For nine months of the year its a popular picnic and walking area. In winter its a bit wild and can be virtually deserted. One such day was last Saturday when there were only about 10 people around.
Buduzeera last Saturday was wild and windy
There were very large numbers of two birds - cattle egret which breed there and which are there all year round and cormorant.
one of several flock of cormorant which flew over
It has been reported in the past that 300 cormorant winter here. I think that number is very fair. The lake teems with fish and with its shelter must be appealing to them.
black backed gull
As well as the "big two" birds, there were smaller numbers of several others including black headed gull and black backed gull. Black headed gull is very common in Cyrenaica winter. Black backed gull is very common in Tripolitania but a few make it over further east to here. There were four or five at Buduzeera.
cattle egret and grey heron
I have said recently that it appears that cattle egret (and little egret - none seen here though) are more hardy than grey heron. This seemed to be the case again. While some of the large number of cattle egret were out and about, all three grey heron I saw were skulking in the reeds, sheltering from the wind.
I saw my first little bittern in Libya here too. It was sheltering in the reeds when we walked past it (unnoticed) causing it to bolt further down the lake but sadly I lost sight of it.
Another notable bird was kingfisher which must have an easy time feeding here.
grey wagtail
Finally, on the way to Buduzeera a grey wagtail was pointed out to me near our house. I only see them in the city for a couple of weeks when they first arrive in the autumn and after it has rained (at various times in the winter). Well it had rained the day before and sure enough I saw one or two.
I wonder where they go between rains?
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThis is Mo from London, I just want to say: keep it up!