28. An End of Year Selection 2021 (Part 2 - July to December)

 [Remember to click on the photograph to enlarge the image]

After a long, hot and very dry summer - when I actually saw very few birds of interest - the autumn months of September, October and November saw an inflow of migratory species making their way back to southerly destinations. While I didn't see much at my usual inland sites (Secret Valley, Mandria, Anarita and Ayia Varvara) the Limassol sites of Akrotiri Marsh, Zakaki and Lady's Mile proved more fruitful. The following pictures show some of the birds seen in the second half of the year.

1. Black-winged Kite

The Cyprus birding grapevine had a few reports of sightings of this uncommon raptor during late October/early November, but it took me four visits to Akrotiri before I was lucky enough to see one. But it was well worth the wait as the bird was most unusually coloured, being pure white with a grey back and black fore-wings. The amber-red eyes were especially eye-catching! 

It was unfortunate that just as I saw the perching Kite a motorcyclist came noisily speeding up to me to ask "Seen any good birds, then?" Of course the Kite was immediately startled away and I only just managed to get a couple of shots of it flying. And that was the last I saw of the very memorable Black-winged Kite.

The watchful eye of the Black-winged Kite

Note the wing colours of the escaping adult Black-winged Kite

2. Little Egret

There is nothing very special about seeing a Little Egret as they are extremely common in Cyprus and globally, but I rather liked these photographs that captured the detail of the wing feathers and the moment before the bird landed in a pool.

Flight feather detail of the Little Egret

And down for a smooth splash-free landing

3. Red-backed Shrike

This member of the shrike family was present in large numbers this year, as both adults and juveniles were making their way back to Africa for the winter. It may not be the most spectacular of the Shrikes but the subtlety of the front vermiculated pattern is always attractive.

The slim appearance of a juvenile Red-backed Shrike

The vermiculated plumage of the juvenile Red-backed Shrike

4. Snipe

There are three species of Snipe (Great, Common and Jack) that might be seen in Cyprus, but only the Common Snipe is regularly or easily seen. Their camouflage is very effective when the bird is feeding along the edge of marshes or small areas of flooded vegetation. 

The Snipe is not much bigger than a Blackbird but the exceptional length of the bill (which can often be fully buried in the mud as the search for worms and grubs progresses) is the most obvious identification feature. However the short legs and dumpy shape also help.

Preening Snipe - Here's mud in your eye!

And this is how the mud got there.

5. Bluethroat

This is another species that generally skulks in the base of the reed bed, only occasionally venturing out into more open ground. It has most unusual colouring on its front with a blue bib bordered by a black and white band, and then a reddish band. There can be a further white or red patch in the blue throat area and the supercilium is creamy-white and very distinct. The shape of the bird is very similar to the Robin, with long thin legs and a tail that is often raised.  The tail also has some red colourings, much like a diminished Redstart. 

Red tail and blue throat of the Bluethroat

Keeping an eye on me from the reeds

6. Black-tailed Godwit

This is a medium sized wader that is often seen feeding on the wetland areas at Akrotiri. At this time of year (winter) there is little colour variation in the brownish-grey body apart from the black tail and white rump, though the bill is very distinctive due to its length, straightness and orangey-red colouring with black tip. Come the summer the upper body and throat are a distinctly red-orange colour and the bill is brighter. 

The impressive bill of the Black-tailed Godwit

And this is the black tail...

7.  Starling

This is the first year that I have seen Starlings in any numbers here in Cyprus. There have been some moderate sized flocks at Akrotiri (mini-murmurations?) doing some co-ordinated flying exercises, but I also caught this single bird sitting on the fence and showing off its winter plumage, which is clearly very different (all those white spots) to the normal summer plumage (dark iridescent feathers and a yellow bill). 

The adult Starling in winter plumage. A lot of white spots!

8. Spotted Crake

Like most of the Crake and Rail family, the Spotted Crake is a shy bird that only comes out of the reed bed or bankside vegetation for short periods of refreshment. Like the Moorhen it is often first noticed by the creamy-white tail moving about on marshy ground. The bill is very short with a red base (if you can get to see it) and the legs are yellow; the white spotting is on the neck, breast and upperparts. The juveniles have been seen and pictured at both Zakaki and Akrotiri Marsh during October and November, and I also found an adult bird at Ayia Varvara during May.

Spotted Crake - juvenile skulking across the mud

Spotted Crake - adult bird showing the red bill

9. Willow Warbler

This attractive little bird is one of Europe's commonest species, generally seen flitting about in trees and shrubs as it feeds on small insects. Hard to believe that such a small bird will make the migratory flight from Northern Europe to Africa and back every year. It is one of the commonest autumn passage migrants, which is when I took this picture (September). It is very similar in appearance to the Chiffchaff, but the distinct yellow colouring, the long supercilium, and the pinkish-brown legs help with the identification.

Willow Warbler seeking insects 

Willow Warbler  - note the long supercilium

10. Whiskered Tern and White-winged Tern

There are three species of Terns that are loosely grouped as "Marsh terns", as they differ in their mode of feeding and flying from the majority of "Sea terns". The marsh terns are the White Winged Tern (see Trevor's Tweet No.25), the Whiskered Tern and the Black Tern. They all tend to feed by dipping down to the water surface to take insects or catching insects in mid air. They only rarely dive to catch fish.

The Whiskered Tern is the largest of the marsh terns and has a slightly stronger bill. There is a black patch behind the eye and a grey-streaked head in the adult in winter. The juvenile bird has a distinctly ginger and black patterned area on the back between the wings, the extent of which diminishes as the bird ages. The photograph below was taken in October, so a couple of months after the White-winged Terns were seen.

The White-winged Tern is a little more delicate than the Whiskered Tern.  The two top pictures (below) show two differently marked birds photographed two days apart , one at Mandria and one at Secret Valley in August. The dark markings on the wings will be lost when the winter moult is completed.

White-winged Tern - with light wings

White-winged Tern - with heavier mottling of wings and body 

Whiskered Tern - juvenile with ginger back markings - looking for prey, in October

*************

All photographs and text by Trevor Fordham

Please use the space below for any comments/feedback.

7 December 2021