Cyprus Birding Tours

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Tag Archives: Common Greenshank


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Meneou Pool, Larnaca 10th – 16th August 2020

Meneou Pool is the only one of those scattered around Larnaca Salt Lake to have water in it at present and its muddy edges are just right for feeding waders. Since Monday I’ve been lucky enough to see several of the rarer waders to Cyprus there – a Red Knot on 11th & 13th August, two Sanderling on 10th and 11th and then three Broad-billed Sandpiper on 14th. None of them approachable for photos except this morning when one Broad-billed Sandpiper was close enough for me to get the cropped photo below. Also around in variable numbers each day were Common and Little Ringed Plover (also photographed today), Little and Temminck’s Stint, Ruff, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Collared Pratincole, Little Tern, White-winged Tern, Garganey, Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Teal, Grey Heron, Glossy Ibis, Little Egret, Stone Curlew, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Snipe, Common, Wood and Green Sandpiper and many Black-winged Stilt.
Broad-billed Sandpiper, Meneou Pool 16th August 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Broad-billed Sandpiper, Meneou Pool 16th August 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Ringed Plover, Meneou Pool 16th August 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Ringed Plover, Meneou Pool 16th August 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Ringed Plover, Meneou Pool 16th August 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Ringed Plover, Meneou Pool 16th August 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akrotiri today 8th August 2018

The area is drying out but along with Larnaca Sewage Works, it is still probably the best birding location on the island at the moment. Plenty of Little Ringed Plover (see photo), Kentish Plover and Little Stint along with Glossy Ibis, Slender-billed Gull, a Broad-billed Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank, Common Greenshank, Common Snipe, two Collared Pratincole, a Temminck’s Stint and a Gull-billed Tern. A female Western Marsh Harrier is putting the birds up frequently as she quarters the area and Elenora’s Falcon fly over from time to time.

Little Ringed Plover juv, Akrotiri 8th August 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Ringed Plover juv, Akrotiri 8th August 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akrotiri 6th July 2018

A good selection of birds including non-breeders and returning migrants today at Akrotiri. Breeding Black-winged Stilt and Kentish Plover with young of all ages as well as a Whiskered Tern, two Curlew Sandpiper, a Greater Sandplover, several Little Ringed Plover, a Wood Sandpiper, some Common Redshank, a Squacco Heron, several Black-headed Wagtail and three Common Greenshank.

Black-winged Stilt, ASL, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-winged Stilt, ASL, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Curlew Sandpiper non-breeding plumage, ASL, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Curlew Sandpiper non-breeding plumage, ASL, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Curlew Sandpiper breeding plumage, Akrotiri Salt Lake 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Curlew Sandpiper breeding plumage, Akrotiri Salt Lake 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Kentish Plover chick, Akrotiri Salt Lake, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Kentish Plover chick, Akrotiri Salt Lake, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Kentish Plover juvenile, Akrotiri Salt Lake, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Kentish Plover juvenile, Akrotiri Salt Lake, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Ringed Plover, Akrotiri Salt Lake, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Ringed Plover, Akrotiri Salt Lake, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Whiskered Tern, ASL, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Whiskered Tern, ASL, 6th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

 


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Akrotiri, 7th May 2018

Still some migrating waders around today with two Ruddy Turnstone and six Broad-billed Sandpipers the highlights. Plenty of Ruff, Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Common Ringed Plover and Black-winged Stilt. Also two Black-tailed Godwit and Marsh Sandpiper and a few Little Ringed Plover, a Curlew Sandpiper and a Common Greenshank. Still a large flock of Little Tern on Lady’s Mile so hopefully they will stay to breed. I also found two Woodchat Shrike and four Red-backed Shrike with a Black-eared Wheatear, a Whinchat, a female Common Redstart and several Spotted Flycatcher.

Little Ringed Plover, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Ringed Plover, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ringed Plover, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ringed Plover, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ruddy Turnstone, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ruddy Turnstone, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Female Red-backed Shrike, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Female Red-backed Shrike, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akrotiri 28th April 2018

A very enjoyable day birding around Akrotiri even if I got a later start than intended. Highlight was definitely finding a female Semi-collared Flycatcher as I was checking the ID’s of several females near Bishop’s Pool – also a female Collared Flycatcher which was actually my first Collared for the year. In that area there were also Pied and Spotted Flycatcher, Wood Warbler, Blackcap and several beautiful male European Golden Oriole. Plenty of Woodchat Shrike around with a few Red-backed as well. A large group of more than twenty Little Tern were on Lady’s Mile in the morning as were nine Collared Pratincole and many Marsh Sandpiper and Common Greenshank (see photos).

Late in the afternoon I visited the eastern shore of the Salt Lake and the Zakaki run off. There I saw more than ten Temminck’s Stint, ten Black-tailed Godwit, a few Curlew Sandpiper, fishing Little Tern, feeding White-winged and Whiskered Tern and best of all – a resting flock of around 300 Collared Pratincoles (see photo). Lovely!

Collared Pratincole, Akrotiri Salt Lake 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Collared Pratincole, Akrotiri Salt Lake 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Greenshank, Lady's Mile 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Greenshank, Lady’s Mile 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Marsh Sandpiper, Lady's Mile 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Marsh Sandpiper, Lady’s Mile 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Waterbird Count Larnaca area this morning 15th September 2017

No rarities in with the usual autumn migrating waders at the Sewage Pools this morning after a Terek Sandpiper and Pacific Golden Plover had been reported there in the last few weeks. Plenty of Greater Flamingo feeding in the water there and numbers of Northern Shoveler and Common Teal already building up. Two Black-necked Grebe were in with the Little Grebe and two Sanderling were on the nearby beach.

Two Black Kite flew in and rested on the mud for a while and two juvenile Montagu’s Harrier were quartering nearby fields as they headed S to Cape Kiti.

Some of the more interesting species:

Meneou Pool
European Bee-eater 50+

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Eurasian Thick-knee 20
Montagu’s Harrier 1 juv

Larnaca Sewage Works
Black Kite 2 flew in and rested on mud
Greater Flamingo 549
Common Ringed Plover 28
Black-winged Stilt 5
Little Stint 61
Kentish Plover 95
Cattle Egret 2
Grey Heron 2
Little Ringed Plover 3
Marsh Sandpiper 6
Dunlin 22
Curlew Sandpiper 1 juv
Common Greenshank 2
Ferruginous Duck 10
Black-tailed Godwit 1
Eurasian Curlew 1
Northern Shoveler 352
Common Teal 119
Wood Sandpiper 3
Ruff 43
Common Redshank 4
Eurasian Thick-knee 1 flew over
Black-necked Grebe 2
Northern Pintail 2
Spur-winged Lapwing 3
Montagu’s Harrier 1 juv

Spiros Pool
Northern Wheatear 2
Red-backed Shrike 1 juv

Larnaca Airport Coast
Yellow-legged Gull 21
Spotted Flycatcher 1

Spiros Beach
Sanderling 2 (see photo)

Larnaca Salt Lake
Red-backed Shrike 3 juv
Masked Shrike 1 juv
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
European Roller 1

Kamares area of Salt Lake
Laughing Dove 4
Little Egret 7
Squacco Heron 2 (see photo)
Common Redshank 1
Sedge Warbler 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 2Sanderling, Larnaca 15th September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Squacco Heron, Larnaca 15th September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Squacco Heron, Larnaca 15th September 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akrotiri 2nd May 2017

A great day’s birding around Akrotiri with some good birds at Zakaki, Lady’s Mile, the Salt Lake and Phasouri.

Sightings included:

Zakaki Marsh 8.45am
Little Bittern 1f seen at least one other heard
Black-crowned Night Heron 1 juv and 1 ad
Water Rail 1 seen
European Bee-eater 40+ heading N at 17.30

Lady’s Mile
Curlew Sandpiper 12
Little Ringed Plover 2
Litttle Tern 4
Common Greenshank 1
Common Cuckoo 1
Ruff 90+
Little Stint 30+
Red-footed Falcon 1m (in morning)
Bar-tailed Godwit 1 (in afternoon)
Black-winged Stilt 2
Great White Egret 2 over
Akrotiri Salt Lake and Zakaki run off
Ruff c300+
Kentish Plover c25
Little Stint 50+
Common Ringed Plover 4
Black-winged Stilt 30+
Little Tern 3
White-winged Tern 17
Broad-billed Sandpiper 5
Greater Flamingo 200+
Red-throated Pipit h
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Bar-tailed Godwit 1 flying over am

Akrotiri Gravel Pits
Spotted Flycatcher 1
European Turtle Dove 1h
Eurasian Pied Flycatcher 1m and 1f
Common Whitethroat 1
Common Redstart 1m
Wood Sandpiper 1

Phasouri Reed Beds
Squacco Heron 1
Ruff 20+
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Glossy Ibis 9
Woodchat Shrike 1
Wood Sandpiper 5

Phasouri Bee-hives area
Eurasian Bittern 1 walking by side of road and creeping in vegetation feeding.

Entrance to Bishops Pool pm
European Bee-eatear 20+

Water Rail, Zakaki Marsh 2nd May 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Little Bittern, Zakaki Marsh 2nd May 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
White-winged Tern, Akrotiri 2nd May 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Common Cuckoo, Lady’s Mile 2nd May 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Broad-billed Sandpiper, Akrotiri 2nd May 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca Waterbird Count, 18th March 2017

Some of the main sightings from my morning in the Larnaca area doing the monthly waterbird count. It was still windy but a fall of warblers all along the coast – mainly Chiffchaff but also Lesser Whitethroat, Ruppell’s and Subalpine. The only Ruppell’s that stayed in the open long enough for a photo (see below) didn’t chose the best backdrop before he dived into the shelter of the nearby bushes.

Meneou Pool
Black-winged Stilt 60
Greater Flamingo 190
Ruff 3
Kentish Plover 22
Common Black-headed Gull 25
Dunlin 3
Little Stint 11
Common Ringed Plover 6
Marsh Sandpiper 6
Little Ringed Plover 1

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Baltic Gull ad and 2 imm over heading E
Eurasian Stone Curlew 10

Larnaca Sewage Works
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Ruppell’s Warbler 2m
Chiffchaff 13
Ruddy Shelduck 19
Black-headed Wagtail 3
Spur-winged Lapwing 3
Common Greenshank 6
Eurasian Wigeon 2m
Isabelline Wheatear 1
Eurasian Hoopoe 1
Song Thrush 3

Spiros Pool
Subalpine Warbler 1m
Corn Bunting 1
Black-winged Stilt 9
Common Chiffchaff 6+
Little Stint 3
Hen Harrier 1 ringtail

Larnaca Airport Coast
Lesser Whitethroat 1+
Common Chiffchaff 10+
Ruppell’s Warbler 1m
Subalpine Warbler 1m

Larnaca Airport Pools North
Greater Flamingo 210
Black-winged Stilt 30
Ruff 2
Marsh Sandpiper 2
Common Redshank 1

Larnaca Salt Lake
Grey Heron 5
Great Egret 2
Slender-billed Gull 779
Greater Flamingo 35
Ruff 197
Common Chiffchaff 10+
Common Shelduck 425
Black-necked Grebe 6
Ruppell’s Warbler 1m+
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Common Redshank 4
Spur-winged Lapwing 8
Little Crake 1
Eurasian Reed Warbler 6 (3 heard only)
Kentish Plover 15
Little Ringed Plover 4
Little Stint 10
Dunlin 6
Yellow Wagtail 1f (same bird as present all winter now acquiring ad plumage and seems to be flava female)
Water Pipit 2

Water Pipit, Larnaca Salt Lake 18th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Water Pipit, Larnaca Salt Lake 18th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ruppell's Warbler, Larnaca Sewage Works, 18th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ruppell’s Warbler, Larnaca Sewage Works, 18th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spur-winged Lapwing, Larnaca Salt Lake 18th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spur-winged Lapwing, Larnaca Salt Lake 18th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

 


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Larnaca area today, 26th February 2017

Morning out around Larnaca. No sign of the Greater White-fronted or Greylag Geese at the Sewage Works although they may well have been in the fields.

