A good day out birding with Byron started at Akrotiri Salt Lake where we scanned the area for roosting Demoiselle Cranes. None were present but although we were unlucky with that species we had a successful day enabling Byron to get many of his target species which included – Chukar, Black Francolin, Cyprus Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear, Spur-winged Lapwing, Kentish Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Long-legged Buzzard, Eleonora’s Falcon, Slender-billed Gull, Spectacled Warbler, Pallid Swift and Masked Shrike.
Highlights per location visited:
Akrotiri Salt Lake – Lesser Grey Shrike, European Bee-eater, Red-backed Shrike
Akrotiri Gravel Pits – Greater Flamingo c20 along coast, European Honey Buzzard 3 gaining height over area 9.30 am, Black Francolin, Common Ringed Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Broad-billed Sandpiper (thanks to local birder Tony who told us where the bird had moved to when it was absent from Lady’s Mile), Common Kingfisher, Tawny Pipit, Common Whitethroat, Northern Wheatear, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Cretzschmar’s Bunting 2h and seen briefly
Lady’s Mile – Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Eleonora’s Falcon (one over high up)
Phasouri Reed-beds – Western Marsh Harrier, Pallid Swift, Alpine Swift, European Roller, Eurasian Roller, Yellow Wagtail inc feldegg and thunbergii, Cattle Egret, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Masked Shrike
At 7.30 am there were four Greater Flamingo on the Sewage Works pools. Just before 8.00am I saw a group of around twenty fly in from the east over Spiros Beach and circle over the Sewage Pools. They finally landed there to join the other four and there are currently 27 present there.
Greater Flamingo, Larnaca Sewage Works 16th August 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Greater Flamingo, Larnaca Sewage Works 16th August 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Greater Flamingo, Larnaca Sewage Works 16th August 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
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.
Chukar (c) Fulco van ‘t Holt
Crested Lark (c) Fulco van’t Holt
Eurasian Hobby, Arodes (c) Fulco van’t Holt
Starred Agamas, Neochorio, Paphos (c) Fulco van’ t Holt
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