Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus

Category Archives: Birding


by Leave a comment

Limassol area 5th January 2017

First day out birding of 2017 on my return from UK. As I had missed out on adding Common Gull to my 2016 Cyprus list I was determined to get it for my 2017 list. So I decided to go to Lady’s Mile at Akrotiri where at least three of this uncommon Cyprus winter visitor have been present. I saw my target birds and in with the 1000+ wintering Common Black-headed Gull I also found a first winter Slender-billed Gull and three first winter Mediterranean Gulls. There were also several wintering Armenian and Caspian Gulls.

Other birds of interest in the area included:

Zakaki Marsh
Western Marsh Harrier 3 (in air at same time)
Eurasian Penduline Tit 1+ heard
Common Reed Bunting 1 heard
Gadwall 2f

Phassouri Reed-beds
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Spanish Sparrow 20

Germasogeia Dam
Cyprus Warbler 1m
Corn Bunting 22
Long-legged Buzzard 2
Great Egret 1

Adult Armenian Gull, Lady's Mile 5th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Adult Armenian Gull, Lady’s Mile 5th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

First winter Mediterranean Gull, Lady's Mile 5th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

First winter Mediterranean Gull, Lady’s Mile 5th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

First-winter Slender-billed Gull, Lady's Mile 5th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

First-winter Slender-billed Gull, Lady’s Mile 5th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

CYPRUS BIRD SIGHTINGS RECORDS FOR 2016

Have you been out bird watching in Cyprus during  2016? Then please don’t forget to send all your 2016 sightings in to the Recorder if you haven’t already done so. They can be sent either via the Global portal of the BTO BirdTrack database http://app.bto.org/birdtrack2/main/data-home.jsp or on the excel form which you can either download from the BirdLife Cyprus website or the Recorder can send to you.  Email lists are acceptable if you are not comfortable with either of those two methods.

So that the 2016 database can be completed it would be appreciated if they are received by February 10th 2017.  If you are unable to meet that deadline but still have 2016 records to submit please let the Recorder know.

Make your birdwatching count and ensure that your sightings are included in the 2016 country database. Please note that the only way for your records to be included in the database is to ensure that the Recorder receives them. Unfortunately, she is unable to include those only noted on various social media sites, ‘round-robin’ emails, “BirdLine” etc.

Jane Stylianou

cypriaca@birdlifecyprus.org.cy

BirdLife Cyprus Bird Recorder

P O Box 24382, 1703 Nicosia, Cyprus


by Leave a comment

Cyprus Birding Tours Review of 2016

An extremely busy year for Cyprus Birding Tours – a big thanks to all of you who asked me to take you out during the year – I hope you all enjoyed yourselves as much as I did. 46 days out on which we saw such species as the endemic Cyprus Warbler and Cyprus Wheatear and many others including: Black Francolin, Greater Sand Plover, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Spur-winged Lapwing, Ferruginous Duck, Black-headed Bunting, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Northern Goshawk, Masked Shrike, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Bluethroat, Moustached Warbler, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Finsch’s Wheatear, Pallid, Montagu’s and Hen Harrier, Red-footed Falcon, Lesser Kestrel, White-winged and Whiskered Tern, Jack Snipe, Armenian, Caspian and Slender-billed Gull, Greater Flamingo, Common Crane, Chukar, Yellow and Citrine Wagtail, Temminck’s Stint, Eastern Bonelli’s and Ruppell’s Warbler, Namaqua and Laughing Dove, Desert Wheatear, Greater Short-toed and Calandra Lark, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush and so much more. In addition Ann and Peter were lucky enough to be out on the day that the first Brown-necked Raven for Cyprus was seen at Cape Greco and we twitched it together and several of you saw one of the other Cyprus firsts of the spring – the Amur Falcon that stayed at Anarita Park in Paphos for several weeks from the end of April.

Here’s hoping for a healthy and happy 2017 with lots of good birds!

Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Anarita Park 5th May 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Lesser Grey Shrike, Mandria 6th September 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Bluethroat, Zakaki Marsh, 14th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Greater Flamingo, Lady’s Mile 20th September 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Masked Shrike, Panagia 11th May 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Black-crowned Night Heron, Tzelefos Bridge, 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Great Spotted Cuckoo, Anarita Park, 22nd April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Amur Falcon drying off in the sun, Anarita Park, 6th May 2016
Whimbrel, Paphos Headland 14th September 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Great White Pelican, Larnaca, 18th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Common Snipe, Agia Varvara 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Jack Snipe, Zakaki Marsh, 7th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Glossy Ibis, Zakaki Marsh 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Finsch’s Wheatear, Agios Sozomenos 3rd November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Penduline Tit, Phasouri Reed Beds 7th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Broad-billed Sandpiper, Akrotiri, 31st August 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Prastio April 7th 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Red-footed Falcon female, Anarita Park 7th May 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Red-backed Shrike, Agia Varvara 14th September 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Namaqua Dove, Mandria 15th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Bar-tailed Godwit, Akrotiri Gravel Pits, 20th September 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cattle Egret, Oroklini Marsh, 9th May 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

Waterbird Count Larnaca 16th December 2016

A good day around the Larnaca area doing the December waterbird count. Although one of the Sewage Pools is still empty the other one had some good birds including six Greater White-fronted Goose, a Ruddy Shelduck, an immature Great White Pelican, two Common Shelduck, five Black-necked Grebe, nine Eurasian Wigeon, four Common Pochard and two Northern Pintail. Twelve Eurasian Golden Plover were on Spiros Pool and six Eurasian Curlew were in the nearby fields which also had many Eurasian Skylark and Meadow Pipit feeding in them.

Nearly 700 Greater Flamingo were on the main Salt Lake as were around 140 Common Shelduck. An unexpected find were three Common Crane – maybe the same birds that were at Akrotiri Salt Lake recently (see record photo). Flocks of Kentish Plover, Dunlin and Little Stint were feeding on the edges of the water. Towards the north east corner there were more than 20 Common Snipe and a single Temminck’s Stint. Water and Meadow Pipit were around and were put up by hunting Western Marsh and Hen Harrier and two Common Buzzard. In the reeds I found three Moustached Warbler and two Bluethroat, a Water Rail and a Jack Snipe, as well as many Common Chiffchaff, two Grey Wagtail and a first winter Yellow Wagtail.

Common Crane, Larnaca Salt Lake 16th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Crane, Larnaca Salt Lake 16th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bluethroat, Larnaca Salt Lake 16th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bluethroat, Larnaca Salt Lake 16th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Moustached Warbler, Larnaca Salt Lake 16th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Moustached Warbler, Larnaca Salt Lake 16th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

Finsch’s Wheatear, Agios Sozomenos 13th December 2016

Decided not to waste any time today on trying to get photos of Finsch’s Wheatears at a distance (I have more than enough!). But this male sat on a boulder by the roadside as I drove past and allowed me just this one attempt.

Finsch's Wheatear, Agios Sozomenos 13th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Finsch’s Wheatear, Agios Sozomenos 13th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

Agios Sozomenos this morning 10th December 2016

Spent an hour at Agios Sozomenos this morning. Everywhere looking very dry again despite the recent rain.

Highlights:

Hen Harrier 1m and 1f hunting in same area and putting up many Meadow Pipits
Bluethroat 1 singing
Finsch’s Wheatear 1m (also singing) and 1f
Northern Lapwing 32 (see photo)
Meadow Pipit 200+
Western Jackdaw 300+
Red-throated Pipit 1 seen
European Serin 4
Eurasian Blackbird 1f
Common Chaffinch 6+
Spectacled Warbler 6+
Western Black Redstart 2
Little Owl 1

Northern Lapwing, Agios Sozomenos, 10th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Northern Lapwing, Agios Sozomenos, 10th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

Paralimni area 6th December 2016

Went to Paralimni Lake and sites around Cape Greco. Not a lot to see but some good views of male and female Finsch’s Wheatear, hunting Hen Harrier, Merlin and Peregrine Falcon, my first Audouin’s Gull for a couple of months and a Greater Sand Plover.

Paralimni Lake

Common Starling c130
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Hen Harrier 1 ring tail
Song Thrush 8
Merlin 1

Agia Trias

Grey Plover 2
Greater Sand Plover 1

Cape Greco

Peregrine Falcon 1
Long-legged Buzzard 1 ad
Western Black Redstart 8
Blue Rock Thrush 1f
Finsch’s Wheatear 1m and 1f (poss 2m as he seemed to be everywhere at once)
Cyprus Warbler 1h

Kermia Beach

Audouin’s Gull 1

Makronissos Beach

Kentish Plover 7
Common Sandpiper 1
Corn Bunting 19

Potamos Liopetri

Common Sandpiper 1

Common Kingfisher 1

Male Finsch's Wheatear, Cape Greco, 6th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Male Finsch’s Wheatear, Cape Greco, 6th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Female Finsch's Wheatear, Cape Greco, 6th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Female Finsch’s Wheatear, Cape Greco, 6th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sand Plover, Agia Trias 6th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sand Plover, Agia Trias 6th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

Birding around Nicosia 3rd December 2016

A couple of hours birding close to Nicosia. Lots of the usual winter visitors around: Common Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, European Robin, Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap. The more interesting sightings were:

Agios Sozomenos, Nicosia
Spanish Sparrow 22 + 25
Eurasian Skylark 16
Little Owl 1
Blue Rock Thrush 1f
Spectacled Warbler 7
Western Black Redstart 4
Finsch’s Wheatear 2m and 1f
Hen Harrier 1f
Corn Bunting 18
Red-throated Pipit 2h and 1 seen in breeding plumage (see photos)
Northern Lapwing 70+ flying

Vathi Gonia Water Treatment Plant, Nicosia
Ferruginous Duck 4

Red-throated Pipit, Agios Sozomenos, 3rd December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red-throated Pipit, Agios Sozomenos, 3rd December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red-throated Pipit, Agios Sozomenos, 3rd December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red-throated Pipit, Agios Sozomenos, 3rd December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

East of the island, 29th November 2016

Headed east today and managed to avoid the rain and get the two birds I had hoped for – a Great Crested Grebe at Akhna Dam (a scarce winter visitor to Cyprus, and missing from my Cyprus 2016 list) and the Steppe Grey Shrike at Cape Greco.

Akhna Dam
Great Crested Grebe 1
Northern Lapwing 4
Common Redshank 5
Common Ringed Plover 4
Little Stint 3
Common Snipe 1
Little Bittern 1 juv
Common Starling c80
Water Pipit 8+
Hen Harrier 1f
Cattle Egret 1
Grey Heron 2
Eurasian Wigeon 2

Cape Greco Sea Caves area
Finsch’s Wheatear 1f
Steppe Grey Shrike 1
Blue Rock Thrush 1f

Agia Trias
Little Egret 1
Grey Plover 1
Greater Sand Plover 1
Common Sandpiper 1
Common Kingfisher 1

‘Steppe’ Grey Shrike, Cape Greco 29th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
‘Steppe’ Grey Shrike, Cape Greco 29th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
‘Steppe’ Grey Shrike, Cape Greco 29th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
‘Steppe’ Grey Shrike, Cape Greco 29th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Greater Sand Plover 2, Agia Trias, 29th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Greater Sand Plover, Agia Trias, 29th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Grey Plover, Agia Trias, 29th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours