Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus

Category Archives: Birding


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Bar-tailed Godwit, Larnaca 20th October 2017

Bar-tailed Godwit, Meneou 20th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bar-tailed Godwit, Meneou 20th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Yesterday I saw a godwit fly from the beach into Larnaca Sewage Works pools and disappear from sight. It was impossible to get good enough views to ID it as the sun was unhelpfully shining into my field of vision. This morning I found this Bar-tailed Godwit on the nearby beach, and I assume it was the same bird as yesterday’s. They are scarce visitors to Cyprus although they seem to becoming more regular. Was able to get a few photos although the sun was yet again in the wrong place!


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Achna Dam this morning 17th October 2017

More Common Crane migrating over the island today. Over 50 reported over Tala, Paphos while I had 95 over Achna Dam around 9:30 this morning. Also at Achna were:

Hen Harrier 1 ringtail
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1
Great Egret 1
Glossy Ibis 2
Northern Lapwing 2
Common Redshank 2
Wood Sandpiper 1
Common Snipe 1
Little Stint 2
Dunlin 1
Common Kingfisher 1
Red-throated Pipit 3
Northern Pintail 2
Common Crane, Achna Dam 17th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Crane, Achna Dam 17th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca Waterbird Count this morning 16th October 2017

A group of five Common Crane on Meneou Pool (distant photo below) and ten seen migrating from the main Salt Lake were the highlights of the waterbird count around Larnaca today. Also of interest were a Common Pochard, more than 20 Northern Pintail, 11 Ferruginous Duck, two Sanderling, large flocks of White Wagtail with a few Yellow Wagtail and Red-throated Pipit with them, more than 50 Spur-winged Lapwing in the area, two Whiskered Tern, a Black-necked Grebe and a lone European Bee-eater.

Common Crane, Meneou Pool 16th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Crane, Meneou Pool 16th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Agios Sozomenos, 14th October 2017

A good morning around Agios Sozomenos to the south east of Nicosia. Still some migrant breeders and passage migrants around while several European Stonechat setting up territories showed that winter on the way. Two late European Roller, a flock of more than forty Red-throated Pipit, a late Lesser Grey Shrike (see photo) and a Bonelli’s Eagle perched on the cliffs were the highlights.

European Roller 2
Red-throated Pipit 45+
White Wagtail 20+
Yellow Wagtail 12
Bonelli’s Eagle 1 ad perched on cliffs
Red-backed Shrike 2 juv
Lesser Grey Shrike 1 juv
Cattle Egret 6
Spanish Sparrow 20+
Little Owl 1
European Stonechat 16+ (setting up territories all over area)
Cyprus Wheatear 3
Spotted Flycatcher 1

Lesser Grey Shrike, Agios Sozomenos 14th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Lesser Grey Shrike, Agios Sozomenos 14th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Birding around Larnaca 7th & 8th October 2017

Some early morning birding around Larnaca this weekend.  Autumn migration definitely winding down and winter visitors just starting to show.

Some of the more interesting sightings were:

Larnaca Desalination Fields
Northern Wheatear 1
Yellow Wagtail 9
Red-backed Shrike 1 juv
Black Francolin 2

Larnaca Sewage Works
Northern Pintail 6
Ruff c40
Greater Flamingo 17
Spur-winged Lapwing c30
Ferruginous Duck 7
Great Cormorant 1
Collared Pratincole 5
Whiskered Tern 1
Eurasian Golden Plover 1
Black-winged Stilt 2
Black-necked Grebe 1
Dunlin, Little Stint, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Teal, Little Grebe, Mallard

Meneou Pool
Eurasian Thick-knee 19
European Bee-eater 3

Pervolia fields
Red-backed Shrike 2 juv
Dunlin 1 on beach
Red-rumped Swallow 4
European Bee-eater 26
Sand Martin 1
Whinchat 1
Cattle Egret 7
Whiskered Tern 1 imm perched on watering equipment
Greater Short-toed Lark 3
Yellow Wagtail 5
Common Buzzard 1 flew SW

Panagia Stazousa
Cyprus Wheatear 6
European Stonechat 1m
Northern Wheatear 1
Cyprus Warbler 1 singing male plus one other

Kamares area of Salt Lake
Laughing Dove 1
Common Kingfisher 2
Common Snipe 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 4
Little Egret 4

 

Whiskered Tern, Pervolia, 8th October 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Raptor Count, Cape Greco 20th September 2017

Migrating raptor numbers still seem to be low all over the island this autumn but at least I had a few at Cape Greco this morning. No where near what I would expect usually but good to get a European Honey Buzzard pass close over my observation point. Eleven others headed east further inland and I also spotted a male Western Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine Falcon, a Eurasian Sparrowhawk and an Eleonora’s Falcon. A European Roller headed southwards out to sea and a small number of Grey and Purple Heron migrated offshore.

European Honey Buzzard, Cape Greco 20th September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

European Honey Buzzard, Cape Greco 20th September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Waterbird Count Larnaca area this morning 15th September 2017

No rarities in with the usual autumn migrating waders at the Sewage Pools this morning after a Terek Sandpiper and Pacific Golden Plover had been reported there in the last few weeks. Plenty of Greater Flamingo feeding in the water there and numbers of Northern Shoveler and Common Teal already building up. Two Black-necked Grebe were in with the Little Grebe and two Sanderling were on the nearby beach.

Two Black Kite flew in and rested on the mud for a while and two juvenile Montagu’s Harrier were quartering nearby fields as they headed S to Cape Kiti.

Some of the more interesting species:

Meneou Pool
European Bee-eater 50+

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Eurasian Thick-knee 20
Montagu’s Harrier 1 juv

Larnaca Sewage Works
Black Kite 2 flew in and rested on mud
Greater Flamingo 549
Common Ringed Plover 28
Black-winged Stilt 5
Little Stint 61
Kentish Plover 95
Cattle Egret 2
Grey Heron 2
Little Ringed Plover 3
Marsh Sandpiper 6
Dunlin 22
Curlew Sandpiper 1 juv
Common Greenshank 2
Ferruginous Duck 10
Black-tailed Godwit 1
Eurasian Curlew 1
Northern Shoveler 352
Common Teal 119
Wood Sandpiper 3
Ruff 43
Common Redshank 4
Eurasian Thick-knee 1 flew over
Black-necked Grebe 2
Northern Pintail 2
Spur-winged Lapwing 3
Montagu’s Harrier 1 juv

Spiros Pool
Northern Wheatear 2
Red-backed Shrike 1 juv

Larnaca Airport Coast
Yellow-legged Gull 21
Spotted Flycatcher 1

Spiros Beach
Sanderling 2 (see photo)

Larnaca Salt Lake
Red-backed Shrike 3 juv
Masked Shrike 1 juv
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
European Roller 1

Kamares area of Salt Lake
Laughing Dove 4
Little Egret 7
Squacco Heron 2 (see photo)
Common Redshank 1
Sedge Warbler 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 2Sanderling, Larnaca 15th September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Squacco Heron, Larnaca 15th September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Squacco Heron, Larnaca 15th September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Raptor count, Cape Greco 14th September 2017

The main bulk of migrating raptors have not yet put in an appearance so I was hoping that there would be some around at Cape Greco this morning. No such luck unfortunately with just one Western Marsh Harrier the only large raptor seen.

Cape Greco 8.15 – 11.45
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Eurasian Hobby 1
Eleonora’s Falcon 1
Grey Heron 1
Little Egret 1
Purple Heron 25
Whinchat 1
Willow Warbler 1
Yellow Wagtail 8 heading S out to sea
European Bee-eater h
Red-rumped Swallow 40+
Sand Martn 20+

Agia Napa Football Fields
Yellow Wagtail 90+
Common Hoopoe 2
Red-backed Shrike 3 juv
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Isabelline Wheatear 1

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Eurasian Thick-knee 35


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Migrating herons this morning off Cape Greco, 7th September 2017

Although I was at Cape Greco to do a raptor survey it was the flocks of herons that kept me busy counting this morning. Around 450 Purple Heron and 150 Grey Heron passed by off the east of the Cape in several flocks. A lone Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Egret and 11 Glossy Ibis also headed south off the coast and a surprise spot was a juvenile Greater Flamingo migrating in with a flock of Purple Herons.

Photo of a distant mixed flock of Grey and Purple Heron.

Migrating Herons, Cape Greco 7th September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Migrating Herons, Cape Greco 7th September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Polis Chrysochou Bay 1st September 2017

After visiting Akrotiri I spent the afternoon sea watching in Polis Chrysochou Bay. The photo is of two Whimbrel seen migrating W offshore. Other sightings included:

Polis Chrysochou Bay 12:00 – 19-:00
Common Ringed Plover 4 heading W along coast
Garganey three groups c300 in total
Purple Heron in off sea in two groups of 74 in total then seen heading inland 19:00
Audouin’s Gull 1 heading W
Glossy Ibis 52 in off from N and then inland
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Honey Buzzard 2 in off sea 14:40 and then lost to view
Whimbrel 2 heading W with another wader probably Ruff
Baltic Gull 1 heading W
Masked Shrike 1m

Whimbrel, Polis Chrysochou Bay, 1st September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Whimbrel, Polis Chrysochou Bay, 1st September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Demoiselle Crane, Akrotiri Salt Lake 1st September 2017

Was lucky to be at Akrotiri this morning to see this flock of 24 Demoiselle Crane roosting in the middle of the lake and then take off around 10.05 and being lost to view by around 10:20.

Demoiselle Crane, Akrotiri Salt Lake 1st September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Demoiselle Crane, Akrotiri Salt Lake 1st September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours