Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus

Tag Archives: Grey Wagtail


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Troodos 16th June 2020

Another lovely day at Troodos enjoying the birds that seem to be numerous this summer with less disturbance.

Those seen included:

Platania
Grey Wagtail 1

Amiandos Botanical Gardens
Eleonora’s Falcon 1
European Serin h

Almyrolivado
Masked Shrike 6+ (see photo)
Cyprus Wheatear 1f
Spotted Flycatcher 2 (see photo)
Cyprus Scops Owl 1h

Livadi tou Pashia
Cyprus Wheatear 1m singing
Common Hoopoe 1h
Masked Shrike 6+
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Red-rumped Swallow 4
European Serin 2

Troodos Square
Pallid Swift 3+
Cyprus Wheatear 3m and 1f

Caledonia Trail (Troodos end)
Grey Wagtail pair
Spotted Flycatcher 1

Lots of Coal Tits, Jays, Wrens, Blackbirds (see photo) and Chaffinches everywhere

Eurasian Blackbird, Troodos 16th June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Blackbird, Troodos 16th June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike, Troodos 16th June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike, Troodos 16th June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spotted Flycatcher, Troodos 16th June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spotted Flycatcher, Troodos 16th June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Troodos area 2nd June 2020

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

Cyprus Wheatear, Troodos, 2nd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Wagtail, 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

Olivaceous Warbler, Troodos, 2nd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Northern Wren, 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

Spotted Flycatcher, Troodos, 2nd June 2020(c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Troodos area 2nd July 2019

Masked Shrike, Troodos 2nd July 2019 (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.


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Akrotiri 14th October 2018

A spur of the moment visit to Akrotiri today. I didn’t see any raptor migration but had some good birds in any case.

Interesting sightings include:

Akrotiri Salt Lake/Zakaki run off area
Hen Harrier 1 ring tail
Ruff 6
Common Ringed Plover 26+
Common Snipe 2
Red-throated Pipit 8
Little Stint 24+
Western Marsh Harrier 6
Temminck’s Stint 1
Kentish Plover 150+
Greater Flamingo 400+ incl melanistic bird
Northern Wheatear 1
Spotted Crake 3 seen and another heard elsewhere
Collared Pratincole 1
Bluethroat 2
Sedge Warbler 1
Spanish Sparrow 40+
Eleonora’s Falcon 4

Zakaki Marsh hide
Black-headed Gull 6
Grey Heron 20+
Grey Wagtail 1
Water Rail 4
Spotted Crake 1
Bluethroat 1 with white on head
Squacco Heron 1
Little Egret 1
Spanish Sparrow 15

Phasouri Reed-beds Tower hide
Masked Shrike 1 juv
Western Marsh Harrier 1 maybe 2
Eurasian Reed Warbler 1
Common Kingfisher 1
Bluethroat 1
Little Bittern 1 juv

Akrotiri Gravel Pits
Northern Wheatear 1m

Bluethroat, Akrotiri Salt Lake 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bluethroat, Akrotiri Salt Lake 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red-throated Pipit, Akrotiri Salt Lake 14th October 2018-1

Red-throated Pipit, Akrotiri Salt Lake, 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Squacco Heron, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018-1

Squacco Heron, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Water Rail, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018-1

Water Rail, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Western Marsh Harrier, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018-1

Western Marsh Harrier, Zakaki Marsh, 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Temminck's Stint, Akrotiri Salt Lake 14th October 2018-1

Temminck’s Stint, Akrotiri Salt Lake, 14th October 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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More Nicosia birding 12th January 2018

Out around Nicosia again today visiting Manglis Lake, Athalassa Dam and Agios Sozomenos. Best birds were:

Manglis Lake
Great Egret 1
Little Egret 1
Black-necked Grebe 1

Athalassa Dam
Grey Wagtail 1
Great Egret 2
Little Egret 1
Grey Heron 6
Black-crowned Night Heron 3ad and 1imm
Great Cormorant 60+
Black-necked Grebe 3
Ferruginous Duck 9
Eurasian Blackbird 1h
European Serin 2+
Plus plenty of Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Coot, Moorhen and Little Grebe

Agios Sozomenos
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Hen Harrier 1 being chased away by Long-legged Buzzard
Spanish Sparrow 30+
Bonelli’s Eagle 1 ad and 1 imm
Finsch’s Wheatear 1m and 1f
Common Quail 1h calling from edge of field of alfalfa
Red-throated Pipit 2h

Black-crowned Night Heron (immature), Athalassa Dam 12th January 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-crowned Night Heron (immature), Athalassa Dam 12th January 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Troodos area today 20th June 2017

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+

Almirolivado
Masked Shrike 3m
Eurasian Blackbird 3 singing males
Red Crossbill 2
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 2h

Platres Old Road and start of Caledonia Trail
Cyprus Wheatear 1m singing
Eurasian Blackbird 4m
Grey Wagtail 1 ad
Northern Wren 2
European Serin 1+

Troodos Botanical Gardens
Grey Wagtail 1ad
Cyprus Wheatear 1 ad
Red-rumped Swallow 2
Northern House Martin 30+

Masked Shrike, Livadi tou Pashia 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike, Livadi tou Pashia 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Hoopoe, Platania 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Hoopoe, Platania 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Jay, Livadi tou Pashia 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Jay, Livadi tou Pashia 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Wagtail, Troodos 20th June 2017 (Cyprus Birding Tours)

Grey Wagtail, Troodos 20th June 2017 (Cyprus Birding Tours)

Female Eurasian Blackbird taking a bath, Platania 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Female Eurasian Blackbird taking a bath, Platania 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Athalassa Dam, Nicosia this morning 6th January 2017

Once again some good birds in Nicosia; this time at Athalassa Dam where highlights were ten Tufted Duck, a Black-necked Grebe and two fishing Whiskered Terns (unusual for January, they are usually passage migrants through Cyprus).

