Spent the day at Troodos which was full of breeding residents and summer visitors including Cyprus Wheatear, Masked Shrike, Spotted Flycatcher, Olivaceous Warbler, Common Hoopoe, Red Crossbill, Eurasian Blackbird, Coal Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail, Northern Wren, Red-rumped Swallow, Eurasian Jay and Eurasian Crag Martin.
Cyprus Wheatear, Troodos, 2nd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Grey Wagtail, Troodos, 2nd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Olivaceous Warbler, Troodos, 2nd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Northern Wren, Troodos, 2nd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spotted Flycatcher, Troodos, 2nd June 2020(c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Many juvenile (see photo) and adult Coal Tits around as well as Masked Shrike, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, Spotted Flycatcher, Eurasian Blackbird, Cyprus Wheatear, Northern Wren and Eurasian Jay.
Spent the day visiting several of the Troodos picnic sites which are usually a good area to find migrant and resident breeders and find some endemic sub-species. Some of the plumage of the breeding birds was looking very worn.
Platania
Spotted Flycatcher 1 ad and at least 4 juvs
Red-rumped Swallow 1
Eurasian Blackbird pair seen and 1 other male singing
Common Hoopoe 1
Masked Shrike 2m and 1f (1m having bath in stream)
Coal Tit 3 juvs
Northern Wren 1 having bath in stream
Livadi tou Pashia
Eurasian Blackbird 2m and 1f
European Serin 2+
Northern Wren 2
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 4+
Masked Shrike 1 pair feeding unseen juvs and another feeding 3 fledged juvs
plus 3 other males
Eurasian Jay 3 juvs, one seen fighting with male Blackbird
Northern House Martin 100+
I picked up James and Lizzie from Kakopetria and we headed towards Troodos stopping at a few locations on the way to the Square. At Platania we found Red-rumped Swallow and at the Botanical Gardens at Amiantos we found our first of the Cyprus endemic sub-species – the Eurasian Jay as well as a large group of hirundines which although mainly Northern House Martin also included several more Red-rumped Swallow and two Eurasian Crag Martin. An Eastern Olivaceous Warbler sang out in the open on a small conifer so we spend some time watching it. A couple of male Cyprus Wheatear were also seen and at least one male Eurasian Blackbird was singing. As we left the area I spotted a large thrush on a rock and we were pleased to see a male Blue Rock Thrush as we got out of the car. I also heard a singing Cretzschmar’s Bunting but we couldn’t see it.
We then spent some time at the Livadi tou Pashia picnic site where we had good views of two other endemic sub-species – Coal Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper. Several Northern Wren and European Serin were heard and finally a male Masked Shrike flew into view. We then headed to Troodos Square seeing more Masked Shrike and Cyprus Wheatear on the way. At least eight Pallid Swift were in a large flock of swifts at the square.
The rest of the morning was spent in the Omodos area and especially on the road from there to Agios Nikolaos. The stars there were the singing male Black-headed Buntings but we also saw some Corn Bunting, more Masked Shrike and Cyprus Wheatear, a smart male Spanish Sparrow and finally a singing male Cyprus Warbler – strangely singing from some electricity wires. The last species for the day was Cretzschmar’s Bunting as we found two males near Agios Nikolaos.
A lovely way to spend a morning in the early summer catching up with the Cyprus endemics and migrant breeders.
Full species list:
Common Woodpigeon, European Collared Dove, Pallid Swift, Common Swift, Common Kestrel, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Hooded Crow, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Zitting Cisticola, Olivaceous Warbler, Northern House Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Crag Martin, Cetti’s Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper, Northern Wren, Eurasian Blackbird, Blue Rock Thrush, Cyprus Wheatear, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, European Serin, Black-headed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Cretzschmar’s Bunting
Coal Tit, Troodos 6th June 2017(c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A collection of photos taken yesterday at Troodos. The Coal Tit is a Cyprus endemic sub-species. Hawfinch is an almost annual winter visitor to Cyprus in variable numbers. A former winter visitor, Eurasian Blackbird now breed in Troodos although their numbers are swelled by winter visitors at this time of year. Mistle and Song Thrush are winter visitors in variable numbers each year.
Coal Tit, Troodos 25th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Eurasian Blackbird, Troodos 25th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Hawfinch, Troodos 25th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Mistle Thrush, Troodos 25th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Song Thrush, Troodos 25th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spent several hours at a few Troodos picnic sites. As well as the usual enedemic sub-species Coal Tit, Eurasian Jay and Short-toed Tree Creeper there was a good selection of winter visitors around including this Yellowhammer (see record shot photo). Until recently Yellowhammers were vagrants but small numbers are recorded most years now.
A male and two female Hawfinch spent at least an hour hiding behind branches and leaves at Troodos today, finally coming down the drink as the light faded!
Had a great day around Troodos today – relaxing birding! Found two Red-rumped Swallow collecting mud from near the stream in the Platania picnic site. They would fly in together and one would sit on a nearby stem or bush while the other collected the mud and then they flew off together – presumably to make a nest or repair one they have already used. Spent some time watching a male Masked Shrike feeding a downy recently fledged youngster at Livadi tou Pashia and was pleased to see a Grey Wagtail at the Troodos end of the Caledonia Trail. Lots of Coal Tit, Short-toed Tree-creeper, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and Common Chaffinch around.
Main sightings:
Platania Picnic Site
Red-rumped Swallow 2 coming down to take mud
Masked Shrike 2m and 1f
European Serin 6+
Eurasian Blackbird 1m and 1f
Eurasian Hoopoe 2
Winter Wren 1
Eurasian Jay 1
Livadi tou Pashia
Spotte Flycatcher 3
Eurasian Hoopoe 2
Eurasian Blackbird 2m, 1f and one juvenile
Eurasian Jay h
Masked Shrike 2m – one feeding a downy fledgling
European Serin 4+
Winter Wren 2 plus family party of 6+
Cyprus Wheatear 2m
Start of Artemis trail
Common Swift c70
Pallid Swift 3+
Eurasian Hoopoe 1h
Cyprus Wheatear 3m
European Serin h
Eurasian Blackbird 1 singing male
Eurasian Jay 1
Platania Old Road
European Turtle Dove 2
Cyprus Wheatear 1
Caledonia Trail (Troodos end)
Grey Wagtail 1 ad
Winter Wren 10+ and young in family parties
Eurasian Blackbird 3m and 2f
Common Nightingale 1h singing
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Troodos Environment Centre area
Eurasian Blackbird 1m
Common House Martin c30
Common Swift c200 with at least 30 probable Pallids
Kampos tou Livadiou
Winter Wren 1
Troodos Botanical Gardens – Amiandos
Cyprus Wheatear 1m, 1f and 1 fledgling
Masked Shrike 1m
Eurasian Jay 2
European Serin 2+
Eurasian Blackbird 2+m
Red-rumped Swallow 30+
Common House Martin c40
European Turtle Dove 1
Red-rumped Swallow, Platania, 31st May 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Birding Tours 