Hooded Wheatear f Meneou 25th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Female Hooded Wheatear, Larnaca 25th April 2017
Category Archives: Birding
Waterbird Count Larnaca area 25th April 2017
Other commitments meant that I was a bit late doing the monthly waterbird count for April but luck was on my side in doing it today as I also checked for the Bar-tailed Lark that had been seen in the area near the Sewage Works yesterday. Having failed to see it yesterday I wasn’t very hopeful but not only did I see it but also found a female Hooded Wheatear close by!
Other sightings included:
Larnaca Sewage Works area (pools and surrounds in front and down to sea)
Bar-tailed Lark 1
Hooded Wheatear 1f
Spur-winged Lapwing 16 (see photo)
Yellow Wagtail 3
White-winged Tern 1
Common Sandpiper 3
Black-winged Stilt 8
Wood Sandpiper 2
Ruff 14
Northern Shoveler 2m
Little Stint 6
Sand Martin 1
Semi-collared Flycatcher 1f
Collared Flycatcher 1f
Larnaca Airport Pools North
Red-necked Phalarope 3
Black-winged Stilt 12
Slender-billed Gull 12
Black-headed Gull 1 breeding plumage
Ruff 45
Spotted Redshank 1 near full breeding plumage
Common Greenshank 3
Marsh Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper 1
Dunlin 2
Little Stint 45
Kentish Plover 2
Greater Flamingo 3
Larnaca Salt Lake
Great White Egret 1
Glossy Ibis 2
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Greater Flamingo 4
Spur-winged Lapwing 4
Little Stint 16
Ruff 60
Marsh Sandpiper 2
Little Ringed Plover 2
Spur-winged Lapwing, Larnaca Sewage Works, 25th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Mennogeia this morning 23rd April 2017
Did a Common Bird Monitoring survey transect this morning at Mennogeia where there were three Great Spotted Cuckoo harassing a pair of Eurasian Magpie. I also found a pair of Cyprus Warbler and two other singing males plus a European Roller. Two other European Rollers and a Long-legged Buzzard were at nearby Alaminos and near Cape Kiti I saw a Woodchat Shrike and a Whinchat.
Great Spotted Cuckoo, Mennogeia, 23rd April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
8th to 15th April 2017
For the last week Jane from Cyprus Birding Tours has been leading a group from the UK based Birdwatching Breaks company around Cyprus. Some excellent birds were around and we were especially lucky to be a Cape Greco when another visiting birder found the sixth Bar-tailed Lark to be found in Cyprus and we had excellent views of it. More than 140 species were seen with the most notable being the endemic Cyprus Warbler and Cyprus Wheatear as well as the endemic sub-species, Masked and Woodchat Shrike, Cretzschmar’s and Ortolan Bunting, Spotted and Little Crake, Eurasian Griffon Vulture and Eleonora’s Falcon, Greater Sand Plover, Audouin’s Gull, a male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, a female Desert Wheatear, Red-footed Falcon and Lesser Kestrel, Ruppell’s, Subalpine, Eastern Orphean, Barred and Eastern Bonelli’s Warblers, Semi-collared, Collared and Pied Flycatcher, Calandra and Greater Short-toed Lark, Richard’s, Tawny and Red-throated Pipit, Caspian Tern and Scopoli’s Shearwater offshore, Pallid Harrier, Spur-winged Lapwing, Ferruginous Duck and Red-crested Pochard, Gull-billed Tern, Glossy Ibis, Yellow Wagtail and a female Citrine Wagtail, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Black Francolin and Red Crossbill.
Squacco Heron, Zakaki Marsh, 11th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Yellow Wagtail, Paphos Headland, 14th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Purple Heron, Zakaki Marsh, 11th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Anarita Park 12th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Northern Wheatear, Paphos Sewage Works, 14th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Wheatear, Arodes, 10th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Lesser Kestrel, Anarita Park, 12th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Bar-tailed Lark, Cape Greco 13th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Germasogeia Dam, 9th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Red-footed Falcon, Kivisil fields, 15th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Woodchat Shrike, Lady’s Mile 11th April 2017
European Pied Flycatcher, Kiti Dam, 15th April 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Bird Report 2015
The Cyprus Bird Report 2015 is now available.
The report contains 55 colour photos, the 2015 Systematic List of 301 observed species or recognised forms which was compiled from nearly 66,000 records, the 2015 Ringing report, papers on the first Lesser Flamingo in Cyprus, putting geolocators on Cyprus Wheatears, the BirdLife Cyprus 2015 monitoring programmes, the diet of Red-footed Falcons while in Anarita Park, and autumn bird numbers in Western Paphos. The Report includes species charts and tables and a full Cyprus bird List. The front cover features a male Bearded Reedling – one of a pair at Lower Ezousas in November 2015.
The Report will be sent automatically to those BirdLife Cyprus members whose subscription includes it. Extra copies can be purchased from birdlifecyprus@birdlifecyprus.org.cy
21st to 28th March 2017 cont:
Concluding the tour with The Travelling Naturalist group we had the following highlights:
26th March – The main effort of the day went into finding different flora in Akamas but the birding highlights were Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Tree Pipit.
27th March – We headed for Troodos via Kouklia, Archimandrita and Agios Nikolaos. Highlights were two Eurasian Griffon Vulture plus Coal Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Red Crossbill, European Serin, Laughing Dove, Cyprus and Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Great Spotted Cuckoo and Eurasian Sparrowhawk, plus a Spur-winged Lapwing and a Long-eared Hedgehog outside hotel in morning.
28th March – Concluding a successful week’s guiding we explored the beach near the hotel this morning, finishing with a quick visit close to Larnaca airport. Highlights Ruddy Turnstone, Pallid Harrier, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Kentish Plover, Slender-billed Gull, Ruddy Turnstone, Spur-winged Lapwing and migrating Common Shelduck.
Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Archimandrita, 27th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Long-eared Hedgehog, Paphos 27th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Ruddy Turnstone, Paphos Headland 28th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
21st – 28th March, 2017
During 21st – 28th March Cyprus Birding Tours is leading a tour for the UK based company ‘The Travelling Naturalist’. So far we have visited Paphos Headland with our highlights being Subalpine and Ruppell’s Warbler, Eastern Black-eared and Isabelline Wheatear, Black-headed Wagtail, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Quail, Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone, Tawny Pipit, Red-rumped Swallow and Alpine Swift.
On 23rd we were at Agia Varvara and Anarita Park with highlights:
Agia Varvara – Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Cyprus Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear, Common Quail
Anarita Park – Bonelli’s Eagle, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Pallid Harrier, Common Quail, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl
The 24th we were around the Paphos Plain with highlights:
Male Pallid and Western Marsh Harrier, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Yellow Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, Blue Rock Thrush, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Ruppell’s Warbler, Eurasian Golden Plover and Chukar.
Today, Saturday 25th March we visited Akrotiri with highlights:
Eurasian Bittern, Ferruginous Duck, Squacco Heron, Black-winged Stilt, Baltic Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Water Rail, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Greater Flamingo, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Common Redstart samamisicus race, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Bimaculated Lark, Purple Heron, Spotted Redshank, Wood Sandpiper, Black-crowned Night Heron, ‘Steppe’ Buzzard and Western Marsh Harrier.
Tawny Pipit, Kefelos Beach, 22nd March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Endemic Bee Orchid – Ophrys kotschyi Kotschy’s Bee-orchid (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Larnaca Waterbird Count, 18th March 2017
Some of the main sightings from my morning in the Larnaca area doing the monthly waterbird count. It was still windy but a fall of warblers all along the coast – mainly Chiffchaff but also Lesser Whitethroat, Ruppell’s and Subalpine. The only Ruppell’s that stayed in the open long enough for a photo (see below) didn’t chose the best backdrop before he dived into the shelter of the nearby bushes.
Meneou Pool
Black-winged Stilt 60
Greater Flamingo 190
Ruff 3
Kentish Plover 22
Common Black-headed Gull 25
Dunlin 3
Little Stint 11
Common Ringed Plover 6
Marsh Sandpiper 6
Little Ringed Plover 1
Larnaca Airport Pools South
Baltic Gull ad and 2 imm over heading E
Eurasian Stone Curlew 10
Larnaca Sewage Works
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Ruppell’s Warbler 2m
Chiffchaff 13
Ruddy Shelduck 19
Black-headed Wagtail 3
Spur-winged Lapwing 3
Common Greenshank 6
Eurasian Wigeon 2m
Isabelline Wheatear 1
Eurasian Hoopoe 1
Song Thrush 3
Spiros Pool
Subalpine Warbler 1m
Corn Bunting 1
Black-winged Stilt 9
Common Chiffchaff 6+
Little Stint 3
Hen Harrier 1 ringtail
Larnaca Airport Coast
Lesser Whitethroat 1+
Common Chiffchaff 10+
Ruppell’s Warbler 1m
Subalpine Warbler 1m
Larnaca Airport Pools North
Greater Flamingo 210
Black-winged Stilt 30
Ruff 2
Marsh Sandpiper 2
Common Redshank 1
Larnaca Salt Lake
Grey Heron 5
Great Egret 2
Slender-billed Gull 779
Greater Flamingo 35
Ruff 197
Common Chiffchaff 10+
Common Shelduck 425
Black-necked Grebe 6
Ruppell’s Warbler 1m+
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Common Redshank 4
Spur-winged Lapwing 8
Little Crake 1
Eurasian Reed Warbler 6 (3 heard only)
Kentish Plover 15
Little Ringed Plover 4
Little Stint 10
Dunlin 6
Yellow Wagtail 1f (same bird as present all winter now acquiring ad plumage and seems to be flava female)
Water Pipit 2
Water Pipit, Larnaca Salt Lake 18th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Ruppell’s Warbler, Larnaca Sewage Works, 18th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spur-winged Lapwing, Larnaca Salt Lake 18th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cape Greco area, 7th March 2017
Found two newly arrived Cyprus Wheatear at Cape Greco today and just a hand full of other migrants – an Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and plenty of Isabelline Wheatear. Also saw several singing male Cyprus Warbler and a pair chasing, plus three Blue Rock Thrush, a flock of migrating Great Cormorant, Spanish Sparrows collecting nest material , a Eurasian Hoopoe and a male and female Finsch’s Wheatear. Two Greater Sandplover, a Grey Plover and an immature Slender-billed Gull were at Agia Trias.
Cyprus Wheatear, Cape Greco 7th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Paphos Headland 3rd March 2017
Spent the day in the Paphos area walking around the Headland and inside the archaeological site. A few signs of migration included some Isabelline Wheatear, Eurasian Hoopoe and overflying flocks of Great Cormorant heading north but otherwise quite quiet.
Main sightings:
Paphos Headland
Greater Sand Plover 1 in winter plumage
Eurasian Golden Plover 50+ hidden in grass so couldn’t count properly
Red-throated Pipit 2
Isabelline Wheatear 3
Paphos Harbour
Great Crested Grebe 1
Great Cormorant 90+ over 15.00pm
Great Cormorant 8 over 15.30pm
Paphos Archaeological Site
Isabelline Wheatear 3
Eurasian Hoopoe 3
Isabelline Wheatear, Paphos Headland 3rd March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Eurasian Hoopoe, Paphos Headland 3rd March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Female Common Chaffinch, Paphos Headland 3rd March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Common Linnet female, Paphos Headland 3rd March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Laughing Dove, Larnaca 26th February 2017
Whatever their origin they are continuing to colonise the island. This Laughing Dove was at Kamares, Larnaca today. I hadn’t seen one there before.
Laughing Dove, Larnaca 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Larnaca area today, 26th February 2017
Morning out around Larnaca. No sign of the Greater White-fronted or Greylag Geese at the Sewage Works although they may well have been in the fields.
Interesting sightings include:
Meneou Pool
Greater Flamingo 24
Kentish Plover 27
Little Stint 6
Dunlin 4
Black Francolin 1 singing
Common Ringed Plover 6
Larnaca Airport Pools South
Eurasian Stone Curlew 12
Larnaca Sewage Works
Great Cormorant 8
Barn Swallow 3
Ferruginous Duck 2
Northern Shoveler 35
Eurasian Teal 220
Ruddy Shelduck 11
Green Sandpiper 2
Northern Pintail 1m
Great White Pelican 1
Caspian Gull 1 juv
Yellow-legged Gull 1 ad
Spiros Pool
Eurasian Golden Plover 14
Kentish Plover 2
Common Greenshank 6
Eurasian Wigeon 15
Larnaca Airport Coast
Eurasian Skylark 34+
Meneou Beach
Greater Sand Plover 4 two almost in breeding plumage. Flew off SE when people walked along beach.
Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo c2200
Common Shelduck c550
Slender-billed Gull 105
Common Black-headed Gull 1100+
Eurasian Golden Plover 64
Common Redshank 36
Green Sandpiper 1
Eurasian Skylark c20
Common Swift 2
Dunlin c20
Little Stint c30
Northern Shoveler 75
Black-necked Grebe 6+
Spur-winged Lapwing 6
Common Snipe 12
Little Ringed Plover 3
Barn Swallow 5
Kamares area of Larnaca Salt Lake
Laughing Dove 1 (first time reported in this area)
Western Marsh Harrier 1f
Eurasian Teal 4
Yellow Wagtail 1 (same as present since December)
Grey Wagtail 1
Green Sandpiper 4
Common Snipe 4
Water Pipit 1
Moustached Warbler 1 singing
Bluethroat 1
Water Rail 2h
Spur-winged Lapwing 3
Oroklini Beach
Mediterranean Gull 2 ad (one almost full breeding plumage)
Caspian Gull 2
Armenian Gull 6
Sandwich Tern 1
JUMBO Drainage Channel
Spur-winged Lapwing 4
Common Redshank 1
Common Kingfisher 1
Barn Swallow 1
Common Snipe, Larnaca Salt Lake 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Greater Sand Plover, Meneou Beach, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Eurasian Stone Curlew , Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Mediterranean Gulls, Oroklini Beach, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Birding Tours 