Larnaca birdwatching | Cyprus Birding Tours

July 22, 2015
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Oroklini Marsh, 22nd July 2015

An adult Spur-winged Lapwing was chasing all other birds away from where its four chicks were feeding at Oroklini today. It was even chasing away Little Stint which were smaller than the chicks! Also in the area was a juvenile Glossy Ibis, several adult and juvenile Little Tern and an unseasonal Common Black-headed Gull. Numbers of Ruff, Little Ringed Plover and Little Stint are increasing there.

At Larnaca Sewage Works I found nine Little Tern and five Green Sandpiper were on the coast nearby.

Spur-winged Lapwing chick Oroklini 22nd July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spur-winged Lapwing Oroklini 22nd July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

July 18, 2015
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Zitting Cisticola, Larnaca Sewage Works 18th July 2015

This Zitting Cisticola was one of a family party around the hide at Larnaca Sewage Works this morning. Also flying around the area were an adult and juvenile Little Tern and a Whiskered Tern which was still in breeding plumage.

Zitting Cisticola Larnaca Sewage Works 18th July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

July 15, 2015
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Larnaca waterbird count and Oroklini Marsh this morning, 15th July 2015

A hot morning out for the waterbird count around Larnaca. Three Whiskered Tern were on the Sewage Works pools, an Audouin’s Gull flew ovre and there were plenty of young birds – Mallard, Black-winged Stilt, a few Coot and some Spur-winged Lapwing. Three Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper there showed that migrant waders are now moving through. More waders were at Oroklini – nine Wood, three Common and a Green Sandpiper plus three Ruff, a Common Redshank and several adult and juvenile Little Ringed Plover. There were still some Cattle Egret in the small colony that is now established there as well as four feeding Little Egret. Large flocks of Barn Swallow were everywhere with a few Common Swift and House Martin as well.

Two juvenile Little Tern were at Oroklini – one was fed by an adult while another appeared to be having fishing lessons from a parent – the juvenile was diving in the water and the adult was squawking near by. At least eleven Little Tern were on the main Salt Lake although it was a bit too hazy for an accurate count. There were also around twenty Greater Flamingo and plenty of Black-winged Stilt. A couple of juvenile Eurasian Reed Warblers were in the reeds on the north eastern edge of the lake.

Little Ringed Plover Oroklini Marsh 15th July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Barn Swallow Larnaca Sewage Works 15th July 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

July 1, 2015
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A few interesting species in Larnaca this morning, 1st July 2015

Less wind than on previous days in the Larnaca area as summer takes hold. Had a quick look around Cape Kiti and Larnaca Sewage Works this morning. Was surprised to find a European Bee-eater on the wires near Meneou. Just one Calandra Lark was seen at Pervolia with none heard singing today. Single Little Terns were at Meneou Pool and Larnaca Sewage Works where there was also a scruffy looking Whiskered Tern. An Audouin’s Gull was with several Yellow-legged Gulls on Spiros Pool.

May 16, 2015
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Migrants moving on, 16th May 2015

Much quieter around Akrotiri today than it was when I visited on Tuesday, with a big clear out of waders especially. Still some good sightings though: two male Honey Buzzard over Phassouri Plantations being mobbed by Hooded Crows; two Eleonora’s Falcon putting up a flock of around one hundred marsh terns – mainly White-winged – over Akrotiri Salt Lake; good views of three White-winged, 14 Little and two Gull-billed Tern at the Zakaki outflow; and a European Roller behind Lady’s Mile.

On the Larnaca Sewage Works Pools there were twelve White-winged Tern and a Eurasian Spoonbill was on Spiros Pool where the numbers of waders has also decreased compared to the last few days.

White-winged Tern and Little Tern Akrotiri Salt Lake 16th May 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Spoonbill Spiros Pool 16th May 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

May 15, 2015
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Larnaca area this morning 15th May 2015

Found the melanistic Greater Flamingo today in with the others on Larnaca Salt Lake – not as interesting a find to be honest as the Lesser Flamingo found on Tuesday at Kouklia Reservoir outside Famagusta. The first record of this species in Cyprus and it seems it may have been overlooked on other occasions in with the group of Greater Flamingo there, and has been there at least a week. Would be nice if it decided to move further south to give others the chance to see it. After all the melanistic bird showed that the species is quite mobile when here in Cyprus moving between wetlands.

Other interesting species included Gull-billed, Little and White-winged Tern, Temminck’s Stint and Broad-billed Sandpiper.

Full sightings include:

Aradippou – European Roller 2

Livadhia – Spotted Flycatcher 1

Livadhia Drainage Channel (Jumbo) – Spur-winged Lapwing 6

Larnaca Salt Lake – Greater Flamingo 300+ (including melanistic individual), Great Reed Warbler 1h, Black-winged Stilt 24, White-winged Tern 3, Little Tern 1, Spur-winged Lapwing 5, Glossy Ibis 6, Ruff 24, Purple Heron 2, Common Ringed Plover 7, Curlew Sandpiper 9, Gull-billed Tern 2

Larnaca Sewage Works – Spur-winged Lapwing 5, Black-winged Stilt 16+, Ruff 46, White-winged Tern 7, Whiskered Tern 6, Little Tern 1, Wood Sandpiper 8, Northern Shoveler 1m

Spiros Pool – Ruff 66, Common Ringed Plover 15, Little Stint c240, Curlew Sandpiper 28, Greater Flamingo 1, Temminck’s Stint 2, Broad-billed Sandpiper 1, Dunlin 1, European Bee-eater 30 in off sea,

Meneou Beach – Spotted Flycatcher 1, Little Tern 1

Spotted Flycatcher Livadia 15th May 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ruff Spiros Pool 15th May 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

May 10, 2015
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Terns and waders this evening 10th May 2015

Seventeen White-winged Tern and six Whiskered Tern were feeding over Larnaca Sewage Pools this evening as was a Little Gull. There was a good selection of wader on Spiros Pool – many of them in breeding plumage which we don’t often get the chance to see. There were single Red-necked Phalarope and Broad-billed Sandpiper, three Black-winged Godwit, several Curlew Sandpiper, five Dunlin, many Ruff and Little Stint, some Common Ringed Plover and Wood Sandpiper.

Two Collared Pratincole were on the Desalination Plant fields where more Wood Sandpiper and Ruff were feeding. It was good to see a small group of European Bee-eater and there was also a Whinchat and a Woodchat Shrike.

Whinchat Larnaca Desalination Plant 10th May 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

May 8, 2015
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Larnaca this morning, 8th May 2015

No sign of the Broad-billed Sandpiper, that had been present last night, on Spiros Pool this morning but still plenty of interest as there were nearly twenty Curlew Sandpiper, a Red-necked Phalarope, four Black-tailed Godwit, two Little Tern, a Little Gull, more than a hundred Little Stint and a Ruff in near breeding plumage among the twenty or so of that species.
A couple of Whinchat and a late Northern Wheatear were also seen, ten Glossy Ibis passed over and then along the airport coast I watched 41 Collared Pratincole flying over the sea and then move inland. A Whiskered Tern was on the Sewage Pools.

April 30, 2015
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Larnaca area over the last two days, 30th April 2015

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

April 23, 2015
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Larnaca area today, 23rd April 2015

A drive around the south side of the Larnaca Salt Lake today dodging the showers produced some interesting species. The water in the pools is slowly receding meaning that the conditions are just right for migrating waders.

Pervolia – Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 1, Calandra Lark 4, Red-throated Pipit 1h

Larnaca Airport Pools South – Little Gull 1, Red-necked Phalarope 4, Pied Avocet 2, Glossy Ibis 21, Common Greenshank 43, Spotted Redshank 1, Marsh Sandpiper 11, Common Sandpiper 1, Black-winged Stilt 22, Greater Flamingo c100

Larnaca Sewage Works – Collared Pratincole 4

Spiros Pool – Little Stint c100, Ruff c200, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Common Ringed Plover 3, Dunlin 2, Common Moorhen, Black-headed Wagtail 2, Woodchat Shrike 1

Larnaca Desalination Fields – Red-throated Pipit 20+

From Meneou to Airport coast 17.30pm – Common Swift 500+

Yesterday a quick drive through Panagia Stazousa gave good views of European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Cyprus Warbler, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Great Spotted Cuckoo.

Red-throated Pipit Larnaca Desalination Fields 23rd April 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

April 15, 2015
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Waterbird Count around Larnaca Salt Lake today, 15th April 2015

Some good birds seen around the area of Larnaca Salt Lake both north and south of the airport today, which included the famous black Greater Flamingo which today was on the main Salt Lake. Waders of note included eight Pied Avocet, four Eurasian Dotterel, two Whimbrel flying offshore, three Red-necked Phalarope, more than thirty Common Greenshank and plenty of Black-winged Stilt. Several migrating Grey Heron and Little Egret were around and three Squacco Heron went east along the coast in the morning with a flock of sixteen Great Egret flying over the area just before 9 am. There were several Slender-billed Gull on the main Salt Lake where there was also a European Roller and four European Bee-eaters flew over heading north. Eight Garganey were on the Larnaca Sewage Pools and a few Eurasian Teal still remain from the winter.

The fields were full of Red-throated Pipit and Yellow Wagtail early in the morning with several Greater Short-toed Lark and I found one Eurasian Wryneck. I also saw two Western Marsh Harrier and a female Pallid Harrier.

Little Egret Larnaca Salt Lake 15th April 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

April 13, 2015
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Larnaca area today, 13th April 2015

Some good birds around the Larnaca area seen on both an early morning and later afternoon ‘drive around’. I thought the days highlight would be a male Golden Oriole I found when doing my Common Bird Survey at Mennogeia until I found a Eurasian Dotterel on the Larnaca Airport Fields late in the day.

Larnaca Airport Pools South – Little Gull 1, Red-necked Phalarope 3, Common Greenshank 7, Marsh Sandpiper 2, Black-winged Stilt 50+, Greater Flamingo c120 (all pink!)

Meneou Pool – Whiskered Tern 1

Alaminos – European Roller 1, Red-rumped Swallow 3

Mennogeia – Cyprus Warbler 2m and 1f, Great Spotted Cuckoo 2, Golden Oriole 1m, Masked Shrike 1, Common Nightingale 1 singing

Mennogeia to Alaminos Road – European Roller 1

Larnaca Sewage Works – Collared Pratincole 6

Spiros Pool – Little Tern 1, Northern Wheatear 5f

Larnaca Desalination/Airport Fields – Eurasian Dotterel 1, Spur-winged Lapwing 2, Red-throated Pipit 2+

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