As the main Salt Lake and the pools near the sea are all bone dry now and waiting for the first rains the waterbird count didn’t take too long. But there were some interesting birds at the Sewage Pools and in the Spiro’s Pool area  – wherever there was some water.  There were two adult and four immature Greater Flamingo at the Sewage Pools, where there are now several hundred Mallard and Shoveler and a good number of Teal. Waders included Ruff, Black-winged Stilt, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Redshank, Little Stint, Dunlin, Curlew and Marsh Sandpiper, Wood and Green Sandpiper, a lone Golden Plover and a flying visit from a Broad-billed Sandpiper. There was one Grey Heron and a Whiskered, White-winged and Gull-billed Tern. A juvenile Pallid Harrier passed over and five Marsh Harrier flew over just before 6.30am heading towards Cape Kiti.

Five Turtle Dove, many Spanish Sparrow, a Yellow Wagtail and a Willow Warbler were drinking from a puddle near the Desalination Plant and were joined by a Little Stint and a Broad-billed Sandpiper (which could have been the bird seen earlier at the Sewage Pools). Also in the area were several Marsh Sandpiper, several Common Ringed Plover, another Common Redshank and a Wood Sandpiper. Nearly thirty Kentish Plover were on Spiro’s Beach with more Common Ringed Plover. Five Shag were on the offshore buoys.

There were several Whinchat in the area and around the main Salt Lake together with several Red-backed Shrike, Willow Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher, migrating Sand Martin, Barn Swallow and European Bee-eater.

And a sign of the change of seasons was a fly over from a White Wagtail – the first of the autumn.

Larnaca Salt Lake 21st September 2013 Copyright Cyprus Birding Tours

At Cape Greco again for the morning and it got off to a good start with Bee-eaters and a Marsh Harrier over the area as soon as I arrived and a ring-tailed Harrier visible flying out over the sea – disappearing from view and making a definite ID difficult. Many Bee-eaters passed over during my stay but not all were visible as they were flying very high. Five Honey Buzzard were also passing over early on heading out to sea very high – in fact most of the birds were moving southwards much higher than usual today. Luckily there were clouds around and picking out the birds was not difficult. During the morning I saw Marsh Harrier 6 (3m), Ring-tailed Harrier 1, European Bee-eater 50+ seen and others heard, Honey Buzzard 12, Peregrine Falcon 2 adults, Barn Swallow 150+, Montagu’s Harrier 1, White Stork 1, Black Kite 2, Bonelli’s Eagle 1 juvenile, Red-rumped Swallow 7, Whinchat 1, Spotted Flycatcher 2, Cyprus Wheatear 5, Tree Pipit 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Isabelline Wheatear 1.

A quick visit to Agia Napa Football fields has become an add-on to the raptor count and today’s highlight there was an Eastern Orphean Warbler which was sitting on the top of an acacia so I had great views. There were a couple of very smart male Red-backed Shrike and almost a hundred Yellow Wagtail as well as single Tree Pipits and Spotted Flycatcher.

While watching the White Stork at Cape Greco I had heard of a reported Demoiselle Crane and Red-breasted Flycatcher at Akhna so a visit there was also a must. No luck with either of those but still worth the detour. The water level has dropped further since Monday.  I found a Great Reed Warbler and had good views of a couple of Marsh Harrier and a Black Kite. There were at least two White-winged Tern flying around as well as a Hoopoe, Masked Shrike and at least eight Red-backed Shrike. Here as elsewhere all day there was a steady stream of Barn Swallow, Sand Martin and European Bee-eater migrating over.

Another stint of raptor watching at Cape Greco this morning produced a Bonelli’s Eagle seen in the distance over Agia Napa Sewage Works, a Black Kite, two Montagu’s Harrier – one being mobbed by the local Jackdaws – and an Eleonora’s Falcon. There were over 100 Bee-eaters passing over during my time  there and good numbers of Barn Swallow, Sand Martin and Red-rumped Swallow. Around the view point there were just two Cyprus Wheatear today in contrast with last week’s six as well as a couple of Whinchat, three Spotted Flycatcher, an Isabelline Wheatear and an Ortolan Bunting which flew off as I arrived.  There were several Willow Warbler flitting in the scrub and low pines, as well as at least one Lesser and one Common Whitethroat.  A group of seven Grey Heron and four Little Egret flew along the coast heading south straight out to sea.

