Paphos birding | Cyprus Birding Tours

April 30, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Two Day’s Guiding Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos area 28th and 29th April 2016

Two days out with Benny and Ann-Marie who were based in Limassol. We visited most of the coastal Larnaca sites and a couple of inland ones, Zakaki, Phasouri and Kensington Cliffs in Limassol, Omodos, Agios Nikolaos and Tzelefos Bridge inland before finishing at Anarita Park where we had ended our two days out with great views of the first Amur Falcon to be found in Cyprus the day before by local birder Matt Smith.

Species highlights per locations:

28^th April 2016

Oroklini Marsh – Cattle Egret, Spur-winged Lapwing, White-winged Tern, Glossy Ibis, Black-tailed Godwit, Greater Flamingo, Black-winged Stilt

Oroklini JUMBO Drainage Channel – Temminck’s Stint 2, Little Ringed Plover , Wood Sandpiper

Larnaca Salt Lake – Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Spectacled Warbler

Larnaca Sewage Works – Ruddy Shelduck, Garganey, Black Francolin, Ruff, Slender-billed Gull, Armenian Gull, Spotted Flycatcher, Spur-winged Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt, Wood Sandpiper, Little Stint

Spiros Pool – Kentish Plover, Black-headed Wagtail, Little Tern

Larnaca Airport Coast – Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Turtle Dove

Meneou Pools – Greater Flamingo, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover

Pervolia – Black Francolin, Calandra Lark, Red-throated Pipit, Yellow Wagtail

Kivisilli – Lesser Kestrel, Montagu’s Harrier 2f

Panagia Stazousa – Long-legged Buzzard, Eurasian Roller, Cyprus Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear, Common Nightingale

29^th April 2016

Zakaki Marsh – Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Water Rail, Wood Sandpiper, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler

Phasouri Reed-beds – Eleonora’s Falcon, Lesser Kestrel, Western Marsh Harrier, Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Ferruginous Duck

Kensington Cliffs – Eleonora’s Falcon, Cyprus Wheatear

Omodos, Agios Nikoloas, Mandria (Platres) – Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear, Black-headed Bunting, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Red-rumped Swallow, Coal Tit, European Serin, Winter Wren, Masked Shirke, Eurasian Hoopoe, Long-legged Buzzard

Tzelefos Bridge – Winter Wren, Red-rumped Swallow, Black-crowned Night Heron, European Bee-eater

Nikokleia – Little Owl, European Roller

Agia Varvara – European Bee-eater, European Roller, Common Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron

Anarita Park – Montagu’s Harrier 1m, Lesser Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Amur Falcon, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Whinchat, Long-legged Buzzard

Total seen: 96

Little Grebe, Black-crowned Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Ruddy Shelduck, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Ferruginous Duck, Western Marsh Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon, Amur Falcon, Eleonora’s Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Temminck’s Stint, Ruff, Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Common Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Armenian Gull, Little Tern, White-winged Tern, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Calandra Lark, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Tree Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail (flava), Black-headed Wagtail (feldegg), Winter Wren, Common Nightingale, Whinchat, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Black-headed Bunting, Corn Bunting

Glossy Ibis, Zakaki Marsh 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-crowned Night Heron, Tzelefos Bridge, 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Amur Falcon, Anarita Park, 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Omodos 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Snipe, Agia Varvara 29th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

April 24, 2016
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Akamas area this weekend, 23rd and 24th April 2016

Several male Black-headed Bunting were on territories at Arodes, Droushia and Pittokopos over the weekend. The female Black-headed Bunting in the photo below was being serenaded by two males! I also saw migrating Steppe Buzzard, Woodchat Shrike, Ortolan Bunting, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hobby, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Cyprus Wheatear, Long-legged Buzzard and a female Eastern Black-eared Wheatear.

Black-headed Bunting, Pittokopos, 24th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-headed Bunting female, Pittokopos, 24th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

April 22, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding Around Paphos 22nd April 2016

A day around the Paphos birding spots with Brenda and George today. We started at Petra tou Romiou where we had a dozen overhead Alpine Swift, singing male Cyprus Wheatear and Warbler as well as two distant Eleonora’s Falcon and close up views of a Peregrine Falcon. We then explored the area behind Asprokemmos Dam near the mast where we spent some time watching a family party of Spectacled Warbler, saw a male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, a couple of Whinchat, a pair of Red-rumped Swallow and a migrating Purple Heron. On approaching the Dam itself we were pleased to see an Osprey flying over the area. In the trees of the amenities area near the Dam we found two male Collared Flycatcher, two Spotted Flycatcher and a Eurasian Hoopoe.

Moving to the Sewage Works we quickly found our target species – the Spur-winged Lapwing. There were at least seven birds around the Plant buildings and in fields. We watched at least 35 migrating Glossy Ibis and also found our only Yellow Wagtails of the day – two Black-headed around a small puddle of water. On arrival at the coast of Mandria we saw seventeen Northern Pintail flying E along the coast. In a field we found three Spur-winged Lapwing and a Ruff and a male Red-backed Shrike on a tree near the picnic site where we ate our lunch.

Moving inland we headed to the Ezousas Valley behind Agia Varvara village. A lone Garganey was on one of the pools there and we also found Spanish Sparrow, Eurasian Turtle Dove and Eurasian Reed Warbler. We finished the day in Anarita Park. There we found three pairs of Great Spotted Cuckoo, two Little Owl, a hunting female Pallid Harrier, around twenty Lesser Kestrel, a European Roller, a Woodchat Shrike, two Whinchat and a Long-legged Buzzard. As at our first stop we also had Cyprus Wheatear and Cyprus Warbler. A good end to a good day’s birding.

Total species seen – 54

Little Egret, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Pallid Harrier, Long-legged Buzzard, Osprey, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Eleonora’s Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Spur-winged Lapwing, Ruff, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Black-headed Wagtail, Whinchat, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Corn Bunting

Great Spotted Cuckoo, Anarita Park, 22nd April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spur-winged Lapwing, Mandria 22nd April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

April 19, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s guiding around Paphos 18th April 2016

A warm, sunny day out with Margaret and Nev at several of the Paphos sites starting at Petra tou Romiou and visiting Anarita Park, Lower Ezousas, Mandria, Minthis Hills and Evretou Dam.

Highlights per location:

Petra tou Romiou – Eleonora’s Falcon 1, Peregrine Falcon 1, Alpine Swift 11, Cyprus Warbler singing, Woodchat Shrike.

Anarita Park – Lesser Kestrel c15, Pallid Harrier 1f (being mobbed by the Lesser Kestrel as we drank our coffee!), Woodchat, Masked and Red-backed Shrike, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Cyprus Wheatear, Little Owl

Mandria: Red-throated Pipit, Greater Short-toed Lark, Yellow Wagtail, Long-legged Buzzard, Black Francolin, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear 1f, Common Nightingale.

Lower Ezousas – Golden Oriole 1h, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler.

Minthis Hills – Long-legged Buzzard, Corn Bunting

Evretou Dam – Little Egret, Long-legged Buzzard, Temminck’s Stint, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Green, and Common Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Red-rumped Swallow, Red-throated Pipit, Yellow Wagtail incluing feldegg race and xanthophrys intergrade.

Total species seen – 61

Eurasian Shag, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Pallid Harrier, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Eleonora’s Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Temminck’s Stint, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Red-throated Pipit, Black-headed Wagtail, xanthorphrys yellow wagtail intergrade, White Wagtail, Common Nightingale, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Great Tit, Eurasian Golden Oriole h, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting

April 11, 2016
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Hooded Wheatear, Timi Beach 11th April 2016

Hooded Wheatear, Timi Beach. 11th April 2016 (Cyprus Birding Tours)

April 5, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Two Days Guiding Larnaca and Paphos areas 4th & 5th April 2016

Two good days birding out with Mathias and Barbara. We spend Monday around Larnaca, visiting Oroklini Marsh, Larnaca Salt Lake and Sewage Works areas, Pervolia and Panagia Stazousa. On Tuesday we went west and birded around Anarita Park, Agia Varvara, Mandria, Paphos Sewage Works and Asprokremmos Dam. We had a good selection of 99 species (we tried to make it 100 but found Eastern Bonell’s Warblers instead of the promised Wood Warblers at our last location). We had flocks of migrating Grey and Purple Herons and Garganey offshore; a Peregrine Falcon mobbing a Long-legged Buzzard; migrating European Bee-eaters; an early Little Tern; great views of a male Black Francolin chasing a female; a singing Great Reed Warbler in the open in reeds next to us; several flocks of Greater Short-toed Lark and displaying Calandra Lark; good views of both Cretzschmar’s and Ortolan Bunting; and a soaring Bonell’s Eagle.

Highlights per location:

Monday 4^th April

Oroklini Marsh – Purple Heron 18, Greater Flamingo, Black Francolin 2m and 1f, Black-winged Stilt, -Spur-winged Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Spanish Sparrow

Oroklini Jumbo Channel – Temminck’s Stint 3, Little Ringed Plover

Larnaca Salt Lake – Little Egret, Kentish Plover, Little Tern, Greater Short-toed Lark, Tawny Pipit, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Slender-billed Gull c10

Larnaca Sewage Works and nearby pools – Ruddy Shelduck, Black-winged Stilt, Spur-winged Lapwing, Whinchat, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Pervolia – Black Francolin, Calandra Lark

Panagia Stazousa – Bonelli’s Eagle, Great Spotted Cuckoo 5, European Bee-eater 12, Cyprus Wheatear, Cyprus Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Masked Shrike, Cretzschmar’s Bunting 2.

Tuesday 5^th April

Anarita Park – Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Lesser Kestrel, Eurasian Stone Curlew 3, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl 3, Red-rumped Swallow 6, Tawny Pipit, Tree Pipit, Whinchat, Woodchat Shrike, Ortolan Bunting

Agia Varvara area – Long-legged Buzzard, Common Buzzard, Little Bittern, Great Reed Warbler, Woodchat Shrike

Mandria – Garganey c20 offshore in bay, Spur-winged Lapwing 1, Eurasian Hoopoe 4+, Greater Short-toed Lark c40, Red-throated Pipit 1 seen others heard, Yellow Wagtail 20+, Common Nightingale 1, Whinchat 3, Northern Wheatear 12+, Woodchat Shrike 2

Asprokremmos Dam area – Common Buzzard 1, Long-legged Buzzard 1 being mobbed by a Peregrine Falcon, Grey Heron 40+, Purple Heron c70, Baltic Gull 3, Common Redstart 1f, Cyprus Wheatear 1, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Woodchat Shrike 1

Total species seen: 99

Little Grebe, Little Bittern, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo, Ruddy Shelduck, Eurasian WIgeon, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Garganey, Nothern Shoveler, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Temminck’s Stint, Dunlin, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Common Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Baltic Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Little Tern, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hoopoe, Calandra Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Tawny Pipit, Tree Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, Black-headed Wagtail, White Wagtail, Common Nightingale, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Ortolan Bunting, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting

Greater Short-toed Lark, Larnaca 4th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

March 21, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report – Two Day’s Guiding around Paphos 19th and 21st March 2016

Two days out with Martin and Rosemary to several of the Paphos hotspots gave us several lifers for Martin, despite the strong winds and lack of numbers of migrants around at the moment which limited the species we could have seen. However we were pleased with our species list in the end, although we felt we had worked hard to get some of the birds!

Highlights from locations visited:

Saturday 19^th March:

Baths of Aphrodite: Long-legged Buzzard, Cyprus Wheatear, European Serin, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Yellow-legged Gull

Neo Chorio/Smygies: Chukar, Red-rumped Swallow, Cyprus Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting

Droushia: Long-legged Buzzard, Blue Rock Thrush

Arodes: Little Owl, Cyprus Wheatear 4+, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear 1m pale throated, Finsch’s Wheatear 1m

Mioliou: Eurasian Hoopoe

Evretou Dam: Common Quail 3h, Black Francolin 2, Little Ringed Plover 2, Great Spotted Cuckoo 2, Black-headed Wagtail 2, Isabelline Wheatear 1

Monday 21^st March:

Minthis Hills: Chukar, Woodlark, Cyprus Wheatear, Tree Pipit, Cyprus Warbler 1 singing male, Ruppell’s Warbler 1m and 1f, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Cretzschmar’s Bunting 4 singing males, Corn Bunting

Agia Varvara: Green Sandpiper 4, Red-rumped Swallow 30+, Cretzschmar’s Bunting 10+

Anarita Park: Long-legged Buzzard, Common Quail, Little Owl, Red-rumped Swallow, Tree Pipit, Common Redstart 1m, Isabelline Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear 6+, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear 2m dark throated, Finsch’s Wheatear 1f, Blue Rock Thrush 1m, Eastern Orphean Warbler 2, Spanish Sparrow c100

Asprokremmos Dam area: Long-legged Buzzard, Western Marsh Harrier, Chukar, Red-rumped Swallow 30+, Tree Pipit, Cyprus Wheatear, Spectacled Warbler

Mandria: Black Francolin, Western Black Redstart, Black-headed Wagtail c300

Anarita Park 21st March 2016

March 15, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding around Paphos, 15th March 2016

The weather rather dampened our expectations for our day out but in the end we managed some good species although not large numbers. Picking up Richard and Ethelyn from Coral Bay we headed first to Mavrokolympos Dam hoping to find a late Finsch’s Wheatear. We had no luck with that species but a couple of male Cyprus Wheatear were fighting over territory and at least two male Cyprus Warbler were singing. The heavens opened as we left and drove to Agia Varvara. Luckily it had stopped when we arrived there. We found a bedraggled Cretzschmar’s Bunting perched in a tamarisk and a Red-rumped Swallow on the wires looking the worse for wear. The orchards were full of European Serin, Common Chaffinch and European Goldfinch and we could hear European Blackcap singing in the olive groves. Two Great Spotted Cuckoo were calling and we watched as they were chased by a couple of Hooded Crow. I spotted a Peregrine Falcon but it speeded out of sight before Richard could find it. We had seen a male Western Marsh Harrier as we turned off the motorway and I hoped that we could maybe see other large raptors but the weather was definitely not helping.

We spent some time watching a mixed flock of finches and Spanish Sparrow on the road into Asprokremmos Dam where we also found a Chukar. Otherwise it was quiet there so we moved to the Paphos Sewage Plant where we found five Cattle Egret and a pair of noisy Spur-winged Lapwing. A small flock of around fifty Black-headed Wagtail were emerging from an alfalfa field to drink and bathe in a puddle and were joined by a couple of Meadow Pipit and a single Water Pipit. At Mandria we found the vagrant Namaqua Dove that has been present in the area for a couple of weeks before driving down to the coast. The strong wind meant that we ate our lunch in the car but we did find a couple of Isabelline and Northern Wheatear to watch as we did so.

As we headed inland to Anarita Park it began to rain hard again and as we waited in the car for it to stop I even contemplated calling it a day. But we could see the clouds clearing from the west so we were patient and were well rewarded with several species coming out to dry in the late afternoon sun. These included a male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, a male Finsch’s Wheatear and an Isabelline Wheatear shaking themselves dry, at least twelve Cretzschmar’s Bunting, a male Blue Rock Thrush, a female Cyprus Wheatear, three Red-rumped Swallow, two Lesser Whitethroat, a Woodlark and a calling Common Quail. A great end to a wet and windy day.

Total species seen 54

Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Quail, Spur-winged Lapwing, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Namaqua Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, Black-headed Wagtail (feldegg), White Wagtail, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting

Namaqua Dove, Mandria 15th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

March 11, 2016
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Paphos Headland this afternoon 11th March 2016

Had a great couple of hours this afternoon walking around the archaeological site at Paphos Headland where I found: Richard’s Pipit, Eastern Subalpine Warbler 1m, Ruppell’s Warbler 1m, Common Quail (h), Isabelline Wheatear, Little Egret (one flew over), Greater Short-toed Lark, Blue Rock Thrush, Eurasian Hoopoe and Western Black Redstart and Eurasian Blackcap 2m and 1f.

Greater Short-toed Lark, Paphos Headland, 11th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Distant record shot of Richard’s Pipit, Paphos Headland 11th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

March 9, 2016
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report – Morning around Paphos 9th March 2016

A few hours out with Rose who is over in Cyprus for several days. She had visited the Archaeological Site the day before so we headed to Paphos Sewage Works, Asprokremmos Dam and Anarita Park – Mandria, our other option, was out of bounds due to an army exercise.

There were a few migrants around – although not in large numbers. We found Red-rumped Swallow, Eurasian Hoopoe, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Isabelline and Northern Wheatear. At Anarita Park we found both Cyprus Warbler and Cyprus Wheatear as well as a female Finsch’s Wheatear although disappointingly no sign of a male. Several Blue Rock Thrush were also in the area and we had good views of Long-legged and Common Buzzard. The Little Owl was on its usual rock and many Corn Buntings were singing. At the Sewage Works we watched at least eight Spur-winged Lapwing and three Cattle Egret. Plenty of winter visitors were still around including Woodlark and at Asprokremmos Dam we watched singing male Sardinian and Spectacled Warbler.

Total species: 43

Great Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Spur-winged Lapwing, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Little Owl, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, European Robin, Common Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Goldfinch, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting

Little Owl, Anarita Park 9th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

November 18, 2015
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Day’s Guiding Paphos 18th November 2015

The second day out with Mark and Sally saw us find several of Mark’s target species, enjoy two rare visitors to Cyprus at close quarters and was a fitting end to a great year of guided tours for me. We visited Lower Ezousas Pools (morning and late afternoon), Paphos Sewage Works, Asprokremmos Dam and Mandria and brought the total of species seen on the two days out to sixty four.

Highlights today included:

Lower Ezousas Pools: Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Water Rail 3+, Common Kingfisher, Woodlark 10, Grey Wagtail 1, Bluethroat 1, Moustached Warbler 4+, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler 2, Bearded Reedling 2, Spotted Crake (seen by me).

Paphos Sewage Works – Spur-winged Lapwing 14, Northern Lapwing 18

Asprokremmos Dam area – Little Owl, Common Kingfisher, Woodlark 2, Spectacled Warbler 4, Cyprus Warbler 2m and 1f, European Serin c50, Corn Bunting 7

Mandria – Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Chukar, Northern Lapwing 1, Yellow-legged Gull c70, Eurasian Skylark 150+

Total species seen today – 51

Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Common Moorhen, Spur-winged Lapwing, Northern Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Little Owl, Common Kingfisher, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Moustached Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Bearded Reedling, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting

Bearded Reedling male Lower Ezousas Pool 18th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Bearded Reedling female Lower Ezousas 18th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

November 16, 2015
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Cyprus Birding Tours Trip Report: Days Guiding Paphos 16th November 2015

The third day out with Peter and Jean was spent around Paphos. We stopped at Achelia Dam on our way to Anarita Park. There we found the lone Ferruginous Duck that has been there for at least a week as well as fourteen Great Cormorant – one of which we watched struggle with a large fish it had caught. Onto Anarita Park, where it took us longer than expected to find a Finsch’s Wheatear, but with a little help from another birder we finally had some good views of a male. We also spent time watching two Little Owls and then were treated to the spectacle of two adult Bonelli’s Eagle flying to the east of the area being mobbed by a Long-legged Buzzard. Three Woodlark were also seen as well as a couple of Western Black Redstart and the ubiquitous Common Stonechat.

Some Yellow-legged Gulls, two Grey Heron and two Great Cormorant were the only water birds on Asprokremmos Dam so we headed to the mast area to the west of the water where we had brief views of a male and female Cyprus Warbler and a couple of Spectacled Warbler. A late Northern Wheatear was a surprise but the best bird of the area was a male Merlin we saw speeding over the scrub and fields putting the large flocks of European Goldfinch and Greenfinch, Spanish Sparrow, Meadow Pipit and Corn Bunting into a panic. Down by the water’s edge we also found large flocks of European Serin. A Long-legged Buzzard was also flying over the area.

We finished our day at Lower Ezousas, a site that has been very busy over the last few days since a pair of Cyprus rarities, the Bearded Reedling, had been seen on Saturday. We saw the female as soon as we arrived and the male as we left. We also had close up views of at least one Moustached Warbler, a Grey Wagtail, two Water Rail and a Bluethroat as well as several Cetti’s Warbler and Chiffchaff. As we left the light was fading – some good birds to round off the day.

The new species that we saw today brought the total seen over the three trips to 77.

Today’s species – 52

Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Chukar, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Little Owl, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Moustached Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Bearded Reedling, Eurasian Magpie, Hooded Crow, Western Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting

Water Rail Lower Ezousas 16th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Moustached Warbler Lower Ezousas 16th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

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