Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus


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Akrotiri 30th September 2020

A very windy day at Akrotiri with limited raptor movement and those that were migrating keeping low over the Salt Lake. At least twenty Red-footed Falcons were roosting at Lady’s Mile with half of them hunkered down on the salt flats and rest on wires (see photo). Two Booted Eagles were seen – the long staying light morph is still around Phasouri (see photo). A small number of European Honey Buzzard braved the elements as did a couple of Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Black Kite, some Western Marsh Harrier and a juvenile Pallid Harrier. There is still a Whimbrel on Lady’s Mile (photo) and plenty of herons and egrets on Akrotiri Marsh together with the juvenile Black Stork, three Black-tailed Godwit, several Common Snipe, Common Teal, a single White Wagtail, three White-winged Tern and the usual migrating European Bee-eater, Barn Swallow and Sand Martin.

Red-footed Falcon, female, Lady’s Mile 30th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Whimbrel, Lady’s Mile, 30th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Booted Eagle, Phasouri, 30th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Limassol area today 25th January 2017

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

Armenian Gull, Lady’s Mile 25th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Yellow-legged Gull, Lady's Mile 25th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Yellow-legged Gull, Lady’s Mile 25th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Egret, Zakaki Marsh, 25th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Egret, Zakaki Marsh, 25th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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More gulls, Akrotiri 13th January 2017

Considering that I always say I don’t really like gulls I seem to be spending a lot of time watching them at the moment. Spent a while watching this Little Gull on Lady’s Mile – it appears to be dirty – possibly oiled – but was very active and able to fly well.  Also got another photo of one of the three Common Gulls present – this time in the sunshine, as opposed to the rain last weekend – and an adult Armenian Gull making fun of me its seemed.

Little Gull, Lady's Mile 13th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Gull, Lady’s Mile 13th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Gull, Lady's Mile 13th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Gull, Lady’s Mile 13th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Armenian Gull, Lady's Mile 13th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Armenian Gull, Lady’s Mile 13th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Over-wintering Gulls

Both Common Gull and Mediterranean Gull are uncommon winter visitors to Cyprus- the latter more frequent than the former.

The Common Gull below was photographed in the rain on 7th January 2017 in the sea off Lady’s Mile, Limassol and the Mediterranean Gulls on Oroklini Beach on 8th January 2017 in yet more rain.

Common Gull, Lady's Mile 8th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Gull, Lady’s Mile 8th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gull, 1st winter, Oroklini Beach 8th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gull, 1st winter, Oroklini Beach 8th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gull, adult, Oroklini Beach 8th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gull, adult, Oroklini Beach 8th January 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours