Quick visit to Agios Sozomenos outside Nicosia this morning. Very quiet apart from some Red-throated Pipits, a Cyprus Wheatear and a group of five Whinchat (one photographed below) and a male European Stonechat together on the edge of a field. The European Stonechat was my first of the winter – soon they will be so common everywhere until late March.
Whinchat , Agios Sozomenos, 7th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Find a puddle and find some birds coming to drink! Today in Nicosia.
Spanish Sparrow, Nicosia 28th November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
White Wagtail, Nicosia 28th November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Out around Nicosia again today visiting Manglis Lake, Athalassa Dam and Agios Sozomenos. Best birds were:
Manglis Lake
Great Egret 1
Little Egret 1
Black-necked Grebe 1
Athalassa Dam
Grey Wagtail 1
Great Egret 2
Little Egret 1
Grey Heron 6
Black-crowned Night Heron 3ad and 1imm
Great Cormorant 60+
Black-necked Grebe 3
Ferruginous Duck 9
Eurasian Blackbird 1h
European Serin 2+
Plus plenty of Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Coot, Moorhen and Little Grebe
Agios Sozomenos
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Hen Harrier 1 being chased away by Long-legged Buzzard
Spanish Sparrow 30+
Bonelli’s Eagle 1 ad and 1 imm
Finsch’s Wheatear 1m and 1f
Common Quail 1h calling from edge of field of alfalfa
Red-throated Pipit 2h
Black-crowned Night Heron (immature), Athalassa Dam 12th January 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Back in Cyprus after a few weeks away and time to get the 2018 year list under way. Visiting Manglis Lake and Agios Sozomenos in Nicosia with the Black-necked Grebe I found at the former in mid December still present and good views of Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Little Owl and Finsch’s Wheatear at the latter.
interesting sightings:
Manglis Lake
Black-necked Grebe 1
Northern Shoveler 13
Common Teal 1m
Little Egret 1
Great Cormorant 1
Agios Sozomenos
Cattle Egret 1
Red-throated Pipit 6
European Serin 2
Spectacled Warbler 3 singing males
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Bonelli’s Eagle 2
Little Owl 1 (see photo)
Northern Lapwing c50
Common Buzzard 2
Finsch’s Wheatear 1m and 1f
Corn Bunting 2 singing
Little Owl, Agios Sozomenos 8th January 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A patch tick for me this morning at Manglis Lake in Nicosia – a Black-necked Grebe. (Distant shot below). Seem to be good numbers around the island this winter.
Black-necked Grebe, Manglis Lake, 14th December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
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
Northern Lapwing, Agios Sozomenos 2nd December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A few birds of interest at Agios Sozomenos earlier today:
Cattle Egret 17Â
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
European Stonechat, female, Agios Sozomenos 25th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spanish Sparrow, Agios Sozomenos 25th November 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
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
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.
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.
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
Several Little Grebe families this morning at Athalassa Dam. This one was near the hide and the adult was very busy keeping the three youngsters together and also bringing some food. All three young were able to dive and could be seen clumsily swimming underwater presumably looking for insects etc themselves.
Cyprus Birding Tours 