A quick visit to Agia Napa this morning to check for migrant warblers. Plenty of Eastern Olivaceous Warblers still around and there were a couple of Lesser Whitethroat. I was especially pleased to see at least five Eastern Orphean Warbler flying around the area and perching in the open and good views of one juvenile Barred Warbler in an olive tree plus poor views of a possible other. An Eleonora’s Falcon flew over the pools and was chased off by two Spur-winged Lapwing. I also saw a female Cyprus Warbler, several Spectacled Warbler and a Masked and a Woodchat Shrike. At the football fields there was a Lesser Grey Shrike and at least twenty five Cattle Egret taking advantage of the freshly watered pitches.
Cattle Egret, Agia Napa Football Fields 12th August 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Just like the first morning out with Jon, on 3rd August, today’s highlight was an unexpected sighting of a species not on the list of likely birds for the day. This time it was a juvenile Northern Goshawk which flew in front of us at Mavrokolympos Dam chasing six Chukar. It almost caught one of them and we saw the bird briefly on the ground before it returned across the valley and was lost to sight. The decision to visit the Dam turned out to be a good one as not only did we see the first migrating Lesser Grey Shrike of the autumn but also got great views of a male Cyprus Warbler, saw several Cyprus Wheatear, four Green Sandpiper and had a fly-past Eleonora’s Falcon.
We then spent some time in the valley behind Arodes where we found another Lesser Grey Shrike, two Woodchat Shrike, several Masked Shrike, some European Turtle Dove and a European Roller as well as two Eurasian Hobby. A European Serin flew overhead and we saw a flock of at least twenty Chukar – but not with a chasing raptor this time. Returning to Paphos we drove over Minthis Hills which gave Jon the chance to get a good view of a Spectacled Warbler.
Species list – Little Grebe, Northern Goshawk, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby, Eleonora’s Falcon, Chukar, Green Sandpiper, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, European Turtle Dove, European Roller, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Cyprus Wheatear, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Great Tit, Lesser Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch
An adult Spur-winged Lapwing spent more than an hour this morning trying to coax a recently hatched chick through the perimeter fence in front of the Sewage Works hide. Finally the chick found a hole went through and climbed up to join its parent. The adult then wanted it to get down the steep slope to the water’s edge. But the chick was even less keen on that! Eventually the other parent joined in and the chick disappeared over the edge and out of sight. I hope it had a safe landing!
Spur-winged Lapwing, Larnaca Sewage Works 9th August 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spur-winged Lapwing chick, Larnaca Sewage Works 9th August 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Two mornings out around Paphos with Paul and Debbie enabled us to see some of the area’s seasonal specialties. We also caught up with plenty of shrikes – mainly adult and juvenile Masked, but also two Woodchat Shrike at Arodes on 8th August. We had good views of Greater Sand Plover and Spur-winged Lapwing as well as seeing Black Francolin, Chukar, Eurasian Stone Curlew and European Turtle Dove. We saw Long-legged Buzzard on both days and Peregrine Falcon and European Hobby flew over us on 8th at Arodes.
Species list – European Shag, Cattle Egret, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, European Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin, Greater Sand Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, European Turtle Dove, European Roller, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Cyprus Wheatear, Zitting Cisticola, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet
A morning out with Fulco and his son Tijmen was spent at a few locations to the north of Paphos. We visited Arodes, Androlikou, Neochorio and Kathikas and the highlights were Masked Shrike, two adult Bonelli’s Eagle, Eurasian Hobby, Long-legged Buzzard, Cyprus Wheatear and Cretzschmar’s Bunting. We also saw several Chukar, a male Black Francolin and Eurasian Turtle Dove. We spent some time sea watching near Latchi but there was no movement of migrants at the time.
Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, European Turtle Dove, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Cyprus Wheatear, Zitting Cisticola, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Great Tit, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Cretzschmar’s Bunting
Photographs below taken during trip by Fulco van’t Holt (c) Fulco van’t Holt.
Starred Agamas, Neochorio, Paphos (c) Fulco van’ t Holt
The first of two mornings out with Jon and we made an early start to avoid the stifling Paphos heat as far as possible. A visit to the Headland gave us a good start with four Greater Sand Plover but there was very little else there. We spent some time around Asprokremmos Dam and the mast area behind it and this was more profitable, if still a little quiet. Four Long-legged Buzzards flew above us calling and an Eleonora’s Falcon flew high above them. At least three Masked Shrike were seen perched on bushes and a Eurasian Stone Curlew was in the carob grove as were two family parties of Eastern Olivaceous Warbler. We found two Cyprus Wheatear but had no luck with Cyprus Warbler today. A mixed flock of Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Sand and House Martin flew over. The surprise bird of the day was in the trees of the car park of the Dam. As we got out of the car to look at two Eurasian Hoopoe feeding under the trees, a European Nightjar flew up and into one of the conifers. We managed to get some decent views of it until it flew on into denser cover and we lost it. An unexpected bonus. We finished the morning at Paphos Sewage Works where several Spur-winged Lapwing, including some juveniles, were feeding in the fields. We also found another Eurasian Stone Curlew. Some choice birds on a very quiet day with just a few signs that migration is slowly getting underway.
Species list:
Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eleonora’s Falcon, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Greater Sand Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, European Nightjar, Eurasian Hoopoe, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Cyprus Wheatear, Zitting Cisticola, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Great Tit, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, European Goldfinch.
As well as this Sanderling on Spiros Beach, there were at least five Curlew Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plover, a Black-tailed Godwit and three Marsh Sandpiper at Larnaca Sewage Works. Several Little Stint and a couple of Common Sandpiper were also present. Seven Greater Flamingo were feeding there and in among the Mallard were a couple of Garganey, a single Northern Shoveler, a Ruddy Shelduck and some Ferruginous Duck. Many Spur-winged Lapwing were around the edge of the pools and in the nearby fields and a couple of Black-winged Stilt were still present. No sign of the Eurasian Curlew I had seen there the day before.
Sanderling, Spiros Beach, 27th July 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Sanderling, Spiros Beach, 27th July 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Apart from the usual Mallards, Little Grebe and Eurasian Coot, there was a Whiskered and a White-winged Tern at the Sewage Pools as well as breeding Spur-winged Lapwing, the long-staying Ruddy Shelduck and two Ferruginous Duck. A small group of Kentish Plover flew in while I was there. The majority of bird life on the main Salt Lake was in the north east corner where I found more breeding Spur-winged Lapwing, some Black-winged Stilt, a Grey Heron, two Little Egret, two Cattle Egret and a Squacco Heron. A pair of Black-headed Wagtail were at Spiros Pool and the reeds near the Kamares aqueduct were full of Eurasian Reed Warbler families.
Black-winged Stilt, Larnaca 13th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Barn Swallow, Larnaca 13th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
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