Interesting sightings include:

Meneou Pool
Greater Flamingo 24
Kentish Plover 27
Little Stint 6
Dunlin 4
Black Francolin 1 singing
Common Ringed Plover 6

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Eurasian Stone Curlew 12

Larnaca Sewage Works
Great Cormorant 8
Barn Swallow 3
Ferruginous Duck 2
Northern Shoveler 35
Eurasian Teal 220
Ruddy Shelduck 11
Green Sandpiper 2
Northern Pintail 1m
Great White Pelican 1
Caspian Gull 1 juv
Yellow-legged Gull 1 ad

Spiros Pool
Eurasian Golden Plover 14
Kentish Plover 2
Common Greenshank 6
Eurasian Wigeon 15

Larnaca Airport Coast
Eurasian Skylark 34+

Meneou Beach
Greater Sand Plover 4 two almost in breeding plumage. Flew off SE when people walked along beach.

Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo c2200
Common Shelduck c550
Slender-billed Gull 105
Common Black-headed Gull 1100+
Eurasian Golden Plover 64
Common Redshank 36
Green Sandpiper 1
Eurasian Skylark c20
Common Swift 2
Dunlin c20
Little Stint c30
Northern Shoveler 75
Black-necked Grebe 6+
Spur-winged Lapwing 6
Common Snipe 12
Little Ringed Plover 3
Barn Swallow 5

Kamares area of Larnaca Salt Lake
Laughing Dove 1 (first time reported in this area)
Western Marsh Harrier 1f
Eurasian Teal 4
Yellow Wagtail 1 (same as present since December)
Grey Wagtail 1
Green Sandpiper 4
Common Snipe 4
Water Pipit 1
Moustached Warbler 1 singing
Bluethroat 1
Water Rail 2h
Spur-winged Lapwing 3

Oroklini Beach
Mediterranean Gull 2 ad (one almost full breeding plumage)
Caspian Gull 2
Armenian Gull 6
Sandwich Tern 1

JUMBO Drainage Channel
Spur-winged Lapwing 4
Common Redshank 1
Common Kingfisher 1
Barn Swallow 1

Common Snipe, Larnaca Salt Lake 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Snipe, Larnaca Salt Lake 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sand Plover, Meneou Beach, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sand Plover, Meneou Beach, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Stone Curlew 4, Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Stone Curlew , Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gulls, Oroklini Beach, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gulls, Oroklini Beach, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca area today, 23rd April 2015

A drive around the south side of the Larnaca Salt Lake today dodging the showers produced some interesting species. The water in the pools is slowly receding meaning that the conditions are just right for migrating waders.
Pervolia – Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 1, Calandra Lark 4, Red-throated Pipit 1h
Larnaca Airport Pools South – Little Gull 1, Red-necked Phalarope 4, Pied Avocet 2, Glossy Ibis 21, Common Greenshank 43, Spotted Redshank 1, Marsh Sandpiper 11, Common Sandpiper 1, Black-winged Stilt 22, Greater Flamingo c100
Larnaca Sewage Works – Collared Pratincole 4
Spiros Pool – Little Stint c100, Ruff c200, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Common Ringed Plover 3, Dunlin 2, Common Moorhen, Black-headed Wagtail 2, Woodchat Shrike 1
Larnaca Desalination Fields – Red-throated Pipit 20+
From Meneou to Airport coast 17.30pm – Common Swift 500+
Yesterday a quick drive through Panagia Stazousa gave good views of European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Cyprus Warbler, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Great Spotted Cuckoo.

Red-throated Pipit Larnaca Desalination Fields 23rd April 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red-throated Pipit Larnaca Desalination Fields 23rd April 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours