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 .
No comments:
Post a Comment