Migration slowly getting busier with c50 Collared Pratincole in the fields near Larnaca Sewage Works and a group of 13 Common Sandpiper resting on the rocks on the nearby coast this morning. Feeding on the Sewage Pools were Gull-billed, Whiskered and White-winged Tern. A couple of Slender-billed and Black-headed Gull were present as were more than 100 Greater Flamingo, a couple of Black-winged Stilt, 23 Ferruginous Duck, a Common Greenshank, six Grey Heron and six Cattle Egret, plenty of Spur-winged Lapwing and both the long-staying unseasonable Great Crested Grebes.
One of several juvenile Yellow-legged Gull currently to be found along Spiros Beach and Larnaca Sewage Works. Also in the area today were an Eleonora’s Falcon, Little and Gull-billed Tern, Temminck’s and Little Stint, Dunlin, Ruff, Little Ringed Plover and Greater Flamingo.
Yellow-legged Gull, Spiros Beach, 25th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Two unseasonal species this morning at Larnaca Sewage Works. Two Great Crested Grebe and three Common Tern (one in photo below). A single Great Crested Grebe had been there on 9th July but it has now been joined by another. A very early date for this passage migrant/winter visitor.
Also present were a flock of 60 plus Greater Flamingo, a Slender-billed Gull, ten Black-headed Gull, a few Common Sandpiper and at least ten Ferruginous Duck.
Common Tern, Larnaca Sewage Works, 20th July 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Back in Cyprus and out today around Larnaca. Not much around and area very dry but I did find several young Spur-winged Lapwing in the area and this adult trying to scare away some Hooded Crows.
Spur-winged Lapwing, Larnaca 25th June 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Unfortunately the best bird I saw over the weekend was not very user friendly – a brief glimpse of a male Namaqua Dove on the track at Petounta for a few seconds before it flew away and was not to be refound – despite a couple of hours search in total over the two days. Anyhow, elsewhere there were Lesser Kestrel and Montagu’s Harrier yesterday at Kivisili where today there were also five Red-footed Falcon (see photos). Calandra Lark were displaying at Pervolia where migrating Yellow Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, Sand Martin, Red-rumped and Barn Swallow and Common Swift were present. Glossy Ibis and Little Egret were seen migrating along the coast and a couple of European Pied Flycatcher were in the trees at Kiti Dam and Spiros Pool.
Red-footed Falcon, Kivisili 22nd April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Red-footed Falcon, Kivisili 22nd April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Although there are still many Barn Swallows migrating northwards through Cyprus at the moment, many of those that breed in Cyprus have already had their first brood. A family group was at Pervolia today, with the adults feeding a group of youngsters who were perched on watering equipment in the fields.
Barn Swallow , Pervolia 21st April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Black-necked Grebe, Larnaca Sewage Works 15th March 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Morning around Larnaca doing the monthly waterbird count. Most wintering ducks have gone as have most of the Greater Flamingos. Highlights were a Greater Sandplover at Spiros Pool, a flock of more than 600 Slender-billed Gulls on the Salt Lake and my first Wood Sandpiper of the year.
Main sightings:
Meneou Pool
Kentish Plover 6
Larnaca Airport Pools South
Eurasian Thick-knee 2
Greater Flamingo 178
Black Francolin 1h
Laughing Dove 1 (first time seen here)
Larnaca Sewage Works
Spur-winged Lapwing 6
Black-necked Grebe 13 (see photograph)
Northern Shoveler 247
Common Pochard 3f
Eurasian Wigeon 1m and 1f
Green Sandpiper 2
Common Teal 44
Common Hoopoe 1
Spiros Beach
Greater Sandplover 1 (later seen on Spiros Pool)
Kentish Plover 2
Spiros Pool
Little Stint 14
Kentish Plover 1
Larnaca Airport Pools North
Greater Flamingo 100
Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo 17
Common Shelduck 2
Slender-billed Gull 657
Ruff 145
Dunlin 16
Kentish Plover 14
Little Stint 56
Common Ringed Plover 28
Eurasian Reed Warbler 5+h
Reed Bunting 1h
Common Snipe 6+
Water Pipit 4
Common Redshank 1h
Spur-winged Lapwing 9
Little Egret 1
Bluethroat 1
Wood Sandpiper 1
Little Ringed Plover 1
Yellow Wagtail 1 first winter/spring
Larnaca Sewage Works
Spur-winged Lapwing 4
Common Teal 50+ in one flock, very restless
Northern Shoveler c50 headed out to sea
Black-necked Grebe 12+ (Nine in breeding plumage)
Eurasian Wigeon 3f
Little Gull 1 imm
Common Buzzard 1
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Pervolia fields
Calandra Lark 3+
Petounta Point
Isabelline Wheatear 2
Great Cormorant 2 heading E
Eurasian Reed Warbler 1h
Agios Theodoros Coast – sea watch 15:10 – 16:30
Little Egret 3 on rocks
Great Crested Grebe 4 offshore
Northern Shoveler c50 heading W to E
Duck spp – probably Pintail c35 W to E
Great Cormorant c180 W to E 15:10
Greater Sandplover, Spiros Beach, 5th March 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Out for a day’s birding around Larnaca with Victor Tjernberg checking out some good sites for spring birding and trying to up our year lists!
The wetlands had most birds but probably the birds of the day were the Calandra Lark on the fields in Pervolia already in display song flight. Also good to see several Cyprus Warbler in the Panagia Stazousa valley singing and on territory. Although it is a partial migrant with some leaving in the winter, many stay all year on the island.
Interesting sightings:
Larnaca Sewage Works
Eurasian Wigeon 7 (3m)
Ferruginous Duck 1
Common Pochard 6+
Black-necked Grebe 40+
Common Greenshank 3
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Spiros Pool
Eurasian Golden Plover 120+
Larnaca Airport Pools South
Eurasian Thick-knee 17
Caspian Gull 10+
Armenian Gull 1ad
Heuglin’s Gull 1 ad
Pervolia fields
Calandra Lark 4+ in display flight
Petounta Point
Common Buzzard 4
Kiti Dam
Common Quail 1h
Panagia Stazousa
Cyprus Warbler 6+ singing males
Long-legged Buzzard 1
European Serin 3+
Eurasian Blackbird 1m
Eurasian Thick-knee 1 in flight near Klavdia village
Oroklini Marsh (see photo)
Black-winged Stilt 2
Red-crested Pochard 1m and 2f
Common Pochard 2m
Ferruginous Duck 7
Ruff 3
Northern Lapwing 1
Cattle Egret 200+
Grey Heron 2
Barn Swallow 3
Common Redshank 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 3
Oroklini Beach
Armenian Gull 5 ad and c15 imm
Caspian Gull 1 imm
Sandwich Tern 2 fishing offshore
Oroklini Marsh 6th February 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Birding Tours 