With no rain forecast, for the first time in days, I headed out with first stop Agios Sozomenos on the outskirts of Nicosia. There was still a male Finsch’s Wheatear present. Two sub-adult Bonelli’s Eagle, a Peregrine Falcon and a Long-legged Buzzard flew over and at the water treatment plant there were two Ferruginous Duck. Blackcap could be heard singing from many bushes as could several male Spectacled Warbler. I also saw two Long-legged Buzzard flying over Panagia Stazousa on the way to Larnaca. A single Isabelline Wheatear and Eurasian Hoopoe at Petounta Point showed that migration continues to stutter into gear. On the beach there were four Kentish Plover. Nine Eurasian Curlew were near the Larnaca Sewage Pools and at least eight Calandra Lark were in the fields outside Pervolia.
Eurasian Hoopoe Petounta Point 26th February 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Very windy today at Larnaca where I did the water bird count. A lot of water on the Salt Lake so the Greater Flamingo were concentrated at the edges where the water is shallower. Best species was Little Gull – one on Meneou Pool and another on the Sewage Pools. A Eurasian Hoopoe and a Common Quail were seen on the track leading to the hide at the Sewage Pools.
Meneou Pool – Little Gull 1 first winter, Common Shelduck 3
Larnaca Airport Pools South – Greater Flamingo 245, Western Marsh Harrier 1, Caspian Gull 3, Common Black-headed Gull 107
Larnaca Sewage Pools – Barn Swallow 8, Mallard 73, Eurasian Teal 330, Black-necked Grebe 1, Northern Shoveler 13, Northern Pintail 1m, Gadwall 1m, Great Cormorant 1, Quail (in off sea), Eurasian Hoopoe 1, Little Gull 1
Spiros Pool/Beach – Spur-winged Lapwing 2, Greater Flamingo 67, Sandwich Tern 3, Golden Plover 11, Common Redshank 1
Larnaca Airport Pools North – Northern Shoveler 38, Greater Flamingo 82, Kentish Plover 12, Barn Swallow 2, Coot 3
Larnaca Salt Lake – Northern Shoveler 301, Common Shelduck 660, Greater Flamingo 3364, Barn Swallow c60, Green Sandpiper 1, Black-headed Gull c300, Caspian Gull c80, Armenian Gull c10, Western Marsh Harrier 1, Common Redshank 10, Common Ringed Plover 4, Dunlin 5, Little Stint 7, Kentish Plover 6
First trip out of the new season was around Limassol with Ann and Peter. We visited Germasogeia Dam, Phassouri Reed Beds, Akrotiri Gravel Pits, Akrotiri Salt Lake, Zakaki Marsh, Lady’s Mile and Kensington Cliffs. A windy day still mainly dominated by winter visitors although we found a Eurasian Hoopoe at the Gravel Pits and Barn Swallows and Common House Martins at Germasogeia Dam. We had good views of a juvenile Caspian Gull and adult and juvenile Armenian Gull at Lady’s Mile with other highlights – a Ferruginous Duck on Zakaki; Woodlarks at Akrotiri Gravel Pits; a male and a female Black Francolin in flight at Phassouri Reed Beds and a Long-legged Buzzard at Kensington Cliffs.
Days species – 57:
Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Shag, Little Egret, Greater Flamingo, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Curlew, Common Black-headed Gull, Baltic Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Armenian Gull, Sandwich Tern, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Blue Rock Thrush, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting
The nine Ruddy Shelduck were still at Paralimni Lake this morning where there are still around two hundred Greater Flamingo. I heard two Water Rail and there were eight Ruff feeding. A couple of Barn Swallows were in the area together with a single Alpine Swift. Only winter visitors though at Agia Trias – one Sandwich Tern, one Greater Sand Plover and one Golden Plover.
As Cape Greco was hosting a car rally – not exactly the best use for a Natura 2000 site I would have thought – there was no access there so I had a walk from the east of Agia Napa and found one of the earliest Isabelline Wheatear of the year (the first had been found at Avagas last Saturday).
On the beach at Oroklini there were still many Black-headed Gull with just one Mediterranean Gull, two Sandwich Tern, a couple of Armenian Gull and at least one Caspian Gull. On Oroklini Marsh there were hunting Western Marsh Harrier and Long-legged Buzzard which put up three Common Snipe. As well as the overwintering Greater Flamingo, Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Teal there were at least fifty Barn Swallow and probably more House Martin flying around the area and just one Common Swift. A flock of over a hundred Common Starling were also seen.
A good selection of ducks at Athalassa Dam this morning although only the Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Teal were obliging enough to be seen from the hide there. A female Tufted Duck, female Common Pochard and two male and a female Ferruginous Duck were present but could only be seen through the gaps in the waterside vegetation now that the water level is so high.
Singing Cyprus Warblers could be heard as I drove from Pyrga to Panagia Stazousa. I counted and saw at least 12 males and two females but heard several others as well.
Ferruginous Duck and female Common Pochard Athalassa Dam 7th February 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Due to road works I couldn’t get to my usual view point at Paralimni Lake today but despite that I managed to find the nine Ruddy Shelduck that have been there for several weeks now. A few Spur-winged Lapwing were flying around and there were at least two hundred Greater Flamingo on the Lake. A few Barn Swallow flew over and in Sotira village there were some Common Starling. The sea was very rough at the coastal sites I visited and at Agia Trias eight Grey Plover were together on the few rocks that were exposed together with a Greater Sand Plover. Three Sandwich Tern were fishing offshore and four Audouin’s Gull headed north – one a first winter bird.
I also found Audouin’s Gull at Kermia Beach (3) and Macronissos Beach (4) as well as one flying past Cape Greco. At least three male Cyprus Warbler were singing at Cape Greco. Stopping at Oroklini Marsh in the late afternoon it was good to see two male and four female Red-crested Pochard there as well as a Water Rail, three Northern Lapwing, 42 Spur-winged Lapwing, over 200 Cattle Egret coming to roost, a female Northern Pintail, a Common Redshank, several Barn Swallow and my first House Martin for the year.
Spent a lovely spring day around Limassol with highlights:
Phassouri Reed Beds – Hawfinch 1+, Common Reed Bunting 3, Water Pipit 2, Common Snipe 4, Little Egret 1, Blackcap 10+, Song Thrush 5+, Blackbird 1, Western Marsh Harrier 2
Akrotiri Gravel Pits – Green Sandpiper 1, Western Marsh Harrier 1
Lady’s Mile – Sandwich Tern 2, Armenian Gull 20, Caspian Gull 3+
Zakaki Marsh – Common Kingfisher 1, Common Snipe 1, Penduline Tit 1h
Germasogeia Dam – Bonelli’s Eagle 1 adult, Grey Wagtail 2, Barn Swallow 7, Woodlark 14
Out today doing the waterbird count around Larnaca Salt Lake area and Kiti Dam. Also visited Petounta Point. The highlight was a group of seventeen Black-necked Grebe on Larnaca Salt Lake which is full of water and had few waders as a result.
Highlights were:
Meneou Pool – Greater Flamingo 465
Spiros Pool & Beach area – Greater Flamingo 15, Golden Plover c300 flying over airport in distance, Dunlin 2, Little Stint 3, Green Sandpiper 1, Common Ringed Plover 12, Kentish Plover 89
Larnaca Airport Pools North – Greater Flamingo 24, Common Redshank 1
Larnaca Salt Lake – Black-headed Gull 108, Common Shelduck 607, Northern Shoveler 87, Greater Flamingo 1820, Black-necked Grebe 17, Reed Bunting 3, Common Snipe 2, Eurasian Teal 107, Common Redshank 3, Common Buzzard 1, Western Marsh Harrier 2, Water Pipit 1, Dunlin 4, Blackbird 1
Larnaca Airport Pools South – Greater Flamingo 123, Caspian Gull 50, Armenian Gull 12, Heuglin’s Gull 1 (maybe 2)
Kiti Dam (has water) – Western Marsh Harrier 1, Eurasian Teal 6, Black-headed Gull 54
Petounta Point – Sandwich Tern 2, Common Buzzard 1
My first stop was Paralimni Lake which has plenty of water and also nine Ruddy Shelduck, several Great Egret, three Western Marsh Harriers hunting, a lone Greater White-fronted Goose, some Greater Flamingo and several hundred Common Starling. At Agias Trias there were six Grey Plover, a Greater Sand Plover, Common Kingfisher and a Caspian Gull which was chased away by a Hooded Crow. Single Audouin’s Gulls were at Konnos Bay and Macronisos Beach. At Macronisos there were also seven Greater Sand Plover and around thirty Kentish Plover. A Sandwich Tern was on the beach at Oroklini.
Paralimni Lake 16th January 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Was glad I braved the heavy rain to drive to Mandria today as I was rewarded with good views of the Crimson-winged Finch that had been found there yesterday. It was very mobile and kept company with the many Linnets, Greenfinches and Goldfinches that were flying around the area. A pretty rubbish record shot below. But nice to get a lifer in January!
Also at Mandria were hundreds of Eurasian Skylark, a flock of nearly two hundred Northern Lapwing, ten Golden Plover and a ringtail Hen Harrier. A quick visit to Paphos Sewage Plant produced at Hawfinch, several Song Thrush and Blackbirds, many Chaffinch, a couple of Spur-winged Lapwing and three Cattle Egret.
Crimson-winged Finch Mandria 14th January 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Was too late getting to Zakaki Marsh this morning to catch sight of the three Little Swift that had been feeding there earlier. Although I also returned there later in the day, there was no further sign of them. I did see a Jack Snipe, several Water Pipit, Common Kingfisher and hear a Water Rail though. The Eurasian Bittern at Phassouri Reed Beds came out from the reeds briefly, but more interesting there were the Hawfinch that were flying in the area together with large flocks of Common Chaffinch and European Serin. I saw at least four but other birders had found up to ten. At least three Western Marsh Harrier and four Common Buzzard were around and a Eurasian Curlew was near the coast.
At Lady’s Mile there was at least one Mediterranean Gull in with all the Common Black-headed Gull, about ten Armenian Gull and six first winter Caspian Gull. Along the port road two Laughing Dove were sitting on the wires and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk was flying over being mobbed by two Hooded Crow. Great to get out birding again!!
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