Cyprus Birding Tours

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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day out around Oroklini and Cape Greco 24th March 2016

The third day out with Ann and Peter didn’t develop as planned as we decided to twitch a Cyprus first. We started at Oroklini Marsh where we found Purple Heron, Cattle Egret, Black-winged Stilt, Ferruginous Duck, Eurasian Wigeon, Greater Flamingo, Spur-winged Lapwing and Black Francolin as well as the more common wintering ducks Eurasian Teal and Northern Shoveler and resident Mallard, Little Grebe, Common Moorhen and Eurasian Coot. We moved on to the drainage channel at the nearby JUMBO toyshop where our targets of Temminck’s Stint and male Citrine Wagtail were soon found. A Common and Green Sandpiper and a couple of Spur-winged Lapwing were also there.

The plan for the day had then been to head for Larnaca Salt Lake and other Larnaca birding sites but having been told that a Cyprus first – a Brown-necked Raven – had been found earlier in the morning at Cape Greco,  Ann asked that we changed our plans and headed there. And we were certainly glad we did. On arrival we only just got out of the car when a male Pallid Harrier flew past us straight in off the sea. We turned around and into view then flew the Brown-necked Raven as if on cue. We watched it land on nearby rocks but were too excited to get our cameras to focus on it. We later rued the loss of a great photo opportunity. Several other birders including the raven’s finders, Keith and Raija Howard, then turned up and we spent some time discussing the bird and looking at Raija’s photos. A flock of migrating Northern Pintail flew E along the coast then turning and heading N over our heads. The first of many Northern and  Isabelline Wheatear were around us.

After that the day couldn’t really go wrong and we found Ruppell’s Warbler, a female Pallid Harrier and male Western Marsh Harrier, Spectacled Warbler,Tawny Pipit, Greater Short-toed Lark, Cyprus Wheatear and Cyprus Warbler, Common Nightingale and Red-rumped Swallow. As the afternoon drew on we relocated the Brown-necked Raven near the restored rubbish dump and then finished the day with good views of a female Desert Wheatear. Probably we would have had a greater number of species if we had kept with our previous plan but getting a lifer made that irrelevant we decided!

Total species seen – 64

Little Grebe, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Wigeon, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Ferruginous Duck, Western Marsh Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Temminck’s Stint, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Common Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Tawny Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Citrine Wagtail, White Wagtail, Common Nightingale, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Ruppell’s Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Brown-necked Raven, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Corn Bunting.

Citrine Wagtail, Leivadia, 24th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Citrine Wagtail, Leivadia, 24th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

 


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report – Two Day’s Guiding around Paphos 19th and 21st March 2016

Two days out with Martin and Rosemary to several of the Paphos hotspots gave us several lifers for Martin, despite the strong winds and lack of numbers of migrants around at the moment which limited the species we could have seen. However we were pleased with our species list in the end, although we felt we had worked hard to get some of the birds!

Highlights from locations visited:

Saturday 19th March:

Baths of Aphrodite: Long-legged Buzzard, Cyprus Wheatear, European Serin, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Yellow-legged Gull

Neo Chorio/Smygies: Chukar, Red-rumped Swallow, Cyprus Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting

Droushia: Long-legged Buzzard, Blue Rock Thrush

Arodes: Little Owl, Cyprus Wheatear 4+, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear 1m pale throated, Finsch’s Wheatear 1m

Mioliou: Eurasian Hoopoe

Evretou Dam: Common Quail 3h, Black Francolin 2, Little Ringed Plover 2, Great Spotted Cuckoo 2, Black-headed Wagtail 2, Isabelline Wheatear 1

Monday 21st March:

Minthis Hills: Chukar, Woodlark, Cyprus Wheatear, Tree Pipit, Cyprus Warbler 1 singing male, Ruppell’s Warbler 1m and 1f, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Cretzschmar’s Bunting 4 singing males, Corn Bunting

Agia Varvara: Green Sandpiper 4, Red-rumped Swallow 30+, Cretzschmar’s Bunting 10+

Anarita Park: Long-legged Buzzard, Common Quail, Little Owl, Red-rumped Swallow, Tree Pipit, Common Redstart 1m, Isabelline Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear 6+, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear 2m dark throated, Finsch’s Wheatear 1f, Blue Rock Thrush 1m, Eastern Orphean Warbler 2, Spanish Sparrow c100

Asprokremmos Dam area: Long-legged Buzzard, Western Marsh Harrier, Chukar, Red-rumped Swallow 30+, Tree Pipit, Cyprus Wheatear, Spectacled Warbler

Mandria: Black Francolin, Western Black Redstart, Black-headed Wagtail c300

Anarita Park 21st March 2016


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report – Day’s guiding in Limassol area 17th March 2016

Second day out with Ann and Peter and we started at Zakaki Marsh. We quickly found two newly arrived Sedge Warbler and a couple of Eurasian Reed Warbler and heard a Spotted Crake. Unfortunately we couldn’t see it, although apparently it had been on view before our arrival. Two Spur-winged Lapwing flew over. In the nearby vegetation we found Spectacled and Willow Warbler and were treated to good views of a male Black Francolin. On Lady’s Mile we found Armenian and Caspian Gull as well as a couple of Little Egret, a juvenile Greater Flamingo, a Black-tailed Godwit, three Common Redshank, some Kentish Plover, three Dunlin and more than fifty Little Stint. In the scrub were several Isabelline Wheatear and a male Northern Wheatear as well as several large flocks of European Goldfinch, European Greenfinch and Common Linnet.

It was very windy in the Gravel Pits area and workmen in the church grounds prevented us from checking those but as we drove across the area we heard a familiar call – it was Eurasian Penduline Tit. We stopped to investigate and then spent some time watching at least ten of them – mainly males – feeding in tamarisk bushes and calling to each other as they flitted around. We also found three Eurasian Hoopoe, that looked as if they had just flown in from the sea, and watched three Western Marsh Harrier and a Common Buzzard patrol the area. A male Merlin flew quickly over the old rabbit sheds. A flock of Spanish Sparrow also caught our attention.

We decided to head to Germasogeia Dam and then return to Zakaki later in the afternoon. At the Finikaria end of the dam we came across a Long-legged Buzzard and flocks of Spanish Sparrow and several singing Corn Bunting. A single male Cretzschmar’s Bunting was sitting high on a hawthorn bush. Checking out the remaining pools in the shallows we had great views of two Common Snipe and a Jack Snipe and it was especially interesting to compare their size when they flew. A single Alpine Swift flew low over our heads and a Water Pipit came down to the water’s edge to drink. At least five Black-headed Wagtail were flying around.

As the sun started to go down we headed back to Zakaki for a final check for the Spotted Crake. No luck again but we found Cattle and Little Egret there as well as two Ferruginous Duck and a Spur-winged Lapwing that flew in front of the hide.

Despite the wind making it difficult to find migrant passerines during the day we were pleased with the species we did see – a good variety in our 65 day total.

Total species seen – 65

Little Grebe, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Chukar h, Black Francolin, Spotted Crake h, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Kentish Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Common Redshank, Common Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Armenian Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, Black-headed Wagtail (feldegg), White Wagtail, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting

Zakaki Marsh, late afternoon 17th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Zakaki Marsh, late afternoon 17th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding around Paphos, 15th March 2016

The weather rather dampened our expectations for our day out but in the end we managed some good species although not large numbers. Picking up Richard and Ethelyn from Coral Bay we headed first to Mavrokolympos Dam hoping to find a late Finsch’s Wheatear. We had no luck with that species but a couple of male Cyprus Wheatear were fighting over territory and at least two male Cyprus Warbler were singing. The heavens opened as we left and drove to Agia Varvara. Luckily it had stopped when we arrived there. We found a bedraggled Cretzschmar’s Bunting perched in a tamarisk and a Red-rumped Swallow on the wires looking the worse for wear. The orchards were full of European Serin, Common Chaffinch and European Goldfinch and we could hear European Blackcap singing in the olive groves. Two Great Spotted Cuckoo were calling and we watched as they were chased by a couple of Hooded Crow. I spotted a Peregrine Falcon but it speeded out of sight before Richard could find it. We had seen a male Western Marsh Harrier as we turned off the motorway and I hoped that we could maybe see other large raptors but the weather was definitely not helping.

We spent some time watching a mixed flock of finches and Spanish Sparrow on the road into Asprokremmos Dam where we also found a Chukar. Otherwise it was quiet there so we moved to the Paphos Sewage Plant where we found five Cattle Egret and a pair of noisy Spur-winged Lapwing. A small flock of around fifty Black-headed Wagtail were emerging from an alfalfa field to drink and bathe in a puddle and were joined by a couple of Meadow Pipit and a single Water Pipit. At Mandria we found the vagrant Namaqua Dove that has been present in the area for a couple of weeks before driving down to the coast. The strong wind meant that we ate our lunch in the car but we did find a couple of Isabelline and Northern Wheatear to watch as we did so.

As we headed inland to Anarita Park it began to rain hard again and as we waited in the car for it to stop I even contemplated calling it a day. But we could see the clouds clearing from the west so we were patient and were well rewarded with several species coming out to dry in the late afternoon sun. These included a male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, a male Finsch’s Wheatear and an Isabelline Wheatear shaking themselves dry, at least twelve Cretzschmar’s Bunting, a male Blue Rock Thrush, a female Cyprus Wheatear, three Red-rumped Swallow, two Lesser Whitethroat, a Woodlark and a calling Common Quail. A great end to a wet and windy day.

Total species seen 54

Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Quail, Spur-winged Lapwing, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Namaqua Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, Black-headed Wagtail (feldegg), White Wagtail, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting

Namaqua Dove, Mandria 15th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Namaqua Dove, Mandria 15th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Morning’s guiding around Paphos 11th March 2016

It was good to meet up with Ann and Peter again for the first of our four trips out this month. Today we spent four hours around Agia Varvara, Anarita Park and Mandria to give them a feel for what was around at the start of their holiday here.

Highlights per location:

Agia Varvara – Long-legged Buzzard, Black Francolin 2h, Green Sandpiper 3, Great Spotted Cuckoo 1, European Serin 20+, Corn Bunting c40

Anarita Park – Common Quail 1h, Little Owl 1, Cyprus Wheatear 1m and 1f, Blue Rock Thrush 2m and 1f, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Cretzschmar’s Bunting 2+, Corn Bunting 20+

Mandria – European Shag 2, Isabelline Wheatear 1

Total species seen – 43

Little Grebe, European Shag, Mallard, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Quail, Green Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting.


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report – Morning around Paphos 9th March 2016

A few hours out with Rose who is over in Cyprus for several days. She had visited the Archaeological Site the day before so we headed to Paphos Sewage Works, Asprokremmos Dam and Anarita Park – Mandria, our other option, was out of bounds due to an army exercise.

There were a few migrants around – although not in large numbers. We found Red-rumped Swallow, Eurasian Hoopoe, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Isabelline and Northern Wheatear. At Anarita Park we found both Cyprus Warbler and Cyprus Wheatear as well as a female Finsch’s Wheatear although disappointingly no sign of a male. Several Blue Rock Thrush were also in the area and we had good views of Long-legged and Common Buzzard. The Little Owl was on its usual rock and many Corn Buntings were singing. At the Sewage Works we watched at least eight Spur-winged Lapwing and three Cattle Egret. Plenty of winter visitors were still around including Woodlark and at Asprokremmos Dam we watched singing male Sardinian and Spectacled Warbler.

Total species: 43

Great Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Spur-winged Lapwing, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Little Owl, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, European Robin, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Goldfinch, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting

Little Owl, Anarita Park 9th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Owl, Anarita Park 9th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding around Larnaca 25th February 2016

Back from two weeks holiday in the UK and straight into the first day’s guiding of the season. Picking up Martin from his hotel in Larnaca, we decided to spend the day in the area catching up with as many Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus specialties likely to be found at this time of year.  Our first stop was at the somewhat unattractive drainage channel near the JUMBO toyshop at Oroklini which provided a good start to the day with Temminck’s Stint, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Water Pipit, Grey Wagtail and overflying Cattle Egret. Several Barn Swallow were flying around and we saw small numbers at all the locations we visited.

At Oroklini Marsh we were pleased to see two of the three female White-headed Duck that have been there since mid December, as well as a male and two female Red-crested Pochard, ten Black-winged Stilt, several Spur-winged Lapwing, a Black-tailed Godwit, several Northern Pintail and a tatty looking Western Marsh Harrier. There were just a few immature Greater Flamingo present, while numbers of Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Teal were reduced from earlier in the month.  There were just a couple of hundred Greater Flamingo on the main Larnaca Salt Lake with hundreds of Common Shelduck, many Common Black-headed Gull and at least twenty Slender-billed Gull, several with a lovely pinkish tinge. We found many singing Corn Bunting, a lone Kentish Plover, a few Spanish Sparrow, a singing Spectacled Warbler and in the north east corner heard a Eurasian Penduline Tit but were unable to find it in among the reeds.

Moving towards the coast there were several large gulls on the Airport Pools and we spent some time identifying Caspian and Armenian adult and immature birds as well as a Heuglin’s Gull and several Yellow-legged Gull. There was a small group of Greater Flamingo and Martin spotted three Eurasian Stone Curlew hidden in the vegetation near the edge. On the Sewage Pools we found two Spur-winged Lapwing, a Northern Lapwing and a Ruff and in among the Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Teal there were smaller numbers of Eurasian Wigeon and Gadwall.

Along the Airport Coast we found a Eurasian Hoopoe feeding which quickly flew inland. A small flock of Eurasian Skylark were also feeding. We found more in the fields near Pervolia but more interestingly we found a flock of at least twenty Calandra Lark, calling and flying in a ploughed field. An Isabelline Wheatear was in the same field and we had clear views of a calling male Black Francolin while two Chukar flew away as we approached.

Heading inland we drove through the Panagia Stazousa Valley where we had excellent views of at least three male Cyprus Warbler and one female and heard at least four others. There was a flock of Spanish Sparrow, some finches and several Corn Bunting and we could hear Chukar. A Long-legged Buzzard flew briefly into view before disappearing again over the hills. As we sat and drank a cup of tea to finish the day we heard both Little Owl and Eurasian Scops Owl calling. We headed into Nicosia so I could drop Martin off at a local hotel there – with an unscheduled stop in Marks and Spencer’s car park to watch a migrating flock of around 60 Greater Cormorant flying over!

Total number of species seen: 75

Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Greater Flamingo, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard, White-headed Duck, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Northern Lapwing, Temminck’s Stint, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Common Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Armenian Gull, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Scops Owl h, Little Owl h, Eurasian Hoopoe, Calandra Lark, Crested Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Penduline Tit h, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting

Greater Flamingo, Larnaca 25th February 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Flamingo, Larnaca 25th February 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding Paphos 18th November 2015

The second day out with Mark and Sally saw us find several of Mark’s target species, enjoy two rare visitors to Cyprus at close quarters and was a fitting end to a great year of guided tours for me. We visited Lower Ezousas Pools (morning and late afternoon), Paphos Sewage Works, Asprokremmos Dam and Mandria and brought the total of species seen on the two days out to sixty four.

Highlights today included:

Lower Ezousas Pools: Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Water Rail 3+, Common Kingfisher, Woodlark 10, Grey Wagtail 1, Bluethroat 1, Moustached Warbler 4+, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler 2, Bearded Reedling 2, Spotted Crake (seen by me).

Paphos Sewage Works – Spur-winged Lapwing 14, Northern Lapwing 18

Asprokremmos Dam area – Little Owl, Common Kingfisher, Woodlark 2, Spectacled Warbler 4, Cyprus Warbler 2m and 1f, European Serin c50, Corn Bunting 7

Mandria – Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Chukar, Northern Lapwing 1, Yellow-legged Gull c70, Eurasian Skylark 150+

Total species seen today – 51

Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Common Moorhen, Spur-winged Lapwing, Northern Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Little Owl, Common Kingfisher, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Moustached Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Bearded Reedling, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting

Bearded Reedling male Lower Ezousas Pool 18th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bearded Reedling male Lower Ezousas Pool 18th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bearded Reedling female Lower Ezousas 18th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bearded Reedling female Lower Ezousas 18th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Days Guiding Paphos 16th November 2015

The third day out with Peter and Jean was spent around Paphos. We stopped at Achelia Dam on our way to Anarita Park. There we found the lone Ferruginous Duck that has been there for at least a week as well as fourteen Great Cormorant – one of which we watched struggle with a large fish it had caught. Onto Anarita Park, where it took us longer than expected to find a Finsch’s Wheatear, but with a little help from another birder we finally had some good views of a male. We also spent time watching two Little Owls and then were treated to the spectacle of two adult Bonelli’s Eagle flying to the east of the area being mobbed by a Long-legged Buzzard.  Three Woodlark were also seen as well as a couple of Western Black Redstart and the ubiquitous Common Stonechat.

Some Yellow-legged Gulls, two Grey Heron and two Great Cormorant were the only water birds on Asprokremmos Dam so we headed to the mast area to the west of the water where we had brief views of a male and female Cyprus Warbler and a couple of Spectacled Warbler. A late Northern Wheatear was a surprise but the best bird of the area was a male Merlin we saw speeding over the scrub and fields putting the large flocks of European Goldfinch and Greenfinch, Spanish Sparrow, Meadow Pipit and Corn Bunting into a panic. Down by the water’s edge we also found large flocks of European Serin. A Long-legged Buzzard was also flying over the area.

We finished our day at Lower Ezousas, a site that has been very busy over the last few days since a pair of Cyprus rarities, the Bearded Reedling, had been seen on Saturday. We saw the female as soon as we arrived and the male as we left. We also had close up views of at least one Moustached Warbler, a Grey Wagtail, two Water Rail and a Bluethroat as well as several Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff. As we left the light was fading – some good birds to round off the day.

The new species that we saw today brought the total seen over the three trips to 77.

Today’s species – 52

Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Chukar, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Little Owl, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Moustached Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Bearded Reedling, Eurasian Magpie, Hooded Crow, Western Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting

Water Rail Lower Ezousas 16th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Water Rail Lower Ezousas 16th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Moustached Warbler Lower Ezousas 16th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Moustached Warbler Lower Ezousas 16th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Paphos and Akrotiri 6th and 11th November 2015

Highlights from the morning of 6th November around Paphos and a day at Akrotiri 11th November with Peter and Jean:

6th November

Paphos Headland – Greater Sand Plover 2, Eurasian Golden Plover 6, Common Sandpiper 2, Spanish Sparrow c20

Paphos Sewage Works – Spur-winged Lapwing 5, Red-throated Pipit h, Western Black Redstart 1, Zitting Cisticola 5

Mandria – Eurasian Shag 2, Chukar 5, Yellow-legged Gull c80 offshore, Eurasian Skylark c100, Red-throated Pipit 4, Yellow Wagtail 5 inc one male thunbergii race

11th November

Phassouri Reed-beds – Western Marsh Harrier 1, Common Buzzard 1, Common Snipe 1, Bluethroat 1

Akrotiri Gravel Pits – European Serin 5+, Song Thrush 1

Akrotiri Salt Lake – Grey Heron 210, Greater Flamingo c500, Common Shelduck 15, Peregrine Falcon 1 sitting on salt flats preening, Kentish Plover c10, Water Pipit 1, Spectacled Warbler 1

Lady’s Mile – Little Stint 39, Caspian Gull 3, Armenian Gull c10

Zakaki Marsh – Western Marsh Harrier 2, Water Rail 2, Little Crake 1 juv, Eurasian Penduline Tit 1m & 1f seen well + 2 others heard, Common Starling c200 at dusk

Full list of species seen – 61

Little Grebe, European Shag, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Water Rail, Little Crake, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Kentish Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Common Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Armenian Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Crested Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Water Pipit, Yellow Wagtail inc Grey-headed Wagtail thunbergii, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet

Greater Flamingo Akrotiri Salt Lake 11th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Flamingo Akrotiri Salt Lake 11th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding Paphos area 9th November 2015

The first of two days out with Mark and Sally around the Paphos area; today we visited Acheleia Dam, Anarita Park, Minthis Hills, Kannaviou Dam and surrounds, and Evretou Dam.

A good surprise on the small Acheleia or Pianina Dam was a Ferruginous Duck – one of Mark’s targets that I had not expected to find around Paphos. Pleased with our start we headed to Anarita Park where we found a couple of Woodlark, flocks of European Goldfinch and plenty of Common Stonechat on our arrival. Scanning the rocks for wintering Finsch’s Wheatear we found two males that appeared to be fighting over territory and a female to the left of them. To the north we found another male (although we weren’t sure it wasn’t one of the two earlier seen arguing) and another female.  We then spent some time watching a male Blue Rock Thrush who was showing better than a female we had seen earlier.   A Little Owl was on its usual rock and we spotted another roosting in an olive tree.

We had no joy finding a Cyprus Wheatear there, nor at Minthis Hills our next stop,  with all seeming to have moved on. We found several flocks of wintering birds there – European Serin, Common Linnet and Meadow Pipit. At Polemi we saw a Common Buzzard and moving on to Kannaviou we stopped and scanned the Dam first. A Great Egret was the best of the water birds there which also included two Grey Heron, many Eurasian Coot, some Mallard, Little Grebe and a single Great Cormorant. Two male Western Black Redstart were flying around and arguing near the dam wall in front of us. Eating our lunch in the nearby forest we were surrounded by flocks of Common Chaffinch, plenty of European Robin, some European Serin and Sardinian Warbler. We explored the area and finally managed to get views of around six Coal Tit – an endemic Cyprus sub-species.

Another Great Egret was on Evretou Dam and a Common Snipe was feeding around the edge. We were treated to fly pasts from both a Long-legged Buzzard and a Peregrine Falcon and spent some time watching the flocks of Corn Bunting. Two Common Starling were a good bird for that area of Cyprus. Large flocks of both Common Woodpigeon and Western Jackdaw were flying around. As the sunset we watched eight Great Cormorant coming into roost on water side trees.

Total species seen – 44

Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Common Snipe, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Little Owl, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting


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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding Akhna, Cape Greco and Paralimni, 26th October 2015

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

Cape Greco – Northern Wheatear 2, Cyprus Wheatear 1, Blue Rock Thrush 2, Spectacled Warbler, Cyprus Warbler 1m, Red-backed Shrike 2 juv

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

Common Kingfisher Agios Trias 26th October 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sand Plover Agios Trias 26th October 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sand Plover Agios Trias 26th October 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours