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
A lovely sunny day around Limassol visiting Germasogeia, the Akrotiri sites and Curium. Highlight was finally catching up with
one of the Booted Eagles that is around Phasouri at the moment. Also good to see a newly arrived Great Spotted Cuckoo at Akrotiri Gravel Pits and six Eurasian Crag Martin at Germasogeia.
List of interesting sightings:
Germasogeia Dam
Eurasian Crag Martin 6
Common Sandpiper 2
Western Marsh Harrier 1
European Serin 60+
Lady’s Mile
Slender-billed Gull 2 (see photo of immature)
Armenian Gull 20+
Caspian Gull 1
Zakaki Marsh
Eurasian Penduline Tit 2
Akrotiri Marsh (Phasouri Reed-beds)
Booted Eagle 1 dark morph to north of area being mobbed by Hooded Crows
Common Buzzard 3
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Great White Egret 3
Water Pipit 1
Western Water Rail 1h
Hawfinch 2+ (One seen and 1+ h)
Common Snipe 40
Woodlark 7
Eurasian Blackbird 1m
Cattle Egret 4 (see photo)
Akrotiri Gravel Pits
Great Spotted Cuckoo 1
Sandwich Tern 1 along coast
Common Buzzard 1
Meadow Pipit 50+
Kourio Stadium
Cyprus Warbler 2m
Cattle Egret, Phasouri, 21st January 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Masked Shrike, Troodos 2nd July 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A relaxing morning in the Troodos area. Several family parties seen – of Masked Shrike, Northern Wren, Olivaceous Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear, Eurasian Jay as well as several Spotted Flycatcher, Coal Tit, Common Chaffinches, European Goldfinch and Greenfinch. Also a couple of Eurasian Crag Martin, two Grey Wagtail and a Common Hoopoe. This Masked Shrike looked the worse for wear – after a tiring breeding season I’m guessing.
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
Some sightings from the Troodos area and the Omodos vineyards. Many Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Common Chaffinch, Coal Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper also seen:
Amiandos
Eurasian Crag Martin 2
Livadi tou Pashia
Eurasian Hoopoe 1h
Winter Wren 5+
Spotted Flycatcher 5
Masked Shrike 3m and 2f and 4 juveniles (two in one area, two others elsewhere)
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 8+ and 2+ family groups
Red Crossbill 1 seen and another heard
Eurasian Jay 2
Eurasian Blackbird 1m
Red-rumped Swallow 2
Almirolivado
Masked Shrike 3m and 1f
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 4+
Winter Wren 4+
Eurasian Blackbird 1
Start of Caledonia Trail (Troodos end)
Grey Wagtail 1m and 1 juv plus another prob heard.
Eurasian Blackbird 1m an 1f
Winter Wren 3+
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Mandria (Platres) – Agios Nikolaos road
Cyprus Wheatear 4m
Masked Shrike 1
Agios Nikolaos road to Omodos
Cyprus Wheatear 3
Masked Shrike 1m and 1f
Long-legged Buzzard 2
Black-headed Bunting 4 singing males
Omodos
Black-headed Bunting 3 males
Corn Bunting 1
Red-rumped Swallow 5
Eurasian Jay, Livadi tou Pashia, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Underestimated how much snow was still around at Troodos and most of my usual sites were difficult to explore. There were large flocks of Common Chaffinches around and the Coal Tits were very vocal and chasing through the trees. Unfortunately I didn’t have the chance to check the finch flocks for anything more interesting.
Down at Zakaki I found: Common Buzzard 1, Common Reed Bunting 4, Water Rail 1h, Bluethroat 1, Eurasian Penduline Tit 2+h, Western Marsh Harrier 2, Hen Harrier 1 ring tail, Spur-winged Lapwing 2, Green Sandpiper 1
Finishing the day at Germasogeia Dam there were at least 12 Eurasian Crag Martin, five Common House Martin and five Barn Swallow plus an adult Bonelli’s Eagle flying over the area, two Bluethroat, two Water Pipit, a Grey Wagtail, two European Serin and flocks of Corn Bunting, Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Spanish Sparrow, and Meadow Pipit.
Bluethroat Germasogeia Dam 5th February 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Common Buzzard Lady’s Mile 5th February 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spent yesterday and today around Kalopanagiotis and Troodos. Plenty of European Serin and Winter Wren heard around the river bed at Kalopanagiotis as well as a couple of male Blackbirds, a Cyprus Wheatear and plenty of Chaffinch. After sunset there were at least fifty House Martin flying over the village.
This morning near the Venetian Bridge at Kalopanagiotis I found a juvenile Grey Wagtail and was pleased to find evidence of breeding again this year. Plenty of Eurasian Jay around the Mount Olympos and Troodos cafes picking up scraps and stale bread. Several male Masked Shrike and adult Cyprus Wheatear were still in the area as well as two Common Swift flying over. Plenty of Coal Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper were heard but only a few were seen. At Moutoullas there were around six Red-rumped Swallow and a Eurasian Crag Martin as well as more House Martin and plenty of Barn Swallow.
Cyprus Birding Tours 