( bloody residential area I would add ! ). In the end they only took down the details of yours truly which included passport number, driving licence number and mobile phone number ! I proffered my card as confirmation and felt like confirming my inside leg measurement was 28 " , but remained on my best behaviour as it had turned into a jolly occasion. All the passengers of other parked cards had wandered off so were never approached !!
But I ask you......and we never saw the Griffon Vultures either despite waiting.
Wednesday, 17th April.......good for some, not quite so good for others !
We met Colin after taking a quicl kook at Lady's Mile. This had a few Caspian Gull and a BHG , but little else. On to Akrotiri where we looked at the various wetland areas, the best birds being a Collared Pratincole, some Wood Sandpipers and a small number of Ruff.
we then went to Rabbit Farm pools where a Great Snipe had been seen. We went through the various waders present, had tremendous views of a Common Snipe , and received a variety of directions on where the bird was thought to be. Suddenly , all the waders spooked and went around a couple of times before plunging back on to the various pools present. Some were lucky, others less so as there were three Snipe in flight ,which kept changing position within the main flock of Ruff. Whilst I saw all three birds the only individual I got conclusive views of was Common Snipe, so one left for later !!
A round trip of a now windswept Akrotiri peninsula produced nothing other than a party of Short toed Lark. We checked the small islands off the coast near the ship wreck as greater Sand plover had been seen there previously, but waves and spray was overtopping the whole area. Finally we reached Agios Georgios where we had a single Spotted Flycatcher. The Wood chat Shrike was still present on its favoured perch on the fence adjacent to the church.
On to Akrotiri Salt lake where we could see groups of waders around the various flooded areas. Brilliant views were had of the Greater Flamingo, some of which were in display, reaching up to their full height and holding out teir wings showing the black undersides. On to Bishop's Pool where we had the female Teal and a single male Ferruginous Duck. We found some migrants in the shelter belt adjacent to the olive grove ( Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher )> time was pressing on so we left the site , only to find we were locked in ! Colin located the foreman , a Filipino with a huge grin, who kindly let us out to end what had been a rewarding , but also disappointing day in some respects.
we then went to Rabbit Farm pools where a Great Snipe had been seen. We went through the various waders present, had tremendous views of a Common Snipe , and received a variety of directions on where the bird was thought to be. Suddenly , all the waders spooked and went around a couple of times before plunging back on to the various pools present. Some were lucky, others less so as there were three Snipe in flight ,which kept changing position within the main flock of Ruff. Whilst I saw all three birds the only individual I got conclusive views of was Common Snipe, so one left for later !!
A round trip of a now windswept Akrotiri peninsula produced nothing other than a party of Short toed Lark. We checked the small islands off the coast near the ship wreck as greater Sand plover had been seen there previously, but waves and spray was overtopping the whole area. Finally we reached Agios Georgios where we had a single Spotted Flycatcher. The Wood chat Shrike was still present on its favoured perch on the fence adjacent to the church.
On to Akrotiri Salt lake where we could see groups of waders around the various flooded areas. Brilliant views were had of the Greater Flamingo, some of which were in display, reaching up to their full height and holding out teir wings showing the black undersides. On to Bishop's Pool where we had the female Teal and a single male Ferruginous Duck. We found some migrants in the shelter belt adjacent to the olive grove ( Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher )> time was pressing on so we left the site , only to find we were locked in ! Colin located the foreman , a Filipino with a huge grin, who kindly let us out to end what had been a rewarding , but also disappointing day in some respects.
Friday, April 19, 2019
Tuesday, 16th April.......Germosoigea dam and coast.
But first a tale of woe ! Sorry for the delay in processing these entries , but I've had a few problems with WiFi connectivity !! This is not the only techie problem either ! My camera has thrown a wobbly, and whilst nothing appears to be broken , it nonetheless refuses to operate properly. No pics of rarities for the present I'm afraid!.
I didn't recognize the area when first we arrived as the winter rains had filled it to capacity. Spur valleys were full and few of the regular areas for waders or crakes remained compared to the more usual circumstances. Nonetheless , it's a great area , seems under watched but has tremendous potential. It sits in a huge basin and has always struck me as a good area for raptors, indeed, Long legged Buzzard and Bonelli's Eagle have been seen there. But not on this day. The heavens opened, gave the car a good wash , but brought scanning activities to a halt. The only real bonus by lunchtime was a singing Common Whitethroat, yep that was how far we had descended , folks ! The only redeeming feature from the area on this occasion was finding a shop which sold us the most delicious chicken rolls I've ever tasted ( notice the "ever" ).
So down to the coast we went, where we had brilliant views of a male Golden Oriole near Phasouris reedbeds and then found a newly arrived Isabelline Wheatear and a Squacco Heron , (which literally looked as if it had reached the coast and pitched down onto the strand line !), near the now disused fish farm. Despite searching , little else seemed on offer so we went on again to Lady's Mile where the situation repeated itself. A few gulls allowed us to exercise our new found "expertise ".
I didn't recognize the area when first we arrived as the winter rains had filled it to capacity. Spur valleys were full and few of the regular areas for waders or crakes remained compared to the more usual circumstances. Nonetheless , it's a great area , seems under watched but has tremendous potential. It sits in a huge basin and has always struck me as a good area for raptors, indeed, Long legged Buzzard and Bonelli's Eagle have been seen there. But not on this day. The heavens opened, gave the car a good wash , but brought scanning activities to a halt. The only real bonus by lunchtime was a singing Common Whitethroat, yep that was how far we had descended , folks ! The only redeeming feature from the area on this occasion was finding a shop which sold us the most delicious chicken rolls I've ever tasted ( notice the "ever" ).
So down to the coast we went, where we had brilliant views of a male Golden Oriole near Phasouris reedbeds and then found a newly arrived Isabelline Wheatear and a Squacco Heron , (which literally looked as if it had reached the coast and pitched down onto the strand line !), near the now disused fish farm. Despite searching , little else seemed on offer so we went on again to Lady's Mile where the situation repeated itself. A few gulls allowed us to exercise our new found "expertise ".
Monday, 15th April......best dubbed a gull day.
An early visit to the Phasouris reedbeds ( Akrotiri Reserve ) produced a Great Reed Warbler below the Tower Hide, a Savi's Warbler nearby and a singing Sedge Warbler a little closer to the coast. A small party of Turtle Dove sheltered in the reeds and a further 6 flew over before they themselves pitched into the reeds, as did 3 Purple Heron.
The Rabbit Farm pools provided views of 2 Temminck's Stint, 11 Little Stint, a Kentish Plover and a male Garganey as well as a selection of the commoner waders ( read regular ). Ruff numbers appear to fluctuate daily here and were currently down to 16. However, after the very wet winter period there are pools all over the place where disturbed birds might conveniently retire to !!
By this point, late morning, the wind had strengthened to Force 5/6 + westerly and we wondered if this might produce some birds over the sea. After about 20 minutes I picked up a very distant group of birds which were battling there way towards land. These turned out to be 18 Glossy Ibis , which took ages to get to the coast, but which finally made it and pitched into cover almost immediately they made it over land ! Minutes later 9 Baltic Gulls flew westwards along the coast. There is usually a marked passage of these in April but they were the first we had had.
A visit to Agios Georgios wasn't filled with many expectations as the wind was pretty strong by this point. The trees swayed around with the onslaught but we found a solitary Collared Flycatcher making the best of the conditions.
On to Lady's Mile ,where most of the waters held nothing, and the farthest, open lagoon was very exposed. Nonetheless we had several Kentish Plover and a single Little Stint. We retired to the first pool and spent quite a time studying gulls, namely Caspian and Armenian Gulls. Things finally clicked into place and will , hopefully, remain !!
The Rabbit Farm pools provided views of 2 Temminck's Stint, 11 Little Stint, a Kentish Plover and a male Garganey as well as a selection of the commoner waders ( read regular ). Ruff numbers appear to fluctuate daily here and were currently down to 16. However, after the very wet winter period there are pools all over the place where disturbed birds might conveniently retire to !!
By this point, late morning, the wind had strengthened to Force 5/6 + westerly and we wondered if this might produce some birds over the sea. After about 20 minutes I picked up a very distant group of birds which were battling there way towards land. These turned out to be 18 Glossy Ibis , which took ages to get to the coast, but which finally made it and pitched into cover almost immediately they made it over land ! Minutes later 9 Baltic Gulls flew westwards along the coast. There is usually a marked passage of these in April but they were the first we had had.
A visit to Agios Georgios wasn't filled with many expectations as the wind was pretty strong by this point. The trees swayed around with the onslaught but we found a solitary Collared Flycatcher making the best of the conditions.
On to Lady's Mile ,where most of the waters held nothing, and the farthest, open lagoon was very exposed. Nonetheless we had several Kentish Plover and a single Little Stint. We retired to the first pool and spent quite a time studying gulls, namely Caspian and Armenian Gulls. Things finally clicked into place and will , hopefully, remain !!
Monday, April 15, 2019
Sunday, 14 April........a slow start , but what a finish !
The initial decision was to spend a full day on the Akrotiri Peninsula, however things changed !
An early visit to Zakaki Marsh produced little other than overflying Common Swifts and Swallows. However, a marauding Marsh Harrier disturbed two Night Heron , which we'd not been able to see previously. It seemed , at that point that we were surrounded on all sides by singing Reed And Cetti's Warbler which were giving it all they'd got !
By pure chance I picked up two birds in the reedtops, one was a Blackap and the other a Penduline Tit, both of which showed quite well for a while.
We moved on to Lady's Mile where we had single male and female Marsh Harriers moving east. A few Dunlin, a Caspian Gull ,2 BHG , and a Yellow legged Gull were all that we then managed along the whole series of lagoons , other than a few Greater Flamingo. The Akrotiri area produced little . Most of the waders had reduced in number except Black winged Stilt of which we had over 20. After a fruitless search over a couple of areas we saw around 120 Glossy Ibis arrive at the main marsh, always a thrill
It was then that we received the call from Colin !! " A good idea to come over to Mandria.", which we did in record time, only to discover the star bird had disappeared. We made do with sightings of Black-headed, and Grey headed Wagtails, 8 Bee-eaters moving north and a couple of Night Heron on a small island off the coast. Turning to a fresh area in the hope of seeing Citrine Wagtail ( we didn't ) , the second telephone call came, "It's back ", and off we sprinted yet again ( well hurried slowly, given a combined age of over 150 years ! )
And there it was , courtesy of Mike Hamzee's telescope facilities .......CASPIAN PLOVER . A nice female, which eventually came much closer .
Not the best photograph , I know, but sufficient to prove the case !
At that poit we decided on a leisurely return east and a rewarding drink.!!
As a final comment on the day I offer this as an insight into the focussed bu carefree lifestyle enjoyed on Cyprus. Nearby to where we'd been the residents of one of the villages had an issue with the Government about subsidence affecting their properties. So what to to when your Government won't act ? They strung themselves across the road and blocked the east-west Motorway for around 15 mins after which they melted away whence they came , no doubt to enjoy their success ! Can you imagine Jacob Rees-Mogg, a copy of Erskine May held aloft, marching down the centre of the M25 whilst his group of Brexiteers held back the traffic !! It amused me greatly .
An early visit to Zakaki Marsh produced little other than overflying Common Swifts and Swallows. However, a marauding Marsh Harrier disturbed two Night Heron , which we'd not been able to see previously. It seemed , at that point that we were surrounded on all sides by singing Reed And Cetti's Warbler which were giving it all they'd got !
By pure chance I picked up two birds in the reedtops, one was a Blackap and the other a Penduline Tit, both of which showed quite well for a while.
We moved on to Lady's Mile where we had single male and female Marsh Harriers moving east. A few Dunlin, a Caspian Gull ,2 BHG , and a Yellow legged Gull were all that we then managed along the whole series of lagoons , other than a few Greater Flamingo. The Akrotiri area produced little . Most of the waders had reduced in number except Black winged Stilt of which we had over 20. After a fruitless search over a couple of areas we saw around 120 Glossy Ibis arrive at the main marsh, always a thrill
It was then that we received the call from Colin !! " A good idea to come over to Mandria.", which we did in record time, only to discover the star bird had disappeared. We made do with sightings of Black-headed, and Grey headed Wagtails, 8 Bee-eaters moving north and a couple of Night Heron on a small island off the coast. Turning to a fresh area in the hope of seeing Citrine Wagtail ( we didn't ) , the second telephone call came, "It's back ", and off we sprinted yet again ( well hurried slowly, given a combined age of over 150 years ! )
And there it was , courtesy of Mike Hamzee's telescope facilities .......CASPIAN PLOVER . A nice female, which eventually came much closer .
Not the best photograph , I know, but sufficient to prove the case !
At that poit we decided on a leisurely return east and a rewarding drink.!!
As a final comment on the day I offer this as an insight into the focussed bu carefree lifestyle enjoyed on Cyprus. Nearby to where we'd been the residents of one of the villages had an issue with the Government about subsidence affecting their properties. So what to to when your Government won't act ? They strung themselves across the road and blocked the east-west Motorway for around 15 mins after which they melted away whence they came , no doubt to enjoy their success ! Can you imagine Jacob Rees-Mogg, a copy of Erskine May held aloft, marching down the centre of the M25 whilst his group of Brexiteers held back the traffic !! It amused me greatly .
Saturday, 13 April........rather quiet , and then.....
We decided to head east and visit the various wetland areas around Larnaka. An hour or so later we were at Meneou lagoon where a pair of Shoveler , 8 Garganey ,odd Coot and Mallard and £ Little Egret were on show , but little else except numbers of Swallow and Common Swift overhead. On to what is known as Larnaca Airport south which had a few Greater Flamingo , but nothing else. A pool on the opposite side of the road looked promising, but held only a Marsh Sandpiper and a few Black winged Stilt.
Next was Spiros Pool where a single Little Tern sat atop a post in the water, around 20/30 Black winged Stilt , a Ruff, Kentish Plover and a party of Garganey were in evidence. An area of scrub nearby had a calling Black Francolin, Cetti's Warbler, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, and Sardinian Warbler. I was back at the car when I picked up a raptor moving east which proved to be a male Pallid Harrier. Ho ho ! Within only a few minutes, and purely by chance , I then picked up a party of birds moving east that showed well for only a short time before disappearing east too. White winged Terns. Wow, what a purple patch !.
Larnaka Sewage Works was somewhat disappointing with only around 30 Mallard, a Garganey, Coot, and a few Black winged Stilt, which this part of the island seems to have more of than elsewhere. Larnaka Saltlake was similarly devoid of birds with nothing of note other than a few Greater Flamingo.
After some masterful navigation on my part, which got us on the wrong road entirely, we discovered ourselves at Oroklini Lake, the flagship site of BirdLife Cyprus. We did see odd Red crested Pochard for which the site is the only stronghold on Cyprus as well as around 40 Garganey, a few Little Grebe and numbers of Black winged Stilt ( again ). The site is also extremely important for Eels, which spend an appreciable amount of time maturing in its waters.
So, rather a mixed day, hard work at times, but with a couple of valued surprises!
Next was Spiros Pool where a single Little Tern sat atop a post in the water, around 20/30 Black winged Stilt , a Ruff, Kentish Plover and a party of Garganey were in evidence. An area of scrub nearby had a calling Black Francolin, Cetti's Warbler, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, and Sardinian Warbler. I was back at the car when I picked up a raptor moving east which proved to be a male Pallid Harrier. Ho ho ! Within only a few minutes, and purely by chance , I then picked up a party of birds moving east that showed well for only a short time before disappearing east too. White winged Terns. Wow, what a purple patch !.
Larnaka Sewage Works was somewhat disappointing with only around 30 Mallard, a Garganey, Coot, and a few Black winged Stilt, which this part of the island seems to have more of than elsewhere. Larnaka Saltlake was similarly devoid of birds with nothing of note other than a few Greater Flamingo.
After some masterful navigation on my part, which got us on the wrong road entirely, we discovered ourselves at Oroklini Lake, the flagship site of BirdLife Cyprus. We did see odd Red crested Pochard for which the site is the only stronghold on Cyprus as well as around 40 Garganey, a few Little Grebe and numbers of Black winged Stilt ( again ). The site is also extremely important for Eels, which spend an appreciable amount of time maturing in its waters.
So, rather a mixed day, hard work at times, but with a couple of valued surprises!
Friday, April 12, 2019
Friday, 12th April "Things, they are a'changing" !
We'd decided in advance to have a full day of the Akrotiri Peninsula, so it was off to the Tower Hide at the Akrotiri Reserve overlooking the full expanse of the main reed bed.
Other than a Marsh Harrier we had virtually nothing until I located a Black Francolin male on the very edge of the reed bed chasing a female. Both showed their patterns and colours off well as the male enthusiastically circled the female bird with his wings half open, which reminded me of Black Grouse males in display.
We went down to the next hide and, again , had very little until a male and female Little Crake chased around in front of us. Shortly afterwards a single Glossy Ibis flew in and commenced to feed immediately in front of us , showing off its iridescence and plumage colours to good effect.
A quick visit to Agios Georgios produced an Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, a flyover Bee-eater and various common species. A nice way to spend lunch !
As we'd not been to Bishop's Pool for several days we thought it wise to call in. The female Teal was still present and 19 Night Heron's were new.These latter cascaded out of a waterside tree and proceeded to twirl about in formation for 10 minutes , providing wonderful views and admirable aerobatics !
Back to Rabbit Farm Pools where wader numbers appeared to have reduced significantly. Two marsh Sandpiper were still present as well as a few Wood Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper. Information from a visiting fellow birder abot terns and waders sent us off to Lady's Mile pools where we soon found a good flock of Little Stints and numbers of Ringed and Kentish Plover. Unfortunately we couldn't locate the terns. What was in store for us was far better ! A party of five Pallas's Gulls had dropped in, one of which showed the classic black head, and all provided reasonable views despite the heat haze. Sadly they were off after a few minutes as quickly as they'd arrived so our careful stalking and telescope preparations came to naught !!
And that was today ! At the hotel the Friday night dancers and entertainers delighted everyone and the lead male dancer managed to balance 15/16 glasses on his head whilst gliding around the floor. Impressive......I'll try and get a picture next week !!
Other than a Marsh Harrier we had virtually nothing until I located a Black Francolin male on the very edge of the reed bed chasing a female. Both showed their patterns and colours off well as the male enthusiastically circled the female bird with his wings half open, which reminded me of Black Grouse males in display.
We went down to the next hide and, again , had very little until a male and female Little Crake chased around in front of us. Shortly afterwards a single Glossy Ibis flew in and commenced to feed immediately in front of us , showing off its iridescence and plumage colours to good effect.
A quick visit to Agios Georgios produced an Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, a flyover Bee-eater and various common species. A nice way to spend lunch !
As we'd not been to Bishop's Pool for several days we thought it wise to call in. The female Teal was still present and 19 Night Heron's were new.These latter cascaded out of a waterside tree and proceeded to twirl about in formation for 10 minutes , providing wonderful views and admirable aerobatics !
Back to Rabbit Farm Pools where wader numbers appeared to have reduced significantly. Two marsh Sandpiper were still present as well as a few Wood Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper. Information from a visiting fellow birder abot terns and waders sent us off to Lady's Mile pools where we soon found a good flock of Little Stints and numbers of Ringed and Kentish Plover. Unfortunately we couldn't locate the terns. What was in store for us was far better ! A party of five Pallas's Gulls had dropped in, one of which showed the classic black head, and all provided reasonable views despite the heat haze. Sadly they were off after a few minutes as quickly as they'd arrived so our careful stalking and telescope preparations came to naught !!
And that was today ! At the hotel the Friday night dancers and entertainers delighted everyone and the lead male dancer managed to balance 15/16 glasses on his head whilst gliding around the floor. Impressive......I'll try and get a picture next week !!
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Thursday, 11th April.. Not too much in evidence , it has to be said !
After deciding to check whether any gulls were in the Lady's Mile area we travelled direct to site after fuelling up the "Chelsea tractor ". It was quiet with not a gull in site and the only evidence of birdlife being a few Greater Flamingo, odd Black winged Stilt ,3 LRP's, and a couple of Kentish Plover. Rather disappointing.
We struck off road towards the outfall from Zakaki Marsh to the Akrotiri Salt Lake. Overnight rain had added a " frissant" effect to the journey but we managed without any adventures ! Other than three Grey Heron there was nothing in sight at all despite the whole area being undisturbed . We did manage to listen to a Spectacled Warbler in full song and see both an Isabelline Wheatear and a Black eared Wheatear .
After a look at the area around the Fish Farm and along the coastal track, which produced nothing, we centred down on the pools at the Rabbit Farm. At first the area seemed devoid of waders but we then discovered at least 20 or so Ruff in the far corner. Time provided sightings of Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, a single Collared Pratincole and a Ringed Plover. The flock of Glossy Ibis ( 47/48 ) were still present in the main Akrotiri Marsh area along with Little and Cattle Egret, but nothing else. A spell up the Tower Hide produced three fly by Ferruginous Duck but no other movement.
Finally a visit to Agios Georgios promised very little at first , but then a Common Redstart , a couple of Blackap and several Lesser Whitethroat were located deep in cover and either feeding or resting in what now was quite blustery wind conditions.
A slightly earlier return than normal allowed me to get this Blog up to date !!! I'm hoping to include more genearl material from now on , so watch this space. I also had to remind myself that the first quarter of my visit is already over ( shame !! ) but, if the remaining period is as productive and enjoyable as the first spell, then I shall be very happy indeed.
We struck off road towards the outfall from Zakaki Marsh to the Akrotiri Salt Lake. Overnight rain had added a " frissant" effect to the journey but we managed without any adventures ! Other than three Grey Heron there was nothing in sight at all despite the whole area being undisturbed . We did manage to listen to a Spectacled Warbler in full song and see both an Isabelline Wheatear and a Black eared Wheatear .
After a look at the area around the Fish Farm and along the coastal track, which produced nothing, we centred down on the pools at the Rabbit Farm. At first the area seemed devoid of waders but we then discovered at least 20 or so Ruff in the far corner. Time provided sightings of Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, a single Collared Pratincole and a Ringed Plover. The flock of Glossy Ibis ( 47/48 ) were still present in the main Akrotiri Marsh area along with Little and Cattle Egret, but nothing else. A spell up the Tower Hide produced three fly by Ferruginous Duck but no other movement.
Finally a visit to Agios Georgios promised very little at first , but then a Common Redstart , a couple of Blackap and several Lesser Whitethroat were located deep in cover and either feeding or resting in what now was quite blustery wind conditions.
A slightly earlier return than normal allowed me to get this Blog up to date !!! I'm hoping to include more genearl material from now on , so watch this space. I also had to remind myself that the first quarter of my visit is already over ( shame !! ) but, if the remaining period is as productive and enjoyable as the first spell, then I shall be very happy indeed.
Wednesday, 10th April. Routine but productive.
Other arrangements dictated that we needed to return to the hotel for early afternoon , so we concentrated on sites on the Akrotiri Peninsula. First to the Tower Hide where we had a croaking Little Bittern that refused to reveal itself ! Moving on, a Black Francolin in flight was noteworthy, but little else was seen around the coastal track.
With time running on we settled in at the Rabbit Farm pools. A good selection of waders was present. Most of the LRP had moved on , but Wood Sandpiper and Marsh Sandpiper were still around ( or were they new birds ? ). Patient grilling of the site produced two Sanderling in Spring plumage which then promptly disappeared. Once things had settled down a concentrated examination of the site yielded up a Temminck's Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper. This was in transitional plumage and the forerunner of what I understand is likely to be a greater presence of birds very shortly.
A visit to Agios Georgios produced a Common Redstart but virtually nothing else ( at least this provided a useful baseline against which to more easily judge future new arrivals ! ).
With time running on we settled in at the Rabbit Farm pools. A good selection of waders was present. Most of the LRP had moved on , but Wood Sandpiper and Marsh Sandpiper were still around ( or were they new birds ? ). Patient grilling of the site produced two Sanderling in Spring plumage which then promptly disappeared. Once things had settled down a concentrated examination of the site yielded up a Temminck's Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper. This was in transitional plumage and the forerunner of what I understand is likely to be a greater presence of birds very shortly.
A visit to Agios Georgios produced a Common Redstart but virtually nothing else ( at least this provided a useful baseline against which to more easily judge future new arrivals ! ).
9th April......a day to remember.
Immediately after breakfast we set off to meet up with Colin Richardson for a days "birding in the west"!. We met at Asprokremnos Dam ( which is now full after quite a long period of being below capacity ), and covered the woodland near the car park. After a "gossip catch up" we set off to examine the woodland area.This produced a Lesser Whitethroat and a Wood Warbler, but little else , so we moved to the eastern end of the dam wall. The small patch of mud held a Wood Sandpiper, Little Egret and a Purple Heron whilst some Alpine and Common Swift flew overhead. A Marsh Harrier was in view and a busy adult Sardinian Warbler looked after some recently fledged young.
We moved on to Timni Beach and looked over the various pools and into the flooded woodland. Little Egrets, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron , Black winged Stilt, Ruff, Greenshank , and Marsh Sandpiper were all on view , but the stars of the show were two Stone Curlew which "bombed" through the woodland and flew right over our heads!! Odd Yellow legged Gull flew along the coast and a few Northern Wheatear fed on the open "turf" areas behind the beach.
After examining a small stand of mature woodland, where we had a Green Sandpiper on a tiny pool, we moved on again to the Vivara area ( may be wrong spelling incidentally ). On our way Colin kindly screeched to a halt in the village and pointed out a Laughing Dove pair. Shortly before this we'd stop to watch at least 200 plus Swallows feeding over a grazing sheep flock dutifully watched over by a young shepherd. After negotiating a rather "exciting" track we came on a series of square irrigation pools , all of which were fringed by a band of luxuriant vegetation. Then the excitement began !! In recent days there had been up to 15 Little Crake counted in the area .... I was more than satisfied to get great views of four, particularly as we then saw the Baillons Crake nonchalantly parading about in the corner of one pool and also standing still under the vegetation, which allowed for tremendous telescope views. I suspect prayers must have been offered up to St. Jude by someone in the party as , yes, we then saw a Spotted Crake. Unbelievable , and all the "players" providing excellent telescope views , even including some aggressive behaviour and chasing by two of the male Little Crake. A supporting cast of Red-rumped Swallow, Sand Martin, House Martin and Swallow gathered over one of the pools and a Great Spotted Cuckoo flew over. Really, what's not to like about birding ?
To end the day we then went to Anarita Park where we looked carefully at 10 plus feeding Kestrels, all of which were Common and not the forerunners of arriving Lessers. A brief view of Ortolan Bunting and then more Great Spotted Cuckoo ended what had been a great days birdwatching.
We moved on to Timni Beach and looked over the various pools and into the flooded woodland. Little Egrets, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron , Black winged Stilt, Ruff, Greenshank , and Marsh Sandpiper were all on view , but the stars of the show were two Stone Curlew which "bombed" through the woodland and flew right over our heads!! Odd Yellow legged Gull flew along the coast and a few Northern Wheatear fed on the open "turf" areas behind the beach.
After examining a small stand of mature woodland, where we had a Green Sandpiper on a tiny pool, we moved on again to the Vivara area ( may be wrong spelling incidentally ). On our way Colin kindly screeched to a halt in the village and pointed out a Laughing Dove pair. Shortly before this we'd stop to watch at least 200 plus Swallows feeding over a grazing sheep flock dutifully watched over by a young shepherd. After negotiating a rather "exciting" track we came on a series of square irrigation pools , all of which were fringed by a band of luxuriant vegetation. Then the excitement began !! In recent days there had been up to 15 Little Crake counted in the area .... I was more than satisfied to get great views of four, particularly as we then saw the Baillons Crake nonchalantly parading about in the corner of one pool and also standing still under the vegetation, which allowed for tremendous telescope views. I suspect prayers must have been offered up to St. Jude by someone in the party as , yes, we then saw a Spotted Crake. Unbelievable , and all the "players" providing excellent telescope views , even including some aggressive behaviour and chasing by two of the male Little Crake. A supporting cast of Red-rumped Swallow, Sand Martin, House Martin and Swallow gathered over one of the pools and a Great Spotted Cuckoo flew over. Really, what's not to like about birding ?
To end the day we then went to Anarita Park where we looked carefully at 10 plus feeding Kestrels, all of which were Common and not the forerunners of arriving Lessers. A brief view of Ortolan Bunting and then more Great Spotted Cuckoo ended what had been a great days birdwatching.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Monday 8th April. A slightly quieter day !
We started off the day in the Tower Hide at the main Akrotiri Reserve , but things were rather slow. A party of 8 Grey Heron went through north and around 30 Common Swift gradually moved on within the hour. A Great Spotted Cuckoo called several times , but was never seen. Further on we counted 16 Cattle Egret and 10 Little Egret around what is now an ever reducing area of flood water.
In the Fish Farm area we had a single Isabelline Wheatear and a couple of Short toed Lark, but , otherwise , things were quiet.. The wetland area held much the same range of wader species , although at laest 17 Little Ringed Plover were now present , an obvious increase to previously. A single Turtle Dove flew through.
During the day we visited the scrub woodland at Agios Georgos three times. On the first occasion it was virtually birdless, on the second odd birds were in evidence , but later it was obvious that birds had probably filitered up the peninsula and congregated there to feed in the somewhat sheltered conditions. Cuckoo, Blackcap, Pied Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Willow Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler and Masked Shrike were all recorded in differing numbers and provided a nice end to the day.
In the Fish Farm area we had a single Isabelline Wheatear and a couple of Short toed Lark, but , otherwise , things were quiet.. The wetland area held much the same range of wader species , although at laest 17 Little Ringed Plover were now present , an obvious increase to previously. A single Turtle Dove flew through.
During the day we visited the scrub woodland at Agios Georgos three times. On the first occasion it was virtually birdless, on the second odd birds were in evidence , but later it was obvious that birds had probably filitered up the peninsula and congregated there to feed in the somewhat sheltered conditions. Cuckoo, Blackcap, Pied Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Willow Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler and Masked Shrike were all recorded in differing numbers and provided a nice end to the day.
Sunday, 7th April. A day of migration in full swing !
We'd decided to check the Lady's Mile area, and the coast, for gull species as many of these would soon be moving off. We were quite lucky as we had a Black headed Gull, several Caspian Gulls and Slender billed Gulls. Two probable Armenian Gull were soon lost to view.
Lady's Mile "lagoons" were very full again and held little except a few Greater Flamingos
As ever Zakaki Marsh only produced Mallard, Moorhen , Cetti's and Reed Warbler so we moved on to Phasouris within the Ackrotiri Reserve area.
Other than 2 or 3 Hoopoe there appeared to be very little at this juncture so we moved on down to the "Fish Farm area" we'd visited yesterday and spent the remainder of the day there , the nearby wetland at Rabbit Farm or the "official reserve area around the hides. It was more than worthwhile as a really exciting day unfolded. Two flocks of Garganey ( 70. 35 ) over the sea were followed by flocks of Glossy Ibis coming in from the south and moving northwards ( 36. 70. 26. ) . A group of 6/7 Short toed Larks were found and a mixed flock of flava wagtails, a Marsh Harrier flew inland as did a couple of Kestrels. A Stone Curlew was found on the rough area we'd explored yesterday and Blackcap , Olivaceous and Sardinian Warblers sang nearby. A Purple Heron flew inland and 2 Northern Wheatear suddenly appeared. It seemed as if there was no gap in time when something new wasn't happening !
A check of the wetland area produced 2 Marsh Sandpiper, 20 plus Ruff, Greenshank, LRP, Common Snipe, Black winged Stilt, 4 Little Egret moving high NW, a harrier species moving N and a Peregrine male " beating " up the area and putting things temporarily to flight. Common Swift went through and two very high ( very frustrating ) raptors ascended further and were lost to view before any details could be gained. Amidst all this the passage of Glossy Ibis continued with a further 75, 70 and 104 moving through .
Late afternoon saw us reluctantly moving off but not before we'd had a mixed group of 23 Cattle Egret and 18 Little Egret amidst a cattle flock. Whilst there we found ourselves surrounded by flava wagtails , which were a delight to go through and identify the different races.
As we finally prepared to move off the air was filled with the whirring presence of wings and we found ourselves counting a "descending" flock of Glossy Ibis which we could see moving in. It was difficult to get a precise count but there were at least 200 birds ( probably more ) which meant that we had recorded 581 birds moving through . We learnt later that there had been a flock of around 120 at Timni Beach around this time, which took the day total of probable passage birds to in excess of 700 birds. I suspect there might have been more as our final count was a very conservative one. Unfortunately , whilst trying to get a more precise count of birds on the ground, the whole flock decide to rise again and move off.
A great sight and a great end to an eventful day !
Lady's Mile "lagoons" were very full again and held little except a few Greater Flamingos
As ever Zakaki Marsh only produced Mallard, Moorhen , Cetti's and Reed Warbler so we moved on to Phasouris within the Ackrotiri Reserve area.
Other than 2 or 3 Hoopoe there appeared to be very little at this juncture so we moved on down to the "Fish Farm area" we'd visited yesterday and spent the remainder of the day there , the nearby wetland at Rabbit Farm or the "official reserve area around the hides. It was more than worthwhile as a really exciting day unfolded. Two flocks of Garganey ( 70. 35 ) over the sea were followed by flocks of Glossy Ibis coming in from the south and moving northwards ( 36. 70. 26. ) . A group of 6/7 Short toed Larks were found and a mixed flock of flava wagtails, a Marsh Harrier flew inland as did a couple of Kestrels. A Stone Curlew was found on the rough area we'd explored yesterday and Blackcap , Olivaceous and Sardinian Warblers sang nearby. A Purple Heron flew inland and 2 Northern Wheatear suddenly appeared. It seemed as if there was no gap in time when something new wasn't happening !
A check of the wetland area produced 2 Marsh Sandpiper, 20 plus Ruff, Greenshank, LRP, Common Snipe, Black winged Stilt, 4 Little Egret moving high NW, a harrier species moving N and a Peregrine male " beating " up the area and putting things temporarily to flight. Common Swift went through and two very high ( very frustrating ) raptors ascended further and were lost to view before any details could be gained. Amidst all this the passage of Glossy Ibis continued with a further 75, 70 and 104 moving through .
Late afternoon saw us reluctantly moving off but not before we'd had a mixed group of 23 Cattle Egret and 18 Little Egret amidst a cattle flock. Whilst there we found ourselves surrounded by flava wagtails , which were a delight to go through and identify the different races.
As we finally prepared to move off the air was filled with the whirring presence of wings and we found ourselves counting a "descending" flock of Glossy Ibis which we could see moving in. It was difficult to get a precise count but there were at least 200 birds ( probably more ) which meant that we had recorded 581 birds moving through . We learnt later that there had been a flock of around 120 at Timni Beach around this time, which took the day total of probable passage birds to in excess of 700 birds. I suspect there might have been more as our final count was a very conservative one. Unfortunately , whilst trying to get a more precise count of birds on the ground, the whole flock decide to rise again and move off.
A great sight and a great end to an eventful day !
Saturday, 6th April. Migration really kicking in !
Following a report of Citrine Wagtail we went to explore the area around what is known as the old Kourian Fish Farm on the Akrotiri Penninsula. We found the field, but not a sign of any wagtails , so we explored the wider surroundings and found an expanse of open ground with scrub , exposed rock and low herbage. Things were quiet at first and then we had some buntings , which turned out to be Ortolan, numbers of House and Spanish Sparrow, calling Nightingale , singing Corn Bunting and Chiffchaff, and Hoopoe. A Common Buzzard appeared and moved inland and a Curlew called out at sea, flew close and then moved east along the coast.
Moving back towards Phasouris along the coastal track we had both Sardinian and Fan tailed Warbler in song, 55 Garganey flew east out at sea, as did a couple of Yellow legged Gull, a Kingfisher sat on a rock and a Northern Wheatear appeared, both the latter no doubt recently arrived migrants.The wetlands near the old Rabbit Farm had a good selection of waders , but nothing appeared to be new so we moved on to Agios Georgios.
Within a fairly short time we had Collared Flycatcher, Chiffchaff, Blackcap , numbers of Greenfinch , Hoopoe and a Masked Shrike, whilst , nearby, we found 2 Short toed Larks. We decided to go back to the Phasouris reedbeds to finish the day and, whilst there , enjoyed seeing a flock of 25 plus Purple Heron, Little and Cattle Egret , Grey Heron, and around 145 Glossy Ibis on the move. It seems our decision to keep working the Ackrotiri sites was paying dividends !
Moving back towards Phasouris along the coastal track we had both Sardinian and Fan tailed Warbler in song, 55 Garganey flew east out at sea, as did a couple of Yellow legged Gull, a Kingfisher sat on a rock and a Northern Wheatear appeared, both the latter no doubt recently arrived migrants.The wetlands near the old Rabbit Farm had a good selection of waders , but nothing appeared to be new so we moved on to Agios Georgios.
Within a fairly short time we had Collared Flycatcher, Chiffchaff, Blackcap , numbers of Greenfinch , Hoopoe and a Masked Shrike, whilst , nearby, we found 2 Short toed Larks. We decided to go back to the Phasouris reedbeds to finish the day and, whilst there , enjoyed seeing a flock of 25 plus Purple Heron, Little and Cattle Egret , Grey Heron, and around 145 Glossy Ibis on the move. It seems our decision to keep working the Ackrotiri sites was paying dividends !
Monday, April 8, 2019
Friday, 5th April Mediterranean MigFest continues !
After yesterday anticipation ran high as to what might be expected. First call was to Phasouris reedbeds where, first of all, we had a chat to a local ringer ( Viktor ) about what might be happening generally ,but also had the privilege of seeing several species ( Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler and Sardinian Warbler ) "in the hand". Watching out from the tower hide over the vast reedbed we had great views of Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Garganey and Ferruginous Duck besides recording a series of more common species. Two Great White Egret were picked up in flight westwards being seriously mobbed by local Hooded Crows but, despite efforts we couldn't locate them again. All the while at least two Black Francolin called in the background !
As we drove down the road towards the flooded area near the old Rabbit Farm a metre long Whip Snake curved itself across the road and into the undergrowth. A good selection of waders was on offer.......Marsh, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Spur winged Plover, Ruff, LRP , Greenshank and a couple of Common Snipe.
From there we went on to Bishop's Pool where we had a single Teal, a couple of Purple Heron, Common Cuckoo, Olivaceous Warbler and a single male Collared Flycatcher. We then moved on to Agios Georgios where, almost immediately , we had a Wryneck in nearby trees which gave superb views. Things didn't end there as it was soon followed by a Masked Shrike. With all thoughts of lunch put aside we then began to look for what else might be around. This proved to be several Common Redstart, Chiffchaff ( abietinus ) , Blackap and Lesser Whitethroat. A look around the external boundaries of the site turned up a Subalpine Warbler , which sat on top of a bush for a while and gave good views. A little further afield both Crested Lark and Sardinian Warblers sang and brought an end to yet another tremendous day.
As we drove down the road towards the flooded area near the old Rabbit Farm a metre long Whip Snake curved itself across the road and into the undergrowth. A good selection of waders was on offer.......Marsh, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Spur winged Plover, Ruff, LRP , Greenshank and a couple of Common Snipe.
From there we went on to Bishop's Pool where we had a single Teal, a couple of Purple Heron, Common Cuckoo, Olivaceous Warbler and a single male Collared Flycatcher. We then moved on to Agios Georgios where, almost immediately , we had a Wryneck in nearby trees which gave superb views. Things didn't end there as it was soon followed by a Masked Shrike. With all thoughts of lunch put aside we then began to look for what else might be around. This proved to be several Common Redstart, Chiffchaff ( abietinus ) , Blackap and Lesser Whitethroat. A look around the external boundaries of the site turned up a Subalpine Warbler , which sat on top of a bush for a while and gave good views. A little further afield both Crested Lark and Sardinian Warblers sang and brought an end to yet another tremendous day.
Sunday, April 7, 2019
Thursday, 4th April. the start of it all !
An early breakfast and then, after the usual handover procedures associated with car hire shortly after 0800 hours, we were off !!
As might be imagined the first birds at Phasouris reedbeds ( Akrotiri Reserve ) were from a list of Cattle and Little Egret, Squacco Heron , Purple Heron , Glossy Ibis and various common species including a supportive cast of Cetti's Warblers, which seemed to be everywhere. Further on we spent some time at the recently inundated area near the old Rabbit Farm where an absolute plethora of waders was in evidence,,,,Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Greenshank, Ruff, Little Ringed Plover and Spur winged Plover. A good start, all the while accompanied by Fan tailed Warblers ( sorry, I prefer it to Zitting Cisticola !! ). Nearby a male Ruppells Warbler appeared for a short time, a nice find given they are a quite early migrant and one I could have missed.
After a brief and distant look at Akrotiri Salt Lake and the Greater Flamingo's we went on to Agios Georgios and the area of scrub woodland nearby . An old time favourite of mine and one that, today, was to prove to be a gold mine for birds. Sitting down under one of the shelters it was immediately apparent there was a lot of birds around. And so it proved with Sardinian Warbler , Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Redstart, Eastern Bonelli's Warbler , Subalpine Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Collared Flycatcher all been seen well. There were at least three E. Bonelli's Warblers and male Collared Flycatchers and it was a difficult task to finally move on ! A walk around the surrounding area produced a single Black-eared Wheatear and Crested Lark. An amazing early afternoon !
On to Lady's Mile , but the water levels were really high and the only birds of real interest were 7 Black winged Stilt huddled together on a small island. A call to Zakaki Marsh was disappointing at best ( about which a separate entry will appear in due course ). The place is overgrown and displays no evidence of positive management, despite the provision of a very adequate hide. A great shame on which to end what had proved to be an absolutely tremendous first day.
Modest celebrations were offered up in return, followed by a really delicious evening meal. I have to admit I was in bed around 2100 hours , which is the equivalent of 1900 hours at home ( Good heavens I'd be missing Channel 4 News ! ).
As might be imagined the first birds at Phasouris reedbeds ( Akrotiri Reserve ) were from a list of Cattle and Little Egret, Squacco Heron , Purple Heron , Glossy Ibis and various common species including a supportive cast of Cetti's Warblers, which seemed to be everywhere. Further on we spent some time at the recently inundated area near the old Rabbit Farm where an absolute plethora of waders was in evidence,,,,Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Greenshank, Ruff, Little Ringed Plover and Spur winged Plover. A good start, all the while accompanied by Fan tailed Warblers ( sorry, I prefer it to Zitting Cisticola !! ). Nearby a male Ruppells Warbler appeared for a short time, a nice find given they are a quite early migrant and one I could have missed.
After a brief and distant look at Akrotiri Salt Lake and the Greater Flamingo's we went on to Agios Georgios and the area of scrub woodland nearby . An old time favourite of mine and one that, today, was to prove to be a gold mine for birds. Sitting down under one of the shelters it was immediately apparent there was a lot of birds around. And so it proved with Sardinian Warbler , Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Redstart, Eastern Bonelli's Warbler , Subalpine Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Collared Flycatcher all been seen well. There were at least three E. Bonelli's Warblers and male Collared Flycatchers and it was a difficult task to finally move on ! A walk around the surrounding area produced a single Black-eared Wheatear and Crested Lark. An amazing early afternoon !
