A day out around the south east of Cyprus today with Neil. At Cape Greco we found a late Cyprus Wheatear and a male Cyprus Warbler gave us good views. We had not joy finding any Finsch’s Wheatear which don’t seem to have arrived on their winter territories in this part of the island yet. We had good views of a male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Great Egret, a female and juvenile male Blue Rock Thrush and Chukar, and were very pleased to find two Greater Sand Plover at Agia Trias. Twenty migrating Slender-billed Gulls were seen off Kermia Beach and we found two late migrating juvenile Red-backed Shrike and Northern Wheatear.
Highlights per location:
Akhna Dam – Great Egret, Eurasian Wigeon 1f, Common Quail 1h, Spur-winged Lapwing, Zitting Cisticola, Spanish Sparrow
Agia Thekla – Little Egret, Red-throated Pipit
Kermia Beach – Northern Shoveler 2 on sea, Slender-billed Gull 20 E to W off shore, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear 1m
Agia Trias – Yellow-legged Gull 3, Greater Sand Plover 2, Common Sandpiper 1, Common Kingfisher 1
Agia Napa Football Fields – Cattle Egret 11
Paralimni Lake – Little Egret 10, Water Rail h, Spur-winged Lapwing
Total species seen – 47
Little Grebe, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Common Quail, Eurasian Coot, Greater Sand Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Slender-billed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Kingfisher, Crested Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Red-throated Pipit, White Wagtail, European Robin, Common Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet
Common Kingfisher Agios Trias 26th October 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Found my target species today at Agios Sozomenos – a newly arrived male Finsch’s Wheatear (well he wasn’t there on Wednesday!) was setting up his winter territory there. An interesting selection of raptors was flying over the area – all receiving close attention from the local Western Jackdaws – first a juvenile Bonelli’s Eagle, then a Long-legged Buzzard, a Common Buzzard and finally a Eurasian Sparrowhawk all had to run the gauntlet. The only raptor that the Jackdaw’s didn’t bother was a Peregrine Falcon flying around the cliffs.
I only saw one White Stork in the nearby clover fields but I understand that two had been present earlier in the morning.
Thanks to a tip off from a local birder, I went to fields to the south east of Nicosia this afternoon and found the two White Stork he had found there earlier today. I then took the opportunity to check if any Finsch’s Wheatear had arrived at nearby Agios Sozomenos but couldn’t find any. I did find two Cyprus Wheatear, a Blue Rock Thrush, a Purple Heron and many Cattle Egret in a watered field, at least one Red-throated Pipit and a Long-legged Buzzard. Little Owl were calling throughout the area and I saw three, although I am sure there were more.
The six Common Crane were back on the Sewage Pools this morning and the long-staying Ruddy Shelduck was still there. There were many Eurasian Teal, Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Eurasian Coot, Little Grebe, Little Stint, Dunlin, Kentish Plover, Common Ringed Plover and several Black-winged Stilt. There were also single Grey Plover, Ruddy Turnstone and Northern Lapwing as well as more than sixty Greater Flamingo.
Also in the area was a late Northern Wheatear and at least six Red-throated Pipits. There were plenty of Common Stonechat setting up territories and away from the coast at Panagia Stazousa I counted at least 12. There were also several singing European Robin, a Little Owl and two late Cyprus Wheatear in that area.
Common Crane Larnaca Sewage Works 21st October 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Ruddy Shelduck Larnaca Sewage Works 21st October 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Not a lot of water, even the Sewage Works Pools are emptying but some interesting birds with a Red-breasted Flycatcher (not a male though 😦 ) as a bonus!
Larnaca Sewage Works
Bluethroat 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 9
Greater Flamingo 66
Northern Shoveler c300
Eurasian Teal c150
Black-winged Stilt 13
Grey Heron 2
Great Egret 1 (flew off heading E)
Dunlin c60
Little Stint c40
Ruddy Shelduck 1
Ruff 5
Pintail 3
Northern Lapwing 1
Kentish Plover 16
Common Ringed Plover 17
Marsh Sandpiper 1
Eleonora’s Falcon 2 flew over fast heading W
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1
Spiros Pool
Spur-winged Lapwing 30
Common Crane 6 (in pm were on Sewage Pools)
Common Ringed Plover 25
Ruff 5
Water Rail 1h
Common Redshank 1
Common Snipe 1h
Yellow-legged Gull 27 flew over
Red-throated Pipit 2+h
Pat, Val, Paul, Anne and I headed straight for Paphos Headland where a walk along the coast line produced four Greater Sand Plover, a Eurasian Golden Plover, a Whimbrel, a Ruddy Turnstone and two Common Sandpiper. Two Common Kingfisher squabbling over territory was great to see and we also found a Tawny Pipit in the scrub as well as a Zitting Cisticola and several Spanish Sparrow sitting in a couple of bushes. Two Northern Lapwing flew over – an unusual location for them.
Our next stop was the Ezousas Valley near Agia Varvara where we found many Willow Warblers, a Eurasian Sparrowhawk, two newly arrived Common Stonechat, a couple of Chukar and a distant Cyprus Wheatear. A couple of the Soakaways still held water but the only birds we found on them were a couple of Common Moorhen and a young Grey Heron. At Paphos Sewage Works we quickly found at least six Spur-winged Lapwing but it took us a bit longer to find and get decent views of the three Red-throated Pipit that we could hear feeding in the fields with the many White and several Yellow Wagtail. A juvenile Red-footed Falcon was migrating overhead as we left.
The three Red-throated Pipit in the fields near the sea at Mandria were more obliging and we had great views of them – still mainly in breeding plumage. We found three Northern Wheatear, a Tawny Pipit and a Whinchat, and then watched a Long-legged Buzzard fly over and perch on the top of a tall conifer while being mobbed by Hooded Crows. Two Eurasian Sparrowhawk were flying over as were four Northern Lapwing. We were especially pleased to spend some time watching at least 35 Eurasian Stone Curlew on a ploughed field.
We then went to Petra tou Romiou and were treated to a flying display by four or five Eleonora’s Falcon. Another Eleonora’s Falcon gave us a surprise at Kouklia Soakaways when it flew up from the water in the river bed there. A Long-legged Buzzard was also flying in the valley and we saw another of those on the approach road to the Asprokremmos Dam being pursued by a flock of Hooded Crow. Both darker birds than we had seen at Mandria. A male and female Cyprus Warbler played hide and seek behind the Dam but finally the female at least allowed us to see her well, the male giving only the briefest glimpses.
Our last stop was at Minthis Hills where we were hoping to get better views of the Cyprus Wheatear. We were very pleased to find one as soon as we turned into the area and then another a bit further along the track. Our final species were two Bonelli’s Eagle that gave us a great fly by and a fitting end to the day.
Total species seen 47
European Shag, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Eleonora’s Falcon, Chukar, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Greater Sand Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Northern Lapwing, Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Kingfisher, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Tawny Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Whinchat, Common Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet
Eurasian Stone Curlew Mandria 15th October 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A day around Paphos with Phil who I had also taken out on his previous trip to Cyprus in 2012. Today was, to be honest, very quiet birdwise and although we found our targets of Greater Sand Plover and Cyprus Wheatear, the birds made us work hard to find them. It seems as if most of the migrants have moved through and/or out and the winter visitors have yet to put in an appearance in any great numbers.
We started at Paphos Headland where we located four Greater Sand Plover, a European Golden Plover and three Common Sandpiper on the rocky shore. Moving on to Agia Varvara we had distant views of a Cyprus Wheatear and better views of two Long-legged Buzzard, a juvenile Masked Shrike, two Common Snipe, two Northern Lapwing and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Another Long-legged Buzzard was gaining height over Paphos Sewage Works where we also saw a male Red-footed Falcon and watched several White and Yellow Wagtail on the recently cut alfalfa crop.
Mandria was quiet although it was the only location at which we found a few Barn Swallow. We watched four European Shag on the offshore rocks as we ate our lunch. A single juvenile Red-backed Shrike was also in the area. We made a visit to the water’s edge at Asprokremmos Dam where a flock of Spanish Sparrow landed close to us and in the distance we found a Grey Heron and Little Egret. A Spotted Flycatcher was in the car park area there and another was at Kouklia Soakaways. By now we were wondering where the birds had all gone to. So I decided to head inland to the track leading to the Tsada/Minthis Hills Golf course. We wanted better views of Cyprus Wheatear and luckily there we found two, maybe three and were able to watch them for a while. A male and a female Common Stonechat were also there as were several Corn Bunting and Chukar.
An enjoyable day none-the-less with a day’s total of 43 less than we would have hoped for but well earnt!
List of species seen: Little Grebe, European Shag, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Chukar, Common Moorhen, Greater Sand Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Common Stonechat, Cyprus Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting.
For our second day out Pete, Julia and I spent our time around various Paphos birding sites with the main targets being Greater Sand Plover and the endemics. The first were found on the Headland where three birds were roosting on the rocks in the early morning sun. The endemics were a little harder although we finally had decent views of a male Cyprus Warbler at Asprokremmos Dam and found several Cyprus Wheatear at Minthis Hills. No rarities this time but we had a good selection of birds with interesting species seen including:
Paphos Headland – Greater Sand Plover 3, Common Sandpiper 1, White Wagtail 1 flew over
Agia Varvara Soakaways – Long-legged Buzzard 1, Common Snipe 1, Chukar 4+, European Bee-eater c20, Whinchat 4, Willow Warbler c20
Paphos Sewage Works – Spur-winged Lapwing 7, Common Cuckoo 1 (rufous phase), Yellow Wagtail (feldegg & flava mainly) 100+
Little Grebe, European Shag, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Common Moorhen, Greater Sand Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Whiskered Tern, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Cuckoo, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Tawny Pipit, Yellow Wagtail –flava and feldegg, White Wagtail, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting
It was good to meet up with Carl and Riss again and enjoy some friendly birding around Paphos. We checked out several locations that were new to them so they could visit themselves later in their holiday and found some good species on the way. It was much quieter than it has been over the last two weeks and we especially noted a big reduction in the number of European Bee-eaters around.
The star turns of the day were a male Western Marsh Harrier we saw with prey (probably a female Black Francolin) in its talons even though it then disappeared into an alfalfa field and defied all our attempts to relocate it; an Osprey we watched fishing at Asprokremmos Dam; and a lone male Red-footed Falcon on wires near the small church at Mandria.
Long-legged Buzzard were seen at Agia Varvara, Mandria and Kouklia Soakaways. We found a Cyprus and Isabelline Wheatear at Agia Varvara and several Greater Short-toed Lark and Tawny Pipit in the fields of Mandria where there were also many Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat and Northern Wheatear. In the wetter areas at Agia Varvara there were three Common Snipe. There we also heard a Water Rail and managed to see rather than hear two Cetti’s Warbler.
A juvenile Eleonora’s Falcon was perched in a tree at Petra tou Romiou where two Hooded Crow and three other Eleonora’s joined it for a while – it got a bit crowded! Other good birds included at least two Whiskered Tern on Asprokremmos Dam, two European Roller at Mandria, four Spur-winged Lapwing at Paphos Sewage Works and a Grey Wagtail at Kouklia Soakaways.
Species seen:
European Shag, European Honey Buzzard, Western Marsh Harrier, Long-legged Buzzard, Osprey, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Eleonora’s Falcon, Chukar, Water Rail (h), Common Moorhen, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Snipe, Whiskered Tern, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Tawny Pipit, Yellow Wagtail inc feldegg and flava races, Grey Wagtail, Whinchat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet
Red-footed Falcon Mandria 25th September 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
The first of two day’s out with Julia and Pete was spent mainly around the Akrotiri Peninsula but the surprise of the day was found during a spur of the moment visit to Kouklia Soakways.
As we drove into Phassouri Reed Beds Julia noticed two birds at the edge of the field – a male and female Black Francolin. Moving on to the soundtrack of the day – the call of migrating European Bee-eaters – we saw several European Honey Buzzard fly over , a couple of Western Marsh Harrier and a female Red-footed Falcon. A male and a female Golden Oriole flew into a tall tree and we had brief glimpses of them. There were also several Eurasian Turtle Dove flying around together with several Yellow Wagtail. A lone Cattle Egret was present but the only waders we saw were two Common Snipe that flew over the area.
On the Gravel Pits we stopped near the church to watch a kettle of around fifty European Honey Buzzard on the thermalling up and disappearing into the clouds. We also had a Tree Pipit fly over calling and on one of the pools we found several Dunlin, Kentish Plover and a Common Sandpiper. We saw a couple of Whinchat and a Northern Wheatear as well as several juvenile Red-backed Shrike. We also had a single Lesser Grey Shrike on the road past Bishop’s Pool.
Lady’s Mile had Kentish Plover, a single Common Ringed Plover, several Dunlin and plenty of Little Stint. A Western Marsh Harrier flew over and then a juvenile Montagu’s Harrier. We were able to get great views of two Great Reed Warbler and several juvenile Yellow Wagtail (feldegg) from the hide at Zakaki Marsh due to the recent clearing work done by a BirdLife Cyprus volunteer. A hunting Western Marsh Harrier put a Northern Pintail, Garganey, Mallard, two Little Egret and a Grey Heron to flight.
After lunch we went to Kensington Cliffs where we were treated to a great flying display by around twenty Eleonora’s Falcon who were joined by seven Eurasian Griffon Vulture soaring over the cliffs and a single Long-legged Buzzard. We finally left as the Griffon Vultures headed inland and then back again behind the cliffs and out of sight.
We decided to pop into Kouklia Soakaways on the way back to Paphos on the off chance of a Bonelli’s Eagle. No luck with that but we had two, maybe three, Long-legged Buzzard, another Western Marsh Harrier and a Peregrine Falcon. Again there were many European Bee-eater and we thought at first we were looking at another one on the wires over the road as we were leaving. Suddenly it dawned that we had a Cyprus rarity in front of us – a White-throated Kingfisher – recorded less than annually. Unfortunately before we were able to even get a quick photo for the record it flew off into the nearby orchard. We had no luck relocating it but the views we had were unmistakable. A quick visit to Asprokremmos Dam added Spotted Flycatcher and Black-crowned Night Heron to the day’s list which contained some quality birds.
Species seen – 58
Little Grebe, European Shag, Black-crowned Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, European Honey Buzzard, Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Western Marsh Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Eleonora’s Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Common Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, White-throated Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Sand Martin, Common House Martin, Tree Pipit, Black-headed Wagtail, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet
Three great days out with Robert and Ruth visiting Akrotiri, the sites around Larnaca and those around Cape Greco. Although migration was not as busy as we would have expected at this time of September we still had some great birds while missing out on some usual sitters such as Zitting Cisticola! We had over 100 European Honey Buzzards on at Akrotiri on 18th; displays by flying Eleonora’s Falcons at Akrotiri Gravel Pits, Larnaca Sewage Works and Kensington Cliffs; close views of Long-legged Buzzard at Panagia Stazousa; a probable Saker at Cape Greco (we are checking our photos); Temminck’s Stint and Marsh Sandpipers; six Eurasian Spoonbill at Larnaca Sewage Works; three Demoiselle Crane flying up over Lady’s Mile on 18th; Gull-billed and White-winged Terns; Greater Sand Plover near Kermia Beach 21st; more juvenile Red-backed Shrikes than we thought possible; several Cyprus Wheatear and a showy female Cyprus Warbler when the males let us down; and so many flocks of European Bee-eaters.
Highlights per location and date
Friday 18th September
Phassouri Reed Beds – European Honey Buzzard c130, Sand Martin 100+, Red-rumped Swallow 20+, Ortolan Bunting 1
A few hours out with Jeanette visiting a few of the well-known Paphos birding locations to give her the chance to get several of her target species. We had a total of 40 species with great views of some migrating European Honey Buzzards as a bonus. Not bad for less than four hours and without visiting wetlands!
Cyprus Birding Tours 