Female Golden Oriole, age 5, BP1
The Golden Oriole is unique in European Passeriformes with sexual dimorphism in that the first winter birds undergo a complete, or almost complete, moult without changing the colour of plumage, hence second year birds are almost identical to first year birds. I recall how difficult these birds can be from our ringing trips to Israel. In Cyprus the Eurasian Golden Oriole is described as 'a fairly common spring passage migrant, less so in autumn. Also regular, localised and rather elusive breeding species'. Certainly, this is a breeding bird with a developing brood batch, also elusive as we had seen a male come in to drink, but she seemed to appear in the net out of nowhere. The measurement of how far yellow extends on T6 confirmed assessment as a second year bird.
Robin
Robins spend the winter in Cyprus but usually leave during April. The 1st of May is quite a late date.
Female Collared Flycatcher
In addition to visual features, this species was confirmed using the wing formula. F albicollis has a long second primary and short P5
Our only Common Redstart of this visit to date.
Male Blackcap with unusual white feathering above bill and some
in cap.
We retrapped two birds that will have been ringed by other ringers on the island. This is frustrating as, apart from our records, that have been input and submitted following each trip there is a backlog of a few years' data, still waiting to be entered. This situation arose following the passing of Alan Crabtree who was the Ringing Officer until the time of his death. He had taken responsibility for entering all ringing data for Southern Cyprus, so he sad passing left a bit of a vacum.
Total: 47 (2)
Robin - 1
Common Redstart - 1
Sardinian Warbler - 2 (1)
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Blackcap - 33
Collared Flycatcher - 1
Golden Oriole - 1
Serin - 3
Greenfinch - 1
Goldfinch - 2 (1)
We drove to Arodes in the rain. There has also been a significant temperature drop, The main sightings were Roller and Common Cuckoo. There were also plenty of Cyprus Wheatear although most were not as confiding as my photographic subject.
Cyprus Wheatear.
I dropped down to Lempa Park in the afternoon to check it out fro Dragonflies, whilst Denise stayed in watching the Battle of the Nations Medieval World championships in Serbia where our youngest was in the UK team.
Indigo Dropwing
Persian Bluetail