As well as this Sanderling on Spiros Beach, there were at least five Curlew Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plover, a Black-tailed Godwit and three Marsh Sandpiper at Larnaca Sewage Works. Several Little Stint and a couple of Common Sandpiper were also present. Seven Greater Flamingo were feeding there and in among the Mallard were a couple of Garganey, a single Northern Shoveler, a Ruddy Shelduck and some Ferruginous Duck. Many Spur-winged Lapwing were around the edge of the pools and in the nearby fields and a couple of Black-winged Stilt were still present. No sign of the Eurasian Curlew I had seen there the day before.
Sanderling, Spiros Beach, 27th July 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Sanderling, Spiros Beach, 27th July 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Apart from the usual Mallards, Little Grebe and Eurasian Coot, there was a Whiskered and a White-winged Tern at the Sewage Pools as well as breeding Spur-winged Lapwing, the long-staying Ruddy Shelduck and two Ferruginous Duck. A small group of Kentish Plover flew in while I was there. The majority of bird life on the main Salt Lake was in the north east corner where I found more breeding Spur-winged Lapwing, some Black-winged Stilt, a Grey Heron, two Little Egret, two Cattle Egret and a Squacco Heron. A pair of Black-headed Wagtail were at Spiros Pool and the reeds near the Kamares aqueduct were full of Eurasian Reed Warbler families.
Black-winged Stilt, Larnaca 13th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Barn Swallow, Larnaca 13th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Some sightings from the Troodos area and the Omodos vineyards. Many Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Common Chaffinch, Coal Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper also seen:
Amiandos
Eurasian Crag Martin 2
Livadi tou Pashia
Eurasian Hoopoe 1h
Winter Wren 5+
Spotted Flycatcher 5
Masked Shrike 3m and 2f and 4 juveniles (two in one area, two others elsewhere)
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 8+ and 2+ family groups
Red Crossbill 1 seen and another heard
Eurasian Jay 2
Eurasian Blackbird 1m
Red-rumped Swallow 2
Almirolivado
Masked Shrike 3m and 1f
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 4+
Winter Wren 4+
Eurasian Blackbird 1
Start of Caledonia Trail (Troodos end)
Grey Wagtail 1m and 1 juv plus another prob heard.
Eurasian Blackbird 1m an 1f
Winter Wren 3+
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Mandria (Platres) – Agios Nikolaos road
Cyprus Wheatear 4m
Masked Shrike 1
Agios Nikolaos road to Omodos
Cyprus Wheatear 3
Masked Shrike 1m and 1f
Long-legged Buzzard 2
Black-headed Bunting 4 singing males
Omodos
Black-headed Bunting 3 males
Corn Bunting 1
Red-rumped Swallow 5
Eurasian Jay, Livadi tou Pashia, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A walk around the dam at Athalassa today which still has plenty of water. A couple of pairs of Black-winged Stilt were present as were four Ferruginous Duck, an adult Little Bittern, two Squacco Heron, two Black-crowned Night Heron, four Little Egret and several European Turtle Dove. Eastern Olivaceous and Eurasian Reed Warbler could be heard and seen flitting in the trees and reeds and there were several Cetti’s Warbler. Several Mallard had large duckling with them and Eurasian Coot were feeding young – ranging from recently hatched to larger birds. Plenty of Common Moorhen and Little Grebe but no young seen of either species. As usual the area was full of Common Woodpigeon and Hooded Crow.
Black-winged Stilt, Athalassa 9th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
European Turtle Dove, Athalassa Dam, 9th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Eurasian Coot with young, Athalassa 9th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Common Woodpigeon, Athalassa 9th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
An odd mixture of birds this morning around the area to the south of Larnaca Airport including this adult Great Spotted Cuckoo who was feeding on caterpillars on the salt marsh – presumably getting ready to return to its wintering grounds in Africa. An Eleonora’s Falcon flew over the area from east to west. A Woodchat Shrike on the track to the Sewage Works hide was an odd find for June. On the Sewage Pools were three Slender-billed Gulls and a White-winged Tern. I heard a Eurasian Curlew and there were two Ferruginous Duck and the long staying Ruddy Shelduck on the water with the usual Mallard, Little Grebe and Eurasian Coot. One of the Spur-winged Lapwing had three small chicks.
Had a great day around Troodos today – relaxing birding! Found two Red-rumped Swallow collecting mud from near the stream in the Platania picnic site. They would fly in together and one would sit on a nearby stem or bush while the other collected the mud and then they flew off together – presumably to make a nest or repair one they have already used. Spent some time watching a male Masked Shrike feeding a downy recently fledged youngster at Livadi tou Pashia and was pleased to see a Grey Wagtail at the Troodos end of the Caledonia Trail. Lots of Coal Tit, Short-toed Tree-creeper, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and Common Chaffinch around.
Main sightings:
Platania Picnic Site
Red-rumped Swallow 2 coming down to take mud
Masked Shrike 2m and 1f
European Serin 6+
Eurasian Blackbird 1m and 1f
Eurasian Hoopoe 2
Winter Wren 1
Eurasian Jay 1
Livadi tou Pashia
Spotte Flycatcher 3
Eurasian Hoopoe 2
Eurasian Blackbird 2m, 1f and one juvenile
Eurasian Jay h
Masked Shrike 2m – one feeding a downy fledgling
European Serin 4+
Winter Wren 2 plus family party of 6+
Cyprus Wheatear 2m
Start of Artemis trail
Common Swift c70
Pallid Swift 3+
Eurasian Hoopoe 1h
Cyprus Wheatear 3m
European Serin h
Eurasian Blackbird 1 singing male
Eurasian Jay 1
Platania Old Road
European Turtle Dove 2
Cyprus Wheatear 1
Caledonia Trail (Troodos end)
Grey Wagtail 1 ad
Winter Wren 10+ and young in family parties
Eurasian Blackbird 3m and 2f
Common Nightingale 1h singing
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Troodos Environment Centre area
Eurasian Blackbird 1m
Common House Martin c30
Common Swift c200 with at least 30 probable Pallids
Kampos tou Livadiou
Winter Wren 1
Troodos Botanical Gardens – Amiandos
Cyprus Wheatear 1m, 1f and 1 fledgling
Masked Shrike 1m
Eurasian Jay 2
European Serin 2+
Eurasian Blackbird 2+m
Red-rumped Swallow 30+
Common House Martin c40
European Turtle Dove 1
Red-rumped Swallow, Platania, 31st May 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Good to get to do a European Roller survey for BirdLife Cyprus at one of my favourite places this morning. Found four European Roller, four European Bee-eater, an adult and five juvenile Great Spotted Cuckoo, two Eurasian Hoopoe, six male Cyprus Wheatear, five male Cyprus Warbler and a juvenile, a singing male Cretzschmar’s Bunting and two young Little Owl.
European Roller, Panagia Stazousa, 20th May 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Young Little Owl, Panagia Stazousa, 20th May 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Breeding success in evidence this morning as I visited my Common Birds Monitoring transect at Mennogeia. I found family parties of Chukar, Cyprus Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Crested Lark and best of all – three juvenile Great Spotted Cuckoo in a carob tree being called by their Hooded Crow foster parents who were flying above.
Cyprus Birding Tours 