Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus

Tag Archives: Bluethroat


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Cape Greco 13th March 2020

Lovely day around Cape Greco today – dodging some very heavy rain at times. Great birds including this male Masked Shrike (photo).

Other sightings included:

Isabelline Wheatear 28+
Northern Wheatear 12+
Common Hoopoe 20 incl a group of five in off sea together
Cyprus Wheatear 4
Common Crane 1 heading E 09:45
Black Redstart 10
Lesser Whitethroat 8+
Common Whitethroat 2
Song Thrush 7
Bluethroat 1
Black-eared Wheatear 2 pale throated and 5 dark throated
Ruppell’s Warbler 3m
Masked Shrike 1m
Blue Rock Thrush 3 (incl a pair with singing male)
Cyprus Warbler 3m
Common Nightingale 1
Great Spotted Cuckoo 1
Hen Harrier 1f
Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler 2
Common Redstart 1m and 1f
‘Ehrenberg’s’ Redstart 1f
Desert Wheatear 1m
Red-rumped Swallow 7
Black-headed Wagtail 30
Blue-headed Wagtail 2

Masked Shrike, Cape Greco 13th March 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike, Cape Greco 13th March 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Waterbird count Larnaca area 11th January 2020

 

Spent most of the day doing the Waterbird Count around Larnaca today. Lots of Greater Flamingo and Northern Shoveler to count – and surprisingly also – it took time to count the Little Gull with just over 300 in the area feeding on several pools. Other interesting birds included three Pied Avocet, three Greater White-fronted Geese and 38 Black-necked Grebe.

Meneou Pool
Little Gull 71

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Little Gull 2
Northern Shoveler 276
Greater Flamingo 13
Common Shelduck 2
Caspian Gull c50
Armenian Gull 4
Heuglin’s Gull 1

Larnaca Sewage Works
Western Marsh Harrier 3
Great Cormorant 130
Northern Shoveler 88
Common Teal 429
Greater White-fronted Goose 3
Common Coot 29
Caspian Gull 8
Grey Heron 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 3
Common Redshank 5

Spiros Beach
Little Stint 63
Dunlin 58
Kentish Plover 175
Common Ringed Plover 4

Spiros Pool
Northern Shoveler 130
Eurasian Wigeon 2
Common Redshank 4

Larnaca Desalination Plant fields
Eurasian Golden Plover 5
Dunlin 20
Common Ringed Plover 3

Larnaca Airport Pools North
Pied Avocet 3
Little Gull 124

Larnaca Salt Lake
Little Gull 107
Cattle Egret 3
Greater Flamingo 9000+
Common Shelduck 153
Northern Shoveler 449
Black-necked Grebe 38
Dunlin 38
Little Stint 25
Common Snipe 14
Common Redshank 3
Spur-winged Lapwing 5
Common Ringed Plover 7
Bluethroat 2
Reed Bunting 1
Water Pipit 2

Kiti Dam (full but no waterbirds)
Woodlark 5

Little Gull, Larnaca Salt Lake 11th January 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Gull, Larnaca Salt Lake 11th January 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Bluethroat, Larnaca Sewage Works 10th December 2019

A Bluethroat in front of hide at Larnaca Sewage Works this morning 10th December 2019 distracting me while I was doing the Waterbird Count!

Bluethroat , Larnaca Sewage Works,10th December 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bluethroat , Larnaca Sewage Works,10th December 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bluethroat 2, LSW 10th December 2019 (1 of 1)

Bluethroat , Larnaca Sewage Works,10th December 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca area 10th December 2019

Out doing the waterbird count today but the best bird was an immature Audouin’s Gull at Oroklini Beach which I visited after I’d finished (see heavily cropped photo).

Audouin's Gull, Oroklini Beach 10th December 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Audouin’s Gull, Oroklini Beach 10th December 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Other sightings included:

Meneou Pool
Common Ringed Plover 1

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Grey Plover 1
Armenian Gull c10
Caspian Gull 8+
Heuglin’s Gull 2 ad
Baltic Gull 1 juv

Larnaca Sewage Works
Great Cormorant 431
Bluethroat 1
Common Teal 417
Northern Shoveler 180
Greater White-fronted Goose 2
Eurasian Wigeon 3m and 2f
Great Crested Grebe 1
Northern Pintail 8
Common Shelduck 1
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Armenian Gull 20+
Caspian Gull 30+
Yellow-legged Gull 5
Black-headed Gull 68+

Spiros Pool
Common Ringed Plover 1
Eurasian Golden Plover 175

Larnaca Airport Pools North
Black-headed Gull 35
Slender-billed Gull 3 ad
Common Redshank 43
Dunlin 6

Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo 946
Common Shelduck 6
Kentish Plover 2
Common Ringed Plover 5
Spanish Sparrow 10+
Corn Bunting 4
Cattle Egret 3
Black-headed Gull 77

Larnaca Salt Lake north east corner
Water Pipit 1
Common Snipe 29+
Western Water Rail 1h

Kamares area
Jack Snipe 1
Common Snipe 1
Water Pipit 2
Common Kingfisher 2
Western Water Rail 1 seen

Oroklini Beach
Audouin’s Gull 1 imm
Black-headed Gull c150
Little Egret 1
Caspian Gull 4
Armenian Gull 7
Great Cormorant c50 heading E offshore

Oroklini Marsh
Northern Lapwing c60
Northern Pintail 5m
Bluethroat 1h
Spur-winged Lapwing 36+
Little Egret 3
Northern Shoveler 200+
Common Teal 130+
Common Starling c30
Red-crested Pochard 1m and 1f
Greater Flamingo 26
Cattle Egret 32
Ferruginous Duck 1
Common Pochard 2f


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Limassol area 22nd November 2019

Spent the morning at Germasogeia Dam where I found at least three Bluethroat which were great to watch although not keen to have their photo taken! A trip around the Akrotiri sites later produced three more Bluethroats, a couple of Common Kingfisher, a large flock of Dunlin and Little Stint, three Temminck’s Stint, some Water Pipit and Woodlark, a Hen Harrier and several Western Marsh Harrier, three Water Rail and at least two Eurasian Penduline Tit.

Photo of a juv Slender-billed Gull with a Black-headed Gull behind taken at Lady’s Mile.

Slender-billed Gull, Lady's Mile, 22nd November 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Slender-billed Gull, Lady’s Mile, 22nd November 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca area this morning 9th November.

Good morning out around Larnaca in the sunshine. Not a great variety of birds but already good numbers of ducks and flamingos around plus a few more unusual species.

Spiros Pool
Eurasian Golden Plover 18

Larnaca Sewage Works
Common Teal c500
Northern Shoveler 300+
Black-necked Grebe 1
Great Crested Grebe 3
Northern Pintail 1
Armenian Gull 12
Common Shelduck 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 2

Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo 1200+
Common Crane 1

Kamares, Larnaca
Bluethroat 1 (see photo)
Black Redstart 1
Eurasian Penduline Tit 1h
Common Kingfisher 1
Common Redshank 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Common Snipe 2
Spur-winged Lapwing 3
Water Pipit 1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1 over being mobbed by Jackdaws
Little Egret 2

Panagia Stazousa/Pyrga
Long-legged Buzzard 1
European Serin 30+
Cyprus Warbler 2
Woodlark 7 (see photo)
Eurasian Blackbird 1

Bluethroat, Larnaca 9th November 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bluethroat, Larnaca 9th November 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Woodlark, Pyrga 9th November 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Woodlark, Pyrga 9th November 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca area today 7th February 2019

After a very wet day yesterday and yet more rain overnight, I was pleased that the today was much better as I did an early February Waterbird Count around Larnaca. There were several Isabelline Wheatear on the coast and a flock of Common Swift, Barn Swallow and Northern House Martin to remind me that spring is on its way. Highlights were 26 Black-necked Grebe, a Ruddy Shelduck, two Little Gull, more than 2500 Greater Flamingo, some smart male Common Pochard, two Bluethroat and at least three Reed Bunting feeding on seed heads in the reeds. An adult Mediterranean Gull at Oroklini Beach was a good end to the day.

Isabelline Wheatear, Spiros Pool, 7th February 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Isabelline Wheatear, Spiros Pool, 7th February 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gull, Oroklini Beach 7th February 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gull, Oroklini Beach 7th February 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akrotiri and Episkopi area today 23rd November 2018

Managed to avoid the storms that were around most of the day just inland from Akrotiri and had a relaxing birding day with highlights:

Lady’s Mile
Black-headed Gull c300 (flying between here and Zakaki Marsh)
Mediterranean Gull 1 1st winter
Slender-billed Gull 3
Armenian Gull 20+
Caspian Gull c2
Eurasian Skylark 1 over calling
Dunlin 4
Kentish Plover 6

Zakaki Marsh
Hen Harrier 1 ring tail
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1f flew over area four or five times putting gulls to flight
Eurasian Wigeon 1m
Reed Bunting 3
Eurasian Penduline TIt 2+ h
Moustached Warbler c5
Bluethroat 3 (one with white on head, one white spot and one red spot)
Water Rail 2
Spanish Sparrow 6
Common Kingfisher 2

Akrotiri Gravel Pits
Western Marsh Harrier 1f
Common Starling 1

Phasouri Reed-beds
Cattle Egret 2
Western Yellow Wagtail 3
Eurasian Penduline Tit 1+h
Common Kingfisher 1
Water Rail 1h

Kensington Cliffs
Griffon Vulture 10 flying over cliffs together 14:40 – 14:55

Kourio Stadium
Cyprus Warbler 2 (1 h only)
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Woodlark 2+
Eurasian Magpie 21 in one flock flying together

Bluethroat, Zakaki 23rd November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bluethroat, Zakaki 23rd November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Water Rail, Zakaki 23rd November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Water Rail, Zakaki 23rd November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

White Wagtail, Zakaki 23rd November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

White Wagtail, Zakaki 23rd November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca Waterbird count morning 19th November 2018

Plenty of the usual wintering ducks around – Northern Shoveler, Common Teal for example. Interesting birds seen during the count included: Greater White-fronted Goose (see photo), Black-necked Grebe, Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Redshank (see photo), young Baltic Gull and Slender-billed Gull, adult Citrine Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Water Pipit, Bluethroat (see photo), Common Snipe, Northern Lapwing, Spur-winged Lapwing, Water Rail, Reed Bunting and a feeding male Penduline Tit (see photo).

Bluethroat, LSW 19th November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bluethroat, Larnaca Sewage Works, 19th November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Penduline Tit, LSL, 19th November 2018 (1 of 1)

Penduline Tit, Larnaca Salt Lake, 19th November (C) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Redshank, LSL, 19th November 2018 (1 of 1)

Common Redshank, Larnaca Salt Lake, 19th November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater White-fronted Goose 2, LSW 19th November 2018 (1 of 1)

Greater White-fronted Goose, Larnaca Sewage Works, 19th November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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East of the island 3rd November 2018.

Some different birding today visiting Oroklini, Akhna, Paralmini area and Agia Napa coast.

Birds seen, including a lovely juvenile Great White Pelican:

Oroklini Marsh morning and late afternoon
Common Crane 1 juv still present 16:45
White Stork 1 still present 16:45
Grey Heron 1
Spur-winged Lapwing c30
Common Teal c30
Common Redshank 3
Bluethroat 1
Eurasian Skylark 7 over
Greater Flamingo 58
Black-winged Stilt 1
Black-headed Gull 30+
Cattle Egret c250 coming into roost late pm visit
Common Ringed Plover 2
Little Stint 15+
Common Starling 7

Akhna Dam
Great White Pelican 1 juv (see photos)
Cattle Egret 1
Little Egret 5
Squacco Heron 1
Moustached Warbler 1
Whiskered Tern 1
Grey Heron 6

Agios Trias
Common Sandpiper 1

Cape Greco
Black Redstart 2
Common Stonechat 12+

Kermia Beach
Audouin’s Gull 1

Macronissos Beach
Greater Sandplover 4
Kentish Plover 5

Potamos Liopetri fish farm area
Common Redshank 1
Yellow-legged Gull 11

Great White Pelican, Akhna Dam, 3rd November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akrotiri this morning 19th October 2018

No sign today of the Black-winged Kite that was seen at Phasouri Reed-beds yesterday morning which was disappointing. Spent some time watching this female Common Kingfisher which cheered me up (See photo). Elsewhere around Akrotiri I found Spotted Crake, Water Rail, Little Bittern, Great Reed Warbler, Red-throated Pipit, Bluethroat, Common Crane, a Western Marsh and a Hen Harrier, two European Honey Buzzard, four Eleonora’s Falcon and a few Eurasian Sparrowhawk so I can’t really complain!

Common Kingfisher, Zakaki, 19th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Kingfisher, Zakaki, 19th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akrotiri 14th October 2018

A spur of the moment visit to Akrotiri today. I didn’t see any raptor migration but had some good birds in any case.

Interesting sightings include:

Akrotiri Salt Lake/Zakaki run off area
Hen Harrier 1 ring tail
Ruff 6
Common Ringed Plover 26+
Common Snipe 2
Red-throated Pipit 8
Little Stint 24+
Western Marsh Harrier 6
Temminck’s Stint 1
Kentish Plover 150+
Greater Flamingo 400+ incl melanistic bird
Northern Wheatear 1
Spotted Crake 3 seen and another heard elsewhere
Collared Pratincole 1
Bluethroat 2
Sedge Warbler 1
Spanish Sparrow 40+
Eleonora’s Falcon 4

Zakaki Marsh hide
Black-headed Gull 6
Grey Heron 20+
Grey Wagtail 1
Water Rail 4
Spotted Crake 1
Bluethroat 1 with white on head
Squacco Heron 1
Little Egret 1
Spanish Sparrow 15

Phasouri Reed-beds Tower hide
Masked Shrike 1 juv
Western Marsh Harrier 1 maybe 2
Eurasian Reed Warbler 1
Common Kingfisher 1
Bluethroat 1
Little Bittern 1 juv

Akrotiri Gravel Pits
Northern Wheatear 1m

Bluethroat, Akrotiri Salt Lake 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bluethroat, Akrotiri Salt Lake 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red-throated Pipit, Akrotiri Salt Lake 14th October 2018-1

Red-throated Pipit, Akrotiri Salt Lake, 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Squacco Heron, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018-1

Squacco Heron, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Water Rail, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018-1

Water Rail, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Western Marsh Harrier, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018-1

Western Marsh Harrier, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Temminck's Stint, Akrotiri Salt Lake 14th October 2018-1

Temminck’s Stint, Akrotiri Salt Lake, 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours