Spent the morning at Germasogeia Dam where I found at least three Bluethroat which were great to watch although not keen to have their photo taken! A trip around the Akrotiri sites later produced three more Bluethroats, a couple of Common Kingfisher, a large flock of Dunlin and Little Stint, three Temminck’s Stint, some Water Pipit and Woodlark, a Hen Harrier and several Western Marsh Harrier, three Water Rail and at least two Eurasian Penduline Tit.
Photo of a juv Slender-billed Gull with a Black-headed Gull behind taken at Lady’s Mile.
Spent the last two days in the Limassol area. The highlight was a Masked Shrike already on breeding territory at Prastio Kellakiou and two Bimaculated Lark in with a flock of Greater Short-toed Lark and Meadow Pipit on the coastline of Akrotiri Gravel Pits. Other interesting sightings during the two days:
Saturday 10th March
Zakaki Marsh
Water Rail 1h
Little Crake 1m
Penduline Tit 2
Lady’s Mile
Slender-billed Gull 2 ad and 1 imm
Heuglin’s Gull 1
Armenian Gull c30
Caspian Gull 2 imm
Isabelline Wheatear 1
Common Hoopoe 3 (See photo)
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Cyprus Wheatear 1
Akrotiri Salt Lake/Zakaki run off
Little Ringed Plover 20+
Common Ringed Plover 20+
Kentish Plover c100
Little Stint c30
Northern Shoveler c50
Greater Flamingo 800+
Dunlin 5
Western Marsh Harrier 1 ad male
Common Snipe 12
Black-headed Wagtail 1m
Visited some of the Limassol sites today and although it was quite quiet (unless you like Common Black-headed Gulls!) I still saw some interesting birds, including a pair of Bonelli’s Eagle, and finished the afternoon watching seven Eurasian Griffon Vultures circling over Kensington Cliffs.
Germasogeia Dam
Bonelli’s Eagle 2ad over dam wall
Grey Wagtail 2
Water Rail 1h
Cyprus Warbler 1h in song
Akrounta Creek
Fox
Cyprus Warbler 1h
Zakaki Marsh
Little Egret 1
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Lady’s Mile
Siberian Stonechat 1 poss
Common Black-headed Gull c700
Common Gull 3
Sandwich Tern 1
Kensington Cliffs
Eurasian Blackbird 1
Eurasian Griffon Vulture 7+ (seven seen in air at same time and then others flying in ones and twos which could have been same birds)
Yellow-legged Gull c20
Peregrine Falcon 2
Kourion Stadium
Cyprus Warbler 2m seen
Armenian Gull, Lady’s Mile 25th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Two days out with Pauline and Michael over again on holiday in Cyprus. Despite the two weeks difference between them, both days out were characterized by strong winds which affected the number of species seen. However, we managed a total of 53 on 6th March visiting Germasogeia Dam, the Akrotiri Peninsula, Petra tou Romiou and Kouklia Soakaways; and 54 on 20th March when we visited Cape Drepanum, Mavrokolympos Dam, Tsada Hills, Episkopi (Paphos), Mandria, Asprokremmos Dam and Anarita Masts. Over the two days we saw a total of 74 different species. The final bird we saw was a Eurasian Pied Flycatcher which surprised us as we said our goodbyes in the car park at Paphos Harbour!
Asprokremmos Dam area – Little Owl, Eurasian Hoopoe, Red-throated Pipit, Yellow Wagtail – feldegg, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear (dark throated form), Cyprus Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Rüppell’s Warbler
Anartia Mast area – Montagu’s Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Tawny Pipit, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear (dark throated form), Blue Rock Thrush
Paphos Harbour carpark – Eurasian Pied Flycatcher
Total species seen – 74
Little Grebe, European Shag, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo, Mallard, Western Marsh Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Quail, Common Moorhen, Kentish Plover, Common Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Armenian Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Tawny Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Black-headed Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Rüppell’s Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Pied Flycatcher, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Hawfinch, Corn Bunting
First trip out of the new season was around Limassol with Ann and Peter. We visited Germasogeia Dam, Phassouri Reed Beds, Akrotiri Gravel Pits, Akrotiri Salt Lake, Zakaki Marsh, Lady’s Mile and Kensington Cliffs. A windy day still mainly dominated by winter visitors although we found a Eurasian Hoopoe at the Gravel Pits and Barn Swallows and Common House Martins at Germasogeia Dam. We had good views of a juvenile Caspian Gull and adult and juvenile Armenian Gull at Lady’s Mile with other highlights – a Ferruginous Duck on Zakaki; Woodlarks at Akrotiri Gravel Pits; a male and a female Black Francolin in flight at Phassouri Reed Beds and a Long-legged Buzzard at Kensington Cliffs.
Days species – 57:
Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Shag, Little Egret, Greater Flamingo, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Curlew, Common Black-headed Gull, Baltic Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Armenian Gull, Sandwich Tern, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Blue Rock Thrush, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting
Spent a lovely spring day around Limassol with highlights:
Phassouri Reed Beds – Hawfinch 1+, Common Reed Bunting 3, Water Pipit 2, Common Snipe 4, Little Egret 1, Blackcap 10+, Song Thrush 5+, Blackbird 1, Western Marsh Harrier 2
Akrotiri Gravel Pits – Green Sandpiper 1, Western Marsh Harrier 1
Lady’s Mile – Sandwich Tern 2, Armenian Gull 20, Caspian Gull 3+
Zakaki Marsh – Common Kingfisher 1, Common Snipe 1, Penduline Tit 1h
Germasogeia Dam – Bonelli’s Eagle 1 adult, Grey Wagtail 2, Barn Swallow 7, Woodlark 14
Meeting Carl and Riss outside Limassol we headed for Phassouri Reed Beds. I managed to catch sight of the only two European Bee-eaters we found all day and we also saw a Common Kingfisher, at least three Eurasian Sparrowhawk, a Water Rail, a lone Greater Short-toed Lark, several Red-backed Shrike and two Common Snipe. There were plenty of Common Stonechat as well as one Whinchat. We saw a flock of Greater Flamingo flying over the Gravel Pits where we also watched a single Honey Buzzard gaining height being mobbed by several Hooded Crows.
There were at least three hundred Greater Flamingo on the main Salt Lake which we saw in the haze as we headed for Bishop’s Pool. The water levels there have risen meaning that no waders were present but a few wintering Teal and Northern Shoveler had arrived and we had good views of two of the resident Ferruginous Duck. Two Grey Wagtails were flying around the area and as well as several Willow Warblers in the vegetation we found at least one Chiffchaff and a Lesser Whitethroat. A Western Marsh Harrier was quartering the reeds but being ignored by the waterbirds.
Driving down Lady’s Mile we picked out two Spectacled Warbler and another Red-backed Shrike. A few waders were on the mud – some Little Stint, Dunlin and Kentish Plover. From the hide at Zakaki we watched two Common Kingfisher, several fighting White Wagtail, a Red-throated Pipit, a couple of Yellow Wagtail, a Water Rail disappear quickly into the reeds and two Common Snipe. We had been searching the reeds for a Bluethroat which finally Carl found and we watched it hurry through the bottom of the reed stands in front of us. Just as we were about to leave two unusual looking doves flew in – two Stock Dove. Unfortunately they left as quickly as they flew in but we were able to get a good look at this uncommon bird for Cyprus.
We returned to Phassouri to eat our lunch and were treated to a fly past from a migrating Black Kite. We saw a migrating Common Buzzard as we headed for Kensington Cliffs as well as six Honey Buzzard that seemed to be searching for trees in which to roost. It was windy at Kensington Cliffs but we were treated to an aerial display by at least five Eleonora’s Falcon there. I then suggested we visit Germasogeia Dam but unfortunately the lack of water at the Finikaria end of the dam meant that we saw very little more bird life – a couple of Grey Herons were around, Sardinian Warbler were in the scrub and Spanish Sparrow were in the bushes.
We returned to Zakaki again and finished the day there. We had seen nearly sixty species and had a very enjoyable day.
Species total – 59
Little Grebe, Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Ferruginous Duck, European Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eleonora’s Falcon, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Common Redshank, Common Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Common Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-throated Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Whinchat, Common Stonechat, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet
After the windy stormy weather of the previous day I was concerned as I picked up Dick, Nancy, Al and Alice that we would also be affected by the weather on our day out. As it was we were lucky and the only rain we encountered was as we were driving to Prastio Kellakiou late in the afternoon. It was a great day out in interesting company, visited several sites around Limassol and found a total of 75 different species the most notable of which were:
Germasogeia Dam – Squacco Heron, Osprey, Spotted Crake, Little Crake, Stock Dove, Roller, Hoopoe, Cyprus Wheatear, Cyprus Warbler
Phassouri Reed Beds – Squacco Heron , Glossy Ibis, Water Rail (h), Turtle Dove, Great Reed Warbler
Starting from Nicosia this morning for a day out with David,who was in Cyprus for business and looking to see some new birds, we headed first to Agios Sozomenos. No sign of the over wintering Finsch’s Wheatear and they seem to have left but we did find a singing male Spectacled Warbler, some Spanish Sparrows, a Little Owl, some late Song Thrush and a Blackbird, Blackcap and Zitting Cisticola. We could hear at least four Black Francolin and managed to locate one on a rocky outcrop. A calling Common Quail though could not be located.
Heading to Limassol we saw a Long-legged Buzzard over the motorway near Mari and then another over the Amathus Archaeological Site. Around Amathus we found both the Cyprus endemics – a single male Cyprus Wheatear and several singing Cyprus Warbler. A couple of Sardinian Warbler were also singing and we had the first of the day’s Isabelline Wheatear there.
At Germasogeia Dam we found several waders – Common Snipe, Green and Common Sandpiper and a Water Pipit which was almost in full breeding plumage. A few Black-headed Wagtail were also at the water’s edge and a Blue-headed flew over. I found one of David’s target species in the reeds – a male Bluethroat but unfortunately it disappeared before David could find it. We spent a while trying to relocate it but luck wasn’t on our side.
We headed to Akrotiri with our first stop around the small church. Driving towards the church we found many interesting migrants in a small area – a Masked Shirke, four male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, a female Cyprus Wheatear, some Isabelline Wheatear and a Tawny Pipit. Several Red-rumped Swallow were flying around with the many Barn Swallow and we could hear a Cyprus Warbler singing. A female Blue Rock Thrush perched for a few moments on a juniper bush and a Serin flew in to the area. Around the church itself we found a male and a female Common Redstart, several Lesser Whitethroat, a Hoopoe and many Chiffchaff. Driving over the Gravel Pits we saw a Great Spotted Cuckoo and a hunting ring-tail Hen Harrier.
At Phassouri Reed Beds we found the resident Cattle Egret and two Little Egret. A female Garganey flew in to one of the shallow pools where Wood and Green Sandpiper and Ruff were feeding. A Water Rail called and more Red-rumped Swallow flew over. On the Salt Lake itself there were around 100 Greater Flamingo and a couple of Common Shelduck which we looked at through the telescope despite the haze. More than forty Ruff were feeding on Lady’s Mile and we also found some Little Stint, Kentish Plover and a single Common Ringed Plover.
The rather unattractive looking Zakaki Marsh produced better birds than we expected. There were four Little Ringed Plover, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Snipe as well as a couple of Black-headed Wagtail. A Western Marsh Harrier flew over and then we saw the star birds there – a beautiful male Citrine Wagtail and a Eurasian Spoonbill. This meant we stayed there longer than intended and the sun was setting as we reached Kensington Cliffs. We didn’t see any Griffon Vulture but we did see at least ten Alpine Swift and another Long-legged Buzzard which was mobbed by Common Kestrel and Western Jackdaw as it flew across the Bay. A quick visit to the Stadium close by added European Robin to our day list.
Thanks to David for a great day out with a real variety of species.
Birds seen – eighty six:
European Shag, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Eurasian Spoonbill. Greater Flamingo, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Western Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Quail, Water Rail, Eurasian Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Ruff, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Common Kingfisher, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Water Pipit, Tawny Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, Black-headed Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Western Black Redstart, Common Redstart, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Masked Shirke, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting
Harish and Deepa were visiting Cyprus on a birding break and we visited sites in Paphos and Limassol. They were especially keen to get photographs of new species – this being their first birding trip in Europe. To give them a chance to appreciate the new birds they asked not to be taken to wetland sites as they wanted to concentrate on passerines and raptors.
Day one – Saturday 15th March
We visited Cape Drepanum, Paphos Headland, Mandria and Anarita Park. We found several Sylvia warblers including resident Sardinian and migrant Subalpine and Rüppell’s. An unexpected bird at Cape Drepanum was a male singing Cyprus Warbler. We had good views of Isabelline and Northern Wheatear as well as Western Black Redstart, Blue-headed Wagtail, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat. We also found a male Finsch’s Wheatear at Anarita Park and a Black Francolin at Mandria.
Day two – Sunday 16th March
We started at Amathus and found at least eight singing male Cyprus Warbler as well as a female Blue Rock Thrush and five Chukar. A Masked Shrike, a Bluethroat, a Crag Martin and two migrating White Stork were the highlights at Germasogeia Dam although disappointingly we didn’t see any raptors there. We found several Western Marsh Harrier at Phassouri including a migrating adult male. A ringtail Hen Harrier and several Common Buzzard were also seen. There were many Northern Wheatear in the area and we found a Sedge Warbler, Black-headed Wagtail and another Bluethroat around the reed beds.
Offshore was a flock of at least 300 Garganey and around 150 Black-headed Gull and migrating Great Cormorant passed over. At least one Great Spotted Cuckoo was in the Gravel Pits area as well as three maybe four Hoopoe.
Two intensive days of birding in enjoyable company with a pleasing number of species considering we didn’t go looking for waterbirds as well.
Seventy two species
Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, White Stork, Garganey, Mallard, Common Teal, Western Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, European Coot, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Common Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Eurasian Crag Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, Black-headed Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Rüppell’s Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting
Out with Harry and Jacky again who were over here for their annual spring visit. As usual they wanted to visit new locations and were especially keen to see birds of prey. We went to Kouklia Soakaways where we found Long-legged and Common Buzzard and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk. On to Germasogeia Dam where the highlights were a ring tail Hen Harrier, a singing male Cyprus Warbler and on the water a drake Northern Pintail together with two male and a female Garganey.
Around the Akrotiri Peninsula we visited Phassouri Reed Beds and the Gravel Pits. We saw the juvenile Bonelli’s Eagle that has been in the area most of the winter, several Western Marsh Harrier, another Hen Harrier and a couple of Common Buzzard. We also had Water Pipit, Black-headed Wagtail, Ruff, Eurasian Curlew, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Blue Rock Thrush and best of all were treated to a singing Subalpine Warbler at the church.
We ended an enjoyable day at Kensington Cliffs where we watched several Alpine Swift and heard another Cyprus Warbler.
Sixty one species –
Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Western Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Ruff, Eurasian Curlew, Green Sandpiper, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared, Rock Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Crested Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, Black-headed Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Goldfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet
Cyprus Birding Tours 