cyprusbirdingtours

December 31, 2013
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My birding 2013

Just been checking the number of species I saw here in Cyprus during 2013 and a bit disappointed but not surprised to see it is 243 – one less than in 2012. Highlights were the Little Bustard, Terek Sandpiper, my first Cyprus Yellowhammer, the Hawfinches at Armou early in the year, my second Wallcreeper and the Red-breasted Flycatcher. The list of missing species includes Demoiselle Crane, Great Crested Grebe, Black Stork and Goldcrest and for the fourth consecutive year, Northern Raven. Not having seen that is probably the most depressing being testament to their status now here on the island – seemingly only a few pairs in the occupied north.

Good birding to every one in 2014.

December 31, 2013
by cyprusbirdingtours 2 Comments

Akrotiri today 31st December 2013

Last day of the year and was keen to get out and try to see if I could add one new species to my 2013 list today. No luck with that but still an enjoyable day around Akrotiri.

It was raining heavily when I left Nicosia this morning but the Akrotiri area was dry all day. Had good views of a Eurasian Bittern at Phassouri. Spent some time trying to locate the Reed Bunting I had heard but found many Water and Meadow Pipit and several Common Snipe. There were at least seven Common Buzzard flying over the area as well as five Marsh Harrier and a European Sparrowhawk.

There are at least 8000 Greater Flamingo on the main Salt Lake and around two hundred Common Shelduck with some Common Teal and Northern Shoveler as well. Yet more Marsh Harrier were quartering the Salt Lake and there were around eighty Golden Plover together with smaller waders – mainly Kentish Plover. On Lady’s Mile there were about five hundred Black-headed Gull, twelve Armenian Gull, a couple of Sandwich Tern and a few Caspian Gull as well as fifty Little Stint and a Dunlin.

Armenian Gull 2nd winter Lady’s Mile 31st December 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Seasons Greetings 2013

December 19, 2013 by cyprusbirdingtours Leave a comment

December 17, 2013
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Little Bustard shot

Appalled to hear today that the Little Bustard present outside Nicosia for the last two weeks appears to have been shot by hunters. A photograph of a shot Little Bustard was seen and the Nicosia bird has not been seen for two days. No coincidence that most years there are reports of shot Little Bustard on the island but that prior to this recent record the last live bird seen was in 1979. Very sad and typical of the irresponsible attitude prevalent among so many local hunters.

December 16, 2013
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Larnaca today 16th December 2013

Finally I was able to get out birding today even if mainly to do the waterbird count around Larnaca. What a difference from last December though. Then there were around 7000 Greater Flamingo on the Larnaca Salt Lake but the low rainfall of the last few months meant there is very little water in the Lake yet and I found a only three young birds at the Sewage Works – although at Akrotiri Salt Lake there are currently around 11000 as that has had water in all year. There were around 1300 Northern Shoveler and 730 Common Teal as well as nearly 200 Mallard and plenty of Common Coot and Little Grebe on the Sewage Works Pools. There are thirteen Greater White Fronted Geese and twelve Black-necked Grebe. The only other duck species I found was a single Northern Pintail. Plenty of Black-headed Gull but only one juvenile Caspian Gull.

There were a lot of Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit and some Red-throated Pipit around and at least 160 Golden Plover on Spiros Pool. On the main Salt Lake there were just under 400 Common Shelduck and some Kentish Plover, Little Stint and Dunlin as well as Black-headed Gull and three Armenian Gull. A flock of fifty Northern Lapwing flew over and a Marsh Harrier and Common Buzzard were hunting in the area. In the reeds I found four Reed Bunting as well as Chiffchaff, Linnet, Corn Bunting, Chaffinch, Song Thrush Cetti’s Warbler, Robin and Stonechat.

I continued to Petounta Point where I spent a long time watching both a Jack Snipe and a Water Rail that were out in the open. Also there were five Common Snipe, a Temminck’s Stint, a Common Sandpiper, some Common Teal, nine Common Starling, plenty of Meadow Pipit and White Wagtail, and a Marsh Harrier which was perched in the reeds as I arrived.

Jack Snipe Petounta 16th December 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

December 4, 2013
by cyprusbirdingtours 3 Comments

Little Bustard, Cyprus, 4th December 2013

If anyone had told me this time yesterday that I would soon not only have seen a Little Bustard in Cyprus but would have taken photos of it I would never have believed them. Every year there is anecdotal evidence of shot individuals and it is even reported that certain specimens have found there way to local taxidermists. In the past it was known as a scarce to fairly common winter visitor to low ground here but the only recent validated record of a live bird seems to be from December 1979 (Flint and Stewart. The Birds of Cyprus 1992). Therefore I was surprised to receive a copy of a photo of one late yesterday afternoon and to discover that it had been taken a few hours earlier and just outside Nicosia.

The bird had chosen as hard to find location as you could imagine and one that was a bit too close to the UN Buffer Zone for comfort. Anyhow this morning I was taken by its finder, George Constantinou, out way past Geri to see if it had spent the night in the area. We must have searched for around thirty minutes before we found it. We stayed in the car and it didn’t really seem aware of our presence at all, feeding and moving around the area – sometimes only a few metres in front of us. What a great bird and such a great find. Last year I waited till December for my birding highlight of the year – finally seeing a Wallcreeper – and almost twelve months to the day I get the birding highlight of 2013!

Little Bustard Geri December 4th 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

November 30, 2013
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Agios Sozomenos and Athalassa again today 30th November

Again confined to Nicosia for birding but a good collection of birds found. Four male Finsch’s Wheatear, a Woodlark, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Redstart and a Little Owl at Agios Sozomenos as well as several Spanish Sparrow, Chaffinch,Spectacled Warbler and lots of Jackdaw. Two Great White Egret at Athalassa as well as nearly fifty Great Cormorant, a couple of Kingfisher, Grey Heron and Little Egret, four Northern Shoveler, some Teal and a Grey Wagtail. The three Black-winged Stilt are still there.

Great Cormorant Athalassa Dam November 30th 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Kingfisher Athalassa Park 30th November 2013. (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Heron Athalassa November 30th 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

November 23, 2013
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Morning’s bird watch around Nicosia, Saturday 23rd November 2013

With not a lot of spare time to get our birding at the moment I decided to allow myself a few hours around Nicosia this morning. I first went to Agios Sozomenos and on heading straight to the cliffs behind the church I found a male Finsch’s Wheatear who came close to the edge overlooking the track which meant I could watch him well for quite a while. There was another male about 500m away along the road which for a few seconds actually flew down on the road before flying up onto the cliffs. Also in the area were at least 200 Western Jackdaw, a male Blue Rick Thrush, a couple of Black Redstart, a Little Owl and a Long-legged Buzzard.

At Athalassa Dam I found a Jack Snipe crouched low at the edge of one of the stands of reeds. There were around forty Great Cormorant, five each of Grey Heron and Little Egret, some Common Teal and at least two Grey Wagtail. I had assumed that lone Black-winged Stilt I had seen there on previous visits would have left so was surprised to find three this visit. A Common Kingfisher was flying around the area – in fact I think there were two. In the trees there were plenty of Chiffchaff, Robins, Chaffinch and a male Blackbird and a Song Thrush.

Finsch’s Wheatear Agios Sozomenos November 23rd 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Long-legged Buzzard Agios Sozomenos November 23rd 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-winged Stilt Athalassa November 23rd 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Egret Athalassa November 23rd 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

November 22, 2013
by cyprusbirdingtours 3 Comments

Photos from day’s birding in Paphos November 8th

Photos from day’s guiding around Paphos, 8th November taken by Dr Martin Perrow. All photos (c) Dr Martin Perrow.

Cyprus Warbler Asprokremmos Dam (c) Dr Martin Perrow

Wallcreeper Avagas Gorge (c) Dr Martin Perrow

Bluethroat, Paphos Sewage Works (c) Dr Martin Perrow

Finsch’s Wheatear Anarita Park (c) Dr Martin Perrow

Spur-winged Lapwing Paphos Sewage Plant (c) Dr Martin Perrow

November 18, 2013
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Booted Eagle at Akhna Dam and Terek Sandpiper at Oroklini, 18th November

Yesterday a Buff-bellied Pipit (spp. japonicas) had been seen at Akhna Dam but I had no joy finding it this afternoon although there were many Meadow Pipit and Water Pipit around. It was worth the trip to see the pale Booted Eagle that has been there the last week or so and was seen several times – usually being harassed by the local Hooded Crows. Also present was an immature Great White Pelican, a Common Redshank and a Greenshank, a Great Egret and several Grey Heron, Little and Cattle Egret. The bushes were full of Chiffchaff – at least twenty five in one small area.

The recent storms meant that there was some water at Oroklini Marsh and the waders have moved from the channels into a flooded area which was visible from the derelict houses there. Common Redshank, Northern and Spur-winged Lapwing, Dunlin, Little Stint and there out in the open – the Terek Sandpiper. A less than annual migrant this individual has been present for over a month now. Managed to get a few record shots of it – not great especially as it was getting dark. So pleased to see the Terek well that I didn’t notice the Common Snipe sitting behind it until I got home and checked the photos!

Booted Eagle Akhna Dam 18th November 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Terek Sandpiper and Common Snipe Oroklini Marsh November 18th 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

November 18, 2013
by cyprusbirdingtours 3 Comments

Waterbird Count Larnaca today 18th November 2013

After a stormy night it was still windy and showery around Larnaca this morning as I did the Waterbird Count. Nearly a thousand Northern Shoveler on the Sewage Pools and over 500 Common Teal with plenty of Mallard, Coot, Little Grebe and Black-headed Gull. Thirteen Greater White-fronted Geese have arrived as have four Black-necked Grebe and four Common Shelduck. Among the ducks I found one Northern Pintail and one Ferruginous Duck. Four Black-winged Stilt were feeding around the edges together with a Bar-tailed Godwit, three Sanderling and some Common Redshank, a Greenshank, five Ruff and a few Little Stint. I found one adult Caspian Gull, two Armenian Gull and several Yellow-legged Gull.

On Spiro’s Pool there were over forty Golden Plover but no water. At the Kamares area of the main Salt Lake there is some water and an interesting selection of birds included 100 Kentish Plover, a couple of Common Ringed Plover, some Dunlin, Little Stint and Common Redshank as well as a Jack Snipe. There were a couple of Water Pipit and at least one Penduline Tit and two Reed Bunting in the reed beds. Two Marsh Harriers were overflying as was a Eurasian Sparrowhawk.

Plenty of overwintering passerines around – Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, European Robin and Song Thrush.

Golden Plover Spiro’s Pool 18th November 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

November 15, 2013
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Paphos Sewage Works and Mandria afternoon 15th November 2013

Stopped at the Sewage Plant outside Paphos this afternoon on my way back to Nicosia. More than 100 Common Woodpigeon are flocking in the area. There was a small group of 18 Common Starling and a Sparrowhawk was hunting the Meadow Pipit and Skylark as it had been doing when I was there on Monday. There were also several Red-throated Pipit and lots of White Wagtail as well as five Cattle Egret feeding in the fields. I was surprised to hear a Wren singing and then saw it in the reeds opposite the stables. A Bluethroat was also there together with several Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler and a Cetti’s Warbler. The sun was setting when I got to Mandria but both a male and female Hen Harrier were quartering the fields there, putting all the Skylark up.