Having been confined to Nicosia over the last few days I was pleased to find some interesting migrants on both my local patch and a bit further afield:
March 30th and 31st: Manglis Lake – Cretzschmar’s Bunting 1 singing male, two Tree Pipit and a Cattle Egret
April 1st: Agios Sozomenos – Woodchat Shrike 1, Masked Shrike 1, Eastern Black-throated Wheatear 2 dark throated males, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler 2 singing in eucalyptus trees, Eurasian Hoopoe 1, Tree Pipit 3, Yellow Wagtail c10, Eurasian Reed Warbler 2+h. Also there were two Little Owl, some singing male Spectacled Warbler (one seen carrying food into probable nest site), and both Western Jackdaw and Spanish Sparrow seen carrying nesting material.
With no rain forecast, for the first time in days, I headed out with first stop Agios Sozomenos on the outskirts of Nicosia. There was still a male Finsch’s Wheatear present. Two sub-adult Bonelli’s Eagle, a Peregrine Falcon and a Long-legged Buzzard flew over and at the water treatment plant there were two Ferruginous Duck. Blackcap could be heard singing from many bushes as could several male Spectacled Warbler. I also saw two Long-legged Buzzard flying over Panagia Stazousa on the way to Larnaca. A single Isabelline Wheatear and Eurasian Hoopoe at Petounta Point showed that migration continues to stutter into gear. On the beach there were four Kentish Plover. Nine Eurasian Curlew were near the Larnaca Sewage Pools and at least eight Calandra Lark were in the fields outside Pervolia.
Eurasian Hoopoe Petounta Point 26th February 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A good selection of ducks at Athalassa Dam this morning although only the Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Teal were obliging enough to be seen from the hide there. A female Tufted Duck, female Common Pochard and two male and a female Ferruginous Duck were present but could only be seen through the gaps in the waterside vegetation now that the water level is so high.
Singing Cyprus Warblers could be heard as I drove from Pyrga to Panagia Stazousa. I counted and saw at least 12 males and two females but heard several others as well.
Ferruginous Duck and female Common Pochard Athalassa Dam 7th February 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Arriving back in Cyprus late last night meant I didn’t get out as early as I wanted this morning so confined my birdwatching to Nicosia. Visited Athalassa Dam in the morning and Agios Sozomenos in the afternoon. Highlight at Athalassa was two Ferruginous Duck; with Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, a Peregrine Falcon and flocks of Spanish Sparrow the pick of the afternoon’s birding.
Never a common winter visitor to Cyprus but when this lake had good water levels and less disturbance, Great Crested Grebe were present on it most winters. I haven’t seen one there for several years so it was a nice surprise this morning to find one there.
Great Crested Grebe Manglis Lake 3rd December 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Taking a break from paperwork this afternoon, I visited Agios Sozomenos outside Nicosia and ended up seeing five different species of bird of prey as well as three male Finsch’s Wheatear and a male Blue Rock Thrush. A juvenile Peregrine Falcon was perched near the road side and a male Hen Harrier was quartering the area. But at least seven Common Kestrel were causing a commotion and mobbing a large raptor. Knowing that Long-legged Buzzard are usually around I looked up expecting to see one of those. I was surprised to see that it was an immature Bonelli’s Eagle instead, which I hadn’t seen on any previous visits there. The Bonelli’s flew away for a while but when it returned, much to the annoyance of the Common Kestrel again, a Long-legged Buzzard also flew close by and attracted the attention of the Kestrels. A good spectacle.
Also seen were Western Black Redstart, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Common Starling, Corn Bunting, Spectacled Warbler, Common Stonechat, European Robin
A few hours out around Nicosia today produced four male Finsch’s Wheatear at Agios Sozomenos where there were also many Western Black Redstart and a male Peregrine Falcon. At Athalassa Park there was a juvenile Peregrine Falcon flying around, two Great Egret, two Common Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail, several Eurasian Teal, and a few Grey Heron and Little Egret.
Common Kestrel, Agios Sozomenos, November 7th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Picking up Pat from her hotel in Nicosia we headed south east to the abandoned village of Agios Sozomenos. In the fields we heard and saw a few Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit and Red-throated Pipit. Hundreds of Western Jackdaw were on the cliff face and we were really pleased to find two Cyprus Wheatear still present and a migrating Whinchat in with the many Common Stonechat that were setting up territories. A smart male Western Black Redstart stood out and we also had good views of Zitting Cisticola, Chukar and Spectacled Warbler. The target species for the area was the Finsch’s Wheatear that spends the winter in the area. I wasn’t sure if they had arrived and at first it seemed we were too early but then I heard one singing and we located a very smart male. We were then pleased to locate another further along the road. We were also treated to fly-bys from a Long-legged Buzzard, a Peregrine Falcon and a Western Marsh Harrier.
The sky looked very threatening and we drove through a heavy rain storm to Limassol and Phassouri Reed Beds. As the rain was stopping our timing was just right, and we saw a male and juvenile Red-footed Falcon circling up together with a Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Two European Honey Buzzard were also gaining height as were at least two Western Marsh Harrier. We heard a Common Kingfisher, a Water Rail and several Cetti’s Warbler in the reeds but the best bird there was a Moustached Warbler that we saw moving around at the base of the reeds. Akrotiri Gravel Pits held many Common Stonechat and we also found a flock of Common Linnet, Sardinian and Spectacled Warbler.
There were only a few Little Stint on Lady’s Mile and the water levels had risen at Zakaki Marsh but we still had close up views of a Common Kingfisher and two juvenile Yellow Wagtail. A couple of Little Egret were feeding in the mud and at least fourteen Grey Heron were present. A lone Sand Martin was perched on the electricity wires
We decided to finish the day at Kensington Cliffs and we arrived there at around 4.30pm. Here we were treated to an aerial display by several Eleonora’s Falcon – in fact when we looked in the distance we counted at least forty birds – but five were flying and calling over our heads, catching insects and avoiding Hooded Crows and Yellow-legged Gull. As the sun got lower seven Griffin Vulture came into view and flew over the cliff opposite us to their nearby roost. A spectacular sight to round off a great day.
Fifty seven species
Little Grebe, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, European Honey Buzzard, Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Eleonora’s Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little Stint, Common Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Kingfisher, Crested Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, Whinchat, Common Stonechat, Cyprus Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet
Western Jackdaw Agios Sozomenos May 21st 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
One of the many Western Jackdaw breeding on the cliffs at Agios Sozomenos outside Nicosia.
In the area I also saw three European Roller, a Peregrine Falcon, a Little Owl and heard a Hoopoe calling and severalEastern Olivaceous Warbler singing. Near the Vathi Gonia Water Treatment Plant there were a couple of Eurasian Reed Warbler as well as a Common Greenshank and several Little Stint around the pool. A surprise spot was a Barn Owl peering out from one of the many holes in the cliffs there. There were many Barn Swallows on the wires including a good number of fledglings.
Spent nearly five hours taking part in the BirdLife Cyprus Forest survey this morning along the road from Gerakies to Selladi tou Marouliou via Tsakistra and Kampos. Lovely scenery and weather and some good forest birds including Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Cyprus Wheatear, Masked Shrike, Common Nightingale, Eurasian Scops Owl, Red-rumped Swallow, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Winter Wren, European Jay, Woodlark, Coal Tit, Serin and lots of European Chaffinch. A surprise find was a male Black-headed Bunting at the site of my first point count.
View outside Kampos 4th May 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A quick visit to Manglis Lake, Lakatameia, on the outskirts of Nicosia, this morning. Two Wood Warbler were seen and then heard singing in the eucalyptus trees. A Lesser Whitethroat and Tree Pipit were present. Many Common Swift, House Martin and Barn Swallow were feeding on the insects on the lake’s surface. A Squacco Heron was perched on a waterside tamarisk bush and a Common Sandpiper was feeding on the edge.
Throughout the island there are many migrants being seen. Ruppell’s, Subalpine, Eastern Bonelli’s and Eastern Orphean Warbler are around in good numbers this spring. Wood and Willow Warbler are now passing through. Numbers of Isabelline and Northern Wheatear have fallen as we move into April but Eastern Black-eared Wheatear are still being seen. Collared, Pied and the occasional Semi-collared Flycatcher are around and the first Spotted Flycatcher was seen on Wednesday.
Lesser Kestrel, Roller and European Bee-eater are starting to be seen and Pallid and Montagu’s Harrier have been reported. An Osprey was over Germasogeia on Wednesday as were two Stock Dove. The first Little Tern was at Larnaca Sewage Works on Monday with Gull-billed Tern also recorded. Marsh Sandpiper and Common Greenshank have been seen on wetlands that hold water.
A Spotted Crake has been at Germasogeia for a week and a female Little Crake was there on Wednesday. A Baillon’s Crake was seen at Phassouri over the weekend.
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