A couple of hours birding close to Nicosia. Lots of the usual winter visitors around: Common Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, European Robin, Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap. The more interesting sightings were:
Agios Sozomenos, Nicosia
Spanish Sparrow 22 + 25
Eurasian Skylark 16
Little Owl 1
Blue Rock Thrush 1f
Spectacled Warbler 7
Western Black Redstart 4
Finsch’s Wheatear 2m and 1f
Hen Harrier 1f
Corn Bunting 18
Red-throated Pipit 2h and 1 seen in breeding plumage (see photos)
Northern Lapwing 70+ flying
Vathi Gonia Water Treatment Plant, Nicosia
Ferruginous Duck 4
Three days out with Peter who I had previously taken out this time last year. Although once again he was too late for Cyprus Wheatear we had some great birds and a good time with one of the highlights being a Peregrine Falcon roosting on Akrotiri Salt Lake for the second year running, photo friendly Eurasian Penduline Tits and Jack Snipe, an unexpected Cyprus Warbler at Phinikas, five Finsch’s Wheatear including a female for a change and good views of Eurasian Stone Curlew, Hen Harrier and Eurasian Griffon Vulture to name just three – oh and hundreds of Common Stonechat!
Monday 7th November – Day around Akrotiri Peninsula
Phasouri Reed-beds – Western Marsh Harrier 2, Eurasian Skylark h, Eurasian Penduline Tit 2, European Robin 6+
Akrotiri Gravel Pits – Western Marsh Harrier 1, Woodlark 2
Lady’s Mile – Western Marsh Harrier 1, Common Ringed Plover 2, Kentish Plover 100+, Little Stint c20, Dunlin c30, Armenian Gull 2 ad and 2 juv, Slender-billed Gull 4, Corn Bunting 4
Akrotiri Salt Lake – Grey Heron c60, Greater Flamingo c90, Peregrine Falcon 1 juv, Common Snipe 1, Water Pipit 2
Zakaki Marsh – Little Egret 2, Great Egret 1, Eurasian Teal 3, Water Rail 2+, Jack Snipe 1, Bluethroat 1, Song Thrush 1, Moustached Warbler 1, Common Starling 14, Common Reed Bunting 1
Kensington Cliffs – Eurasian Griffon Vulture 3
Friday 11th November – Day around Paphos
Mandria – European Shag 1, Hen Harrier 1 ringtail, Long-legged Buzzard 1, Eurasian Stone Curlew 25, European Golden Plover 1 flew over, Eurasian Skylark 40+, Meadow Pipit c60, Red-throated Pipit 20+, Western Black Redstart 1
Nata Ford – Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1, Bonelli’s Eagle 1 ad, Chukar 8, Song Thrush 4+, Eurasian Blackbird 1m, European Serin 6+, Corn Bunting 1
Phinikas (Asprokremmos Dam) – Great Cormorant 3, Eurasian Teal c90, Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1, Whiskered Tern 1, Little Owl 1, Common Kingfisher 1, Meadow Pipit 50+, Water Pipit 1, Western Black Redstart 4, Finsch’s Wheatear 3m, Blue Rock Thrush 1m, Cyprus Warbler 1m, European Serin 4, Common Linnet 3
Anarita Park – Long-legged Buzzard 1, Little Owl 1, Finsch’s Wheatear 1m and 1f, Spanish Sparrow 50+, Corn Bunting 3
Full species list – 80 species
Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, European Shag, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Western Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Common Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Dunlin, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Common Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Armenian Gull, Whiskered Tern, Rock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Little Owl, Common Kingfisher, Crested Lark, Woodlark, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Water Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Eurasian Blackbird, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Moustached Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Common Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting.
Jack Snipe, Zakaki Marsh, 7th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Blue Rock Thrush, Phinikas, 11th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Whiskered Tern, Phinikas, 11th November 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Due to the continued drought this was probably the quickest October Waterbird Count I have ever done, although where there was some water there were birds. Did not see the Greater White-fronted Geese or Black-necked Grebes seen on the Sewage Pools on Saturday.
Update: the five Greater White-fronted Geese were present at 17.00pm
Larnaca Sewage Works
Eurasian Skylark 3+
Mallard 129
Northern Shoveler 153
Eurasian Teal 25
Dunlin 2
Greater Flamingo 1 ad
Common Redshank 1
Eurasian Coot 1
Little Stint 23
Barn Swallow 5
Meadow Pipit 1+
Greater Cormorant 2
Kentish Plover 10
Red-throated Pipit 2
Yellow-legged Gull 9
Spiros Pool
Eurasian Curlew 3
Spiros Beach
Yellow-legged Gull 11
Armenian Gull 1
Larnaca Salt Lake
Little Owl 1
Common Kingfisher 1
Common Moorhen 2
Green Sandpiper 1
Little Stint 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 2
Grey Wagtail 1
Common Snipe 3
Dunlin 1
Green Sandpiper, Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
White Wagtail, Larnaca Salt Lake, 26th October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A quick visit to Agios Sozomenos, outside Nicosia, this morning mainly to see if any wintering Finsch’s Wheatear had arrived. No luck but I did find a late European Roller, two Red-backed Shrike, a Long-legged Buzzard, a Cyprus Wheatear, some Cattle Egret and Red-throated Pipit. There were also plenty of Common Stonechat setting up territories. The photo below is of one of the many juveniles present.
Common Stonechat, Agios Sozomenos 20th October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A few days in Droushia exploring the area and doing some birding. Passed by Mandria, Timi and Paphos Sewage Works on Friday morning where there were a few Red-footed Falcon, a couple of European Roller, single migrating European Honey Buzzard, dark morph Booted Eagle and Black Kite, three migrating Western Marsh Harrier, a couple of Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrike, Northern Wheatear, Whinchat and newly arrived White Wagtail, a flock of Yellow Wagtail and a fly over Red-throated Pipit.
In the Akamas area and down in Polis Chrysochou Bay there were migrating Little Egret, Great Egret, Grey and Purple Heron, Alpine Swift, European Bee-eater and Red-footed Falcon. Also seen were an Eastern Black-eared and Northern Wheatear, several Whinchat and Cyprus Wheatear, Red-backed Shrike, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Common Redstart. Unexpected birds were a European Nightjar flushed from an olive grove by a hunting Common Kestrel, a Common Kingfisher flying over the Baths of Aphrodite and a Northern Goshawk flushed from a large carob tree as I drove past near Fasli.
Cyprus Wheatear, Androlikou 1st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Red-footed Falcon, Pittokopos in early morning sun 1st October 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
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.
I picked up Martin and his father from their Paphos hotel and we headed to Minthis Hills to try and see one of Martin’s target species – Cretzschmar’s Bunting. We heard a pair calling almost as soon as we arrived and found another pair higher along the track. We also had a female Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, a couple of Cyprus Wheatear, a singing male Cyprus Warbler, two fly over Red-throated Pipit, a Common Cuckoo, a Woodchat Shrike and several Corn Bunting.
I had taken Martin out previously in late 2013 and we had failed to find a Black Francolin so on our way to Akrotiri we headed to Avdimou where we found a male singing on the edge of a small olive grove. At first he was hard to see but with some patience Martin and Herbert got some decent views. In the area we also found a Great Spotted Cuckoo, a couple of singing Common Nightingale and more Cyprus Warbler and Cyprus Wheatear.
A drive around Akrotiri Gravel Pits produced several migrant passerines including more Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Northern and Isabelline Wheatear, Ruppell’s Warbler, Collared and Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Tawny Pipit, Whinchat, Greater Short-toed Lark and more Woodchat Shrike. On the shore we found six resting Black-crowned Night Heron. At Phasouri Reed-beds we found a Glossy Ibis and a Eurasian Hoopoe.
Along Lady’s Mile there were several Kentish Plover , Little Stint and Dunlin as well as five Greater Flamingo and a Spotted Redshank. Near the port we found Lesser Whitethroat and a Wryneck in a tamarisk.
We finished the day in the hide at Zakaki where the male Little Crake gave us brief views. We also saw Purple Heron, Ferruginous Duck, Little Egret and heard Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler and Sedge Warble. A couple of Black-headed Wagtail flew over as we finished our day and returned to Paphos. Once again a very interesting day out with Martin with a good variety of species.
Total species – 77
Little Grebe, Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Ferruginous Duck, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Quail (h), Water Rail (h), Little Crake, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Dunlin, Spotted Redshank, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Eurasian Wryneck, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Tawny Pipit, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Black-headed Wagtail, White Wagtail, Common Nightingale, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Ruppell’s Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Corn Bunting
Whinchat, Akrotiri, 6th April 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
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.
Spent two days on the Karpasia Peninsula and had a good variety of migrants including Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Pallid Harrier, Masked Shrike, Tawny Pipit, Greater Short-toed Lark, Northern, Isabelline and Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Tree and Red-throated Pipit, an ‘eastern’ Stonechat (female), Purple Heron, a lone Demoiselle Crane, Wryneck, Common Redstart, Common and Lesser Whitethroat, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Whinchat, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Nightingale, Lesser Kestrel, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Common Quail.
Two record shots taken in the gloomy dust haze below:
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Karpasia 26th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Demoiselle Crane, Kouklia Dam 25th March 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Did the waterbird count around Larnaca Salt Lake today. Some interesting birds around despite the general lack of water. The Sewage Works pools had c750 Northern Shoveler, c490 Eurasian Teal, c130 Mallard, a Gadwall, 219 Greater Flamingo, a Ruff, two Ruddy Shelduck, a Common Shelduck, six Greater White-fronted Geese, a Tufted Duck, 11 Ferruginous Duck, 13 Black-necked Grebe, a Mediterranean and Armenian Gull and 11 Northern Lapwing. In the fields there were many Eurasian Skylark, some Red-throated Pipit, plenty of Spanish Sparrow and flocks of European Goldfinch, European Greenfinch and Common Linnet. On the Airport Pools South there was a flock of 330 Eurasian Golden Plover.
There is not a lot of water on the main Salt Lake and a lot of the birds mentioned below were seen in the north east corner where it is quite boggy: 9 Greater Flamingo , 2 Heuglin’s Gull , 1 Mediterranean Gull , 2 Armenian Gull , 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 39 Common Shelduck , c170 Kentish Plover, 4 Common Ringed Plover, 11 Corn Bunting, a Common Reed Bunting, 5 Common Snipe, 2 Water Pipit, 2 Spur-winged Lapwing, Water Rail (h), Eurasian Teal c175 and two Marsh Sandpiper.
Common Redshank, Meneou Pool, 15th December 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Female Sardinian Warbler keeping an eye on what’s above her, Larnaca Sewage Works 15th December (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Four birds on territories in the area – three males and a female. Also several Red-throated Pipit, Eurasian Skylark, Spectacled Warbler, Western Black Redstart and a Long-legged Buzzard.
Phassouri Reed-beds – Western Marsh Harrier 1, Common Buzzard 1, Common Snipe 1, Bluethroat 1
Akrotiri Gravel Pits – European Serin 5+, Song Thrush 1
Akrotiri Salt Lake – Grey Heron 210, Greater Flamingo c500, Common Shelduck 15, Peregrine Falcon 1 sitting on salt flats preening, Kentish Plover c10, Water Pipit 1, Spectacled Warbler 1
Lady’s Mile – Little Stint 39, Caspian Gull 3, Armenian Gull c10
Zakaki Marsh – Western Marsh Harrier 2, Water Rail 2, Little Crake 1 juv, Eurasian Penduline Tit 1m & 1f seen well + 2 others heard, Common Starling c200 at dusk
Full list of species seen – 61
Little Grebe, European Shag, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Water Rail, Little Crake, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Kentish Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Stint, Common Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Common Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian Gull, Armenian Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Crested Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Water Pipit, Yellow Wagtail inc Grey-headed Wagtail thunbergii, White Wagtail, European Robin, Bluethroat, Western Black Redstart, Common Stonechat, Song Thrush, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet
Greater Flamingo Akrotiri Salt Lake 11th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Birding Tours 