Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus

Tag Archives: Larnaca Sewage Works


by Leave a comment

Water bird count around Larnaca 18th February 2015

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


by Leave a comment

Waterbird Count today around Larnaca, 17th January 2015

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

Larnaca Sewage Works – Eurasian Teal 829, Mallard 119, Eurasian Wigeon 15, Black-necked Grebe 5, Tufted Duck 4, Caspian Gull 3, Western Marsh Harrier 1, Eurasian Curlew 1

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


by Leave a comment

Larnaca Friday 12th December 2014

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

Spiros Pool – Golden Plover 350

Larnaca Airport fields – Eurasian Curlew 1, Spanish Sparrow 80+, European Goldfinch 80+, Red-throated Pipit 2h, Meadow Pipit 50+, Eurasian Skylark 200+

Larnaca Airport Pools North – Dunlin 26, Common Redshank 34, Little Stint 4, Kentish Plover 10, Eurasian Stone Curlew 25

Larnaca Salt Lake – Greater Flamingo 520, Corn Bunting c90, Spanish Sparrow 120+, Eurasian Skylark c30, Common Chaffinch 10, Kentish Plover 135, Little Stint 55, Common Shelduck 150, Common Black-headed Gull 535, Common Ringed Plover 8, Dunlin 26, Western Marsh Harrier 2, Caspian Gull 3, Armenian Gull 2, Eurasian Teal c90, Common Snipe 2, Jack Snipe 1, Reed Bunting 9, Water Rail 1h

Larnaca Fishing Shelter – Black-legged Kittiwake 1 juv still present


by Leave a comment

Larnaca area this morning, 22nd November 2014

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

Western Black Redstart, Larnaca Sewage Works 22nd November 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

Larnaca Sewage Works area this morning, 27th October 2014

There were several Common Greenshank at the Sewage Pools where there were also nearly 100 Greater Flamingo, a female Pintail and a couple of Black-necked Grebes. The flooded area of Spiros Pool had Dunlin, Little Stint and Common Ringed Plover. A Bluethroat and Red-backed Shrike were in the scrub near the Sewage Pools. Red-throated Pipit and Eurasian Skylark were in the fields.

White Wagtail, Spiros Pool 27th October 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

White Wagtail, Spiros Pool 27th October 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

Terns and Shrikes at Larnaca this morning, Saturday 23rd August 2014

Waterbird count time at Larnaca today. Everywhere still very dry so most birds were found at the Sewage Works. Garganey, Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Teal have joined the resident Mallard there and two Gull-billed Tern flew over towards the coast with a Whiskered Tern and two White-winged Tern feeding over the pools. Kentish Plover and Yellow-legged Gull were on Spiros Pool with a Common Kingfisher along the coast and sixteen Yellow Wagtail flying over the fields near the Desalination Plant.

Several Red-backed, Masked and a Lesser Grey Shrike were around the Salt Lake and three Pallid Swift were seen in with a small group of Barn Swallow.


by 1 Comment

Mixed bag of birds around Larnaca and Pervolia this morning, 10th August 2014

Mixed bag of birds around Larnaca and Pervolia this morning. A Lesser Grey Shrike at Larnaca Airport Pools south; a flock of 16 Greater Flamingo flying over the Sewage Pools with another nine there feeding around the edges; also on the Sewage Pools were two eclipse Garganey, the long-staying Common Shelduck, five Ruff, a Common Sandpiper and a Little Stint. On the rocks of the Airport Coast ignoring the swimmers was a Common Kingfisher and in the fields at Pervolia near Cape Kiti were eight Collared Pratincole.

Greater Flamingo Larnaca Sewage Works 10th August 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Flamingo Larnaca Sewage Works 10th August 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

Larnaca area this morning, 21st July 2014

A quick visit to Panagia Stazousa this morning where I found several juvenile Masked Shrike and Cyprus Wheatear. Two Little Owls were near the road but the best birds were an adult and sub-adult Bonelli’s Eagle soaring over the area.

At the coast, the fields near the Larnaca Desalination Plant are being watered at the moment and there were two Collared Pratincole, four Little Stint, a Common Sandpiper, three juvenile Little Ringed Plover and several Kentish Plover feeding in the mud. Two juvenile Little Tern flew along the coast.

Little Owl Panagia Stazousa 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Owl Panagia Stazousa 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Stint Larnaca Desal Fields 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Stint Larnaca Desal Fields 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Kentish Plover juvenile Larnaca Desal Fields 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Kentish Plover juvenile Larnaca Desal Fields 21st July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by 9 Comments

Larnaca, Oroklini and Akhna this morning, 15th July 2014

A flock of nineteen Common Sandpiper were on the coast near the airport at Larnaca this morning and another five were on the Sewage Works Pools. Two were also at Akhna with five Green and two Wood Sandpiper. A Spotted Redshank in breeding plumage flew over Spiros Pool and another was at Akhna. Two Ferruginous Duck and the long-staying Common Shelduck were in with the Mallard on the Sewage Works Pool. There were Black-winged Stilt and Spur-winged Lapwing at the Sewage Pools, at Akhna and also at Oroklini. Three chicks were at the Sewage Pools and also at Oroklini.

A Temminck’s Stint, an adult Gull-billed Tern and three Greenshank were at Akhna with two Little Stint and a Common Redshank on the Sewage Pools. There was a Squacco Heron, nine Cattle Egret, nine Grey Heron, two Little Egret and six Glossy Ibis at Akhna and sleeping towards the back of the main pool of Oroklini were three Eurasian Spoonbill. Behind them was a Black-tailed Godwit.

Other than waterbirds I found a juvenile Masked Shrike near the Sewage Pools, a European Roller and two Eurasian Hoopoe near Tekke Mosque with another Hoopoe at Akhna. A male Black-headed Wagtail flew very close to me on the edge of the Salt Lake and may have been doing some kind of distraction display.

Black-winged Stilt Akhna Dam 15th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-winged Stilt Akhna Dam 15th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Spoonbill Oroklini Marsh 15th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Spoonbill Oroklini Marsh 15th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

More migrating waders 8th July 2014

Found migrating waders at Akhna Dam and Larnaca sites this morning. Single Collared Pratincole were at Akhna and flying over the Larnaca Airport fields. Also at Akhna were a couple of Common Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover, a Common Redshank, four Green Sandpiper, a Ruff and several Black-winged Stilt and Spur-winged Lapwing. A quick visit to Oroklini produced a Slender-billed Gull and the chance to watch three young Spur-winged Lapwing feeding near the hide under the watchful eye of their parents. A Common Sandpiper was at Larnaca Sewage Works and on Spiros Beach nearly thirty Kentish Plover were roosting.

Collared Pratincole Akhna Dam 8th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Collared Pratincole Akhna Dam 8th July 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


by Leave a comment

Larnaca area this morning 17th June 2014

Combining the monthly Waterbird Count and a Breeding Bird Atlas survey in Larnaca this morning produced a few interesting observations which included a couple of Turtle Doves, two juvenile and an adult Great Spotted Cuckoo, two young Black-winged Stilt with a few other adults around, incubating Spur-winged Lapwing, a couple of Ferruginous Duck, solitary Common Shelduck and male Northern Shoveler. There were plenty of juvenile Common Kestrel flying around the Larnaca Salt Lake area, Dromolaxia and Kiti. The whole area had an amazing number of House Sparrow – hundreds of adults and young birds in flocks feeding on the fields and in the built up areas as well.

Great Spotted Cuckoo 17th June 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Great Spotted Cuckoo 17th June 2014 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours