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Author Archives: cyprusbirdingtours
Akamas area today, Monday 25th August 2014
Plenty of Lesser Grey Shrike in the Akamas area this morning with several Red-backed Shrike, a Whinchat, Eastern Orphean and Willow Warbler, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Hoopoe, Red-rumped Swallow, Lesser and Common Whitethroat. Off shore at Latchi were several flocks of Purple Heron throughout the day totalling over 200 individuals, a few Grey Heron, three Squacco Heron, seventeen Black-crowned Night Heron, over 200 Garganey and ten Northern Pintail. At Droushia nearly twenty Alpine Swift passed over at midday and at dusk a European Nightjar and two Scops Owls were near Smygies picnic site.
Terns and Shrikes at Larnaca this morning, Saturday 23rd August 2014
Waterbird count time at Larnaca today. Everywhere still very dry so most birds were found at the Sewage Works. Garganey, Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Teal have joined the resident Mallard there and two Gull-billed Tern flew over towards the coast with a Whiskered Tern and two White-winged Tern feeding over the pools. Kentish Plover and Yellow-legged Gull were on Spiros Pool with a Common Kingfisher along the coast and sixteen Yellow Wagtail flying over the fields near the Desalination Plant.
Several Red-backed, Masked and a Lesser Grey Shrike were around the Salt Lake and three Pallid Swift were seen in with a small group of Barn Swallow.
Mixed bag of birds around Larnaca and Pervolia this morning, 10th August 2014
Mixed bag of birds around Larnaca and Pervolia this morning. A Lesser Grey Shrike at Larnaca Airport Pools south; a flock of 16 Greater Flamingo flying over the Sewage Pools with another nine there feeding around the edges; also on the Sewage Pools were two eclipse Garganey, the long-staying Common Shelduck, five Ruff, a Common Sandpiper and a Little Stint. On the rocks of the Airport Coast ignoring the swimmers was a Common Kingfisher and in the fields at Pervolia near Cape Kiti were eight Collared Pratincole.
Greater Flamingo Larnaca Sewage Works 10th August 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Four species of shrike at Agia Napa Sewage Works this morning, 9th August 2014
An early morning visit to the area around the Agia Napa Sewage Works this morning produced a male and female Red-backed Shrike, a Woodchat and Lesser Grey Shrike and a juvenile Masked Shrike. There were several Eastern Orphean Warbler in the bushes and I was pleased to get a good view of a male out in the open for a few seconds. Other warblers around included a couple of Cyprus Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and plenty of Eastern Olivaceous Warbler. A larger warbler skulking deep inside an olive tree was probably a juvenile Barred Warbler but wouldn’t cooperate to allow a definite ID.
Another Woodchat Shrike was at the Agia Napa Football Fields as was a Common Cuckoo, two Eurasian Hoopoe and a Common Whitethroat.
Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report – Morning’s Guiding Paphos 7th August 2014
A few hours around a couple of Paphos sites on a hot and humid Cyprus summer morning with Rob and Helen produced twenty five different species. We had good views of two of Rob’s target species – Eleonora’s Falcon and Long-legged Buzzard. We were unable to find any Cretzschmar’s Bunting that may have still have been hanging around for his third. Despite checking out a couple of their breeding locations they all appear to have moved out. Plenty of Masked Shrike around and a couple of Turtle Dove still at Kannaviou while a Eurasian Hobby flew over the road in front of us outside Stroumbi.
Locations visited with some of the more interesting species seen there:
Petra tou Romiou: European Shag, Eleonora’s Falcon, Chukar, Cyprus Wheatear
Minthis Hills: Long-legged Buzzard, European Roller, Sardinian Warbler, Masked Shrike
Kannaviou: Eurasian Turtle Dove, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Coal Tit, Masked Shrike
Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report – Day’s Guiding Troodos and Zakaki, 4th August 2014
Back out guiding after the summer break, we chose Troodos as our destination as temperatures were still in the high thirties. I picked up Paul and Reem from their Nicosia base and we headed into the mountains with our first stops the Livadhi tou Pashia and Kampos tou Livadiou picnic spots.
We found several Spotted Flycatcher family parties, juvenile and moulting adult Cyprus Wheatear, an adult Masked Shrike, a male European Blackbird, an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler family and good numbers of the endemic sub-species Coal Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper and Jay. Around Troodos Square we added Common and Pallid Swift as well as Eurasian Hoopoe and European Serin. We found two adult male Masked Shrike – one of which perched really close to us. Again we found plenty of Coal Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper.
Leaving Troodos to go to Zakaki we detoured and had our lunch at Tzelefos Bridge. There we found a Grey Wagtail and Common Kingfisher in the stream and plenty of Common Chaffinch. At Omodhos we watched several Red-rumped Swallow and continuing southwards we stopped to watch a large raptor gliding over the area near the turn off to Agios Therapon – a Griffon Vulture and a nice surprise for us.
We ended the day out in the hide at Zakaki where we had good views of Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Spur-winged Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt, Little Stint, Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Wood and Green Sandpiper, Reed Warbler and Black-headed Wagtail. Reem and Paul also had their first sighting of Collared Pratincole as an adult and a juvenile were roosting next to the many Mallards. Noting how much warmer it was down by the coast we were glad we had spent most of the day in the mountains birdwatching at a leisurely pace.
Total species seen – 43
Little Grebe, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Mallard, Griffon Vulture, Common Kestrel, Common Moorhen, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Black-headed Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Common Kingfisher, Cyprus Wheatear, Eurasian Blackbird, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Jay, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Goldfinch
Grey Wagtail juvenile at Kalopanagiotis and other birds in the Troodos area, 2nd August 2014
Spent yesterday and today around Kalopanagiotis and Troodos. Plenty of European Serin and Winter Wren heard around the river bed at Kalopanagiotis as well as a couple of male Blackbirds, a Cyprus Wheatear and plenty of Chaffinch. After sunset there were at least fifty House Martin flying over the village.
This morning near the Venetian Bridge at Kalopanagiotis I found a juvenile Grey Wagtail and was pleased to find evidence of breeding again this year. Plenty of Eurasian Jay around the Mount Olympos and Troodos cafes picking up scraps and stale bread. Several male Masked Shrike and adult Cyprus Wheatear were still in the area as well as two Common Swift flying over. Plenty of Coal Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper were heard but only a few were seen. At Moutoullas there were around six Red-rumped Swallow and a Eurasian Crag Martin as well as more House Martin and plenty of Barn Swallow.
Spur-winged Lapwing chicks at Oroklini Marsh, July 2014
Three Spur-winged Lapwing chicks have be seen in front of the observation platform at Oroklini since early July. The parents are very protective and are always close by. They even chase away Little Stint and Little Ringed Plovers to ensure the youngsters can feed safely. So far all three have survived. Not the greatest photos I know but its good to record their progress
Spur-winged Lapwing Chick Oroklini Marsh 8th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spur-winged Lapwing Chick Oroklini Marsh 12th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spur-winged Lapwing Chick Oroklini Marsh 15th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spur-winged Lapwing Chick Oroklini Marsh 24th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spanish Sparrow, Pervolia, 23rd July 2014
Spanish Sparrow, Pervolia, 23rd July 2014, (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Collared Pratincole, Larnaca Desalination Plant, 23rd July 2014
Collared Pratincole Larnaca Desalination Plant fields 23rd July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Larnaca area this morning, 21st July 2014
A quick visit to Panagia Stazousa this morning where I found several juvenile Masked Shrike and Cyprus Wheatear. Two Little Owls were near the road but the best birds were an adult and sub-adult Bonelli’s Eagle soaring over the area.
At the coast, the fields near the Larnaca Desalination Plant are being watered at the moment and there were two Collared Pratincole, four Little Stint, a Common Sandpiper, three juvenile Little Ringed Plover and several Kentish Plover feeding in the mud. Two juvenile Little Tern flew along the coast.
Little Owl Panagia Stazousa 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Little Stint Larnaca Desal Fields 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Kentish Plover juvenile Larnaca Desal Fields 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
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