Some good birds around the Larnaca area seen on both an early morning and later afternoon ‘drive around’. I thought the days highlight would be a male Golden Oriole I found when doing my Common Bird Survey at Mennogeia until I found a Eurasian Dotterel on the Larnaca Airport Fields late in the day.
Larnaca Airport Pools South – Little Gull 1, Red-necked Phalarope 3, Common Greenshank 7, Marsh Sandpiper 2, Black-winged Stilt 50+, Greater Flamingo c120 (all pink!)
Meneou Pool – Whiskered Tern 1
Alaminos – European Roller 1, Red-rumped Swallow 3
Mennogeia – Cyprus Warbler 2m and 1f, Great Spotted Cuckoo 2, Golden Oriole 1m, Masked Shrike 1, Common Nightingale 1 singing
A good day’s general bird watching in the Paphos area with Nicke where we managed to pick up some good sightings including the vagrant male Caspian Plover that has been at Mandria for the last two days.
Olöf and Gun had three priorities for our day out –Cyprus Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear and Great Spotted Cuckoo. We headed out to Anarita Park where Great Spotted Cuckoo had been seen regularly recently. Our first scan of the area produced several Ortolan Bunting and a Tawny Pipit but the cold wind and the threat of rain made us worry we wouldn’t find our target. As we returned to the car to search other areas, one flew into a hawthorn bush just 30metres from us and meant we got great views – in fact we moved off before the Great Spotted Cuckoo did. We then found two maybe three others and one even sat on a fence close to us while we were watching a male Cyprus Wheatear singing on his territory. We also found a Wrneck, several Eurasian Blackcap, a European Roller, a couple of Lesser and Common Whitethroat, at least five Whinchat, two Woodchat Shrike and two female Eastern Black-eared Wheatear. We found the Little Owl on its usual rock and to the watched a small group of Lesser Kestrel to the north of the area. A male Western Marsh Harrier migrated over being harassed by a Hooded Crow.
Two of the targets found and we headed to the area behind Asprokremmos Dam for the third. The wind meant that sylvia warblers were not keen to come out and sing but finally we found a male and then a female and heard at least one other singing well inside a bush. In the area we heard another Great Spotted Cuckoo, found a female Eurasian Pied Flycatcher in a carob grove, a male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, several Tawny Pipit, two male Spectacled Warbler, a couple of Chukar and several Whinchat. While eating our lunch in the pines of the utility area we watched a couple of Wood Warbler, a Eurasian Hoopoe and heard a Willow Warbler. Several Alpine Swift and Red-rumped Swallow were flying over the area.
It was very windy down at Mandria where we found a single Black-winged Stilt on the beach and several Isabelline and Northern Wheatear in the fields. Towards the church we got good views of a male Black Francolin and at least three Eurasian Turtle Dove flew over. At Paphos Sewage Works we watched a couple of Spur-winged Lapwing in a field which were joined by a Collared Pratincole and a group of herons flew in off the sea and headed inland – it contained Grey and Purple Heron, a single Cattle Egret and at least eleven Black-crowned Night Heron. We then watched a flock of around a hundred of Yellow Wagtail – mainly feldegg with some flava – and at least ten Red-throated Pipit feeding on a recently mown field. Two Grey-headed Wagtail, thunbergi, were on a pool at the mouth of the Ezousas river together with a Little Egret. As we left the area we were greeted by the beautiful sight of five Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. A great end to a good day’s birding with our targets met and we avoided the rain as well!
Sixty four different birds seen:
Black-crowned Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Western Marsh Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, Spur-winged Lapwing, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Eurasian Wryneck, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Tawny Pipit, Tree Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, Grey-headed Wagtail, Black-headed Wagtail, White Wagtail, Whinchat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Wood Warbler, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Pied Flycatcher, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Ortolan Bunting, Corn Bunting.
A Melanistic Greater Flamingo was a strange sight at Akrotiri this morning. Black bird in a small flock of the usual pink ones!!
Apart from the black Greater Flamingo there were some interesting birds there including a Cream-coloured Courser which I saw flying away and an early morning appearance by a male and female Black-bellied Sandgrouse which I missed!
At Larnaca in the late afternoon there appeared to have been a late fall of Whinchat and other passerines.
Went to Akrotiri for the morning hoping for some raptors – two Marsh Harrier, one juvenile Montagu’s Harrier, another ring-tailed too far away to ID and two Honey Buzzard was not the total I was hoping for – very disappointing.
There were good numbers of Turtle Dove around with some European Bee-eater passing over and several Lesser Grey Shrike and Whinchat. Both Bishop’s Pool and Zakaki Marsh had some interesting waders including Temminck’s and Little Stint, Common Greenshank, Dunlin, Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Common Ringed Plover and Collared Pratincole. At Zakaki there was a White-winged Tern and a Whiskered Tern was in the Gravel Pits area. Still several Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Black-winged Stilt and Spur-winged Lapwing at Zakaki, where there were also two Common Kingfisher and a couple of Ferruginous Duck. A Great Reed Warbler and Hoopoe were at Phassouri Reed Beds.
Joined up with the BirdLife Cyprus field trip this morning at Akrotiri Salt Lake. The target species were Demoiselle Crane but there was no sign of these although a group of Greater Flamingo seen flying in the distance raised hopes for a few seconds. A couple of European Roller and a Lesser Grey Shrike were seen while scanning for the cranes. A good collection of birds were at Bishop’s Pool including a Black-tailed Godwit, some Ruff, several Wood and Green Sandpiper, Little Stint, some Yellow Wagtail and at least four Eleonora’s Falcon one of which perched in one of the eucalyptus trees for a while.
A Broad-billed Sandpiper was on Lady’s Mile with several Little Stint, three Common Ringed Plover and many Kentish Plover. A Eurasian Spoonbill was on the muddy mound at Zakaki where there was also a couple of Little Egret, a Squacco and a Purple Heron, a Ferruginous Duck and a Garganey, several Little Stint, a Green Sandpiper, two juvenile Collared Pratincole, some Black-winged Stilt and Spur-winged Lapwing. Several Eurasian Reed Warbler were in the reeds as was a Great Reed Warbler. A Common Kingfisher was fishing in the area.
Mixed bag of birds around Larnaca and Pervolia this morning. A Lesser Grey Shrike at Larnaca Airport Pools south; a flock of 16 Greater Flamingo flying over the Sewage Pools with another nine there feeding around the edges; also on the Sewage Pools were two eclipse Garganey, the long-staying Common Shelduck, five Ruff, a Common Sandpiper and a Little Stint. On the rocks of the Airport Coast ignoring the swimmers was a Common Kingfisher and in the fields at Pervolia near Cape Kiti were eight Collared Pratincole.
Greater Flamingo Larnaca Sewage Works 10th August 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Back out guiding after the summer break, we chose Troodos as our destination as temperatures were still in the high thirties. I picked up Paul and Reem from their Nicosia base and we headed into the mountains with our first stops the Livadhi tou Pashia and Kampos tou Livadiou picnic spots.
We found several Spotted Flycatcher family parties, juvenile and moulting adult Cyprus Wheatear, an adult Masked Shrike, a male European Blackbird, an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler family and good numbers of the endemic sub-species Coal Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper and Jay. Around Troodos Square we added Common and Pallid Swift as well as Eurasian Hoopoe and European Serin. We found two adult male Masked Shrike – one of which perched really close to us. Again we found plenty of Coal Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper.
Leaving Troodos to go to Zakaki we detoured and had our lunch at Tzelefos Bridge. There we found a Grey Wagtail and Common Kingfisher in the stream and plenty of Common Chaffinch. At Omodhos we watched several Red-rumped Swallow and continuing southwards we stopped to watch a large raptor gliding over the area near the turn off to Agios Therapon – a Griffon Vulture and a nice surprise for us.
We ended the day out in the hide at Zakaki where we had good views of Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Spur-winged Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt, Little Stint, Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Wood and Green Sandpiper, Reed Warbler and Black-headed Wagtail. Reem and Paul also had their first sighting of Collared Pratincole as an adult and a juvenile were roosting next to the many Mallards. Noting how much warmer it was down by the coast we were glad we had spent most of the day in the mountains birdwatching at a leisurely pace.
Total species seen – 43
Little Grebe, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Mallard, Griffon Vulture, Common Kestrel, Common Moorhen, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Black-headed Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Common Kingfisher, Cyprus Wheatear, Eurasian Blackbird, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Jay, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Goldfinch
A quick visit to Panagia Stazousa this morning where I found several juvenile Masked Shrike and Cyprus Wheatear. Two Little Owls were near the road but the best birds were an adult and sub-adult Bonelli’s Eagle soaring over the area.
At the coast, the fields near the Larnaca Desalination Plant are being watered at the moment and there were two Collared Pratincole, four Little Stint, a Common Sandpiper, three juvenile Little Ringed Plover and several Kentish Plover feeding in the mud. Two juvenile Little Tern flew along the coast.
Little Owl Panagia Stazousa 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Little Stint Larnaca Desal Fields 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Found migrating waders at Akhna Dam and Larnaca sites this morning. Single Collared Pratincole were at Akhna and flying over the Larnaca Airport fields. Also at Akhna were a couple of Common Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover, a Common Redshank, four Green Sandpiper, a Ruff and several Black-winged Stilt and Spur-winged Lapwing. A quick visit to Oroklini produced a Slender-billed Gull and the chance to watch three young Spur-winged Lapwing feeding near the hide under the watchful eye of their parents. A Common Sandpiper was at Larnaca Sewage Works and on Spiros Beach nearly thirty Kentish Plover were roosting.
Collared Pratincole Akhna Dam 8th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spent four hours this morning with Sheila and Declan around Akrotiri where we saw a good mixture of 58 different species. At Phassouri Reed Beds we had Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron, Great Reed Warbler, Western Marsh Harrier, Garganey, several flava Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat and Turtle Dove. Driving through Akrotiri Gravel Pits we found three singing male Sardinian Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, a Common Buzzard, a Kentish Plover, a striking male Northern Wheatear and some Tawny Pipit. In the gardens of Agios Georgios Church there were several Spotted Flycatcher, a female Pied Flycatcher and a Woodchat Shrike. It was encouraging to find three male Cyprus Warbler singing in the junipers near the church.
Luckily there wasn’t too much of a heat haze and we were able to get good views of the Greater Flamingo on the Salt Lake. At least twelve European Bee-eater were seen as we headed to Lady’s Mile where we found more Kentish Plover and a couple of Little Stint. There were more Little Stint at Zakaki Marsh along with Little Ringed Plover, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Ruff , Common Snipe, Black-winged Stilt and two Spur-winged Lapwing. The star bird there though was a Collared Pratincole, closely followed by the Purple Heron pointed out to us hidden in the reeds by a visiting birder. There were more Yellow Wagtail feeding in the mud – this time mainly feldegg.
Total of 58 birds seen –
Little Grebe, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Mallard, Garganey, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Ruff, Common Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Common Swift, European Bee-eater, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Tawny Pipit, Yellow Wagtail flava and feldegg, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, European Pied Flycatcher, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch.
Spotted Flycatcher Agios Georgios Church April 30th 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Birding Tours 