Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus

Category Archives: Birding


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Red-breasted Merganser today Akrotiri Gravel Pits 5th December 2017

Red-breasted Merganser, Akrotiri 5th December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Red-breasted Merganser, Akrotiri 5th December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Great Crested Grebe and Red-breasted Merganser (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Great Crested Grebe and Red-breasted Merganser (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

I hadn’t been sure where to go birding today until I heard last night that local birder John East had found a female Red-breasted Merganser at Akrotiri Gravel Pits. The last record was in 2014 so not to be missed. The bird was keeping close company with a Great Crested Grebe and a Black-necked Grebe who had been on the pool for several days and I was pleased to get a few photos. Also around Akrotiri today:

Akrotiri Gravel Pits
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1
European Serin 7
Woodlark 8
Red-breasted Merganser 1f
Great Crested Grebe 1
Black-necked Grebe 1
Little Grebe 1
Western Marsh Harrier 1f and 1 sub-ad male

Phasouri Reed-beds
Bluethroat 1
Eurasian Skylark 1

Zakaki Marsh
Water Rail 1h

Lady’s Mile
Black-headed Gull 300+
Armenian Gull 6+
Caspian Gull 1+
Greater Flamingo 48 juvs
Pied Avocet 2
Common Buzzard 1

Akrotiri Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo c1200
Common Buzzard 1


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Agios Sozomenos this morning 2nd December 2017

Best bird was an immature Bonelli’s Eagle (see photo) being mobbed by a Common Kestrel but also saw three Finsch’s Wheatear, a female Blue Rock Thrush and a singing male Spectacled Warbler. There were many Eurasian Skylark, Red-throated and Meadow Pipit in the fields as well as a large flock of more than 80 Northern Lapwing (see photo).

Bonelli's Eagle, Nicosia 2nd December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bonelli’s Eagle, Nicosia 2nd December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Northern Lapwing, Agios Sozomenos 2nd December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Northern Lapwing, Agios Sozomenos 2nd December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Troodos area today 1st December 2017

Hawfinch, Troodos, 1st December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Hawfinch, Troodos, 1st December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red Crossbill, Troodos, 1st December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red Crossbill, Troodos, 1st December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Found several Hawfinch, European Siskin, Woodlark and Red Crossbill today at Troodos, as well as the more usual Northern Wren, Common Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Eurasian Jay, Short-toed Treecreeper and Eurasian Blackbird.


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East of island 28th November 2017

 

Greater Sandplover, Agios Trias, 28th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sandplover, Agios Trias, 28th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Visited several sites this morning before the heavens opened and the rain ruined any chance of birding in the afternoon.

Akhna Dam
Hen Harrier 1 ring -tail
Black-necked Grebe 2
Woodlark 11

Agios Trias
Greater Sandplover 4 (see photograph)
Eurasian Shag 1

Avgorou
Common Starling 2

Cape Greco
Hen Harrier 1 ring-tail
House Sparrow 500+
Spanish Sparrow 20+
Common Buzzard 2
Northern Wheatear 1m
Blue Rock Thrush 1m

Kermia Beach
House Sparrow 300+
Spanish Sparrow 50+

Macronissos Beach
Eurasian Collared Dove 80+
Laughing Dove 4
Common Kingfisher 1
Audouin’s Gull 1

Potamos Liopetriou
Common Shelduck 1 flying W


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Agios Sozomenos, Nicosia morning 25th November

A few birds of interest at Agios Sozomenos earlier today:

Cattle Egret 17 
Red-thoated Pipit c45
Eurasian Skylark c35
Corn Bunting 12
Finsch’s Wheatear 2f and 1m
Hen Harrier 1 ring-tail
Black Redstart 1m
Spanish Sparrow 55+

Cattle Egret, Agios Sozomenos 25th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Cattle Egret, Agios Sozomenos 25th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

European Stonechat, female, Agios Sozomenos 25th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

European Stonechat, female, Agios Sozomenos 25th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spanish Sparrow, Agios Sozomenos 25th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spanish Sparrow, Agios Sozomenos 25th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca today

Out doing Wetland count around Larnaca today and had some good luck – Spotted a Merlin on the ground near Larnaca Sewage Works and then realised it had prey under its claws – a lark which it then proceeded to eat and ignored me so I managed to get some photos.

Merlin, Larnaca 21st November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Slavonian Grebe, Paphos 19th November 2017

Pleased to have caught up with the two Slavonian Grebe that were found offshore by regular birding visitor Alison McArthur at Kouklia, Paphos late last Thursday. Still present Sunday morning although not playing ball for photographs! Two record shots below. Third Cyprus record if accepted.

Slavonian Grebe, Kouklia 19th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca this morning 13th November 2017

A windy morning by the coast south of the airport at Larnaca. Wintering ducks and gulls were around.

Larnaca Airport Coast
Audouin’s Gull 1 ad flying W

Spiros Pool
Eurasian Golden Plover c30
Audouin’s Gull 1 imm
Caspian Gull 4 ad
Armenian Gull 3 ad + 4+ imm
Plus some other immature gulls!

Larnaca Sewage Works
Usual ducks etc plus
Common Pochard 1m and 4f types
Eurasian Wigeon 3
Ferruginous Duck 14
Northern Pintail c20
Black-necked Grebe 3
Greater White-fronted Goose 4
Dunlin 3
LIttle Stint 3
Common Redshank 1
Greater Flamingo 6
Black-headed Gull c60
Red-throated Pipit 1
Eurasian Skylark 2

Meneou Pool
Greater Flamingo 4 ad

Pervolia fields
Chukar 4
Northern Lapwing 2

Greater Flamingo, Meneou 13th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Flamingo, Meneou 13th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Birding Nicosia and Oroklini 11th November 2017

Spent much longer out birding than I had originally intended but it was worth it with the best birds being a sub adult Bonelli’s Eagle, two Long-legged Buzzard, three (maybe four) Finsch’s Wheatear, Red-throated Pipit, Spotted Crake, Water Pipit and a female Merlin which scattered the waders at Oroklini Marsh.

Interesting birds seen:

Agios Sozomenos
Bonelli’s Eagle 1 ad
Long-legged Buzzard 2 (see photo)
Peregrine Falcon 1
Finsch’s Wheatear 1m and 2f (prob 3f)
Red-throated Pipit 7+
Black Redstart 5
Spanish Sparrow 30+

Oroklini Marsh
Greater Flamingo 15
Spur-winged Lapwing 52+
Northern Lapwing 18
Black-headed Gull 13
Armenian Gull 1 ad
Northern Pintail 3
Little Stint 37
Common Ringed Plover 1
Common Redshank 8
Marsh Sandpiper 1
Common Snipe 2
Spotted Crake 1
Water Pipit 2
Merlin 1f
Grey Heron 1

Spiros Pool
Eurasian Golden Plover 27

Long-legged Buzzard, Agios Sozomenos 11th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Long-legged Buzzard, Agios Sozomenos 11th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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European Serin, Nicosia 9th November 2017

With the drop in temperatures, European Serin are now present at lower levels of the island and taking advantage of any water they can find.

European Serin, Nicosia 9th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
European Serin, Nicosia 9th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Achna Dam and Oroklini Marsh 26th October 2017

Visited Achna Dam and Oroklini Marsh this morning after yesterday’s rain. Birds around included Hen and Western Marsh Harrier, Great Egret, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Snipe, Common Kingfisher, my first Meadow Pipits of the winter and a Bluethroat. Photos of a female Northern Pintail and a Western Marsh Harrier from Achna.

Northern Pintail, Achna Dam 26th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Northern Pintail, Achna Dam 26th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Western Marsh Harrier, Larnaca 26th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Western Marsh Harrier, Larnaca 26th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Finsch’s Wheatear, Nicosia 21st October 2017

Finsch's Wheatear, Agios Sozomenos, 21st October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Finsch’s Wheatear, Agios Sozomenos, 21st October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Winter is definitely coming, despite what the weather here tells us at the moment. A male (see photo) and female Finsch’s Wheatear were back on winter territories this morning at Agios Sozomenos. The male was very photo friendly, not so the female. Late migrants around were a lone Cyprus Wheatear, two Spotted Flycatcher and three juvenile Red-backed Shrike. Also around in large numbers were European Stonechat setting up their winter territories.