Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus


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Akrotiri 30th September 2020

A very windy day at Akrotiri with limited raptor movement and those that were migrating keeping low over the Salt Lake. At least twenty Red-footed Falcons were roosting at Lady’s Mile with half of them hunkered down on the salt flats and rest on wires (see photo). Two Booted Eagles were seen – the long staying light morph is still around Phasouri (see photo). A small number of European Honey Buzzard braved the elements as did a couple of Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Black Kite, some Western Marsh Harrier and a juvenile Pallid Harrier. There is still a Whimbrel on Lady’s Mile (photo) and plenty of herons and egrets on Akrotiri Marsh together with the juvenile Black Stork, three Black-tailed Godwit, several Common Snipe, Common Teal, a single White Wagtail, three White-winged Tern and the usual migrating European Bee-eater, Barn Swallow and Sand Martin.

Red-footed Falcon, female, Lady’s Mile 30th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Whimbrel, Lady’s Mile, 30th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Booted Eagle, Phasouri, 30th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Achna Dam, 28th September 2020

Spent the morning at Achna Dam where I was lucky to get some slightly closer photos of the Pied Kingfisher that has been around there for a couple of weeks now. Not as sharp or as close as I would have liked but never mind!! A good morning out overall with other sightings including an Osprey, Montagu’s Harrier, male Western Marsh Harrier, a Long-legged Buzzard, a Purple Heron, several Common Kingfisher, Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, Common Snipe, Common Ringed Plover, European Bee-eater, Common Hoopoe, juvenile Masked and Red-backed Shrike, Spur-winged Lapwing, a few Western Yellow Wagtail and a lone White Wagtail.

Pied Kingfisher, Achna Dam 28th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Achna Dam 14th September 2020

Went to Achna for first time in several weeks to see if I could find the Pied Kingfisher that had been seen there on Thursday. Surprisingly it was the first bird I saw when I arrived – it called and flew in front of me as it headed to another part of the dam. Later on I saw two in that area – I assume one of those was the one I had seen earlier. No chance of anything other than a record flight shot as they were flying around the area and then disappearing! But it was a great morning’s birding with other birds seen including a Spotted Crake, Little Bittern, Great Crested Grebe, Western Marsh and Montagu’s Harrier, lots of Red-backed and Masked Shrike, many Common Hoopoe, Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Wood, Green and Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Purple and Squacco Heron, Olivaceous and Willow Warbler.

Achna Dam, 14th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Birds
Spotted Crake, Achna Dam, 14th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Distant flight photo of one of Pied Kingfisher, Achna Dam 14th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Spur-winged Lapwing, Achna Dam, 14th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Masked Shrike, Achna Dam, 14th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours
Common Hoopoe, Achna Dam, 14th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Cape Greco area 8th September 2020


Plenty of Red-backed and Masked Shrike at Cape Greco this morning as well as many Whinchat and some migrating raptors. Full list of the more interesting sightings:
Cape Greco
Northern Wheatear 3
Isabelline Wheatear 3
European Honey Buzzard 27
Cyprus Wheatear 9
Eastern Orphean Warbler 1 juv
Whinchat 11
Black-eared Wheatear 3
Cyprus Warbler 4
Red-backed Shrike 11 (see photo of juvenile)
Common Hoopoe 2
Greater Short-toed Lark 6+
Willow Warbler 12+
Spotted Flycatcher 2
Eleonora’s Falcon 2
Western Marsh Harrier 6
Montagu’s Harrier 1m
Eurasian Hobby 1
Eurasian Wryneck 1
European Bee-eatear many passing over heard only


Agia Napa Sewage Works
Masked Shrike 7ad and 1 juv (all within 1km of each other)
Red-backed Shrike 7
Ortolan Bunting 2
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Isabelline Wheatear 1
Woodchat Shrike 1
Whinchat 3


Agia Napa Football fields
Red-backed Shrike 3
Cattle Egret 11
Tree Pipit 2
Isabelline Wheatear 2
Lesser Grey Shrike 1


Macronissos beach
Isabelline Wheatear 1
Whinchat 3
Kentish Plover 2
Greater Sandplover 4

Juvenile Red-backed Shrike, Cape Greco 8th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akrotiri, 4th September 2020

Spent the hottest day of the year doing my first stint of raptor counting of the autumn at Akrotiri on Friday. A few Western Marsh Harrier were on the move as was a male Montagu’s Harrier and a Pallid/Montagu juvenile. Other birds of interest were three Isabelline Wheatear, some Eleonora’s Falcon, several Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrike, a Woodchat Shrike, lots of Common Snipe, Grey and Squacco Heron and Cattle (see photo), Great White and Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Western Yellow Wagtail, Ruff and Wood Sandpiper, European Roller and Greater Flamingo.

Cattle Egret, Akrotiri Marsh 4th September 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Waterbird count Larnaca area 11th January 2020

 

Spent most of the day doing the Waterbird Count around Larnaca today. Lots of Greater Flamingo and Northern Shoveler to count – and surprisingly also – it took time to count the Little Gull with just over 300 in the area feeding on several pools. Other interesting birds included three Pied Avocet, three Greater White-fronted Geese and 38 Black-necked Grebe.

Meneou Pool
Little Gull 71

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Little Gull 2
Northern Shoveler 276
Greater Flamingo 13
Common Shelduck 2
Caspian Gull c50
Armenian Gull 4
Heuglin’s Gull 1

Larnaca Sewage Works
Western Marsh Harrier 3
Great Cormorant 130
Northern Shoveler 88
Common Teal 429
Greater White-fronted Goose 3
Common Coot 29
Caspian Gull 8
Grey Heron 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 3
Common Redshank 5

Spiros Beach
Little Stint 63
Dunlin 58
Kentish Plover 175
Common Ringed Plover 4

Spiros Pool
Northern Shoveler 130
Eurasian Wigeon 2
Common Redshank 4

Larnaca Desalination Plant fields
Eurasian Golden Plover 5
Dunlin 20
Common Ringed Plover 3

Larnaca Airport Pools North
Pied Avocet 3
Little Gull 124

Larnaca Salt Lake
Little Gull 107
Cattle Egret 3
Greater Flamingo 9000+
Common Shelduck 153
Northern Shoveler 449
Black-necked Grebe 38
Dunlin 38
Little Stint 25
Common Snipe 14
Common Redshank 3
Spur-winged Lapwing 5
Common Ringed Plover 7
Bluethroat 2
Reed Bunting 1
Water Pipit 2

Kiti Dam (full but no waterbirds)
Woodlark 5

Little Gull, Larnaca Salt Lake 11th January 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Gull, Larnaca Salt Lake 11th January 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca area 10th December 2019

Out doing the waterbird count today but the best bird was an immature Audouin’s Gull at Oroklini Beach which I visited after I’d finished (see heavily cropped photo).

Audouin's Gull, Oroklini Beach 10th December 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Audouin’s Gull, Oroklini Beach 10th December 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Other sightings included:

Meneou Pool
Common Ringed Plover 1

Larnaca Airport Pools South
Grey Plover 1
Armenian Gull c10
Caspian Gull 8+
Heuglin’s Gull 2 ad
Baltic Gull 1 juv

Larnaca Sewage Works
Great Cormorant 431
Bluethroat 1
Common Teal 417
Northern Shoveler 180
Greater White-fronted Goose 2
Eurasian Wigeon 3m and 2f
Great Crested Grebe 1
Northern Pintail 8
Common Shelduck 1
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Armenian Gull 20+
Caspian Gull 30+
Yellow-legged Gull 5
Black-headed Gull 68+

Spiros Pool
Common Ringed Plover 1
Eurasian Golden Plover 175

Larnaca Airport Pools North
Black-headed Gull 35
Slender-billed Gull 3 ad
Common Redshank 43
Dunlin 6

Larnaca Salt Lake
Greater Flamingo 946
Common Shelduck 6
Kentish Plover 2
Common Ringed Plover 5
Spanish Sparrow 10+
Corn Bunting 4
Cattle Egret 3
Black-headed Gull 77

Larnaca Salt Lake north east corner
Water Pipit 1
Common Snipe 29+
Western Water Rail 1h

Kamares area
Jack Snipe 1
Common Snipe 1
Water Pipit 2
Common Kingfisher 2
Western Water Rail 1 seen

Oroklini Beach
Audouin’s Gull 1 imm
Black-headed Gull c150
Little Egret 1
Caspian Gull 4
Armenian Gull 7
Great Cormorant c50 heading E offshore

Oroklini Marsh
Northern Lapwing c60
Northern Pintail 5m
Bluethroat 1h
Spur-winged Lapwing 36+
Little Egret 3
Northern Shoveler 200+
Common Teal 130+
Common Starling c30
Red-crested Pochard 1m and 1f
Greater Flamingo 26
Cattle Egret 32
Ferruginous Duck 1
Common Pochard 2f


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Phasouri Reed-beds (Akrotiri Marsh) this morning 4th November 2019

Although at first it didn’t look very promising at Phasouri this morning, things picked up slowly and I managed to get a good list together including a nice surprise in the shape of a juvenile Lesser Spotted Eagle (see cropped record shot). Other birds seen include:

Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1
Common Crane 1 flew down behind reeds
Jack Snipe 1 in flight
Common Snipe 3
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Common Starling c40
Water Pipit 13
Black Redstart 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 10
Great White Egret 2
Western Water Rail 1h
Red-throated Pipit 1+h
Northern Lapwing 9

Lesser Spotted Eagle, Phasouri 4th November 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Lesser Spotted Eagle, Phasouri 4th November 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca area waterbird count 15th October 2019

Another disappointing waterbird count in the Larnaca area this morning. Best birds were three Common Pochard, four Common Snipe (see photo) and the long-staying Mediterranean Gull.

Other birds seen:

Meneou Pool
Little Stint 1
Kentish Plover 2

Larnaca Sewage Works
Grey Heron 3
Common Coot 5
Mallard 122
Common Teal 51
Northern Shoveler 4
Spur-winged Lapwing 6
Common Pochard 2m and 1f
Great Cormorant 7
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Northern Pintail 2f
Common Shelduck 1
Red-throated Pipit 1h
Common Redshank 1h
Red-backed Shrike 1 juv
Common Whitethroat 1

Spiros Beach
Mediterranean Gull 1 (long-staying bird)

Larnaca Salt Lake
Barn Swallow 1
Greater Flamingo 40 juv and 83 ads
Kentish Plover 40
Common Snipe 3
Water Rail 1h

Kamares area
Common Snipe 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Common Redshank 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 5
Little Egret 2

Common Snipe, Larnaca 15th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Snipe, Larnaca 15th October 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca area this morning 10th October 2019

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

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


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Cape Greco 13th March 2019

Spent most of the day at Cape Greco looking for early migrants. Some putting in an appearance – see list below – but the best was a lovely male Common Redstart of the samamisicus race (see photos). Also visited Oroklini Marsh and a couple of Agia Napa beaches where there were ten Greater Sandplovers (see photos).

Oroklini Marsh

Western Marsh Harrier 1
Black-tailed Godwit 5
Garganey 1m
Yellow Wagtail 1h
Northern Pintail 2m and 3f
Ferruginous Duck 7
Red-crested Pochard 1m and 5f
Black-winged Stilt c30
Spur-winged Lapwing 8
Common Redshank 1
Greater Flamingo 33
Common Swift 22
Cape Greco – from Kermia Beach to Agioi Anargyroi picnic site
Cyprus Warbler 6+ singing males
Ruppell’s Warbler 8m and 1f
Tree Pipit 1h
Cyprus Wheatear 4
Isabelline Wheatear 4
Greater Short-toed Lark 2
Northern Wheatear 1m
Yellow Wagtail 2 over
Blue Rock Thrush 1f
Common ‘Ehrenberg’s’ Redstart (samamisicus spp) 1m
Common Chiffchaff 30+
Black Redstart 7+
Audouin’s Gull 2
Black-eared Wheatear 1m pale throat
Macronissos Beach
Isabelline Wheatear 1
Agia Thekla
Greater Sandplover 10
Kentish Plover 2
Isabelline Wheatear 3
Northern Wheatear 1


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East of the island 18th January 2019

Finally a sunny day with not a lot of wind and no rain coincided with a day I was free to go out. Went to the east again and checked out Oroklini, Achna, Paralimni Lake and the rocky coasts. A good collection of birds including Greater Flamingo, Greater Sandplover, Grey Plover, Slender-billed Gull, Audouin’s Gull, Blue Rock Thrush, Peregrine Falcon, several Western Marsh Harrier, Great Crested Grebe, Northern and Spur-winged Lapwing and Black-winged Stilt.

Photos of one of the Grey Plover and Greater Sandplover that were at Agia Trias, Paralimni

Greater Sandplover, Agia Trias 18th January 2019 (C) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sandplover, Agia Trias 18th January 2019 (C) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sandplover, Agia Trias 18th January 2019 (C) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Sandplover, Agia Trias 18th January 2019 (C) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Plover, Agia Trias, 18th January 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Grey Plover, Agia Trias, 18th January 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours