Cyprus Birding Tours

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Booted Eagle at Akhna Dam and Terek Sandpiper at Oroklini, 18th November

Yesterday a Buff-bellied Pipit (spp. japonicas) had been seen at Akhna Dam but I had no joy finding it this afternoon although there were many Meadow Pipit and Water Pipit around. It was worth the trip to see the pale Booted Eagle that has been there the last week or so and was seen several times – usually being harassed by the local Hooded Crows. Also present was an immature Great White Pelican, a Common Redshank and a Greenshank, a Great Egret and several Grey Heron, Little and Cattle Egret. The bushes were full of Chiffchaff – at least twenty five in one small area.

The recent storms meant that there was some water at Oroklini Marsh and the waders have moved from the channels into a flooded area which was visible from the derelict houses there. Common Redshank, Northern and Spur-winged Lapwing, Dunlin, Little Stint and there out in the open – the Terek Sandpiper. A less than annual migrant this individual has been present for over a month now. Managed to get a few record shots of it – not great especially as it was getting dark. So pleased to see the Terek well that I didn’t notice the Common Snipe sitting behind it until I got home and checked the photos!

Booted Eagle Akhna Dam 18th November 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Booted Eagle Akhna Dam 18th November 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Terek Sandpiper and Common Snipe Oroklini Marsh November 18th 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Terek Sandpiper and Common Snipe Oroklini Marsh November 18th 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Waterbird Count Larnaca today 18th November 2013

After a stormy night it was still windy and showery around Larnaca this morning as I did the Waterbird Count. Nearly a thousand Northern Shoveler on the Sewage Pools and over 500 Common Teal with plenty of Mallard, Coot, Little Grebe and Black-headed Gull. Thirteen Greater White-fronted Geese have arrived as have four Black-necked Grebe and four Common Shelduck. Among the ducks I found one Northern Pintail and one Ferruginous Duck. Four Black-winged Stilt were feeding around the edges together with a Bar-tailed Godwit, three Sanderling and some Common Redshank, a Greenshank, five Ruff and a few Little Stint. I found one adult Caspian Gull, two Armenian Gull and several Yellow-legged Gull.

On Spiro’s Pool there were over forty Golden Plover but no water. At the Kamares area of the main Salt Lake there is some water and an interesting selection of birds included 100 Kentish Plover, a couple of Common Ringed Plover, some Dunlin, Little Stint and Common Redshank as well as a Jack Snipe. There were a couple of Water Pipit and at least one Penduline Tit and two Reed Bunting in the reed beds. Two Marsh Harriers were overflying as was a Eurasian Sparrowhawk.

Plenty of overwintering passerines around – Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, European Robin and Song Thrush.

Golden Plover Spiro's Pool 18th November 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Golden Plover Spiro’s Pool 18th November 2013 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Paphos Sewage Works and Mandria afternoon 15th November 2013

Stopped at the Sewage Plant outside Paphos this afternoon on my way back to Nicosia. More than 100 Common Woodpigeon are flocking in the area. There was a small group of 18 Common Starling and a Sparrowhawk was hunting the Meadow Pipit and Skylark as it had been doing when I was there on Monday. There were also several Red-throated Pipit and lots of White Wagtail as well as five Cattle Egret feeding in the fields. I was surprised to hear a Wren singing and then saw it in the reeds opposite the stables. A Bluethroat was also there together with several Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler and a Cetti’s Warbler. The sun was setting when I got to Mandria but both a male and female Hen Harrier were quartering the fields there, putting all the Skylark up.

Zitting Cisticola Paphos Sewage Plant 15th November 2013 (C) Cyprus Birding Tours

Zitting Cisticola Paphos Sewage Plant 15th November 2013 (C) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Stonechat Mandria 15th November 2013

Common Stonechat Mandria 15th November 2013 (C) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report, Paphos 11th November 2013

Six hours around Paphos today with David and Jan. Lots of winter visitors around now including Hen Harrier, Woodlark, Northern Lapwing, a flock of over 100 Woodpigeon and a Reed Bunting. We also caught up with a male Finsch’s Wheatear at Anarita Park and found a male Cyprus Warbler and a Little Owl at both Asprokremmos and Anarita Park.

We spent most of our time out around Paphos Sewage Works. There we watched Meadow Pipit, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting, Goldfinch and Robin all bathing in a pool while a lovely male Hen Harrier, a female Sparrowhawk and several Common Kestrel were hunting over the area putting up the many Meadow Pipit, Skylark, White Wagtail and Red-throated Pipit. A Yellow Wagtail is still around. At least four Spur-winged Lapwing were present as was a lone Northern Lapwing.  The numbers of Chaffinch and Linnet in the area have increased and there was several Spanish Sparrow. On the road driving into the area we found several Serin, Black Redstart and a single Woodlark.

At Mandria we found well over 100 Eurasian Skylark and at Asprokremmos Dam there was a juvenile Red-backed Shrike. Another one was also at Anarita Park which we visited to find Finsch’s Wheatear and were not disappointed.

Total species – 40

Cattle Egret, Hen Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Spur-winged Lapwing, Northern Lapwing, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Little Owl, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Finsch’s Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report – Day’s guiding Paphos, November 8th 2013

On meeting Martin in Paphos  and mentioning the fact that two Wallcreeper had been seen the day before in the Avgas Gorge we abandoned our day’s schedule and headed there. Three Chukar on a rock caught our attention on the way into the gorge – a new species for Martin, the first of five during the day.  Sardinian Warbler, European Robin, Chiffchaff, Greenfinch, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Stonechat and a large flock of Western Jackdaw didn’t detain us for long and we headed to the area where the Wallcreeper had been seen the day before. We located the site of yesterday’s sighting and waited. No joy for over an hour so I headed upstream to see if one was there. Again no joy – until we decided to leave. As if on cue one flew in and proceeded to fly all over the cliff face opposite us, feeding as it stopped. We had great views and Martin was able to take some photos until it flew upstream. We followed it and now it was even closer to us if very flighty – what a great bird. The showy Grey Wagtail that was also present was almost ignored.

After thirty minutes the bird flew off and we decided to rescue some of our previous plans and headed for Paphos Sewage Works. A late juvenile Red-backed Shrike was perched on a roadside bush as we approached.  Spur-winged Lapwing was the target but first we checked through the birds feeding in the alfalfa fields and using a large puddle for bathing – White Wagtail, a few late Yellow Wagtail, Meadow, Water and Red-throated Pipit were all seen as were small group of Spanish Sparrow.  Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler and Chiffchaff were in the road side vegetation and Eurasian Skylark flew over.  As we walked along the road we found a Bluethroat drying its feathers in the sun. It completely ignored us and sat there letting Martin take plenty of photos. Our attention was distracted by some noisy Hooded Crows who were mobbing a Eurasian Sparrowhawk.  A Common Snipe sat motionless on the field’s edge. The Spur-winged Lapwing were inside the Sewage Plant area but could still be photographed through the fence. Several Linnet and a couple of Serin together with two female Black Redstart, six Cattle Egret and plenty of Stonechat completed the species seen there.

We made a quick visit to the Asprokremmos Dam to try and find Cyprus Warbler and a male and female obliged us in the scrub behind the dam itself. We also saw a Little Owl in the area. We headed off for Anarita Park as the clouds closed in and the thunder rumbled in the distance. We were lucky that it didn’t rain hard there and the light rain didn’t hinder our views of a lovely male Finsch’s Wheatear on the rocks there. A flock of eleven Woodlark were not as obliging and flew away as quickly as they had arrived. A total of three Little Owl were in the area. I saw a male Blue Rock Thrush but unfortunately it flew off before Martin could see it.

We decided to make the most of the fading light at Mandria. A Common Ringed Plover was on the beach and nine Great Cormorant headed east offshore. We heard Skylark but with the last of the light we headed back to Paphos.  A Barn Owl was sitting next to the greenhouses as we passed by and near the olive groves we could hear at least two Stone Curlew.

No doubting the bird of the day which probably caused us to miss several other target species but it had been worth it and we had still caught up with some other great birds and lifers for Martin.

Total species – 49

Great Cormorant, Cattle Egret,  Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Common Snipe, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Water Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Finsch’s  Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush,  Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Wallcreeper, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow,  Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting