Common Swift | Cyprus Birding Tours

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

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

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