Tuesday, 4 December 2018

Cyprus - 2nd December 2018

We returned to Koukli, starting at 5:30am. There were a lot of Serin around with small flocks of Woodlark seen overhead, as well as the usual Sardinan and Cetti's Warblers. We got seven nets up and began catching quite well.

Male Serin

3M Black Redstart


Totals: 72 (6)

Woodlark – 1
Meadow Pipit - 3
Black Redstart - 1
Robin – 5 (2)
Cetti’s Warbler - 2 (2)
Sardinian Warbler – 10
Blackcap – 17 (1)
Chiffchaff – 8
Great Tit - 0 (1)
Spanish Sparrow - 1
Chaffinch - 1
Serin – 23

After ringing we checked out the Desalination Plant. A field, rather pungent with the smell of peppers was no deterent to the Stonechats.

Female Stonechat

Closer to our usual ringing spot we found that the fire had cleared a lot of the bramble while reed regeneration was already coming on at a pace. There should be options here in the spring.

Record shot of a rather late male Red-backed Shrike.

Rather dry, but spectacular nonetheless, seed head

An abandoned citrus grove already has trees coming into bloom, 
creating a delicious scent as you walk between the rows.

Next stop Mandria although by now it was raining. A single Dunlin preferred a muddy puddle to the shingle beach.

Dunlin

On the fields some Golden Plover were spotted before being flushed off by an incoming plane. There was also a sizable flock of Skylarks.