Day 10
Today we had identified an area at Arodes where we thought we'd try our luck. We arrived at 6:30am, but on going into the area found the dead weedy vegetation to be much too difficult to work over. Any netting caught on the tough spiny plant would be instantly shreaded. Plan B, we went to an area that we've worked before only to find a chain across the track. We walked down and found that the area had been partially cleared of rocks and a rudimentary field attempted. Nothing was planted and there were definite furrows but no irrigation. It looked like an attempt to claim EU funding in an area where cultivation was impossible, something we've seen here before. The area was much too difficult to walk through with the newly piled rock heaps and the ploughed track, so we decided to go birding instead.
There were a lot of Cyprus Wheatears and Chukars. Redstart, Whinchat, Red-backed Shrike and Golden Oriole were also seen. We were particularly pleased to find a juvenile Masked Shrike.
Today we had identified an area at Arodes where we thought we'd try our luck. We arrived at 6:30am, but on going into the area found the dead weedy vegetation to be much too difficult to work over. Any netting caught on the tough spiny plant would be instantly shreaded. Plan B, we went to an area that we've worked before only to find a chain across the track. We walked down and found that the area had been partially cleared of rocks and a rudimentary field attempted. Nothing was planted and there were definite furrows but no irrigation. It looked like an attempt to claim EU funding in an area where cultivation was impossible, something we've seen here before. The area was much too difficult to walk through with the newly piled rock heaps and the ploughed track, so we decided to go birding instead.
There were a lot of Cyprus Wheatears and Chukars. Redstart, Whinchat, Red-backed Shrike and Golden Oriole were also seen. We were particularly pleased to find a juvenile Masked Shrike.
Juvenile Masked Shrike
While working our way round the site we found a valley that was a little greener than much of the surrounding area. We had already missed the best two hours of the day, but we put up three nets to see how we would do.
At this time of year the area is very dry with little
to mask nets and plenty of dry vegetation to rip nets
or ringers' unprotected skin.
We caught nine birds, but that included four Cyprus Wheatear and a Red-backed Shrike. We couldn't get the Whinchat that had first drawn our attention.
Juvenile male Cyprus Wheatear
This is a species that does not appear in our Demongin ringing manual. We have been considering what has been said about Pied Wheatear, as this may provide some useful information for these birds. The partial post juvenile moult that we are seeing appears to often involve just two tertials, a couple of greater covers and other mediam coverts in that immediate area - as for other wheatears. We have been worried that we've been missing adults. However, last dates for this species is often around the third week of October with earliest evidence of breeding towards the end of March. It may just be that all the adults have already left.
Red-backed Shrike
Last bird of the morning and an unexpected bonus. We may try this site again - in spring there may even be water.
Totals: 9
Cyprus Wheatear - 4
Sardinian Warbler - 1
Blackcap - 2
Willow Warbler - 1
Red-backed Shrike - 1