We arrived late on the 3rd and drove the length of the
southern coast from Larnaca to Pafos, seeing nothing but the road in our
headlights. When we went out on the 4th to have a look around before doing any
sessions, it became very clear that it had been a very long, dry summer, and
the temperatures at about 20 degrees and the beautiful, clear sky with sunshine
seemed to indicate that all is well as summer lingers on. But for us, there has
been a major change to being in Cyprus. It was our usual routine to meet up
with Alan Crabtree, the ringing officer, on our first day to catch up, restock
rings and often arrange some joint ringing days. He passed away in September
and it just doesn't seem the same without him. Last time we saw him he was
considering a pulli ringing project on Spur-winged Plovers, possibly with
colour rings. We never imagined that he may not be around when we next visited.
November 4
Sky Lark - 1
Water Pipit -1
Red-throated Pipit - 2
Meadow Pipit - 10
Stonechat -1
Sardinian Warbler – 1
Willow Warbler - 1
After a midday break we had a look around Mandria, Xeros Potamos, the desalination plant and Kouklia. There were a few promising options (although as usual, there is no potential for large number catches here) and a Hen Harrier quartering the fields was an added bonus. At the end of the day we tried a couple of nets where some birds had found a little water and another eight birds were processed with Water Rail, Jack Snipe and Bluethroat seen.
November 4
We have always worked
the Pafos area as no-one else rings here, this is where our house is and Alan
was very happy for us to cover some different habitat, ringing species that
appear on the Cyprus ringed list less frequently. So, we checked out Achelea,
Anarita Park and Agia Varvara in the
Pafos area, all very dry with no flowing water despite heavy rain in the night
a few days ago, before shooting off to Evretou dam and some Polis sites on our
way to get a few more rings from a ringer who also dips in and out of Cypriot
ringing and is holding the stock until firm arrangements are made and a new
ringing officer appointed.
Evretou was extremely low, but full of wagtails and pipits.
Polis had suffered a fire in the reedbed and again the riverbed was completely
dry. There were some birds around including a Reed Warbler that Chris saw, as
well as a few Blackcaps, Chaffinches and Serins. The rides needed some
maintenance but nothing too major.
Next day, we decided to try a cut alfalfa field for our
first morning out since there had been birds there on the previous day and we
know how quickly such fields lose their allure. We put up 5 nets, including one
through the weedy margins where Willow Warblers had been seen. Catching was
quite slow but we captured birds broadly representative of what was present. We
were particularly pleased with Red-throated Pipit, Water Pipit, Willow Warbler
and Sky Lark. A Laughing Dove was also seen.
Red-throated Pipit,
not always as their name describes.
Heavily marked on the
back with pale lines on back.
Undertail coverts.
Age 3 Water Pipit.
Water Pipit –
differentiated from Rock Pipit by brown rather
than grey cast to colouring and black
legs.
Possibly only the
second Skylark ringed in Cyprus.
Willow Warbler.
Total- 17
Sky Lark - 1
Water Pipit -1
Red-throated Pipit - 2
Meadow Pipit - 10
Stonechat -1
Sardinian Warbler – 1
Willow Warbler - 1
After a midday break we had a look around Mandria, Xeros Potamos, the desalination plant and Kouklia. There were a few promising options (although as usual, there is no potential for large number catches here) and a Hen Harrier quartering the fields was an added bonus. At the end of the day we tried a couple of nets where some birds had found a little water and another eight birds were processed with Water Rail, Jack Snipe and Bluethroat seen.
3 male Linnet
Total – 8
White Wagtail – 1
Red-throated Pipit – 1
Stonechat - 1
Chiffchaff – 2
Linnet – 2
Serin - 1
Chiffchaff – 2
Linnet – 2
Serin - 1