Three great days out with Robert and Ruth visiting Akrotiri, the sites around Larnaca and those around  Cape Greco.  Although migration was not as busy as we would have expected at this time of September we still had some great birds while missing out on some usual sitters such as Zitting Cisticola! We had over 100 European Honey Buzzards on at Akrotiri on 18^th; displays by flying Eleonora’s Falcons at Akrotiri Gravel Pits, Larnaca Sewage Works and Kensington Cliffs; close views of Long-legged Buzzard at Panagia Stazousa; a probable Saker at Cape Greco (we are checking our photos); Temminck’s Stint and Marsh Sandpipers; six Eurasian Spoonbill at Larnaca Sewage Works; three Demoiselle Crane flying up over Lady’s Mile on 18^th; Gull-billed and White-winged Terns; Greater Sand Plover near Kermia Beach 21^st; more juvenile Red-backed Shrikes than we thought possible;  several Cyprus Wheatear and a showy female Cyprus Warbler when the males let us down; and so many flocks of European Bee-eaters.

Highlights per location and date

Friday 18^th September

Phassouri Reed Beds – European Honey Buzzard c130, Sand Martin 100+, Red-rumped Swallow 20+, Ortolan Bunting 1

Akrotiri Gravel Pits – European Honey Buzzard c20, Montagu’s Harrier, Eleonora’s Falcon 2, Kentish Plover c15,  Yellow Wagtail c60, Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Lady’s Mile area – European Honey Buzzard 2, Western Marsh Harrier 3, Demoiselle Crane 3

Zakaki Marsh – Spur-winged Lapwing 2

Kensington Cliffs – Eleonora’s Falcon 10+

Saturday 19^th September

Livadia ‘Jumbo’ Drainage Channel – Temminck’s Stint 1+

Meneou Pool – European Roller 1 juv

Spiros Pool – Western Marsh Harrier 1, Kentish Plover c60, Marsh Sandpiper 2, Eurasian Turtle Dove 10+, Lesser Grey Shrike 1, Spectacled Warbler 4+

Larnaca Airport Coast – Common Kingfisher 2, Sand Martin c50, Red-rumped Swallow 10+, Tawny Pipit 2, Northern Wheatear 1

Larnaca Sewage Works – Glossy Ibis 1, Eurasian Spoonbill 6, Greater Flamingo 10, Northern Pintail 2, Eleonora’s Falcon 1 flew over, Black-winged Stilt 2 juv, Spur-winged Lapwing c40, Yellow-legged Gull 8, White-winged Tern 1 juv

Pervolia Fields – Western Marsh Harrier 1m, Common Swift 1, Isabelline Wheatear 1

Kivisilli – Red-backed Shrike 1 male, Masked Shrike 1 juv, Western Marsh Harrier 1

Kiti Dam – Cyprus Wheatear 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1

Panagia Stazousa – Western Marsh Harrier, Long-legged Buzzard 2, Eurasian Turtle Dove 8, Pallid Swift 1, Cyprus Wheatear 5+, Cyprus Warbler 1+ glimpsed briefly, Masked Shrike 6+, Corn Bunting c50

Monday 21^st September

Cape Greco – European Honey Buzzard 4, Eurasian Hobby 1, probable Saker 1, Tawny Pipit 1, Cyprus Wheatear 3, Spectacled Warbler 2+, Cyprus Warbler 1f seen well and 2+ others seen briefly, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Masked Shrike 1

Kermia Beach – Greater Sand Plover 2

Agia Napa Football Fields – Cattle Egret c50, Long-legged Buzzard 1, Eurasian Hoopoe 1, Yellow Wagtail c50, Isabelline Wheatear 1, Spotted Flycatcher 2

Akhna Dam – Little Egret, Western Marsh Harrier 1, Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1, Spur-winged Lapwing 3, Common Greenshank 1, Gull-billed Tern 2

All species seen – 86

Little Grebe, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, European Honey Buzzard, Western Marsh Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Osprey, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby, Eleonora’s Falcon, probable Saker, Chukar, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Demoiselle Crane, Black-winged Stilt, Common Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Temminck’s Stint, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Common Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Gull-billed Tern, White-winged Tern, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Laughing Dove,  Common Swift, Pallid Swift, Common Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Tawny Pipit, Yellow Wagtail (feldegg & flava), Whinchat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Ortolan Bunting, Corn Bunting

Eurasian Spoonbill Larnaca Sewage Works 19th September 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike Panagia Stazousa 19th September 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours