At this time of year the birds in Troodos are looking for any remaining streams or pools in which they can drink or bathe. This small stream is drying up rapidly, but still had some visitors while I watched there yesterday, including this pair of Red Crossbills.
Red Crossbill, Troodos 23rd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Red Crossbill, Troodos 23rd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spent the day at Troodos which was full of breeding residents and summer visitors including Cyprus Wheatear, Masked Shrike, Spotted Flycatcher, Olivaceous Warbler, Common Hoopoe, Red Crossbill, Eurasian Blackbird, Coal Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail, Northern Wren, Red-rumped Swallow, Eurasian Jay and Eurasian Crag Martin.
Cyprus Wheatear, Troodos, 2nd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Grey Wagtail, Troodos, 2nd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Olivaceous Warbler, Troodos, 2nd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Northern Wren, Troodos, 2nd June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spotted Flycatcher, Troodos, 2nd June 2020(c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Second day guiding for Travelling Naturalist group in Cyprus travelling up to Troodos via Kouklia, Archimandrita, Agios Nikolaos and Platres. Highlights were good views of the endemic subspecies Coal Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper and Jay as well as Red Crossbill and low flying Pallid Swift. Also seen were several Cyprus Wheatear, European Serin, Corn Bunting and Laughing Dove at lower levels. Good collection of orchid species also seen as well as this crocus at Troodos.
Crocus Troodos 21st March 2019 (C) Cyprus Birding Tours
Decided to make what will probably be last visit to Troodos for a while before migration gets underway and the coastal sites become the best birding spots. Spent a leisurely day at Livadi tou Pashia picnic site where I found at least three Brambling, two Hawfinch, many Eurasian Siskin (photo) – several feeding on pine cones – , many Coal Tit chasing and calling, lots of Common Chaffinch, a fly over Red Crossbill, and singing Northern Wrens. Also seen were Eurasian Blackbird and European Greenfinch (photo).
Eurasian Siskin, Troodos 1st March 2018 (Cyprus Birding Tours)
European Greenfinch, Troodos 1st March 2018 (Cyprus Birding Tours)
Hawfinch, Troodos, 1st December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Red Crossbill, Troodos, 1st December 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Found several Hawfinch, European Siskin, Woodlark and Red Crossbill today at Troodos, as well as the more usual Northern Wren, Common Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Eurasian Jay, Short-toed Treecreeper and Eurasian Blackbird.
Just a few hours around Troodos this morning before it got too hot. Birds seen included:
Platania
Red-rumped Swallow 4 juvs
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Northern Goshawk 1h and seen briefly in flight
Amiantos Botanical Gardens
Cyprus Wheatear 1 ad and 4 juvs
Red-rumped Swallow 6
Masked Shrike 1m, 1f and 2 fledged juvs
Common Hoopoe 1
Northern House Martin 20+
Almirolivado
Red Crossbill (see photo) c8 (inc at least 1 male and 2 juvs)
European Serin 8 inc juvs
Common Chaffinch 10+ inc 3 juvs
Eurasian Blackbird 1m and 1f
Eurasian Jay 2
Coal Tit c15
Red-rumped Swallow 2
Northern House Martin 20+
Red Crossbill, Troodos 7th July 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spent the day visiting several of the Troodos picnic sites which are usually a good area to find migrant and resident breeders and find some endemic sub-species. Some of the plumage of the breeding birds was looking very worn.
Platania
Spotted Flycatcher 1 ad and at least 4 juvs
Red-rumped Swallow 1
Eurasian Blackbird pair seen and 1 other male singing
Common Hoopoe 1
Masked Shrike 2m and 1f (1m having bath in stream)
Coal Tit 3 juvs
Northern Wren 1 having bath in stream
Livadi tou Pashia
Eurasian Blackbird 2m and 1f
European Serin 2+
Northern Wren 2
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 4+
Masked Shrike 1 pair feeding unseen juvs and another feeding 3 fledged juvs
plus 3 other males
Eurasian Jay 3 juvs, one seen fighting with male Blackbird
Northern House Martin 100+
Almirolivado
Masked Shrike 3m
Eurasian Blackbird 3 singing males
Red Crossbill 2
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 2h
Platres Old Road and start of Caledonia Trail
Cyprus Wheatear 1m singing
Eurasian Blackbird 4m
Grey Wagtail 1 ad
Northern Wren 2
European Serin 1+
Troodos Botanical Gardens
Grey Wagtail 1ad
Cyprus Wheatear 1 ad
Red-rumped Swallow 2
Northern House Martin 30+
Masked Shrike, Livadi tou Pashia 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Eurasian Hoopoe, Platania 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Eurasian Jay, Livadi tou Pashia 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Grey Wagtail, Troodos 20th June 2017 (Cyprus Birding Tours)
Female Eurasian Blackbird taking a bath, Platania 20th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Concluding the tour with The Travelling Naturalist group we had the following highlights:
26th March – The main effort of the day went into finding different flora in Akamas but the birding highlights were Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Tree Pipit.
27th March – We headed for Troodos via Kouklia, Archimandrita and Agios Nikolaos. Highlights were two Eurasian Griffon Vulture plus Coal Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Red Crossbill, European Serin, Laughing Dove, Cyprus and Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Great Spotted Cuckoo and Eurasian Sparrowhawk, plus a Spur-winged Lapwing and a Long-eared Hedgehog outside hotel in morning.
28th March – Concluding a successful week’s guiding we explored the beach near the hotel this morning, finishing with a quick visit close to Larnaca airport. Highlights Ruddy Turnstone, Pallid Harrier, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Kentish Plover, Slender-billed Gull, Ruddy Turnstone, Spur-winged Lapwing and migrating Common Shelduck.
Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Archimandrita, 27th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Long-eared Hedgehog, Paphos 27th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Ruddy Turnstone, Paphos Headland 28th March 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Birding Tours 