Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus

Tag Archives: Sandwich Tern


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Limassol area 21st January 2020

A lovely sunny day around Limassol visiting Germasogeia, the Akrotiri sites and Curium. Highlight was finally catching up with
one of the Booted Eagles that is around Phasouri at the moment. Also good to see a newly arrived Great Spotted Cuckoo at Akrotiri Gravel Pits and six Eurasian Crag Martin at Germasogeia.

List of interesting sightings:

Germasogeia Dam
Eurasian Crag Martin 6
Common Sandpiper 2
Western Marsh Harrier 1
European Serin 60+

Lady’s Mile
Slender-billed Gull 2 (see photo of immature)
Armenian Gull 20+
Caspian Gull 1

Zakaki Marsh
Eurasian Penduline Tit 2

Akrotiri Marsh (Phasouri Reed-beds)
Booted Eagle 1 dark morph to north of area being mobbed by Hooded Crows
Common Buzzard 3
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Great White Egret 3
Water Pipit 1
Western Water Rail 1h
Hawfinch 2+ (One seen and 1+ h)
Common Snipe 40
Woodlark 7
Eurasian Blackbird 1m
Cattle Egret 4 (see photo)

Akrotiri Gravel Pits
Great Spotted Cuckoo 1
Sandwich Tern 1 along coast
Common Buzzard 1
Meadow Pipit 50+

Kourio Stadium
Cyprus Warbler 2m

Cattle Egret, Phasouri, 21st January 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Cattle Egret, Phasouri, 21st January 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Slender-billed Gull, Lady's Mile 21st January 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Slender-billed Gull, Lady’s Mile 21st January 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca area 30th November 2019

Lovely day birding around Larnaca today visiting Panagia Stazousa, Oroklini and the aqueduct at Kamares. Some good birds around although didn’t expect to see a very late Common Whitethroat in with the Blackcaps at Panagia Stazousa.

Main sightings:
Panagia Stazousa
Long-legged Buzzard 3
Common Whitethroat 1
Woodlark 1
Cyprus Warbler 5m and 1f (four males singing)

Pyrga
Common Chaffinch 60+
Cyprus Warbler 1m
Woodlark 6

Kamares Aqueduct
Black-crowned Night Heron 1 juv (see photo)
Common Kingfisher 1
Water Pipit 1
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Spur-winged Lapwing 2

Oroklini Marsh – south area
Common Redshank 6
Water Pipit 1
Northern Lapwing 5
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Laughing Dove 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Black-winged Stilt 13
Little Egret 3
Spur-winged Lapwing 20+

Oroklini Marsh – main lake
Greater Flamingo 7
Common Pochard 1m and 1f
Ferruginous Duck 2
Northern Pintail 1
Barn Swallow 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 20+
Western Water Rail 1h

Oroklini Beach
Pallas’ Gull 1 ad fly past heading W
Audouin’s Gull 1 flying W five minutes later
Sandwich Tern 1
Black-headed Gull 300+

Spiros Beach
Kentish Plover 11
Dunlin 9
Little Stint 4

Black-crowned Night Heron juvenile, Larnaca Salt Lake 30th November 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Black-crowned Night Heron juvenile, Larnaca Salt Lake 30th November 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca 5th December 2018

Visited Larnaca today where there was evidence of very heavy overnight rain in the fields and around the salt lake.

Highlights:
Meneou Pool
Greater Flamingo 26

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Pied Avocet 3
Greater Flamingo 3
Armenian Gull 4+
Black-headed Gull 3+
other white-headed gulls – probably Caspian – but distant 11

Pervolia
Calandra Lark 2 in flight

Larnaca Sewage Works
Common Shelduck 8
Greater White-fronted Goose 6
Black-necked Grebe 14+
Eurasian Wigeon 2
Northern Pintail 4+
Common Redshank 1
Ferrruginous Duck 32
Armenian Gull 2 imm

Spiro Beach
Sandwich Tern 2 on buoys

Spiros Pool
Eurasian Golden Plover 26

Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo 700+
Slender-billed Gull 1 imm

Kamares aquaduct
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Little Egret 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 5
Common Snipe 2 (see photo)
Water Pipit 3
Green Sandpiper 1
Common Redshank 2
Eurasian Penduline Tit 1h

Oroklini Marsh
Spur-winged Lapwing 34 (most in fields on other side of motorway)
Common Redshank 1
Cattle Egret 20
Peregrine Falcon 1
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Northern Shoveler c300
Black-winged Stilt 4
Water Pipit 1h

Common Snipe, Larnaca 5th December 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Snipe, Larnaca 5th December 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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East of the island 27th February 2018

Went out hoping for some early migrants today. No luck with that although had some good birds including at least six singing male Cyprus Warbler at Cape Greco. Two photographed below.

Cyprus Warbler, Cape Greco 27th February 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Cyprus Warbler, Cape Greco 27th February 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Cyprus Warbler, Cape Greco 27th February 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Cyprus Warbler, Cape Greco 27th February 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Other sightings of note included:

Agia Trias
Greater Sandplover 3
Grey Plover 10
Kentish Plover 2

Konnos Bay
Eurasian Shag 1

Cape Greco
Cyprus Warbler 6 singing males

Macronissos Beach
Common Sandpiper 1

Potamos Liopetriou
Great Cormorant c70 migrating NE 13:40

Ormideia Fishing Harbour
Audouin’s Gull 1
Common Buzzard 1
Eurasian Shag 2

Oroklini Beach
Great Cormorant 90+ migrating W 15:15
Sandwich Tern 1
Armenian Gull 2 imm

JUMBO Drainage Channel
Spur-winged Lapwing 8
Common Sandpiper 1

Oroklini Marsh
Greater Flamingo 50+
Northern Pintail 1m and 1f
Gadwall 1m and 1f
Black-necked Grebe 1
Ferruginous Duck 7
Red-Crested Pochard 1m and 1f
Black-tailed Godwit 1
Ruff 4
Black-winged Stilt 8
Spur-winged Lapwing 5
Common Redshank 2
Little Egret 2
Cattle Egret c250
Western Marsh Harrier 1


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Larnaca area 6th February 2018

Out for a day’s birding around Larnaca with Victor Tjernberg checking out some good sites for spring birding and trying to up our year lists!

The wetlands had most birds but probably the birds of the day were the Calandra Lark on the fields in Pervolia already in display song flight. Also good to see several Cyprus Warbler in the Panagia Stazousa valley singing and on territory. Although it is a partial migrant with some leaving in the winter, many stay all year on the island.

Interesting sightings:

Larnaca Sewage Works
Eurasian Wigeon 7 (3m)
Ferruginous Duck 1
Common Pochard 6+
Black-necked Grebe 40+
Common Greenshank 3
Western Marsh Harrier 1

Spiros Pool
Eurasian Golden Plover 120+

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Eurasian Thick-knee 17
Caspian Gull 10+
Armenian Gull 1ad
Heuglin’s Gull 1 ad

Pervolia fields
Calandra Lark 4+ in display flight

Petounta Point
Common Buzzard 4

Kiti Dam
Common Quail 1h

Panagia Stazousa
Cyprus Warbler 6+ singing males
Long-legged Buzzard 1
European Serin 3+
Eurasian Blackbird 1m
Eurasian Thick-knee 1 in flight near Klavdia village

Oroklini Marsh (see photo)
Black-winged Stilt 2
Red-crested Pochard 1m and 2f
Common Pochard 2m
Ferruginous Duck 7
Ruff 3
Northern Lapwing 1
Cattle Egret 200+
Grey Heron 2
Barn Swallow 3
Common Redshank 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 3

Oroklini Beach
Armenian Gull 5 ad and c15 imm
Caspian Gull 1 imm
Sandwich Tern 2 fishing offshore

Oroklini Marsh 6th February 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Oroklini Marsh 6th February 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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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

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

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


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East of Cyprus today, 22nd January 2016

Visited several of my favourite locations today around the east of the island. Several Greater Sand Plover on a couple of rocky coasts and the three White-headed Duck are still at Oroklini Marsh. More interesting sightings included:

Agia Trias (Paralimni)
Greater Sand Plover 2
Grey Plover 4
Cape Greco
Blue Rock Thrush 2m
Cyprus Warbler 3m singing plus others heard
Song Thrush 8
Audouin’s Gull 1
Spanish Sparrow c200
Kermia Beach
Greater Sand Plover 2
Grey Plover 1
Macronissos Beach
Common Sandpiper 1
Chukar 16 together in one field
Agia Thekla
Common Sandpiper 2
Great Cormorant 2
Potamos Liopetri
Common Kingfisher 1
Little Egret 1
Common Sandpiper 1
Audouin’s Gull 1
Dhekelia
European Shag 8
Oroklini Beach
Sandwich Tern 2
European Shag 3
Oroklini Marsh
White-headed Duck 3
Black-winged Stilt 4
Black-tailed Godwit 1
Common Pochard 1m
Northern Pintail 2
Blue Rock Thrush Cape Greco 22nd January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Blue Rock Thrush Cape Greco 22nd January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sand Plover Agia Trias 22nd January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sand Plover Agia Trias 22nd January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Plover Agia Trias 22nd January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Plover Agia Trias 22nd January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Waterbird Count Larnaca today, Saturday 16th January 2016

Greater Flamingo Larnaca Salt Lake 16th January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Flamingo Larnaca Salt Lake 16th January 2016 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spent quite a long time today counting Greater Flamingos. 12,000 plus in the Larnaca area. Hundreds of Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Teal and Common Shelduck; twenty five Black-necked Grebe, three Gadwall, a Ferruginous Duck, eight Eurasian Wigeon and seven Greater White-fronted Geese at Larnaca Sewage Works. A small flock of less than thirty Eurasian Golden Plover at Spiros Pool with two Sandwich Tern offshore. Among the many Common Black-headed Gull it was good to find a Little Gull on Meneou Pool.

A lot of disturbance around the Salt Lake including some idiots walking in the water to get nearer to the Greater Flamingos there. Away from them in a quieter area there was a Temminck’s Stint, a few Little Ringed and Common Ringed Plover, seven Common Snipe and larger numbers of Kentish Plover, Dunlin, Little Stint and Common Redshank.

The White-headed Duck were still at Oroklini when I popped in there before heading home.


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Larnaca and Oroklini 14th November 2015

Did the waterbird count at Larnaca and late in the afternoon visited Oroklini. The Red-breasted Goose is still at the Sewage Works together with five Greater White-fronted Geese. A Pied Avocet was the best wader and the Red Knot is still present. A young Peregrine Falcon flew in and snatched up a Coot only to be forced to drop it by an adult Peregrine that came swooping in. Both Peregrines flew off calling and briefly grappling. The Coot was left there although it was gone when I revisited in the afternoon.

The Ruddy Shelduck is still at Oroklini and there were three Temminck’s Stint and six Common Snipe feeding as well as a Bluethroat and Water Pipit.

Full list of sightings:
Larnaca Sewage Works
Greater Flamingo 56 (only one adult)
Pied Avocet 1
Common Shelduck 1
Black-winged Stilt 8
Little Stint c50
Common Redshank 6
Dunlin 9+
Ruff 3
Common Ringed Plover 1
Baltic Gull 1 juv
Armenian Gull 11
Marsh Sandpiper 1
Greater White-fronted Goose 5
Red-breasted Goose 1
Black-necked Grebe 1
Northern Pintail 6
Red Knot 1
Peregrine Falcon 2

Larnaca Desalination Plant Fields
Eurasian Skylark 100+
Calandra Lark 5
Eurasian Golden Plover 4
Common Starling 11

Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo 6
Eurasian Teal 13
Little Ringed Plover 5
Common Ringed Plover 25
Spur-winged Lapwing 2
Common Redshank 30
Dunlin c100
Kentish Plover c140
Little Stint 30+
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Water Pipit 2

Oroklini Marsh
Spur-winged Lapwing 35
Ruddy Shelduck 1
Cattle Egret 60
Common Snipe 6
Little Stint 2
Temminck’s Stint 3
Common Ringed Plover 5
Little Ringed Plover 2
Water Pipit 1
Water Rail h
Eurasian Penduline Tit h
Northern Pintail 2
Common Starling 40
Bluethroat 1
Corn Bunting 8

Oroklini Beach
Sandwich Tern 2
Common Black-headed Gull c150

Sandwich Tern Oroklini Beach 14th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Sandwich Tern Oroklini Beach 14th November 2015 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours