BIRDLIFE Cyprus is preparing a guide on where to watch birds in Cyprus, and a frequently used phrase is “almost anything can turn up anywhere”. Taken in context, this usually applies to the over 370 species that appear on the Cyprus ‘list’ and have been recorded over the years, and obviously not literally ‘anything’.
However, there are among these 370, some species of bird that may only ever have been recorded once or twice in Cyprus and have a special place as a ‘rarity’. 2006 saw at least one bird appear in Cyprus for the first time and more than five others that were recorded here for only the second or third time.
Such rarities or vagrants are appearing outside their normal ranges and almost all instances are of migratory birds. Scientists attribute most instances that occur in spring to those birds, maybe inexperienced young adults, who continue past their species’ normal breeding range and end up further north. In the autumn, they may take an incorrect course and go through countries not usually on their migration paths. In this instance, Siberian breeding birds may turn up in north-west Europe instead of their south-eastern wintering grounds. The autumn also sees examples of North American birds occurring in Europe after having been blown across the Atlantic by storms.
July 2006 saw Cyprus record what is generally felt to be its first ever North American vagrant. The Sewage Works pools at Larnaca were the resting place for a few days at the end of July/beginning of August for a Franklin’s gull (Larus pipixcan). These gulls breed mainly in Canada’s Prairie Provinces and the north/central United States. They are long distance migrants, wintering mainly on the shores of Peru and Chile. While a first for Cyprus, there are, however, widespread European records for this species. Quite how it found its way here is unclear, although there has been a record from nearby Israel. Luckily for local birders, it was easily visible for several days and many were able to get views of our first American guest.
The east of the island also gave only the third record of a pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos). This was at Achna Dam at the end of September and was luckily seen by those on a BirdLife Cyprus field meeting to the area. Although this little wading bird also breeds in Canada and Alaska, this vagrant is more likely to have been from the Siberian population.
Three other visitors were smaller birds, one of which actually breeds reasonably close to Cyprus in Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, although it is more common in Iran and eastwards to the west of Pakistan. This is the red (or rufous) tailed wheatear (Oenanthe xanthroprymna). The third Cypriot record was spotted near Konia in Paphos for a few days from November 1, 2006. It was on a gravel pile in a builders’ yard near the motorway there. Local experts quickly picked up on it despite it not being in a usual birding site!
All three of these birds were clearly visible and allowed photos to be taken, aiding their identification. The third red-flanked bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) was not so obliging when it was seen near the Frenaros/Sotira road in early September but Pissouri’s Little Bunting (Emberiza pusilla) was caught on camera and provided the second confirmed record for Cyprus in mid April of 2006.
The number of birdwatchers on the island may be increasing, but luckily there is not as yet the ‘twitching’ culture here that gives birdwatchers abroad a bad name. A recent rarity to the UK was the Asian sea bird, the long-billed murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix). This bird caused more than 1,500 people to descend on a Devon coastal spot in just one weekend. One thing, however, is sure in Cyprus. As the number of regular observers increases on the island, more new species will be added to the Cypriot list simply due to the fact that more watchers are out and covering more areas. During 2006, both the hooded wheatear (Oenanthe monacha) and the white-throated robin (Irania gutturalis) were recorded for the 10th and 13th times respectively. Several rare vagrants will probably be shown to be more frequent as visitors than was previously thought.
However, these rare vagrants should not be confused with rare species. Just because something only occurs rarely in one country, that does not mean that it is rare in its usual range. They are interesting examples of overshoots and show how migration may not always go according to plan. It is, however, very unlikely that any of the birds mentioned or any of the others with just a few recorded sightings here will ever become an integral part of the Cypriot ecosystem. We should enjoy their occurrence, but sightings of birds that were formerly common here but are now much diminished in number are just as important. Two of these are the Griffon vulture (Gyps vulvus) and the raven (Corvus corax), and sightings of these should be appreciated in just the same way as that of the Franklin’s gull.
n If you want to know more about Cyprus’ birds or are interested in joining BirdLife Cyprus please contact P.O. Box 28076, 2090 Nicosia, telephone 22455072 or e-mail [email protected]
Alternatively join us for a walk in Athalassa park, Nicosia on Sunday January 21. Call 99-059541 for details.
