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
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
One of two Brambling seen and a Mistle Thrush – both winter visitors – at Troodos today.
Brambling, Troodos, 6th December 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Mistle Thrush, Troodos, 6th December 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Masked Shrike, Troodos 2nd July 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
A relaxing morning in the Troodos area. Several family parties seen – of Masked Shrike, Northern Wren, Olivaceous Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear, Eurasian Jay as well as several Spotted Flycatcher, Coal Tit, Common Chaffinches, European Goldfinch and Greenfinch. Also a couple of Eurasian Crag Martin, two Grey Wagtail and a Common Hoopoe. This Masked Shrike looked the worse for wear – after a tiring breeding season I’m guessing.
Plenty of the ‘usual suspects’ around Troodos this morning. Especially good views of Masked Shrike, Spotted Flycatcher, Eurasian Jay, Cyprus Wheatear and Red-rumped Swallow. A male Blue Rock Thrush was singing at Amiantos.
Below is a photo of a Eurasian Jay – a Cyprus endemic sub species – taking a bath in one of the many water troughs at a picnic site.
Eurasian Jay, Troodos, 28th June 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Still some winter visitors around – Eurasian Siskins, Hawfinches and Bramblings but migrant breeders are now in evidence – I found two male and one female Masked Shrike as well as a Common Hoopoe (see photo).
Common Hoopoe. Livadi tou Pashia 22nd March 2018 (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
Blue Rock Thrush, Amiantos 6th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Common Chaffinch, Troodos 6th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spotted Flycatcher, Troodos 6th June 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Cyprus Birding Tours 