Only saw one Finsch’s Wheatear in the area this afternoon and he decided to keep an eye on me from behind a rock! A pair of Long-legged Buzzard were flying around the abandoned village calling and a female Hen Harrier was present. Lots of finches, Common Chiffchaff and Common Stonechat in the area.
Finsch’s Wheatear, Agios Sozomenos, Nicosia 6th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Common Chiffchaff, Agios Sozomenos 6th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A visit to Manglis Lake in the suburbs of Nicosia this morning showed the importance of this and other wetlands to wintering birds here in Cyprus. There were nearly 50 Greater Cormorant, four Grey Heron, a Great Egret, a Little Egret, more than 20 Eurasian Coot, three Moorhen and a Little Grebe all feeding and resting there.
Grey Heron, Manglis Lake 2nd February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Eurasian Coot, Manglis Lake 2nd February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A female Spectacled Warbler today at Nicosia. A localised, fairly common resident to Cyprus.
Finsch’s Wheatear, Agios Sozomenos 13th December 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
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
Spent a few hours at Athalassa Dam and saw the following:
Great Egret 3
Little Egret 2
Grey Heron 6
Great Cormorant 50+
Eurasian Spoonbill 1 juv
Cattle Egret 1
Black-crowned Night Heron 1 ad
Common Kingfisher 2
Grey Wagtail 2
Ferruginous Duck 2
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Black-winged Stilt 2
Common Snipe 1
Northern Shoveler 8
Eurasian Teal 30+
Mallard c30
Little Grebe, Eurasian Coot and Common Moorhen
Common Chaffinch, European Robin, Common Chiffchaff and White Wagtail.
Hooded Crow and Common Woodpigeon
Black-winged Stilt, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Eurasian Spoonbill, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Great Cormorant, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Great Egret Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Grey Heron, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Little Grebe 4, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Mallard, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A first winter Whiskered Tern was on my local Nicosia patch this morning.
Whiskered Tern, Nicosia 15th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Walked around the lake at Athalassa Park this morning. Birds of interest were:
Great Egret 5 (maybe 6)
Grey Heron 3
Black-crowned Night Heron 5 (4ad)
Cattle Egret 2
Great Cormorant 11
Ferruginous Duck 14+
Tufted Duck 3 (on smaller Sewage Pool)
Grey Wagtail 2+
Water Rail h
Chiffchaff 30+
Plus lots of Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Eurasian Coot, Common Moorhen, Little Grebe
Ferruginous Duck, Athalassa Park 19th January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Four Ferruginous Duck, Athalassa Park 19th January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Great Egret Athalassa Park 19th January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Northern Shoveler Athalassa Park 19th January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Four birds on territories in the area – three males and a female. Also several Red-throated Pipit, Eurasian Skylark, Spectacled Warbler, Western Black Redstart and a Long-legged Buzzard.
Finsch’s Wheatear Agios Sozomenos 23rd November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Found my target species today at Agios Sozomenos – a newly arrived male Finsch’s Wheatear (well he wasn’t there on Wednesday!) was setting up his winter territory there. An interesting selection of raptors was flying over the area – all receiving close attention from the local Western Jackdaws – first a juvenile Bonelli’s Eagle, then a Long-legged Buzzard, a Common Buzzard and finally a Eurasian Sparrowhawk all had to run the gauntlet. The only raptor that the Jackdaw’s didn’t bother was a Peregrine Falcon flying around the cliffs.
I only saw one White Stork in the nearby clover fields but I understand that two had been present earlier in the morning.
Finsch’s Wheatear Agios Sozomenos 23rd October 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
White Stork, Nicosia 23rd October 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Thanks to a tip off from a local birder, I went to fields to the south east of Nicosia this afternoon and found the two White Stork he had found there earlier today. I then took the opportunity to check if any Finsch’s Wheatear had arrived at nearby Agios Sozomenos but couldn’t find any. I did find two Cyprus Wheatear, a Blue Rock Thrush, a Purple Heron and many Cattle Egret in a watered field, at least one Red-throated Pipit and a Long-legged Buzzard. Little Owl were calling throughout the area and I saw three, although I am sure there were more.
A few hours in the Agios Sozmenos area late this afternoon produced four European Roller, a couple of hundred Corn Bunting in post breeding flocks, several calling Black Francolin, some Spanish Sparrow, at least three Green Sandpiper, Stone Curlew, Black-winged Stilt, Spur-winged Lapwing and a juvenile Great Spotted Cuckoo begging its Magpie parent for food.
Spanish Sparrow Agios Sozomenos 22nd June 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Birding Tours 