Common Linnet | Cyprus Birding Tours

Spent the day in the Paphos area walking around the Headland and inside the archaeological site. A few signs of migration included some Isabelline Wheatear, Eurasian Hoopoe and overflying flocks of Great Cormorant heading north but otherwise quite quiet.

Main sightings:

Paphos Headland

Greater Sand Plover 1 in winter plumage

Eurasian Golden Plover 50+ hidden in grass so couldn’t count properly

Red-throated Pipit 2

Isabelline Wheatear 3

Paphos Harbour

Great Crested Grebe 1

Great Cormorant 90+ over 15.00pm

Great Cormorant 8 over 15.30pm

Paphos Archaeological Site

Isabelline Wheatear 3

Eurasian Hoopoe 3

Isabelline Wheatear, Paphos Headland 3rd March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Hoopoe, Paphos Headland 3rd March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Female Common Chaffinch, Paphos Headland 3rd March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Linnet female, Paphos Headland 3rd March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

A day out on Tuesday with many of the sightings reminiscent of a UK birding day out. After popping in quickly to Zakaki I got a quick view of the Red Knot there – a rare and irregular winter visitor and passage migrant to Cyprus – I headed to Paphos where many of the birds were familiar northern European birds wintering here. A Eurasian Griffon Vulture flying over the motorway and Black Francolin, Long-legged Buzzard and Finsch’s Wheatear were the best reminders that I was actually in Cyprus!

Zakaki area
Red Knot 1

Paramali
Eurasian Griffon Vulture 1

Kouklia Soakaways
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Black Francolin 1

Asprokremmos Dam area
Water Pipit 4
Woodlark 2
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Corn Bunting 1h

Mandria
Eurasian Golden Plover 2
Common Linnet c60

Paphos Sewage Works
Cattle Egret 1
Common Buzzard 1
Eurasian Teal 1 in flight
European Serin c80
Red-throated Pipit 3

Anarita Park
Finsch’s Wheatear 1m & 1f
Cyprus Warbler 1m
Woodlark 32
Corn Bunting 1 singing