Early start to avoid the humid heat of Larnaca today. Larnaca Sewage Works had most species including migrating Common Ringed Plover, Wood and Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Common Redshank, White-winged and Whiskered Tern. Two adult Slender-billed Gull were present, three Grey Heron flew over heading W and a Eurasian Curlew that flew in briefly was later seen heading E. There was a single Greater Flamingo also with the usual resident Mallard, Coot and Little Grebe and a good number of Spur-winged Lapwing and Black-winged Stilt – both with several juveniles.
More than two hundred Kentish Plover were roosting on Spiros Beach in a post-breeding flock which contained many juveniles.
Little Stint were feeding around the edge of the main Salt Lake where there were also more Black-winged Stilt and Spur-winged Lapwing. Two European Roller and a male Red-backed Shrike were near Tekke Mosque.
An unusual finding today was a Ruddy Shelduck on Zakaki Marsh – although the height of the reeds there now made it hard to see. Apparently it has been present for a few days now and is probably the first summer record for this species in Cyprus. It’s usually seen between November to April as a winter visitor, although three were reported in September in 1995.
Also had a juvenile Citrine Wagtail at Phassouri Reed Beds where there was a Lesser Grey Shrike and a Eurasian Hoopoe as well as several juvenile Yellow Wagtail and plenty of fledged Eurasian Reed Warblers. On Lady’s Mile there were around 150 Kentish Plover, several Little Stint, a Dunlin and one, maybe two, Sanderling. A juvenile Glossy Ibis was also there with several Black-winged Stilt.
As well as the Ruddy Shelduck at Zakaki I heard a Common Kingfisher and saw a Garganey.
Our first stop was at Kensington Cliffs as Stuart and Frances were keen to see as many raptors as possible. We found at least five Eleonora’s Falcon sitting on cliffside ledges as we first scanned the area but then two dark morph birds flew in front of us shortly followed by several light morph individuals. We were treated to their aerial display during our time there with several Alpine Swift also flying around. Checking the rocks at the bottom of the western cliff face we found six Eurasian Shags. A single Baltic Gull was a surprise find in the bay and then we were pleased to see two Griffon Vulture fly up from behind the cliffs, circle over Episkopi Garrison and then head inland.
Pleased with our start we moved to Akrotiri where we visited Phassouri Reed Beds, Akrotiri Gravel Pits, Lady’s Mile and Zakaki Marsh. Far fewer migrants were around than when I had visited the area at the weekend –especially waders – but we still managed to get good views of European Bee-eater, Temminck’s Stint, Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Woodchat Shrike, Ferruginous Duck, Armenian Gull, Spur-winged Lapwing and Kentish Plover.
We then headed inland and ate our lunch in a valley behind Omodos. There we watched at least four singing Black-headed Bunting, two singing Cretzschmar’s Bunting, at least one Long-legged Buzzard, several Cyprus Wheatear, a Corn Bunting, two Red-rumped Swallow and several European Serin. On the way back to Larnaca we visited the Panagia Stazousa valley where we added Chukar, Eurasian Turtle Dove, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe and (Stuart and Frances’ bird of the day), a Little Owl to our day’s list of species.
A good variety of birds even considering that migrating species at Akrotiri were much reduced now as we move to the end of May.
Species seen – 54
European Shag, Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eleonora’s Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin (h), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Kentish Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Temminck’s Stint, Baltic Gull (Lesser Black-backed Gull), Armenian Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Little Owl, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Cyprus Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Black-headed Bunting, Corn Bunting
Cyprus Wheatear, Omodos, May 21st 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Early morning surveys in the Larnaca area provided some good birds which included several singing male Cyprus Warbler, Great Spotted Cuckoo, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Lesser Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Pallid Harrier, Little Owl, Calandra Lark, Woodchat and Red-backed Shrike, European Bee-eater and a calling Eurasian Scops Owl. The numbers of Greater Flamingo on the Salt Lake has decreased but there are still plenty of Ruff, Little Stint and Wood Sandpiper passing through as well as Black-winged Stilt, Little Tern, Spur-winged Lapwing and a Little Gull. Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis and Black-crowned Night Heron have been passing by the coast and in the fields there are still small numbers of Yellow Wagtail and Red-throated Pipit and an occasional Northern Wheatear.
Kentish Plover Petounta Point April 30th 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Black-crowned Night Heron Larnaca Salt Lake 29th April 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Three days out with Alan and Marilyn gave a good opportunity to catch up with many different resident and migrant species. They wanted the chance to get as many photos as possible and although not all the birds we saw were photo-friendly we found a wide variety of species and ended up with a three day total of 107 different birds: 59 on 24th, 51 on 26th (when the afternoon was very quiet at the sites we visited) and 71 on 27th.
