Mediterranean Gull | Cyprus Birding Tours

March 17, 2020
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Larnaca area 16th March 2020

Out around Larnaca yesterday morning doing the waterbird count. Still more than 2000 Greater Flamingos plus several hundred Slender-billed Gull, 23 Little Gull, three Mediterranean Gull, more than 50 Black-winged Stilt, nine Pied Avocet, a male Tufted Duck, three Great Crested Grebe, some Little and Common Ringed Plover, Ruff, Kentish Plover, some Northern and Isabelline Wheatear, a couple of Common Hoopoe (see photo), lots of Common Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat and Western Yellow and White Wagtail and a Woodchat Shrike.

Common Hoopoe, Larnaca 16th March 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

October 15, 2019
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Larnaca area waterbird count 15th October 2019

Another disappointing waterbird count in the Larnaca area this morning. Best birds were three Common Pochard, four Common Snipe (see photo) and the long-staying Mediterranean Gull.

Other birds seen:

Meneou Pool
Little Stint 1
Kentish Plover 2

Larnaca Sewage Works
Grey Heron 3
Common Coot 5
Mallard 122
Common Teal 51
Northern Shoveler 4
Spur-winged Lapwing 6
Common Pochard 2m and 1f
Great Cormorant 7
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Northern Pintail 2f
Common Shelduck 1
Red-throated Pipit 1h
Common Redshank 1h
Red-backed Shrike 1 juv
Common Whitethroat 1

Spiros Beach
Mediterranean Gull 1 (long-staying bird)

Larnaca Salt Lake
Barn Swallow 1
Greater Flamingo 40 juv and 83 ads
Kentish Plover 40
Common Snipe 3
Water Rail 1h

Kamares area
Common Snipe 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Common Redshank 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 5
Little Egret 2

Common Snipe, Larnaca 15th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

August 25, 2019
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Larnaca area 24th & 25th August 2019

Very hot and humid but signs of migration included Greater Flamingo, Grey Heron, Ruff, Little Stint, Little Ringed Plover, Lesser Grey, Red-backed and Masked Shrike, Common Hoopoe, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Teal, Garganey, Isabelline and Northern Wheatear, Western Yellow Wagtail, a single White Stork, Common Kingfisher (photo) and unusually a moulting Mediterranean Gull (photo) on the beach.

Common Kingfisher, Larnaca, 24th August 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gull, Larnaca 25th August 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

April 18, 2019
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Larnaca waterbird count 18th April 2019

Out around Larnaca counting the waterbirds today. The depth of the water on the Sewage Pools means they hold very few birds but the surrounding Salt Lake area still had Greater Flamingo as well as Black-winged Stilt (see photo), Spur-winged Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Ruff, Little Stint, Common and Little Ringed Plover, Garganey and single Mediterranean Gull. Whiskered Tern and Grey Plover.

Black-winged Stilt, Spiros Pool, 18th April 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Plover, Spiros Pool, 18th April 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

February 7, 2019
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Larnaca area today 7th February 2019

After a very wet day yesterday and yet more rain overnight, I was pleased that the today was much better as I did an early February Waterbird Count around Larnaca. There were several Isabelline Wheatear on the coast and a flock of Common Swift, Barn Swallow and Northern House Martin to remind me that spring is on its way. Highlights were 26 Black-necked Grebe, a Ruddy Shelduck, two Little Gull, more than 2500 Greater Flamingo, some smart male Common Pochard, two Bluethroat and at least three Reed Bunting feeding on seed heads in the reeds. An adult Mediterranean Gull at Oroklini Beach was a good end to the day.

Isabelline Wheatear, Spiros Pool, 7th February 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gull, Oroklini Beach 7th February 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

January 5, 2019
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East of the island 5th January 2019.

Back after a few weeks away and spent the day on the east of the island. All wetlands now have a lot of water and from the weather forecasts more is to come. Visited Oroklini, Akhna Dam, Paralimni Lake and the coastal sites of Agios Trias, Kermia and Macronissos Beaches. Highlights were:

Oroklini Marsh
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Northern Lapwing c70+
Spur-winged Lapwing 5+ (see photo)
Black-winged Stilt 5
Northern Pintail 2m and 1f
Red-crested Pochard 1m and 1f
Ferruginous Duck 2
Northern Shoveler 80+
Greater Flamingo 73
Grey Heron 1
Common Teal 30+
Common Starling 1
Cattle Egret 140+ evening roost

Akhna Dam
Great Crested Grebe 1
Grey Heron 2
Great Cormorant 6
Woodlark 3 (1 singing from wire)
Eurasian Skylark h
Common Starling 5
Corn Bunting 1

Paralimni Lake – a lot of water
Grey Heron 17
Northern Lapwing 79
Ruff 5
Common Redshank 1
Greater Flamingo 112
Common Teal 5
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Common Starling 8
Pied Avocet 2
Laughing Dove 1+

Agios Trias
Greater Sandplover 4
Grey Plover 11
Common Sandpiper 2

Cape Greco
Black Redstart 2f
Cyprus Warbler 1m
Eurasian Skylark h

Kermia Beach
Grey Plover 1

Macronissos Beach
Kentish Plover 4

Potamos Liopetriou
Little Egret 1
Common Sandpiper 1 (see photo)

Ormidia
European Shag 4

Oroklini Beach
Black-headed Gull c100
Caspian Gull c10
Armenian Gull 10+
Mediterranean Gull 1 ad

JUMBO Drainage Channel
Laughing Dove 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 4

Spur-winged Lapwing, Oroklini Marsh, 5th January 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

White Wagtail, Oroklini Marsh, 5th January 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Sandpiper, Potamos Liopetriou, 5th January 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

November 23, 2018
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Akrotiri and Episkopi area today 23rd November 2018

Managed to avoid the storms that were around most of the day just inland from Akrotiri and had a relaxing birding day with highlights:

Lady’s Mile
Black-headed Gull c300 (flying between here and Zakaki Marsh)
Mediterranean Gull 1 1st winter
Slender-billed Gull 3
Armenian Gull 20+
Caspian Gull c2
Eurasian Skylark 1 over calling
Dunlin 4
Kentish Plover 6

Zakaki Marsh
Hen Harrier 1 ring tail
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1f flew over area four or five times putting gulls to flight
Eurasian Wigeon 1m
Reed Bunting 3
Eurasian Penduline TIt 2+ h
Moustached Warbler c5
Bluethroat 3 (one with white on head, one white spot and one red spot)
Water Rail 2
Spanish Sparrow 6
Common Kingfisher 2

Akrotiri Gravel Pits
Western Marsh Harrier 1f
Common Starling 1

Phasouri Reed-beds
Cattle Egret 2
Western Yellow Wagtail 3
Eurasian Penduline Tit 1+h
Common Kingfisher 1
Water Rail 1h

Kensington Cliffs
Griffon Vulture 10 flying over cliffs together 14:40 – 14:55

Kourio Stadium
Cyprus Warbler 2 (1 h only)
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Woodlark 2+
Eurasian Magpie 21 in one flock flying together

Bluethroat, Zakaki 23rd November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Water Rail, Zakaki 23rd November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

White Wagtail, Zakaki 23rd November 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

February 10, 2018
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Limassol area today 10th February 2018

Spent most of the day birding around Limassol. Found a couple of singing Moustached Warblers at Zakaki Marsh where I also heard Eurasian Penduline Tit, Water Rail and Reed Bunting. There were two Reed Bunting at Phasouri Reed-beds and two Western Marsh Harrier, a ring-tail Hen Harrier and a Common Buzzard. Plenty of gulls on Lady’s Mile including Armenian, Caspian, Yellow-legged and Black-headed as well as a single adult Heuglin’s Gull, an adult and an immature Mediterranean Gull, an immature Slender-billed Gull and a Common Gull.

Also went to Germasogeia Dam where several Cyprus Warbler were singing and there was a very large flock of European Serin. Two Common Snipe flew up from the stream

No sign of any spring migrants anywhere that I visited.

Armenian Gull, Lady’s Mile 10th February 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gull, Lady’s Mile 10th February 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

January 27, 2018
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Gulls, Lady’s Mile 27th January 2018

At Lady’s Mile this lunch time for the BirdLife Cyprus New Year’s meal. Quick opportunity to check out the gulls there – mainly Black-headed Gull but also an adult Little Gull (photo) and Slender-billed Gull (photo) as well as a couple of Yellow-legged Gull, only one Caspian Gull, a Mediterranean Gull and several Armenian Gull of varied ages. A Sandwich Tern flew by further out at sea.

Little Gull, Lady’s Mile, 27th January 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Slender-billed Gull, Lady’s Mile, 27th January 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

December 13, 2017
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Waterbird Count Larnaca 13th December 2017

Not very many Greater Flamingos on the Salt Lake – less than 100 in the whole area. Numbers of ducks reduced on the Sewage Works pools from November but still plenty of Northern Shoveler, Mallard and Common Teal. More than thirty Black-necked Grebe have arrived for the winter but only four Greater White-fronted Geese – the numbers of those wintering here get less every year. A male Tufted Duck was on the pools as were five Common Pochard, 21 Ferruginous Duck, nine Eurasian Wigeon and four Northern Pintail.

Good numbers of Dunlin (see photo), Common Redshank, Little Stint, Common Ringed Plover and Kentish Plover as well as four Common Snipe, a Green Sandpiper and two Little Ringed Plover. A large flock of Eurasian Golden Plover and two Eurasian Curlew were in fields near the coast. Two Hen Harrier and two Western Marsh Harrier were hunting over the area. Plenty of Eurasian Skylark were in the fields. Offshore were four Sandwich Tern. Four Heuglin’s, some Caspian and a couple of Armenian Gull were roosting with the large group of Black-headed Gull on the Salt Lake.

A quick visit to Oroklini afterwards and I found a first winter Mediterranean Gull in with the Black-headed Gull and more Northern Shoveler and Greater Flamingo on the main lake. Two Merlin flew over the area and it was depressing to see 19 Spur-winged Lapwing roosting on a newly constructed road, part of an area that looks as if it is to be drained for housing.

Dunlin, Meneou 13th December 2017 (d) Cyprus Birding Tours

Dunlin, Meneou 13th December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Redshank, Larnaca Salt Lake, 13th December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

February 26, 2017
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Larnaca area today, 26th February 2017

Morning out around Larnaca. No sign of the Greater White-fronted or Greylag Geese at the Sewage Works although they may well have been in the fields.

Interesting sightings include:

Meneou Pool
Greater Flamingo 24
Kentish Plover 27
Little Stint 6
Dunlin 4
Black Francolin 1 singing
Common Ringed Plover 6

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Eurasian Stone Curlew 12

Larnaca Sewage Works
Great Cormorant 8
Barn Swallow 3
Ferruginous Duck 2
Northern Shoveler 35
Eurasian Teal 220
Ruddy Shelduck 11
Green Sandpiper 2
Northern Pintail 1m
Great White Pelican 1
Caspian Gull 1 juv
Yellow-legged Gull 1 ad

Spiros Pool
Eurasian Golden Plover 14
Kentish Plover 2
Common Greenshank 6
Eurasian Wigeon 15

Larnaca Airport Coast
Eurasian Skylark 34+

Meneou Beach
Greater Sand Plover 4 two almost in breeding plumage. Flew off SE when people walked along beach.

Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo c2200
Common Shelduck c550
Slender-billed Gull 105
Common Black-headed Gull 1100+
Eurasian Golden Plover 64
Common Redshank 36
Green Sandpiper 1
Eurasian Skylark c20
Common Swift 2
Dunlin c20
Little Stint c30
Northern Shoveler 75
Black-necked Grebe 6+
Spur-winged Lapwing 6
Common Snipe 12
Little Ringed Plover 3
Barn Swallow 5

Kamares area of Larnaca Salt Lake
Laughing Dove 1 (first time reported in this area)
Western Marsh Harrier 1f
Eurasian Teal 4
Yellow Wagtail 1 (same as present since December)
Grey Wagtail 1
Green Sandpiper 4
Common Snipe 4
Water Pipit 1
Moustached Warbler 1 singing
Bluethroat 1
Water Rail 2h
Spur-winged Lapwing 3

Oroklini Beach
Mediterranean Gull 2 ad (one almost full breeding plumage)
Caspian Gull 2
Armenian Gull 6
Sandwich Tern 1

JUMBO Drainage Channel
Spur-winged Lapwing 4
Common Redshank 1
Common Kingfisher 1
Barn Swallow 1

Common Snipe, Larnaca Salt Lake 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sand Plover, Meneou Beach, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Stone Curlew 4, Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eurasian Stone Curlew , Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Mediterranean Gulls, Oroklini Beach, 26th February 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

January 11, 2017
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Eastern Cyprus today 11th January 2017

A break from the rain today and I started at Akhna Dam which now has almost double the amount of water than when I last visited. Plenty of Eurasian Coot and some Grey Heron but more interesting was the female Red-crested Pochard, two Great Crested Grebe and the immature Great White Pelican that has been in the area since mid November 2016. At the coast at Agia Trias I found three Grey Plover, two Greater Sand Plover and three Common Sandpiper (see photo). An immature Slender-billed Gull flew in for a few minutes and then flew off again south (see photo).

A quick look at Cape Greco with only a female Blue Rock Thrush, a female Hen Harrier and Cyprus Warbler of note. Single Little Egret were on Kermia Beach, Makronissos Beach and Dekeleia. Nearly twenty Armenian Gull, a big male Caspian Gull and an adult Mediterranean Gull were on Oroklini Beach and a large flock of Common Starling were flying around before roosting. There were four Temminck’s Stint and six Common Ringed Plover at the JUMBO drainage channel. I finished the day at the Larnaca Sewage Works hide. No sign of the Pallas’ Gull that have been there for a few days but there were seven Greater White-fronted Geese in the fields.