As its much quieter this autumn around Cape Greco than it usually is, its much easier to birdwatch. Found a good array of migrants
in good numbers there this morning including Spotted Flycatcher (see photo), Black-eared Wheatear, Lesser Grey and Red-backed Shrike, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Eurasian Wryneck, Isabelline and Northern Wheatear, Ortolan and Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Sand Martin, Red-rumped Swallow and European Bee-eater.
A very hot and humid early morning check around the Larnaca area saw a few interesting species including this Eurasian Stone Curlew and Dunlin (see photos). Also of note were a juvenile Collared Pratincole, two Isabelline Wheatear, an adult and two juv Ruddy Turnstone, at least 13 Curlew Sandpiper, a couple of Red-backed Shrikes, migrating Red-rumped Swallow and Northern House Martin, a juvenile Audouin’s Gull and the first Northern Shoveler of the autumn on the Sewage Works pools.
Dunlin, Larnaca 31st August 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Eurasian Stone Curlew, Larnaca 31st August 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A morning around the Akrotiri peninsula with some interesting species seen.
Akrotiri Salt Lake
Slender billed Gull 50+
Common Tern 2
Gull billed Tern 4
Caspian Tern 1
Little Tern 15
Spotted Redshank 1
Marsh Sandpiper 4
Wood Sandpiper 1
Green Sandpiper 4
Common Redshank 4+
Greater Flamingo c1000
Little Ringed Plover 4
Little Egret 3
Black winged Stilt 100+
Akrotiri Marsh (Phasouri Reed beds)
Glossy Ibis 24
Little Egret 16 (see photo)
Grey Heron 2
Cattle Egret 8
Spur winged Lapwing 1
Squacco Heron 4
Little Bittern 1m
Eleonora’s Falcon 1
Red rumped Swallow 7 heading S
Black crowned Night Heron 1 juv in flight
Another lovely day at Troodos enjoying the birds that seem to be numerous this summer with less disturbance.
Those seen included:
Platania
Grey Wagtail 1
Amiandos Botanical Gardens
Eleonora’s Falcon 1
European Serin h
Almyrolivado
Masked Shrike 6+ (see photo)
Cyprus Wheatear 1f
Spotted Flycatcher 2 (see photo)
Cyprus Scops Owl 1h
Livadi tou Pashia
Cyprus Wheatear 1m singing
Common Hoopoe 1h
Masked Shrike 6+
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Red-rumped Swallow 4
European Serin 2
Troodos Square
Pallid Swift 3+
Cyprus Wheatear 3m and 1f
Caledonia Trail (Troodos end)
Grey Wagtail pair
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Lots of Coal Tits, Jays, Wrens, Blackbirds (see photo) and Chaffinches everywhere
Eurasian Blackbird, Troodos 16th June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Masked Shrike, Troodos 16th June 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spotted Flycatcher, Troodos 16th 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
Headed towards Paphos yesterday for first day here without a lock down and restrictions on movement. Spent some time in the Akamas where I found plenty of European Roller, a Woodchat Shrike, several Black-headed Bunting, two Cretzschmar’s Bunting (see photo of female), European Turtle Dove, Red-rumped Swallow and Cyprus Wheatear. On the way home I visited Agia Varvara soakaways where there is still some water and spent time watching a Little Bittern and a Squacco Heron (see photo) fishing.
Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Akamas 21st May 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Squacco Heron, Agia Varvara 21st May 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Lovely day around Cape Greco today – dodging some very heavy rain at times. Great birds including this male Masked Shrike (photo).
Other sightings included:
Isabelline Wheatear 28+
Northern Wheatear 12+
Common Hoopoe 20 incl a group of five in off sea together
Cyprus Wheatear 4
Common Crane 1 heading E 09:45
Black Redstart 10
Lesser Whitethroat 8+
Common Whitethroat 2
Song Thrush 7
Bluethroat 1
Black-eared Wheatear 2 pale throated and 5 dark throated
Ruppell’s Warbler 3m
Masked Shrike 1m
Blue Rock Thrush 3 (incl a pair with singing male)
Cyprus Warbler 3m
Common Nightingale 1
Great Spotted Cuckoo 1
Hen Harrier 1f
Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler 2
Common Redstart 1m and 1f
‘Ehrenberg’s’ Redstart 1f
Desert Wheatear 1m
Red-rumped Swallow 7
Black-headed Wagtail 30
Blue-headed Wagtail 2
Masked Shrike, Cape Greco 13th March 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
First time around the area for a few weeks. The best place for birds was Oroklini Marsh where these two Eurasian Spoonbill were feeding (photo).
Eurasian Spoonbill, Oroklini Marsh 10th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Also in the area were:
Oroklini Marsh
Eurasian Spoonbill 2
Great White Egret 1
Little Egret 3
Cattle Egret 1
Common Teal 13
Northern Shoveler 34
Greater Flamingo 30
Common Snipe 6
Wood Sandpiper 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Common Redshank 3
Spur-winged Lapwing c45
Common Kingfisher 1
Western Marsh Harrier 1 m
Black-winged Stilt 1
Marsh Sandpiper 1
Laughing Dove 3
Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo c150
Eurasian Spoonbill 10
Red-rumped Swallow c20
Spiros Pool
Red-throated Pipit 2
Larnaca Airport Coast
Northern Wheatear 2
Larnaca Sewage Works
Spur-winged Lapwing 7
Armenian Gull 2
Great Cormorant 1
Common Teal 15
Ruff 7
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Second day out guiding for Birdwatching Breaks and we visited the Akamas area. Highlights were a tree full of warblers including this Wood Warbler (photo), two adult Bonelli’s Eagles one of which flew right over our heads, a female Pallid Harrier, lots of Cyprus Wheatear setting up territories, at least two calling Cyprus Scops Owl, a small flock of Tree Pipit, more than 100 migrating Red-rumped Swallow, two Ortolan Bunting, Collared and Pied Flycatcher and a Eurasian Wryneck.
Wood Warbler, Androlikou 12th April 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Good start this morning out guiding for the Travelling Naturalist group with a showy male Cyprus Warbler to keep us entertained at Anarita Park. Other good birds included Spotted Crake and Peregrine Falcon at Agia Varvara; Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Long-legged Buzzard and Red-rumped Swallow at Anarita Park; and an Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler at Asprokremmos Dam. Plenty of Corn Buntings (photo) at all locations visited.
Corn Bunting, Anarita Park 23rd March 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A wet Waterbird count around Larnaca today with counting done in between the rain. Highlights were two Little Gull (rising to three in the afternoon) (see photo), two Greater Sandplover, two Great Spotted Cuckoo (see photo), a Marsh Sandpiper, my first Lesser Whitethroat and Red-rumped Swallow of the year, Eurasian Curlew, Baltic Gull, Black-winged Stilt, Water Pipit and singing Eurasian Reed Warbler.
Great Spotted Cuckoo, Spiros Pool, 15th March 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Little Gull, Spiros Pool 15th March 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spent the last few days in north west corner of island – joining BirdLife Cyprus’ members weekend there which included a boat trip to Cape Arnaouti from Latchi Harbour.
My birding highlights included Baltic Gull, Gull-billed Tern, flocks of Purple & Grey Heron and Glossy Ibis, several Red-backed and Masked Shrike, a migrating European Sparrowhawk, flocks of European Bee-eater (see photo), an Ortolan Bunting, several autumn plumage Cyprus Wheatear (see photo), Red-rumped Swallow, Alpine Swift, a juvenile Pallid Harrier, Whinchat and a Common Hoopoe.
Cyprus Wheatear, Droushia 8th September 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
European Bee-eater, Arodes 9th September 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Birding Tours 