Mavrokolympos Dam – Long-legged Buzzard 2, Chukar 3+, Cyprus Wheatear 3, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Common Whitethroat 1
Akoursos Valley – Eurasian Scops Owl 1h, Common Nightingale 1h, Cyprus Warbler 2m
Cape Drepanum – Great Cormorant 4, European Shag 3, Yellow-legged Gull 30+, Greater Short-toed Lark 4, Barn Swallow 30+ migrating N along coast, Subalpine Warbler 1m
Friday 27th March:
Zakaki Marsh – Little Egret 1, Little Crake 1m, Eurasian Reed Warbler 2+h, Sedge Warbler 1h
Phassouri Reed Beds – Squacco Heron 2, Cattle Egret 1, Purple Heron 3, Western Marsh Harrier 1, Common Crane 3 flying over heading N, Black Francolin 1+h, Common Quail 1h, Black-winged Stilt 1, Spur-winged Lapwing 1, Common Nightingale 1, European Blackcap 3
Flooded Phassouri old rabbit farm area – Great Egret 1, Black-winged Stilt 1, Little Ringed Plover c10, Kentish Plover 1, Ruff c50, Common Snipe 1, Marsh Sandpiper 2, Sand Martin 1, Yellow Wagtail inc Black and Blue headed and ‘dombrowski’ intergrade, Masked Shrike 2
Akrotiri Gravel Pits and coast – Great Egret 3 in from sea over area, ‘Baltic’ Gull 1 migrating with 10 Yellow-legged Gull offshore, Common Black-headed Gull c60 in bay, Eurasian Hoopoe 4, Common Redstart 1f, Desert Wheatear 1m, Cyprus Warbler 1h, Masked Shrike 1, Ortolan Bunting 1
Bishop’s Pool – Black-crowned Night Heron 3, Ferruginous Duck 2
Lady’s Mile – Black-winged Stilt 29, Kentish Plover, Greater Sand Plover 1+ flew with flock of Kentish Plover, Marsh Sandpiper 1, Common Greenshank 4, Slender-billed Gull 8
Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, European Shag, Black-crowned Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Great Egret, Purple Heron, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Western Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Quail, Little Crake, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Common Crane, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Ruff, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, ‘Baltic’ Gull (Lesser Black-backed Gull), Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo, Eurasian Scops Owl h, Little Owl, Common Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Eurasian Wryneck, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Tawny Pipit, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, Black-headed Wagtail, ‘dombrowski’ Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Common Nightingale, Western Black Redstart, Common Redstart, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler h, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Rüppell’s Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Hawfinch, Ortolan Bunting, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting
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
Some of the more interesting birds seen while I was out today around Larnaca and Oroklini
Larnaca Sewage Works area – Eurasian Curlew 6
Petounta Point – Northern Wheatear 1m, Kentish Plover 2 (pair)
Kivisili – Hoopoe 1, Isabelline Wheatear 1
Oroklini Beach – Armenian Gull 11, Caspian Gull 3, Mediterranean Gull 3 adult and 1 second year bird
Oroklini Marsh – Common Snipe 10, Black-winged Stilt 5, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Pied Avocet 1, Ruff c30, Red-crested Pochard 2m and 2f, Mediterranean Gull 1 adult, Armenian Gull 2, Common Redshank 2, Common Kingfisher 1, Northern Pintail 1m and 2f, Green Sandpiper 1, Cattle Egret 50+, Greater Flamingo c30, Western Marsh Harrier 1
Red-crested Pochard male and female Oroklini Marsh 4th March 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
With no rain forecast, for the first time in days, I headed out with first stop Agios Sozomenos on the outskirts of Nicosia. There was still a male Finsch’s Wheatear present. Two sub-adult Bonelli’s Eagle, a Peregrine Falcon and a Long-legged Buzzard flew over and at the water treatment plant there were two Ferruginous Duck. Blackcap could be heard singing from many bushes as could several male Spectacled Warbler. I also saw two Long-legged Buzzard flying over Panagia Stazousa on the way to Larnaca. A single Isabelline Wheatear and Eurasian Hoopoe at Petounta Point showed that migration continues to stutter into gear. On the beach there were four Kentish Plover. Nine Eurasian Curlew were near the Larnaca Sewage Pools and at least eight Calandra Lark were in the fields outside Pervolia.
Eurasian Hoopoe Petounta Point 26th February 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
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
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
Went to Larnaca to do the waterbird count and was pleased that the bad weather held off. A lot of the ducks on the Sewage Works pools seemed to be out of sight from the hide along the edge hidden from view. I couldn’t find the White-headed Duck from last weekend although it could have been along that edge.
A summary of the birds around:
Meneou Pool – Greater Flamingo 411, Black Francolin 2m calling
Larnaca Sewage Works – Greater Flamingo 59, Tufted Duck 3, Northern Shoveler 16 (probably more but other ducks were on edge not visible from hide), Eurasian Teal 227, Mallard 57, Gadwall 3, Greater White-fronted Goose 8, Eurasian Wigeon 7, Black-necked Grebe 5, Black-winged Stilt 2, Greater Cormorant 4
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
Cyprus Birding Tours 