Main birds seen:

Black-crowned Night Heron 2 ad
Cattle Egret 1
Little Egret 2
Grey Heron 3
Great Cormorant 2
Black-necked Grebe 1
Common Pochard 1m
Ferruginous Duck 3
Tufted Duck 10 (inc 4 males)
Grey Wagtail 2
Eurasian Blackbird 2m
Whiskered Tern 2
Northern Shoveler c80
Eurasian Teal c50
Mallard c40
Common Chiffchaff 20+

Athalassa Dam, Nicosia this morning 6th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-crowned Night Heron, Athalassa Dam, Nicosia, 6th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Athalassa Dam, Nicosia 16th November 2016

Spent a few hours at Athalassa Dam and saw the following:

Great Egret 3
Little Egret 2
Grey Heron 6
Great Cormorant 50+
Eurasian Spoonbill 1 juv
Cattle Egret 1
Black-crowned Night Heron 1 ad
Common Kingfisher 2
Grey Wagtail 2
Ferruginous Duck 2
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Black-winged Stilt 2
Common Snipe 1
Northern Shoveler 8
Eurasian Teal 30+
Mallard c30
Little Grebe, Eurasian Coot and Common Moorhen
Common Chaffinch, European Robin, Common Chiffchaff and White Wagtail.
Hooded Crow and Common Woodpigeon

Black-winged Stilt, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-winged Stilt, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Spoonbill, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Spoonbill, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Great Cormorant, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Great Cormorant, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Great Egret Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Great Egret Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Heron, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Heron, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Grebe 4, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Grebe 4, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mallard, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mallard, Athalassa Dam 16th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Troodos today 12th November 2016

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!

Platania Picnic Site
Eurasian Siskin c12
Goldcrest 2
Hawfinch 3
Grey Wagtail 1

Almyrolivado
Mistle Thrush c20
Fieldfare 1 flew over
Brambling 1m
Winter Wren 2
Eurasian Jay 2

Livadi tou Pashia
Eurasian Blackbird 5
Mistle Thrush 2
Yellowhammer 1
Hawfinch 1m and 2f

Yellowhammer, Livadi tou Pashia 12th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Yellowhammer, Livadi tou Pashia 12th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Blackbird, Livadi tou Pashia 12th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Blackbird, Livadi tou Pashia 12th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Hawfinch f, Livadi tou Pashia 12th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Hawfinch m, Livadi tou Pashia 12th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Hawfinch f, Livadi tou Pashia 12th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Waterbird Count, Larnaca area this morning 26th October 2016

Due to the continued drought this was probably the quickest October Waterbird Count I have ever done, although where there was some water there were birds. Did not see the Greater White-fronted Geese or Black-necked Grebes seen on the Sewage Pools on Saturday.

Update: the five Greater White-fronted Geese were present at 17.00pm

Larnaca Sewage Works
Eurasian Skylark 3+
Mallard 129
Northern Shoveler 153
Eurasian Teal 25
Dunlin 2
Greater Flamingo 1 ad
Common Redshank 1
Eurasian Coot 1
Little Stint 23
Barn Swallow 5
Meadow Pipit 1+
Greater Cormorant 2
Kentish Plover 10
Red-throated Pipit 2
Yellow-legged Gull 9
Spiros Pool
Eurasian Curlew 3
Spiros Beach
Yellow-legged Gull 11
Armenian Gull 1
Larnaca Salt Lake
Little Owl 1
Common Kingfisher 1
Common Moorhen 2
Green Sandpiper 1
Little Stint 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 2
Grey Wagtail 1
Common Snipe 3

Dunlin 1

Green Sandpiper, Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Green Sandpiper, Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

White Wagtail, Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

White Wagtail, Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Athalassa Dam, Nicosia 21st October 2016

A quick visit to Athalassa Dam, outside Nicosia this morning – very peaceful and with some good views of some interesting birds.

Eurasian Spooonbill 3 (possibly 5 but quite mobile)
Great Egret 3
White-winged Tern 1
Little Egret 24
Little Grebe 60 in a group moving around edge of water in company of the feeding Little Egrets
Grey Heron 7
Greater Cormorant 11
Common Kingfisher 3
Grey Wagtail 3
Water Rail 2 (one seen, another heard elsewhere)
European Robin 2+
White Wagtail 4
Eurasian Spoonbill, Athalassa Dam, 21st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Spoonbill, Athalassa Dam, 21st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Three feeding Eurasian Spoonbill, Athalassa Dam, 21st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Three feeding Eurasian Spoonbill, Athalassa Dam, 21st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Great Egret, Athalassa Dam, 21st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Great Egret, Athalassa Dam, 21st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Heron, Athalassa Dam, 21st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Heron, Athalassa Dam, 21st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Egret, Athalassa Dam, 21st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Egret, Athalassa Dam, 21st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Troodos and Omodos vineyards, 10th June 2016

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

Eurasian Jay, Livadi tou Pashia, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Wagtail, Caledonia Trail, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Wagtail, Caledonia Trail, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike, Livadi tou Pashia, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike, Livadi tou Pashia, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike juvenile, Livadi tou Pashia, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike juvenile, Livadi tou Pashia, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spotted Flycatcher, Livadi tou Pashia, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spotted Flycatcher, Livadi tou Pashia, 10th June 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours