Very windy today at Larnaca where I did the water bird count. A lot of water on the Salt Lake so the Greater Flamingo were concentrated at the edges where the water is shallower. Best species was Little Gull – one on Meneou Pool and another on the Sewage Pools. A Eurasian Hoopoe and a Common Quail were seen on the track leading to the hide at the Sewage Pools.
Meneou Pool – Little Gull 1 first winter, Common Shelduck 3
Larnaca Airport Pools South – Greater Flamingo 245, Western Marsh Harrier 1, Caspian Gull 3, Common Black-headed Gull 107
Larnaca Sewage Pools – Barn Swallow 8, Mallard 73, Eurasian Teal 330, Black-necked Grebe 1, Northern Shoveler 13, Northern Pintail 1m, Gadwall 1m, Great Cormorant 1, Quail (in off sea), Eurasian Hoopoe 1, Little Gull 1
Spiros Pool/Beach – Spur-winged Lapwing 2, Greater Flamingo 67, Sandwich Tern 3, Golden Plover 11, Common Redshank 1
Larnaca Airport Pools North – Northern Shoveler 38, Greater Flamingo 82, Kentish Plover 12, Barn Swallow 2, Coot 3
Larnaca Salt Lake – Northern Shoveler 301, Common Shelduck 660, Greater Flamingo 3364, Barn Swallow c60, Green Sandpiper 1, Black-headed Gull c300, Caspian Gull c80, Armenian Gull c10, Western Marsh Harrier 1, Common Redshank 10, Common Ringed Plover 4, Dunlin 5, Little Stint 7, Kentish Plover 6
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
The nine Ruddy Shelduck were still at Paralimni Lake this morning where there are still around two hundred Greater Flamingo. I heard two Water Rail and there were eight Ruff feeding. A couple of Barn Swallows were in the area together with a single Alpine Swift. Only winter visitors though at Agia Trias – one Sandwich Tern, one Greater Sand Plover and one Golden Plover.
As Cape Greco was hosting a car rally – not exactly the best use for a Natura 2000 site I would have thought – there was no access there so I had a walk from the east of Agia Napa and found one of the earliest Isabelline Wheatear of the year (the first had been found at Avagas last Saturday).
On the beach at Oroklini there were still many Black-headed Gull with just one Mediterranean Gull, two Sandwich Tern, a couple of Armenian Gull and at least one Caspian Gull. On Oroklini Marsh there were hunting Western Marsh Harrier and Long-legged Buzzard which put up three Common Snipe. As well as the overwintering Greater Flamingo, Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Teal there were at least fifty Barn Swallow and probably more House Martin flying around the area and just one Common Swift. A flock of over a hundred Common Starling were also seen.
Out today doing the waterbird count around Larnaca Salt Lake area and Kiti Dam. Also visited Petounta Point. The highlight was a group of seventeen Black-necked Grebe on Larnaca Salt Lake which is full of water and had few waders as a result.
Highlights were:
Meneou Pool – Greater Flamingo 465
Spiros Pool & Beach area – Greater Flamingo 15, Golden Plover c300 flying over airport in distance, Dunlin 2, Little Stint 3, Green Sandpiper 1, Common Ringed Plover 12, Kentish Plover 89
Larnaca Airport Pools North – Greater Flamingo 24, Common Redshank 1
Larnaca Salt Lake – Black-headed Gull 108, Common Shelduck 607, Northern Shoveler 87, Greater Flamingo 1820, Black-necked Grebe 17, Reed Bunting 3, Common Snipe 2, Eurasian Teal 107, Common Redshank 3, Common Buzzard 1, Western Marsh Harrier 2, Water Pipit 1, Dunlin 4, Blackbird 1
Larnaca Airport Pools South – Greater Flamingo 123, Caspian Gull 50, Armenian Gull 12, Heuglin’s Gull 1 (maybe 2)
Kiti Dam (has water) – Western Marsh Harrier 1, Eurasian Teal 6, Black-headed Gull 54
Petounta Point – Sandwich Tern 2, Common Buzzard 1
Did the waterbird count around the Larnaca area this morning. A good variety of wintering wildfowl at the Sewage Works although not any great numbers – Greater White-fronted Geese, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon, Black-necked Grebe, Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Wigeon. There are still two Black-winged Stilt there that look as if they may be going to over winter. The fields around have plenty of Eurasian Skylark and Meadow Pipit and there were hunting Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Hen Harrier and Western Marsh Harrier. Over a hundred Golden Plover were roosting on Spiros Pool.
On the main Salt Lake there were over nine hundred Greater Flamingo, plenty of Common Black-headed Gull and fifteen Common Shelduck. Flocks of waders around the edge included Dunlin, Common Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Little Stint and Common Redshank. A few Eurasian Stone Curlew were roosting in the Airport Pools and in the reeds on the eastern edge there were at least three Penduline Tit.
Western Black Redstart, Larnaca Sewage Works 22nd November 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
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
As soon as Richard, Lynda and I arrived at Phassouri Reed Beds, our attention was drawn to the small falcons in the trees and on the aerial wires in the distance. A flock of Red-footed Falcons of all sexes and ages; and in just ten minutes they stared to circle over the area and head southwards on their migration. A wonderful site and we had great views of them. Large raptors were thinner on the ground although we saw several Western Marsh Harrier (including an adult male), a few European Honey Buzzard, a couple of European Sparrowhawk and a Lesser Kestrel. European Bee-eater were passing over as were flocks of Barn Swallow. A surprise find was a Common Nightingale that flew out of a road side hedge and onto the road in front of us.
There were many Whinchat and Red-backed Shrike and we also found a European Stonechat and a large flock of White Wagtail – winter visitors that will soon be very common. A more elusive winter visitor was found in the reeds – a Bluethroat. A Common Kingfisher and Squacco Heron were also present. A couple of Tree Pipits were present, a late juvenile Masked Shrike was by the roadside and we had good views of Spotted Flycatcher and Zitting Cisticola. On the lake in the Gravel Pits area there was a Ruddy Turnstone – not a common bird to Cyprus.
We drove along Lady’s Mile where we found Spectacled Warbler, Northern Wheatear and yet more Whinchat in the scrub. On the mud flats were Kentish Plover, Dunlin and Little Stint. An adult and a juvenile Greater Flamingo were also there and we were able to watch the grey juvenile feeding. As we approached the hide at Zakaki I noticed a flock of egrets and was surprised to find when we got nearer that it was of eighteen Great Egrets and not the more usual Little Egrets. They were very flighty and soon disappeared further into the channel and out of sight from the hide. Also present were several Grey Heron, a couple of Little Egret and a very smart Eurasian Spoonbill. Mallard, Teal and Garganey were present. In the reeds we saw Cetti’s Warbler, another Bluethroat and a Great Reed Warbler. A couple of Yellow Wagtail were also around.
I decided to return to Phassouri to eat our lunch and watch for any more raptors passing over early in the afternoon. More Red-footed Falcon and Western Marsh Harrier were around as were European Bee-eater. But we were in the right place at the right time, as we were told by other local birders that a Lesser Spotted Eagle had been seen a few minutes earlier near the bee-hives. We headed there and joined them in watching the bird fly up from the eucalyptus plantation and continue its journey. We also found a Common Buzzard and saw a Steppe Buzzard migrating before we left to return to Paphos.
On the way back we visited Asprokremmos Dam where we found a flock of Spanish Sparrow and saw a Long-legged Buzzard being mobbed by a Hooded Crow. There were not many birds at Paphos Sewage Works other than White Wagtail in the alfalfa fields so we went to check out the Ezousas Soakaways. There were many Willow Warbler in the vegetation in the area but we also found two Common Snipe, a Garganey, a Squacco Heron, a female Blackcap and a Common Kingfisher. A Water Rail was heard and there were three Turtle Doves flying around as two Red-footed Falcon passed over.
Thanks to Richard and Lynda for a good day’s birding with a good variety of interesting raptors.
Total species seen – 65
Little Grebe, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Eurasian Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Garganey, European Honey Buzzard, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Steppe Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Eleonora’s Falcon, Black Francolin, Water Rail h, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Ruddy Turnstone, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Common Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Bluethroat, Common Nightingale, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Great Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet
Joined up with the BirdLife Cyprus field trip this morning at Akrotiri Salt Lake. The target species were Demoiselle Crane but there was no sign of these although a group of Greater Flamingo seen flying in the distance raised hopes for a few seconds. A couple of European Roller and a Lesser Grey Shrike were seen while scanning for the cranes. A good collection of birds were at Bishop’s Pool including a Black-tailed Godwit, some Ruff, several Wood and Green Sandpiper, Little Stint, some Yellow Wagtail and at least four Eleonora’s Falcon one of which perched in one of the eucalyptus trees for a while.
A Broad-billed Sandpiper was on Lady’s Mile with several Little Stint, three Common Ringed Plover and many Kentish Plover. A Eurasian Spoonbill was on the muddy mound at Zakaki where there was also a couple of Little Egret, a Squacco and a Purple Heron, a Ferruginous Duck and a Garganey, several Little Stint, a Green Sandpiper, two juvenile Collared Pratincole, some Black-winged Stilt and Spur-winged Lapwing. Several Eurasian Reed Warbler were in the reeds as was a Great Reed Warbler. A Common Kingfisher was fishing in the area.
Mixed bag of birds around Larnaca and Pervolia this morning. A Lesser Grey Shrike at Larnaca Airport Pools south; a flock of 16 Greater Flamingo flying over the Sewage Pools with another nine there feeding around the edges; also on the Sewage Pools were two eclipse Garganey, the long-staying Common Shelduck, five Ruff, a Common Sandpiper and a Little Stint. On the rocks of the Airport Coast ignoring the swimmers was a Common Kingfisher and in the fields at Pervolia near Cape Kiti were eight Collared Pratincole.
Greater Flamingo Larnaca Sewage Works 10th August 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
There were two Eurasian Spoonbill on Oroklini Marsh this morning feeding with the nearly fifty Greater Flamingo spending the summer there. There must be at least forty Cattle Egret breeding in the tamarisks there with many nearly fully grown young visible. There were also a couple of Little Egret present. A couple of Slender-billed Gull were swimming among the Coots and a small Spur-winged Lapwing chick was feeding just in front of the hide. A Green Sandpiper was flying around the area.
Last autumn I had taken Terry and Sarah out for a morning in the Paphos area. This time they chose a day around Limassol with target species Cyprus Warbler and Greater Flamingo. We were lucky with the first target at Kourio Stadium. At least two and maybe three male Cyprus Warbler were singing there and we were able to see two of them really well. We also caught up with a family party at our last stop at Prastio Kellakiou.
At first it appeared that all the Greater Flamingo had left Akrotiri Salt Lake and the high numbers of over summering birds of the last two years had misled me into thinking we could find the same this summer. We scanned the edges of the lake in the haze and could see some movement in the area behind the Zakaki Marsh although it wasn’t clear which species were involved. So we headed as close to the area as we could by car and then walked. There were a few Greater Flamingo on the shore opposite us but in the haze were only just visible as Flamingos. On cue however four – an adult and three immature birds – appeared from behind the reeds and paraded in front of us much to Sarah and Terry’s delight and my relief!
Other highlights of the day included hunting Eleonora’s Falcon over Phassouri Reed Beds; a male Spectacled Warbler and a young Kentish Plover together with a female sitting on a nest at Akrotiri Gravel Pits; good views of Black-winged Stilt, Ferruginous Duck, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Black-headed Wagtail, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spur-winged Lapwing and an unseasonal White Wagtail at Zakaki Marsh; and Black-headed and Cretzschmar’s Bunting, the Cyprus Warbler family, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, European Serin and Masked Shrike at Prastio Kellakiou.
Species seen – 55
Little Grebe, Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Greater Flamingo, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Common Kestrel, Eleonora’s Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin (h), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper, Yellow-billed Gull, Little Tern, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove (h), Common Swift, Alpine Swift, European Roller, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Sand Martin, Common House Martin, Black-headed Wagtail, White Wagtail, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Great Tit, 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.
Visited the eastern edge of Akrotiri Salt Lake this afternoon – my first visit there this spring. Although the run-off from Zakaki Marsh is dry there is still water in the Salt Lake. I found at least eighty Greater Flamingo, two Eurasian Spoonbill, four Black-winged Stilt, thirty Common Shelduck, thirty two Gull-billed Tern, eleven Little Tern and several Ruff, Little Stint and Kentish Plover.
Before leaving Limassol I revisited both Akrotiri Gravel Pits and Zakaki Marsh where I had been in the morning. Of interest in the afternoon were a female Semi-collared Flycatcher in the Agios Georgios Church, a European Roller at Akrotiri Gravel Pits and a Temminck’s Stint at Zakaki.
Greater Flamingo and a Eurasian Spoonbill Akrotiri Salt Lake 30th April 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Birding Tours 