BirdLife Cyprus field trip - 7 January 2012
Daniel Rhoads
BirdLife Cyprus field trip
7 January, 2012 – Akrotiri – Leader: Dan Rhoads
The previous week had been a wet one, and Saturday dawned with more dark clouds above Cyprus. To our delight however, it didn’t rain and the sun was out for us quite a bit during the morning’s field trip. In fact the problem was a bit of confusion – to which I was the one who made the mistake! – about where we were meeting at 9:30. But after I was alerted to the fact that we were starting at Phassouri and not Zakaki, we met up at Phassouri in fact.
At Phassouri, 3 Cattle Egrets were in the field, along with 3 or 4 Stonechat, a Fan-tailed Warbler, and 2 Curlew, whilst about the water there were 50+ Coot, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Stilts, 1 Water Pipet, a Shoveler, and 9 Snipe. To top it off, a Marsh Harrier and a Common Buzzard were also seen in the area.
By quarter past 10, we decided to move on to the Akrotiri Salt Lake viewpoint at Sylvanna Restaurant. Upon pulling up to the restaurant, two Wood Larks flew past the first arrivals. And in the salt lake, one observer estimated approximately 4700 Flamingos, but of course it was difficult to tell as the flamingos were spread out across the entire area. Here and there were Shelduck (~100) and Teal (~20), and 2 Mallard were also spotted. Along the far side of the salt lake, there were also ~300-400 large white-headed Gull sp. And nearer to us were heard Sardinian Warblers, and Great Tits.
By almost 11, we continued on to Bishop’s Pool, where many Coots and Little Grebes greeted us. We walked around to the reeds on the far side, past the bird hide, where we spotted a female Tufted Duck, and a few dozen Teal. After a short while a Ferruginous Duck flew out of the reeds to join the other ducks, a Black Necked Grebe was seen in the far corner, and 2 Garganey were noted. In the reeds themselves, a keen observer glanced a probable Moustached Warbler, and many heard at least 2 Water Rail. Also present were at least one Grey Wagtail, White Wagtails, Stonechats, Robins, and Great Tits. And also a female Hen Harrier and a Kestrel each flew over.
After all that it was time to go to lunch together, which Patricia Stavrou kindly arranged. The lunch was convened with 24 joining in, at the Polis Taverna of Akrotiri village.
Thanks to everyone who came, and Happy Birding!,
Dan Rhoads
Andy Renals
Andy Renals
Villa Carpe Diem - 'your Cyprus'
Maroni, Cyprus
www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p80847
http://www.fewo-direkt.de/ferienwohnung-ferienhaus/p80847