Eurasian Turtle Dove | Cyprus Birding Tours

May 5, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding 5th May 2016 Paphos, Omodos and Limassol

Neil and Christine had specific targets so the day was arranged to ensure we had the best chance to see them. The presence of a male Amur Falcon at Anarita Park changed the locations we had originally intended to visit but we still found all of them – although the Black Francolin refused to show from inside the cereal crop from which it was calling loudly – very frustrating!

The target species were Long-legged Buzzard, Spur-winged Lapwing, Chukar, Black Francolin, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Cyprus Warbler, plus the Amur Falcon.

The Chukar turned out to be a roadside tick as one ran along the side of the road as we headed to Anarita Park from Neil and Christine’s Limassol base. Four then flew across the motorway. Flocks of swifts and hirundines were everywhere throughout the day – migrants probably bought down lower by the unsettled weather. We saw our first Alpine Swift in one of these flocks as we approached Anarita and we saw several more of these throughout the day plus good numbers of Sand and Common House Martin, Common Swift and Barn Swallow as well as one Red-rumped Swallow.

The Amur Falcon was the perfect bird – sitting on wires in front of us as we parked the car in Anarita Park where it was with several small falcons. In the area we found several male and female Red-footed Falcon and Lesser Kestrel. After watching them for a while we checked out the rest of the area and found a Cyprus Wheatear, three Little Owl, a Great Spotted Cuckoo and heard a Cyprus Warbler which remained deep in the hawthorn bush. More accommodating was a male Cretzschmar’s Bunting which we found busily collecting seeds. We watched it until it flew away towards the goat farm. Flocks of European Bee-eater flew over.

Moving on to Paphos Sewage Plant again we quickly found our target – the Spur-winged Lapwing. We counted at least six near the plant and in the nearby fields. Two Eurasian Turtle Dove were on the wires and again hirundines and swifts were everywhere. We had a couple of probably Pallid Swift but they were a little too distant for us to be 100 per cent sure. Mandria was quiet and little was seen apart from five Little Egret moving west along the coast. After a quick check of the area behind Asprokremmos Dam where we watched European Bee-eater on the wires we then headed back towards Limassol and inland to Omodos.

The weather was now cloudy, windy with scattered showers. However, we were pleased to see a Long-legged Buzzard flying over the area and find at least seven singing male Black-headed Bunting and one female. Several Cretzschmar’s Bunting were singing and European Serin, Cyprus Wheatear and Corn Bunting were reasonably common. We then decided to check Germasogeia Dam where we spent quite a while listening to a Black Francolin calling in a field of uncut cereal. He didn’t come out into the open however but at least Neil will recognize the call when he hears it again!

Our last stop was at Prastio Kellakiou. It was now very over cast but before the heavens opened we had brief views of a Cyprus Warbler family party, saw a fly-by Great Spotted Cuckoo, a male Masked Shrike, at least two singing male Black-headed Bunting and three Cretzschmar’s Bunting.

We headed back to Limassol in the rain- both the rain and the Black Francolin having defeated us but with the other targets met it didn’t seem important that the overall count for the day was low.

Full species list:

Little Egret, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Amur Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin h, Spur-winged Lapwing, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, European Bee-eater, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Cyprus Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Black-headed Bunting, Corn Bunting

Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Anarita Park 5th May 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Amur Falcon, Anarita Park 5th May 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

May 1, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding Paphos 30th April 2016.

A day out with Vanessa, Catherine, Les and David around Paphos where we saw some colourful and varied species. We started at Anarita Park where a pair of Great Spotted Cuckoo greeted us as we drove into the area. As we watched them several Lesser Kestrel could be seen hunting over fields and a female Pallid Harrier gained height to the south. Four Lesser Kestrel rested on a nearby pylon and we were able to see the ID pointers on both the male and females. Moving down the track we found at least eight male and two female Red-footed Falcon and also the male Amur Falcon that has caused great excitement amongst local birders since it was found on Thursday. A Cyprus first and we had the privilege of watching it fly and hunt over our heads! After a while we moved on and found a European Roller and both the Cyprus endemics – being able to watch a singing male Cyprus Wheatear on our right and a singing male Cyprus Warbler on our left. We also got close to the resident Little Owl and found another pair of Great Spotted Cuckoo.

Our next stop was the valley of Agia Varvara. On our way to check out the soakaways that still held some water we were distracted by a displaying European Roller that was also attracting the attention of the resident Hooded Crows who were not keen to having him setting up territory there. A great spectacle and with all respect to the Amur Falcon it was the highlight of the day. In the wet areas we found Purple and Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Ruff, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe, and Yellow and White Wagtail. A surprise find were two Ortolan Bunting. We heard a Eurasian Turtle Dove and saw two European Bee-eater. We saw two Eurasian Turtle Dove at Mandria where we also found a Eurasian Stone Curlew in a ploughed field and added Red-rumped Swallow, Sand Martin and Eurasian Shag to the day list.

After a picnic lunch on the coast at Mandria, we moved to the Sewage Works at Paphos where we quickly located Catherine’s target – Spur-winged Lapwing. At least five were seen – the same number of Cattle Egret were also in the fields where they were joined by twelve Wood Sandpiper and two Glossy Ibis. At least three Eurasian Turtle Dove were with a large group of Common Woodpigeon and a Eurasian Hoopoe flew over the area. Near the beach we found a female Northern Wheatear.

Our next stop was Asprokremmos Dam where we had been told there were some Golden Orioles. We were pleased to find at least three males and a female although we would have been happier if they had perched out in the open instead of flying quickly across the area. A Eurasian Hoopoe called over the area and some European Bee-eater flew over. We finished the day near the cliffs at Petra tou Romiou where at least four Eleonora’s Falcon and eight Alpine Swift gave us aerial displays. A good way to finish our enjoyable and successful day out.

Total 57 species

European Shag, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Pallid Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Amur Falcon, Eleonora’s Falcon, Black Francolin h, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Spur-winged Lapwing, Ruff, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Blue-headed Wagtail flava, Black-headed Wagtail feldegg, White Wagtail, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zittting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler h, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Great Tit, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Ortolan Bunting, Corn Bunting

Red-footed Falcon, Anarita Park 30th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ruff and Wood Sandpiper, Agia Varvara 30th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

April 30, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Two Day’s Guiding Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos area 28th and 29th April 2016

Two days out with Benny and Ann-Marie who were based in Limassol. We visited most of the coastal Larnaca sites and a couple of inland ones, Zakaki, Phasouri and Kensington Cliffs in Limassol, Omodos, Agios Nikolaos and Tzelefos Bridge inland before finishing at Anarita Park where we had ended our two days out with great views of the first Amur Falcon to be found in Cyprus the day before by local birder Matt Smith.

Species highlights per locations:

28^th April 2016

Oroklini Marsh – Cattle Egret, Spur-winged Lapwing, White-winged Tern, Glossy Ibis, Black-tailed Godwit, Greater Flamingo, Black-winged Stilt

Oroklini JUMBO Drainage Channel – Temminck’s Stint 2, Little Ringed Plover , Wood Sandpiper

Larnaca Salt Lake – Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Spectacled Warbler

Larnaca Sewage Works – Ruddy Shelduck, Garganey, Black Francolin, Ruff, Slender-billed Gull, Armenian Gull, Spotted Flycatcher, Spur-winged Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt, Wood Sandpiper, Little Stint

Spiros Pool – Kentish Plover, Black-headed Wagtail, Little Tern

Larnaca Airport Coast – Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Turtle Dove

Meneou Pools – Greater Flamingo, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover

Pervolia – Black Francolin, Calandra Lark, Red-throated Pipit, Yellow Wagtail

Kivisilli – Lesser Kestrel, Montagu’s Harrier 2f

Panagia Stazousa – Long-legged Buzzard, Eurasian Roller, Cyprus Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear, Common Nightingale

29^th April 2016

Zakaki Marsh – Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Water Rail, Wood Sandpiper, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler

Phasouri Reed-beds – Eleonora’s Falcon, Lesser Kestrel, Western Marsh Harrier, Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Ferruginous Duck

Kensington Cliffs – Eleonora’s Falcon, Cyprus Wheatear

Omodos, Agios Nikoloas, Mandria (Platres) – Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear, Black-headed Bunting, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Red-rumped Swallow, Coal Tit, European Serin, Winter Wren, Masked Shirke, Eurasian Hoopoe, Long-legged Buzzard

Tzelefos Bridge – Winter Wren, Red-rumped Swallow, Black-crowned Night Heron, European Bee-eater

Nikokleia – Little Owl, European Roller

Agia Varvara – European Bee-eater, European Roller, Common Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron

Anarita Park – Montagu’s Harrier 1m, Lesser Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Amur Falcon, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Whinchat, Long-legged Buzzard

Total seen: 96

Little Grebe, Black-crowned Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Ruddy Shelduck, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Ferruginous Duck, Western Marsh Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Amur Falcon, Eleonora’s Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Temminck’s Stint, Ruff, Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Common Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Armenian Gull, Little Tern, White-winged Tern, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Calandra Lark, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Tree Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail (flava), Black-headed Wagtail (feldegg), Winter Wren, Common Nightingale, Whinchat, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Black-headed Bunting, Corn Bunting

Glossy Ibis, Zakaki Marsh 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-crowned Night Heron, Tzelefos Bridge, 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Amur Falcon, Anarita Park, 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Omodos 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Snipe, Agia Varvara 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

April 24, 2016
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Akamas area this weekend, 23rd and 24th April 2016

Several male Black-headed Bunting were on territories at Arodes, Droushia and Pittokopos over the weekend. The female Black-headed Bunting in the photo below was being serenaded by two males! I also saw migrating Steppe Buzzard, Woodchat Shrike, Ortolan Bunting, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hobby, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Cyprus Wheatear, Long-legged Buzzard and a female Eastern Black-eared Wheatear.

Black-headed Bunting, Pittokopos, 24th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-headed Bunting female, Pittokopos, 24th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

April 22, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding Around Paphos 22nd April 2016

A day around the Paphos birding spots with Brenda and George today. We started at Petra tou Romiou where we had a dozen overhead Alpine Swift, singing male Cyprus Wheatear and Warbler as well as two distant Eleonora’s Falcon and close up views of a Peregrine Falcon. We then explored the area behind Asprokemmos Dam near the mast where we spent some time watching a family party of Spectacled Warbler, saw a male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, a couple of Whinchat, a pair of Red-rumped Swallow and a migrating Purple Heron. On approaching the Dam itself we were pleased to see an Osprey flying over the area. In the trees of the amenities area near the Dam we found two male Collared Flycatcher, two Spotted Flycatcher and a Eurasian Hoopoe.

Moving to the Sewage Works we quickly found our target species – the Spur-winged Lapwing. There were at least seven birds around the Plant buildings and in fields. We watched at least 35 migrating Glossy Ibis and also found our only Yellow Wagtails of the day – two Black-headed around a small puddle of water. On arrival at the coast of Mandria we saw seventeen Northern Pintail flying E along the coast. In a field we found three Spur-winged Lapwing and a Ruff and a male Red-backed Shrike on a tree near the picnic site where we ate our lunch.

Moving inland we headed to the Ezousas Valley behind Agia Varvara village. A lone Garganey was on one of the pools there and we also found Spanish Sparrow, Eurasian Turtle Dove and Eurasian Reed Warbler. We finished the day in Anarita Park. There we found three pairs of Great Spotted Cuckoo, two Little Owl, a hunting female Pallid Harrier, around twenty Lesser Kestrel, a European Roller, a Woodchat Shrike, two Whinchat and a Long-legged Buzzard. As at our first stop we also had Cyprus Wheatear and Cyprus Warbler. A good end to a good day’s birding.

Total species seen – 54

Little Egret, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Pallid Harrier, Long-legged Buzzard, Osprey, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Eleonora’s Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Spur-winged Lapwing, Ruff, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Black-headed Wagtail, Whinchat, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Corn Bunting

Great Spotted Cuckoo, Anarita Park, 22nd April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spur-winged Lapwing, Mandria 22nd April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

April 16, 2015
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Morning’s Guiding around Paphos 16th April 2015

The first of two morning’s out with Mike and Nancy, with the intention of seeing different species and visiting different habitats. We started at Paphos Sewage Works where we saw several Spur-winged Lapwing, two Eurasian Stone Curlew, at least one Eurasian Hoopoe and a singing male Sardinian Warbler. There were at least eight Turtle Doves on the wires near the Ezousas river mouth. On the water still left in the river bed we found three Glossy Ibis, some Little Egret and a Common Greenshank. We had good views of a Eurasian Reed Warbler high on one of the reeds and also a Cetti’s Warbler came out into the open for a chance.

Of course, we had to go to Mandria to find the male Caspian Plover that luckily was still there, as was the Eurasian Dotterel that has been keeping it company since Tuesday. We also watched a Black Francolin singing in response to another calling male and found a flock of more than twenty Greater Short-toed Lark and a couple of Northern Wheatear. There was a single Greater Short-toed Lark in the manure piles close to the mast behind Asprokremmos Dam.

We spent some time there watching two singing male Cyprus Warbler and also had brief views of a female. A pair of Spectacled Warbler was also in the area. Closer to the mast we found a Woodchat Shrike, at least seven Whinchat, more than fifteen Red-throated Pipit and several Ortolan Bunting. In the pine trees there we found several Eurasian Blackcap and some young Great Tits which seemed to be annoying a pair of Sardinian Warbler.

Number of species seen – 42

European Shag, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Common Kestrel, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Spur-winged Lapwing, Caspian Plover, Eurasian Dotterel, Common Greenshank, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Common Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Red-throated Pipit, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Ortolan Bunting

September 1, 2014
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Morning’s Guiding Paphos 1st September 2014

A relief to find the day seemed cooler than last week as Paul and I set off for Asprokremmos Dam early this morning. A Common Kingfisher was the first bird of note sitting by the canal as we then headed to the area behind the dam. There we had good views of a male Cyprus Warbler (and heard another), several Spectacled and Sardinian Warbler, a Little Owl, around ten Chukar, a couple of Northern Wheatear and a Cyprus Wheatear. We were pleased to find the Cyprus Wheatear as they are moving off island now and getting harder to locate. As has been the case the last week island-wide, there were several Lesser Grey, Red-backed (mainly female) and Masked Shrike around. A Spotted Flycatcher was found in the pines of the utility area.

A single Glossy Ibis was a strange bird to find in one of the alfalfa fields near the Paphos Sewage Plant. With it were eight Spur-winged Lapwing – including a couple of juvenile. Three Cattle Egret were nearby and in total around 100 Yellow Wagtail were flying around and feeding in the fields. There were yet more shrikes and we had good views of a couple of Zitting Cisticola, Willow Warbler and three Whinchat. Sitting on hay bales near to the Ezousas Soakaways was a European Roller and yet more Lesser Grey Shrike on the wires and bales.

Finding the water filled Soakaways we disturbed a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron and a Garganey, and a Eurasian Hoopoe also flew up. Several Eurasian Reed Warbler were flitting around at the base of the reeds together with a Sedge Warbler and we heard a Water Rail. A Eurasian Turtle Dove was on the wires above the area. More Yellow Wagtail could be heard flying around.

We finished the morning driving over Minthis Hills where we had good views of an adult Bonelli’s Eagle and two European Hobby. A few Sardinian Warbler were flying around but we could not find much else there – well there were obviously some Lesser Grey Shrike!! A good variety of species in just a few hours and Paul was especially pleased to have had good views of both the Cyprus endemics.

Forty two species seen:

Black-crowned Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Glossy Ibis, Garganey, Bonelli’s Eagle, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby, Chukar, Water Rail (heard), Common Moorhen, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Little Owl, Common Kingfisher, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, 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, European Goldfinch

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