On to Lady's Mile , but the water levels were really high and the only birds of real interest were 7 Black winged Stilt huddled together on a small island. A call to Zakaki Marsh was disappointing at best ( about which a separate entry will appear in due course ). The place is overgrown and displays no evidence of positive management, despite the provision of a very adequate hide. A great shame on which to end what had proved to be an absolutely tremendous first day.
Modest celebrations were offered up in return, followed by a really delicious evening meal. I have to admit I was in bed around 2100 hours , which is the equivalent of 1900 hours at home ( Good heavens I'd be missing Channel 4 News ! ).
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Wed April 3rd In transit at last !
0230 hours saw me leaving home, after clearing the car and windscreens of ice amidst sub zero temperatures, and taking care to avoid what seemed to be the inevitable dodgy road section ! The Doncaster/ Sheffield Robin Hood Airport is no more than an hour from home and I was in good time to sort out the car parking arrangements and be in place for the 0500 hours book in.
Come 0710 hours we were airborne and any thoughts of poor weather could be put aside ! The plane was full, "us retireds " know how to live you know despite the doom and gloom which currently enshrouds the UK ! The flight was on time , arriving at Paphos, Cyprus at 1140 hours amidst glorious sunshine. After all the usual formalities I was in an arranged taxi being whisked eastwards to the St. Raphael Resort in Limassol where I'm going to be based until early May . Believe you me, it was a delight to be putting on sunglasses !!!
The hotel is rated a 5 star and certainly qualifies as far as available facilities are concerned. I booked this venture with Mercury Holidays almost a year ago , taking advantage of various deals on offer as I don't usually aspire to such comfort ! If you're in a position to do so, then try it somewhere as the "rewards" on offer are extremely attractive. I was joining a good friend of mine ,who visits Cyprus regularly and who was out doing the rounds of various local birding sites with Colin Richardson, nowadays a resident of Cyprus having moved from the UAE some years ago.
As agreed we met ( in the bar, where else ?) at 1800 hours and immediately started to plot and plan the next day's birding activities, pore over what had been seen recently and what was still around, and basically put together a birding campaign for the next month ! Heady stuff 1 After a great meal I'm afraid I bowed out , retired to my room and availed myself of the comfort !!
Come 0710 hours we were airborne and any thoughts of poor weather could be put aside ! The plane was full, "us retireds " know how to live you know despite the doom and gloom which currently enshrouds the UK ! The flight was on time , arriving at Paphos, Cyprus at 1140 hours amidst glorious sunshine. After all the usual formalities I was in an arranged taxi being whisked eastwards to the St. Raphael Resort in Limassol where I'm going to be based until early May . Believe you me, it was a delight to be putting on sunglasses !!!
The hotel is rated a 5 star and certainly qualifies as far as available facilities are concerned. I booked this venture with Mercury Holidays almost a year ago , taking advantage of various deals on offer as I don't usually aspire to such comfort ! If you're in a position to do so, then try it somewhere as the "rewards" on offer are extremely attractive. I was joining a good friend of mine ,who visits Cyprus regularly and who was out doing the rounds of various local birding sites with Colin Richardson, nowadays a resident of Cyprus having moved from the UAE some years ago.
As agreed we met ( in the bar, where else ?) at 1800 hours and immediately started to plot and plan the next day's birding activities, pore over what had been seen recently and what was still around, and basically put together a birding campaign for the next month ! Heady stuff 1 After a great meal I'm afraid I bowed out , retired to my room and availed myself of the comfort !!
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
A declaration that makes no mention of Brexit !!!
Well, after several false starts I believe I can now say, "Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible ", as used to appear in times past when a break in TV transmission had occurred. Since injuring my knee last September, moving back to normality has been slow and attempts to hasten on the process have proved futile and ill advised.
Thankfully I'm now convinced I can contemplate a bit of normal wear and tear so, to this end , I'm just about to have a month long, leisurely birding trip out to Cyprus , which I hope will offset what has been a frustrating period. A word of warning, don't confuse mobility with activity. Hobbling about the house ,or a quick shopping trip, aren't comparative to being out tramping around the local reservoir and, also, attempting to make the transition too early involves paying the price of further delay !
So all those enticing promises ( a big year list, exploring new areas and participating in surveys ) have had to be set aside and more modest , undeclared targets arrived at . Some benefits have emerged of course. I've decided on a new personal recording patch ( quite a big one, of which more later ) , read endless books, decided on some future survey work and researched a few foreign trips. It hasn't been a complete waste of time.
So, out to Cyprus for virtually the whole of April, which is one of the best months out there for migration. Intensity at a gentle pace if such can be the case. Birdlife International is promoting the importance of the European- Africa Flyway and I hope to link my own reportage with that initiative. I'll put out an introductory Blog and ,then , issue a Blog on a daily basis for the duration of the trip. For those who know Cyprus I hope it will bring back enjoyable memories and , for those who have never been, I hope it provoke an intention to visit. After the stop-start scenario of the last few months I have to say, I can't wait !!
Thankfully I'm now convinced I can contemplate a bit of normal wear and tear so, to this end , I'm just about to have a month long, leisurely birding trip out to Cyprus , which I hope will offset what has been a frustrating period. A word of warning, don't confuse mobility with activity. Hobbling about the house ,or a quick shopping trip, aren't comparative to being out tramping around the local reservoir and, also, attempting to make the transition too early involves paying the price of further delay !
So all those enticing promises ( a big year list, exploring new areas and participating in surveys ) have had to be set aside and more modest , undeclared targets arrived at . Some benefits have emerged of course. I've decided on a new personal recording patch ( quite a big one, of which more later ) , read endless books, decided on some future survey work and researched a few foreign trips. It hasn't been a complete waste of time.
So, out to Cyprus for virtually the whole of April, which is one of the best months out there for migration. Intensity at a gentle pace if such can be the case. Birdlife International is promoting the importance of the European- Africa Flyway and I hope to link my own reportage with that initiative. I'll put out an introductory Blog and ,then , issue a Blog on a daily basis for the duration of the trip. For those who know Cyprus I hope it will bring back enjoyable memories and , for those who have never been, I hope it provoke an intention to visit. After the stop-start scenario of the last few months I have to say, I can't wait !!
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