A quick stop at the Agia Napa Football pitches produced a female Black-eared Wheatear and the usual suspects – Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Lesser and Red-backed Shrike.

Having heard of two Great White Pelican at Akhna Dam I decided to give that area a visit – especially as I had missed getting that species on my year list for the last two years! They were sitting preening in the middle of the water – unmissable. The water level has dropped there, which means that now there are muddy edges for the birds and as a result  there was a good selection of waders. I found five Little Ringed Plover, a couple of Wood and Curlew Sandpiper, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Common Snipe and a couple of Spur-winged Lapwing. I counted at least eight Little Egret and three Black-crowned Night Heron and four Cattle Egret flew in. A Marsh Harrier quartered the area putting the birds to flight at regular intervals and an Eleonora’s Falcon flew over. There were at least three Common Kingfisher, lots of migrating European Bee-eater and a selection of Yellow Wagtail. More interestingly there was a young Citrine Wagtail. The area looks set for some great birding over the next month.

One of the many European Bee-eater migrating through Phassouri Reed Beds on Friday 13th September

European Bee-eater, Phassouri Reed Beds, September 13th 2013 Copyright Cyprus Birding Tours

Another raptor watch at Cape Greco this morning but only a couple of Honey Buzzard, a male Marsh Harrier and a juvenile Montagu’s Harrier plus probably the same Peregrine from Monday in that category. There were some European Bee-eater passing over very high and they were heard but not seen as well as some hirundine – mainly Red-rumped Swallow. Five Grey Heron coasted off shore heading south.

Around the view point were at least six Cyprus Wheatear, two Isabelline Wheatear, a Northern Wheatear and a Black-eared Wheatear so they gave me something to watch. There was also a Greater Short-toed Lark, a Spotted Flycatcher and two Lesser Whitethroat.

At Agia Napa Football fields there were at least eight juvenile Red-backed Shrike and a couple of Lesser Grey Shrike and Masked Shrike. New birds from those seen on Monday there was a Tree Pipit and as I drove away a Stone Curlew flew over.

An early morning visit to Petounta Point, Larnaca. There were several Yellow Wagtail around and was pleased to also see a female and a juvenile Citrine Wagtail which I am guessing could be the same individuals that I saw in mid-August. There were a couple of Common Sandpiper, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Snipe and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover although only one small area now has any water left.  I heard a Water Rail from deep in the reeds and Eurasian Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler and Zitting Cisticola were flitting from between the reeds. A larger bird proved to be a Great Reed Warbler.

At least three Black Francolin were feeding on the dried up marsh and migrants included four Greater Short-toed Lark, two Hoopoe, a Tawny Pipit, two Isabelline Wheatear, a Whinchat and a juvenile Red-backed Shrike. Several Sand Martin and Red-rumped Swallow were flying around and in the distance a ring-tailed Harrier could be seen – seemed to be a Montagu’s but couldn’t be definite.

Was at the view point at Cape Greco today and saw plenty of evidence of migration.  As soon as I arrived four Greater Short-toed Lark flew up from the ground and headed straight out to sea. At nine o’clock the first Honey Buzzard appeared and from then on a steady stream passed through thermalling up and moving either south straight out to sea or south west towards Agia Napa. There were also three Marsh Harrier, and single Osprey, Booted Eagle (light morph), Eleonora’s Falcon and Peregrine Falcon (juvenile) as well as a probable Eurasian Sparrowhawk ( just a bit too far away for positive ID). A flock of at least twenty five Bee-eaters went over and straight out to sea as did a lone Roller. There was a small flock of hirundine –six House Martin, a Common Swift, nine Barn Swallow and fourteen Red-rumped Swallow.

Around the view point were two Cyprus Wheatear, an Isabelline Wheatear , some resident Spectacled Warbler, two Willow Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher.  As I left the area two more Honey Buzzard moved south and a Long-legged Buzzard flew over but am guessing  that was probably a resident bird.

Had a quick stop at the Agia Napa Football Fields were there was a flock of about fifty Yellow Wagtail, two Cattle Egret, a Tawny Pipit, two Whinchat, two Isabelline and a male Northern Wheatear, three Lesser Grey Shrike and four juvenile Red-backed Shrike.

A flock of thirty two migrating Purple Heron in Chrysochou Bay were joined by three Garganey as they circled up at 18.30pm

Purple Heron Latchi September 7th Copyright Cyprus Birding Tours