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Bird News

Bird Records for July 2003

[The following list contains records that have not been corrected or corroborated]

Little Grebe    Tachybaptus ruficollis

4 reported from Larnaca Sewage Works on the 21^st and a maximum daily count at Oroklini of 6 birds are the only records this month.

Shag    Phalacrocorax aristotelis

2 first-year birds on the rocks off the Mandria shore on the 30^th.

Night Heron    Nycticorax nycticorax

Just the one report of a single bird at Aspro Dam Pools on the 31^st.

Squacco Heron    Ardeola ralloides

2 birds at Phasouri Reed Beds on both the 23^rd and the 30^th.

Cattle Egret    Bubulcus ibis

1 at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 23^rd.

Little Egret    Egretta garzetta

2 at Larnaca Sewage Works on the 21^st.

Grey Heron    Ardea cinerea

A flock of 32 passing over Latchi on the 23^rd whilst there were single birds at Oroklini on the 27^th and at Evretou Dam on the 28^th.

Glossy Ibis    Plegadis falcinellus

1 bird at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 30^th.

Greater Flamingo    Phoenicopterus ruber

46 were still present at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 21^st.

Mallard    Anas platyrhynchos

The reports at the Larnaca Sewage Works of 260 birds on the 6^th and 200 birds on the 21^st must have included many of the island’s successful broods of the year.

Garganey    Anas querquedula

A male in eclipse plumage at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 23^rd was the only record this month.

Bonelli’s Eagle    Hieraaetus fasciatus

1 seen at Marathounda on the 31^st.

Kestrel    Falco tinnunculus

2 reported from the Avagas Gorge on the 8^th, 1 at Kamares on the 16^th and then daily thereafter, 1 all month at Lythrodhonda and at Oroklini.

Hobby    Falco subbuteo

1 bird at Armou on the 11^th.

Eleonora’s Falcon    Falco eleonorae

1 near Secret Valley Golf Course on the 15^th and 2 at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 23^rd.

Peregrine    Falco peregrinus

A single bird at Aspro Dam Pools on the 31^st.

Chukar    Alectoris chukar

Family parties included 11 in the Dhiarizos River Valley on the 22^nd, 12 at Kouklia on the 24^th and 15 at Mandria on the 30^th.

Black Francolin    Francolinus francolinus

1 seen in the Dhiarizos River Valley on the 22^nd and 2 all month at Oroklini.

Moorhen    Gallinula chloropus

2 were seen at Evretou Dam on the 28^th and 4 was the Oroklini maximum daily count.

Coot    Fulica atra

There were 5 at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 21^st, 20, including 10 juvs, at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 23^rd, 1 adult and a 4 week-old juv at Aspro Dam Pools on the 29^th, 35 at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 30^th, 4 at Aspro Dam Pools on the 31^st with a maximum daily count at Oroklini of 40 birds.

Black-winged Stilt    Himantopus himantopus

There were 18 at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 6^th with 25 on the 21^st, 10 at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 30^th and a maximum daily count at Oroklini of 50 birds.

Little Ringed Plover    Charadrius dubius

1 was heard at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 21^st whilst 2 were seen at Oroklini on the 25^th.

Kentish Plover    Charadrius alexandrinus

There were 35 reported from the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 6^th with 20 on the 21^st.

Greater Sand Plover    Charadrius leschenaultii

1 bird of the race columbinus was at the Paphos Lighthouse Area on the 31^st.

Grey Plover    Pluvialis squatarola

There was 1 at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 6^th.

Spur-winged Plover    Vanellus spinosus

The maximum daily count at Oroklini was of 7 birds.    

Little Stint    Calidris minuta

There was 1 at Oroklini on the 7^th, 3 at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 21^st and 2 at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 23^rd.

Dunlin    Calidris alpina

The only report was of 1 at Larnaca Sewage Works on the 21^st.

Ruff    Philomachus pugnax

1 at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 21^st with 6 at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 30^th.

Redshank    Tringa totanus

Just the one report of a single bird at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 6^th.

Green Sandpiper    Tringa ochropus

1 at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 21^st with 4 at Evretou Dam on the 28^th.

Wood Sandpiper    Tringa glareola

There was 1 at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 21^st, 2 at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 23^rd, 4 at Evretou Dam on the 28^th and 1 at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 30^th.

Common Sandpiper    Actitis hypoleucos

1 at the Evretou Dam on the 28^th with an Oroklini maximum daily count of 2 birds.There was a single juvenile bird at Larnaca Sewage Works on the 6^th.

Yellow-legged Gull    Larus cachinnans

45 at Larnaca Sewage Works on the 6^th, 16 flying west from the dump at Marathounda on the 19^th and 2 at Paphos on the 22^nd. 

Common Tern    Sterna hirundo

Successfully bred again at Larnaca Sewage Works this year after its first breeding since 1905 last year, with 2 adults and 1 juvenile there on the 6th. There were 3 birds present there on the 21^st.

Little Tern    Sterna albifrons

Successfully bred at Larnaca Sewage Works this year after the failed attempt last year, the first reported breeding since 1946. On the 6^th there were 6 adults reported present with 1 recently fledged juvenile and 2 birds incubating on separate nests. On the 21^st there were 4 adults reported as being present with 2 juveniles plus the 2 empty nests were also visible.

This is not the full story however as I have heard on good authority that 3 other pairs were successful this year and bred on some shingle, near to but north of the Sewage Works. I will report the full details as and when they are confirmed in writing.

Whiskered Tern    Chlidonias hybridus

1 was present at Oroklini on the 11^th, 13^th and the 14^th.

Black Tern    Chlidonias niger

There was an adult seen at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 23^rd.

White-winged Black Tern    Chlidonias leucopterus

There was an adult at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 6^th and at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 23^rd with 3 adults at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 30^th.

Woodpigeon    Columba palumbus

There were 4 reported daily from the 16^th until the end of the month at Kamares

Collared Dove    Streptopelia decaocto

There were 1 or 2 for most of the month at Oroklini, 2 in the Avagas Gorge on the 8^th and 2 at Ineia on the 20^th.

Turtle Dove    Streptopelia turtur

The only sighting this month of 2 birds at Peyia Forest on the 4^th.

Scops Owl    Otus scops cyprius

1 at Kamares on the 18^th and 1 present all month at Lythrodhonda.

Little Owl    Athene noctua

1 at the Marathounda dump on the 9^th and 1 at Kamares on the 18^th.

Nightjar    Caprimulgus europaeus

More than 6 at Oreites Forest, Kouklia on the 15^th and 3 heard at the same location on the 24^th.

Swift    Apus apus

2 at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 6^th and 3 in the Dhiarizos River Valley on the 22^nd.

Bee-eater    Merops apiaster

1 adult with 1 juvenile at Mousere on the 20^th and a small flock of 5 birds at Peyia on the 31^st.

Roller    Coracias garrulus

Singles at Kornos on the 1^st, Kosi on the 2^nd, Marathounda dump on the 9^th, Tseri on the 11^th and at Marathounda on the 18^th. There were 5 reported from the Armou to Tsadha track on the 19^th, 2 at Ayios Giorgios on the 20^th, 12 at Ineia on the 20^th, 2 at the Armou to Tsadha track on both the 28^th and the 29^th plus 2 at Droushia on the 30^th. 

Hoopoe    Upupa epops

1 in Troodos on the 24^th and 1 or 2 all month at Lythrodhonda.

Crested Lark    Galerida cristata

3 at Kouklia on the 15^th, 2 at Ineia on the 20^th and a maximum daily count at Oroklini of 10 birds.

Sand Martin    Riparia riparia

There were 2 at the Arminou Dam on the 22^nd.

Crag Martin    Ptyonoprogne rupestris

There were 2 seen in Troodos on the 24^th.

Swallow    Hirundo rustica

10 in the Avagas Gorge on the 8^th, 8 daily at Kamares after the 16^th, 20 at Phasouri Reed Beds on the 30^th and 25 was the Oroklini maximum daily count.  

Red-rumped Swallow    Hirundo daurica

6 in the Avagas Gorge on the 8^th, 2 or 3 in Kamares from the 16^th until the 23^rd, 2 at Mousere on the 20^th with 4+ at Dora on the same date and finally 1 at Oroklini on the 24^th with 2 there on the 28^th.

House Martin    Delichon urbica

Oroklini had up to 4 birds between the 8^th and the 29^th, 1 at Secret Valley on the 15^th, c100 at the Arminou Dam on the 22^nd with a similar number in Troodos on the 24^th.

Yellow Wagtail    Motacilla flava

f) Black-headed Wagtail    Motacilla flava feldegg

1 at Oroklini on the 1^st with 3 there on the 2^nd.

Cyprus Pied Wheatear    Oenanthe cypriaca 

1 at Avagas Gorge on the 8^th, 1 at the Marathounda dump on the 9^th, 2 at Kamares on a daily basis after the 16^th, 2 juvs on the Armou to Tsadha track on the 19^th, 4+ at Mousere on the 20^th, 2 juvs at Troodos on the 24^th, 1 adult at Marathounda on the 28^th and finally 2 or 3 juvs all month at Lythrodhonda.   

Blackbird    Turdus merula

The only sighting this month was of a male on the Akamas, presumably all month as no specific date accompanies the record.

Cetti’s Warbler   Cettia cetti

4 at Evretou Dam on the 28^th is the only record submitted.

Fan-tailed Warbler    Cisticola juncidis 

1 at Aspro Dam Pools on the 31^st plus 2 as the Oroklini maximum daily count.   

Olivaceous Warbler    Hippolais pallida

There were 4 in the Avagas Gorge on the 8^th, 6 at Armou on the 11^th, 6 at Marathounda on the 13^th having increased in numbers over a 2-day period, 2 at Mousere on the 20^th and 2 all month at Lythrodhonda.

Spectacled Warbler    Sylvia conspicillata

A maximum daily count at Oroklini of 3 birds.

Sardinian Warbler    Sylvia melanocephala

The only report this month is of 6 birds in the Avagas Gorge on the 8^th.

Cyprus Warbler    Sylvia melanothorax

Single birds were reported daily both at Marathounda and at Armou whilst 2 were reported from the Armou to Tsadha track on the 19^th, 1 daily after the 16^th at Kamares, and 1 each at Mousere on the 20^th, at Lythrodhonda on the 24^th and at Pachyammos on the 27^th.

Coal Tit    Parus ater cypriotes

4 were seen at Troodos on the 24^th .

Great Tit    Parus major aphrodite

6 in the Avagas Gorge on the 8^th, 2 at Kamares on the 16^th and 2 throughout the month at Lythrodhonda.

Short-toed Treecreeper    Certhia brachydactyla dorotheae

2 in Troodos on the 24^th.

Red-backed Shrike    Lanius collurio

1 bird described as ‘very scruffy, possibly a female’ seen at Armou on the 28^th and the 29^th whilst a ‘female-type’ was reported from Marathounda on the 31^st.

Woodchat Shrike    Lanius senator

Single birds seen at Dora on the 20^th and on the Armou to Tsadha track on the 28^th.

Masked Shrike    Lanius nubicus

1 at Stavrovouni on the 4^th, a juv at Armou on the 9^th, an adult at Armou on the 11^th, 3 at Marathounda on the 18^th, 6 along the Armou to Tsadha track on the 19^th, 1 at Ineia on the 20^th, 2 at Malia, 2 at Konia and 1 at Marathounda also on the 20^th, a juv at Armou on the 21^st, 2 in Troodos and 1 at Kouklia on the 24^th, 2 at Marathounda on the 26^th, 1 at Anayiotos and 4 on the Armou to Tsadha track on the 29^th, 3 on the track the following day, the 29^th and a juv present at Lythrodhonda from the 1^st to the 26^th.

Jay    Garrulus glandarius glaszneri

10 at Troodos on the 24^th.

Magpie    Pica pica

Daily sighting of 8 birds at Kamares after the 16^th with a maximum daily count at Oroklini of 4 birds.

Jackdaw    Corvus monedula

8 per day at Kamares after the 16^th.

Hooded Crow    Corvus corone

4 per day at Kamares after the 16^th plus a maximum daily count at Oroklini of 9 birds.

House Sparrow    Passer domesticus

25 per day at Kamares after the 16^th plus a maximum daily count at Oroklini of 75 birds.

Chaffinch    Fringilla coelebs

1 in Peyia Forest on the 4^th and 2 at Troodos on the 24^th.

Greenfinch    Carduelis chloris

4 in the Avagas Gorge on the 8^th, 3 at Kamares on the 21^st plus 2 daily at Lythrodhonda.

Goldfinch    Carduelis carduelis

A daily sighting of 5 birds at Kamares after the 16^th, 30 at Evretou Dam on the 28^th plus 5 or 6 on a daily basis at Lythrodhonda and an Oroklini maximum daily count of 8 birds.

Linnet    Carduelis cannabina

2 reported from Dhiarizos River Valley on the 22^nd.

Cretzschmar’s Bunting    Emberiza caesia

2 at Lythrodhonda on the 17^th, 1 in the Oreites Forest on the 25^th and 2 at Evretou Dam on the 28^th.

Corn Bunting    Miliaria calandra

The only sighting this month of 46 birds at Evretou Dam on the 28^th.

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