Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus

Tag Archives: Cyprus birdwatching


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Spiros Pool and Larnaca Sewage Works 24th August 2015

On Saturday I had been surprised to see Ruff on Spiros Pool which appeared to be completely dry; visiting the area briefly yesterday I saw a Western Marsh Harrier put up many waders from that location. I returned for a search today and found water in the area near the Sewage Plant and Desalination Buildings. A good collection of waders and mosquitos awaited me. These included a Black-tailed Godwit (probably the same as seen at the Sewage Works last week), two Grey Plover moulting from their breeding plumage, a Temminck’s Stint, a Sanderling, several Wood Sandpiper, two Dunlin, a Curlew Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plover and around ten Common Ringed Plover, four Common Snipe and tens of Ruff and Little Stint. Several Black-winged Stilt were there and a juvenile Collared Pratincole flew away as I arrived. Four Greater Short-toed Lark flew over the area calling and there were at least three Yellow Wagtail. The Western Marsh Harrier was still quartering the area.

After the excitement of finding a juvenile Rose-coloured Starling on the coast near the airport boundary fence, I then watched a young Peregrine Falcon chase a feral pigeon while being mobbed by two Commom Kestrel.

As I arrived at the Sewage Works pools a Long-legged Buzzard was soaring over the area. On the water were an adult and two juvenile ‘Baltic’ Gulls, an eclipse plumage Northern Pintail, at least four Garganey, six Northern Shoveler and a Eurasian Teal. A few waders around the edge of the pools – Common Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Ruff, Common Ringed Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing and Black-winged Stilt.


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Interesting migrants in Larnaca area this morning, 22nd August 2015

Had my first Pallid Harrier of the autumn today with a juvenile quartering the fields near Larnaca Desalination Plant. A Common Kingfisher was on the coast there and several Yellow Wagtail were in the fields. It was strange to see around twenty Ruff on the bone dry Spiros Pool.

On the Sewage Pools there were seven Garganey, around four Northern Shoveler and at least one Eurasian Teal – migrants mixed in with the resident Mallards. Around the edge were also some migrant waders – a Black-tailed Godwit, a Sanderling, two Common Ringed Plover, a Common Redshank, around twenty Little Stint, five Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper. Two moulting adult White-winged Tern were flying over the water together with a juvenile. There are still good numbers of Black-winged Stilt and Spur-winged Lapwing there.

Near Tekke Mosque there were two Lesser Grey Shrike and two male, three female and a juvenile Red-backed Shrike.


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Limassol area today, 19th August 2015

A drive-around birdwatch of the Limassol area today with the star being a European Honey Buzzard sitting, carefully extracting and then eating wasp grubs from a piece of wasp nest he held in his talons. Even my non-birding companion got out of the car to watch that!

Other birds seen included:

Phassouri Reed Beds – Glossy Ibis 1 juv, Eurasian Turtle Dove 1, Red-backed Shrike 1f, Ferruginous Duck 1, Lesser Grey Shrike 1, Yellow Wagtail 3 juvs, Eurasian Reed Warbler

Akrotiri Gravel Pits – European Honey Buzzard 1, Red-backed Shrike 1f, Black-winged Stilt, Yellow Wagtail 12

Akrotiri Salt Lake – Greater Flamingo c1000

Lady’s Mile – Common Greenshank 2, Marsh Sandpiper 1, Curlew Sandpiper 1, Glossy Ibis 5, Little Egret 1, Kentish Plover c200, Little Stint c20, Dunlin 1

Kensington Cliffs – Eleonora’s Falcon 5

Glossy Ibis Lady's Mile 19th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Glossy Ibis Lady’s Mile 19th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Heron Phassouri Reed Beds 19th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Heron Phassouri Reed Beds 19th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Waterbird Count at Larnaca, 17th August 2015

Early start to avoid the humid heat of Larnaca today. Larnaca Sewage Works had most species including migrating Common Ringed Plover, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Common Redshank, White-winged and Whiskered Tern. Two adult Slender-billed Gull were present, three Grey Heron flew over heading W and a Eurasian Curlew that flew in briefly was later seen heading E. There was a single Greater Flamingo also with the usual resident Mallard, Coot and Little Grebe and a good number of Spur-winged Lapwing and Black-winged Stilt – both with several juveniles.

More than two hundred Kentish Plover were roosting on Spiros Beach in a post-breeding flock which contained many juveniles.

Little Stint were feeding around the edge of the main Salt Lake where there were also more Black-winged Stilt and Spur-winged Lapwing. Two European Roller and a male Red-backed Shrike were near Tekke Mosque.


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Akrotiri today, 14th August 2015

An unusual finding today was a Ruddy Shelduck on Zakaki Marsh – although the height of the reeds there now made it hard to see. Apparently it has been present for a few days now and is probably the first summer record for this species in Cyprus. It’s usually seen between November to April as a winter visitor, although three were reported in September in 1995.

Also had a juvenile Citrine Wagtail at Phassouri Reed Beds where there was a Lesser Grey Shrike and a Eurasian Hoopoe as well as several juvenile Yellow Wagtail and plenty of fledged Eurasian Reed Warblers. On Lady’s Mile there were around 150 Kentish Plover, several Little Stint, a Dunlin and one, maybe two, Sanderling. A juvenile Glossy Ibis was also there with several Black-winged Stilt.

As well as the Ruddy Shelduck at Zakaki I heard a Common Kingfisher and saw a Garganey.

Lesser Grey Shrike Phassouri Reed Beds 14th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Lesser Grey Shrike Phassouri Reed Beds 14th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Few hours birding around Cape Greco, 13th August 2015

Some of the birds seen in a few hours birding this morning were:

Agia Napa Sewage Works – Lesser Grey Shrike 2m, Red-backed Shrike 1f, Eastern Orphean Warbler 2, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler c10, Common Sandpiper 2, Cyprus Warbler 1f, Spectacled Warbler 4+, Spur-winged Lapwing 1

Cape Greco – Red-backed Shrike 2f, Eurasian Hoopoe 2, Cyprus Wheatear 1

Agia Napa Football Fields – Cattle Egret c60, Lesser Grey Shrike 1

Oroklini Marsh – Little Stint 20, Spotted Redshank 2, Marsh Sandpiper 1, Little Tern 2 juv, Ruff 5, Wood Sandpiper 4, Grey Heron 1, Yellow Wagtail 5 flew over, Black-winged Stilt c20, Spur-winged Lapwing c25

Red-backed Shrike female Agia Napa Sewage Works 13th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red-backed Shrike female Agia Napa Sewage Works 13th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Hoopoe Cape Greco 13th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Hoopoe Cape Greco 13th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Birding around Paphos area, 10th August 2015

Spent today out in the Paphos area. Rain was a pleasant relief from the heat when I got to Arodes but it didn’t put off both the Long-legged Buzzard and Eurasian Hobby that were flying over the area. There were at least four European Roller in the area and two Eurasian Turtle Dove.

Off shore I saw thirteen Grey Heron, three Little Egret, at least 75 Glossy Ibis, around fifty Garganey and six Gull-billed Tern as they migrated over Polis Chrysochou Bay. A Woodchat Shrike was at Neochorio and Masked Shrike were at Androlikou and Minthis Hills with several European Roller at both those locations.

A quick visit to Paphos Sewage Works on my way home produced 12 migrating Yellow Wagtail .

European Roller Arodes 10th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

European Roller Arodes 10th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Woodchat Shrike Neochorio 10th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Woodchat Shrike Neochorio 10th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cape Greco area and Oroklini Marsh this morning, 8th August 2015

Well I knew it had been hot in Cyprus while I had been away but I had hoped that at 7am it would be bearable. It wasn’t really but there were a few interesting species around. At least 18 Pallid Swift were over Agia Napa Sewage Works where almost every bush seemed to have several Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in it. I also saw eight Eastern Orphean Warbler but I am sure there were more unseen. A lone Cyprus Wheatear was also there as were several Spectacled Warbler.

A male Lesser Grey Shrike was at the Agia Napa Football Fields together with a Woodchat Shrike. Nearly 50 Cattle Egret were feeding on the watered pitches together with a couple of Black Francolin.

At Oroklini Marsh there were at least 22 Spur-winged Lapwing – several of them juvenile – and 25 Black-winged Stilt (again with several juvenile). At least twenty Little Stint were feeding in what is left of the water with some Little Ringed Plover, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff and a single Marsh Sandpiper.

Cattle Egret, Agia Napa Football Fields 8th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Cattle Egret, Agia Napa Football Fields 8th August 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Oroklini Marsh, 22nd July 2015

An adult Spur-winged Lapwing was chasing all other birds away from where its four chicks were feeding at Oroklini today. It was even chasing away Little Stint which were smaller than the chicks! Also in the area was a juvenile Glossy Ibis, several adult and juvenile Little Tern and an unseasonal Common Black-headed Gull. Numbers of Ruff, Little Ringed Plover and Little Stint are increasing there.

At Larnaca Sewage Works I found nine Little Tern and five Green Sandpiper were on the coast nearby.

Spur-winged Lapwing chick Oroklini 22nd July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spur-winged Lapwing chick Oroklini 22nd July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spur-winged Lapwing Oroklini 22nd July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spur-winged Lapwing Oroklini 22nd July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Zitting Cisticola, Larnaca Sewage Works 18th July 2015

This Zitting Cisticola was one of a family party around the hide at Larnaca Sewage Works this morning. Also flying around the area were an adult and juvenile Little Tern and a Whiskered Tern which was still in breeding plumage.

Zitting Cisticola Larnaca Sewage Works 18th July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Zitting Cisticola Larnaca Sewage Works 18th July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca waterbird count and Oroklini Marsh this morning, 15th July 2015

A hot morning out for the waterbird count around Larnaca. Three Whiskered Tern were on the Sewage Works pools, an Audouin’s Gull flew ovre and there were plenty of young birds – Mallard, Black-winged Stilt, a few Coot and some Spur-winged Lapwing. Three Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper there showed that migrant waders are now moving through. More waders were at Oroklini – nine Wood, three Common and a Green Sandpiper plus three Ruff, a Common Redshank and several adult and juvenile Little Ringed Plover. There were still some Cattle Egret in the small colony that is now established there as well as four feeding Little Egret. Large flocks of Barn Swallow were everywhere with a few Common Swift and House Martin as well.

Two juvenile Little Tern were at Oroklini – one was fed by an adult while another appeared to be having fishing lessons from a parent – the juvenile was diving in the water and the adult was squawking near by. At least eleven Little Tern were on the main Salt Lake although it was a bit too hazy for an accurate count. There were also around twenty Greater Flamingo and plenty of Black-winged Stilt. A couple of juvenile Eurasian Reed Warblers were in the reeds on the north eastern edge of the lake.

Little Ringed Plover Oroklini Marsh 15th July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Ringed Plover Oroklini Marsh 15th July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Barn Swallow Larnaca Sewage Works 15th July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Barn Swallow Larnaca Sewage Works 15th July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours