During 21st – 28th March Cyprus Birding Tours is leading a tour for the UK based company ‘The Travelling Naturalist’. So far we have visited Paphos Headland with our highlights being Subalpine and Ruppell’s Warbler, Eastern Black-eared and Isabelline Wheatear, Black-headed Wagtail, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Quail, Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone, Tawny Pipit, Red-rumped Swallow and Alpine Swift.
On 23rd we were at Agia Varvara and Anarita Park with highlights:
Agia Varvara – Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Cyprus Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear, Common Quail
Anarita Park – Bonelli’s Eagle, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Pallid Harrier, Common Quail, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl
The 24th we were around the Paphos Plain with highlights:
Male Pallid and Western Marsh Harrier, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Yellow Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, Blue Rock Thrush, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Ruppell’s Warbler, Eurasian Golden Plover and Chukar.
Today, Saturday 25th March we visited Akrotiri with highlights:
Eurasian Bittern, Ferruginous Duck, Squacco Heron, Black-winged Stilt, Baltic Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Water Rail, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Greater Flamingo, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Common Redstart samamisicus race, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Bimaculated Lark, Purple Heron, Spotted Redshank, Wood Sandpiper, Black-crowned Night Heron, ‘Steppe’ Buzzard and Western Marsh Harrier.
Tawny Pipit, Kefelos Beach, 22nd March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A day around Paphos with Ann and Peter – the third year running that we have been out together. We started at Timi Beach and Anarita Park and then went further inland to new sites for them – Episkopi (Paphos), Arodes and Evretou Dam. We had a total of 55 species with highlights from each location as follows:
Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Chukar
Total species – 55
European Shag, Eurasian Teal, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Eurasian Coot, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Little Owl, Common Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, Common Nightingale, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Ruppell’s Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Eurasian Magpie, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Goldfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting
Lesser Kestrel, Anarita Park 15th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
The first of two day’s out with Barry and we spent our time around Cape Greco moving to Paralimni Lake later in the day. We started at Agia Trias beach where there were still two Greater Sand Plover on the beach together with a Grey Plover, Common Sandpiper and a Common Kingfisher. We spent several hours exploring Cape Greco on foot and by car and were pleased with the species we found which included three singing male Cyprus Warbler, Spectacled and Ruppell’s Warbler, Isabelline, Cyprus, Northern and Finsch’s Wheatear, Red-rumped Swallow, a Pallid Harrier, at least seven Eurasian Hoopoe, Blue Rock Thrush, Baltic Gull and Little Egret migrating offshore, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Greater Short-toed Lark. Still plenty of Western Black Redstart and Common Stonechat around as well as several Chukar and lots of finches.
Although it was very windy when we finally got to Kermia Beach we were glad we made the effort as our target species for that location was there – two Audouin’s Gull. Although they were dozing when we arrived two Yellow-legged Gull flew in and woke them up for us. We went slightly inland to Agia Napa Sewage Works where we saw two male Blue Rock Thrush, more Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Isabelline Wheatear and a very smart male Masked Shrike. On the treated water pools there were Eurasian Coot and Little Grebe as well as two each of Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper. We did a detour to the Agia Napa Football fields where we found another Cretzschmar’s Bunting and two Laughing Doves.
Finishing the day at Paralimni Lake we set up the ‘scope and scanned the area. A Peregrine Falcon was sitting on a rock towards the middle and an adult Long-legged Buzzard was nearby in a low bush. We found a couple more Isabelline Wheatear and another Masked Shrike. There were several species of wader – Kentish Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Eurasian Golden Plover and Dunlin. As we sat to go over our sightings and drink a final cup of tea late in the afternoon we watched a small flock of Common Starling coming into roost. A good day out hopefully with more species to come later in the week on our second day out.
Total species – 64
Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Mallard, Pallid Harrier, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Dunlin, Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Audouin’s Gull, Baltic Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Eurasian Collared Dove, Laughing Dove, Common Swift, Common Kingfisher, Eurasian Hoopoe, Greater Short-toed Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, 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, Ruppell’s Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Masked Shrike, Hooded Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting
Audouin’s Gull, Kermia Beach, 13th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
The first day out of what promises to be a busy spring season for Cyprus Birding Tours, was with Peter and Sian. We had arranged to go to Anarita Park and Akrotiri to show Peter those locations. Our target species were Cyprus Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear and Finsch’s Wheatear. After heavy rain over night the weather was mainly sunny if hazy as we headed for Anarita Park. Flocks of finches – Common Linnet, European Serin, European Goldfinch and Greenfinch greeted us as did a Eurasian Hoopoe. Corn Bunting were singing and we heard a Great Spotted Cuckoo although we didn’t see one there. After a few false starts we found both Cyprus and Finsch’s Wheatear as well as a couple of Isabelline and Northern and a very smart Eastern Black-eared. We were told by a local birder that a male Lesser Kestrel was hunting near the road and we passed by there and had good views of it. We briefly saw a male Cyprus Warbler as well as a Chukar, two male and a female Blue Rock Thrush, some male Spanish Sparrow and a few Woodlark.
We then headed to the Agia Varvara valley hoping to get better views of the Cyprus Warbler. We were in luck and found a male singing there which kept us entertained for a while until we were interrupted by a fox dashing through the undergrowth nearby being chased by three dogs. We then moved on to Kourio Stadium where we ate our lunch in the shade of a carob tree watching Isabelline, Northern and Cyprus Wheatear and added Red-rumped Swallow to our list of species.
Two Eurasian Hoopoe flew over Phasouri Reed-beds but we didn’t find much else there. We drove to check the coast of the Gravel Pits and assumed we had found Garganey floating on the sea. Putting the scope on them it was a surprise to see five Gadwall and around twenty Eurasian Teal. Driving through the Gravel Pits area we came across five Little Ringed Plover, a Ruff and a Green Sandpiper, two Kentish Plover, a Great Spotted Cuckoo, two Isabelline Wheatear, a male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, five Lesser Whitethroat, a Woodchat Shrike and many mosquitos. A quick scan over the Salt Lake revealed a couple of hundred Greater Flamingo and a Western Marsh Harrier quartering the shore.
On Lady’s Mile we found just a couple of Kentish Plover and Ruff, a Black-winged Stilt, a Spotted Redshank and a Common Redshank. A couple of Slender-billed Gull with a lovely pink tinge to their plumage were floating offshore with some Common Black-headed Gull and at least one Armenian and Caspian Gull. We then spent a short time in the hide at Zakaki Marsh where we could hear Eurasian Penduline Tit calling. Finally two males were spotted by Peter feeding in a tamarisk bush to the left of the hide. Also present were a Little Egret, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot and five Common Starling.
The last stop was Kensington Cliffs but unfortunately we were too late to see any Eurasian Griffon Vulture but we did see at least six Alpine Swift. We returned to Paphos happy with our days birding.
Total species – 72
Little Egret, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo, Gadwall, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Common Snipe, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Caspian Gull, Armenian Gull, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting
Lesser Kestrel, Anarita Park 10th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Found two newly arrived Cyprus Wheatear at Cape Greco today and just a hand full of other migrants – an Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and plenty of Isabelline Wheatear. Also saw several singing male Cyprus Warbler and a pair chasing, plus three Blue Rock Thrush, a flock of migrating Great Cormorant, Spanish Sparrows collecting nest material , a Eurasian Hoopoe and a male and female Finsch’s Wheatear. Two Greater Sandplover, a Grey Plover and an immature Slender-billed Gull were at Agia Trias.
After much searching finally found a female Finsch’s Wheatear at Agios Sozomenos this morning. More evidence of winter visitors than on Thursday though in general
Agios Sozomenos
Finsch’s Wheatear 1f
Little Owl 1
Red-backed Shrike 1 juv
Eurasian Blackcap 1m
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Meadow Pipit 8
Eurasian Skylark h
European Robin 2h
Common Chaffinch 2h
Green Sandpiper 2 on irrigation pool
Cyprus Wheatear 1
Common Stonechat 30+
Eurasian Stone Curlew 1
A quick visit to Agios Sozomenos, outside Nicosia, this morning mainly to see if any wintering Finsch’s Wheatear had arrived. No luck but I did find a late European Roller, two Red-backed Shrike, a Long-legged Buzzard, a Cyprus Wheatear, some Cattle Egret and Red-throated Pipit. There were also plenty of Common Stonechat setting up territories. The photo below is of one of the many juveniles present.
Common Stonechat, Agios Sozomenos 20th October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A few days in Droushia exploring the area and doing some birding. Passed by Mandria, Timi and Paphos Sewage Works on Friday morning where there were a few Red-footed Falcon, a couple of European Roller, single migrating European Honey Buzzard, dark morph Booted Eagle and Black Kite, three migrating Western Marsh Harrier, a couple of Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrike, Northern Wheatear, Whinchat and newly arrived White Wagtail, a flock of Yellow Wagtail and a fly over Red-throated Pipit.
In the Akamas area and down in Polis Chrysochou Bay there were migrating Little Egret, Great Egret, Grey and Purple Heron, Alpine Swift, European Bee-eater and Red-footed Falcon. Also seen were an Eastern Black-eared and Northern Wheatear, several Whinchat and Cyprus Wheatear, Red-backed Shrike, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Common Redstart. Unexpected birds were a European Nightjar flushed from an olive grove by a hunting Common Kestrel, a Common Kingfisher flying over the Baths of Aphrodite and a Northern Goshawk flushed from a large carob tree as I drove past near Fasli.
Cyprus Wheatear, Androlikou 1st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Red-footed Falcon, Pittokopos in early morning sun 1st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Picking Bernie and Gill up in Latchi we headed for the Smygies/Agios Minas area behind Neochorio. We saw the first of many European Bee-eater there as well as two Cretzschmar’s Bunting, a Whinchat, a Cyprus Wheatear, a couple of Spotted Flycatcher and an adult Masked Shrike. A covey of ten Chukar kept us entertained especially as a juvenile tried to climb into an olive tree as we drove past.
At Arodes we found another Cyprus Wheatear and spent some time watching and checking the ID pointers of a female Eastern Black-eared Wheatear. We also saw a male Spanish Sparrow, several Sardinian and Willow Warbler and juvenile Red-backed and Masked Shrike. The sound and sight of more European Bee-eater dominated the area. Driving from Kathikas through Arkoudaleia and Miliou we saw a male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear and a Lesser Grey Shrike.
We spent some time at the shallow end of Evretou Dam. There were many Yellow Wagtail, Barn Swallow and a couple of Sand Martin, yet more European Bee-eater as well as one each of Black-winged Stilt, Dunlin, Little Stint, Ruff and Common Kingfisher. Here we also saw a Long-legged Buzzard and more unexpectedly a Common Kestrel noisily mobbing an adult Northern Goshawk. The latter spectacle interrupted our lunch as we sat and ate our sandwiches in a small olive grove. We weren’t complaining though!
On the south coast outside Paphos we visited the Sewage Works and Mandria. Here we enjoyed Spur-winged Lapwing, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Western Marsh Harrier, more than 300 Yellow Wagtail, three European Roller, three Tawny Pipit, at least thirty Greater Short-toed Lark, Isabelline and Northern Wheatear and a couple more Whinchat, Lesser Grey and Red-backed Shrike.
A good day out with a mixture of species seen. European Bee-eaters provided the soundtrack of the day with the Northern Goshawk and the European Rollers providing the birding moments of the day.
Full list of birds seen – European Shag, Western Marsh Harrier, Northern Goshawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black-winged Stilt, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Common Black-headed Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, European Turtle Dove, Common Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Tawny Pipit, Yellow Wagtail races – flava, feldegg, thunbergii, Whinchat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting.
Mandria, 16th September 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
After the excitement of finding an Olive-tree Warbler in my garden yesterday (no photos – well I have lots of photos of out of focus bird and in focus branches..), I was hoping that the raptor count at Cape Greco would continue a good few days birding. No such luck. Very few raptors moving around and the interest was provided by three flocks of Greater Flamingo heading south along the east coast of the Cape. Main sightings of note:
Cape Greco 8.00am – 12.30pm
Western Marsh Harrier 2 (1m)
Eleonora’s Falcon 2
European Honey Buzzard 1
Greater Flamingo 48 + 68 + 30
Grey Heron 11
Black-crowned Night Heron 1 (with Grey Herons)
European Bee-eater 100+ (and others heard only)
Red-rumped Swallow 14
Barn Swallow 200+ over during the survey
Greater Short-toed Lark 1 over
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Yellow Wagtail 2 over W to E
Common House Martin 2
Isabelline Wheatear 1
Cyprus Wheatear 3
Whinchat 1
Spanish Sparrow 3
Tawny Pipit 2
Lesser Grey Shrike 1
A few hours out with Malcolm around Paphos. We started at Paphos Headland where four Greater Sand Plover were obligingly standing on the rocky shore and easily visible. A Common Snipe flying in from the sea and over the archaeological site calling was unusual. Apart from a few Crested Lark the other birds we saw were familiar to a British birder if good birds for Cyprus – a Whimbrel and a Ruddy Turnstone.
We then visited Mavrokolympos Dam with the specific purpose of finding the endemic Cyprus Wheatear and Cyprus Warbler. We had good views of both and also found migrant Lesser Grey Shrike, Masked Shrike and Whinchat. We could hear many Chukar on the surrounding hills as well as some European Bee-eater migrating over head. There were also plenty of migrating Lesser Grey Shrike at both Mandria and Paphos Sewage Works – out next two stops. At Mandria we also found a smart male Red-backed Shrike, a flock of at least 300 Yellow Wagtail feeding on recently cut alfalfa, around twenty Greater Short-toed Lark, two Northern Wheatear and an Isabelline Wheatear. A Black Kite floated over and out to see as a Hooded Crow mobbed it and a Western Marsh Harrier put all the Yellow Wagtail to flight.
There were more Yellow Wagtail at Paphos Sewage Works again feeding in the recently cut fields. At least six Spur-winged Lapwing were also there and unusually we found two Glossy Ibis and a Eurasian Curlew also feeding in nearby fields. A few Red-rumped Swallow flew over and a Purple Heron passed over the area and headed out over the sea. Also seen here were a Eurasian Hoopoe, Willow Warbler, Chukar, Eurasian Stone Curlew and a Spotted Flycatcher,
A good mixture of different species found during an enjoyable morning’s birding.
Total species seen: 47
European Shag, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Black Kite, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Greater Sand Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Whimbrel, Common Snipe, Eurasian Curlew, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hoopoe, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Blue-headed Wagtail, Grey-headed Wagtail, Black-headed Wagtail, Whinchat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch
Another four hours raptor count at Cape Greco this morning with more, mainly Western Marsh Harriers, passing over. Followed up with a visit to Agia Napa Football fields.
Cape Greco 7:45 – 11.45
Western Marsh Harrier 16 (3m)
Pallid Harrier 1m and 1 juv
Montagu’s Harrier 3 juv
Ring-tailed Harrier 1
Eleonora’s Falcon 3
Purple Heron 9
Grey Heron 4
European Bee-eater 39
European Honey Buzzard 9
Lesser Grey Shrike 3
Cyprus Wheatear 2
Tawny Pipit 3 straight out to sea
Whinchat 1
Isabelline Wheatear 1
Cyprus Birding Tours 