Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus

Tag Archives: Woodchat Shrike


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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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Paphos area May 21st 2020

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

Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Akamas 21st May 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Squacco Heron, Agia Varvara 21st May 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Squacco Heron, Agia Varvara 21st May 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Larnaca area 16th March 2020

Out around Larnaca yesterday morning doing the waterbird count. Still more than 2000 Greater Flamingos plus several hundred Slender-billed Gull, 23 Little Gull, three Mediterranean Gull, more than 50 Black-winged Stilt, nine Pied Avocet, a male Tufted Duck, three Great Crested Grebe, some Little and Common Ringed Plover, Ruff, Kentish Plover, some Northern and Isabelline Wheatear, a couple of Common Hoopoe (see photo), lots of Common Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat and Western Yellow and White Wagtail and a Woodchat Shrike.

Common Hoopoe, Larnaca 16th March 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Hoopoe, Larnaca 16th March 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Desert Wheatear, Mandria 10th March 2020

Desert Wheatear, Mandria 10th March 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Desert Wheatear, Mandria 10th March 2020 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Pleased to find one at Avakas coast this morning and then this individual on the beach at Mandria late in the afternoon. Light rubbish but never mind – always a great bird even if the photo doesn’t do it justice.

Had these other sightings today around Paphos:

Lara Beach
Woodchat Shrike 1
Tawny Pipit 1
Greater Short-toed Lark 3
Isabelline Wheatear 8
Woodlark 3

Avakas Coast
Desert Wheatear 1m
Isabelline Wheatear 5

Anarita Park early pm
Blue Rock Thrush 1m
Cyprus Wheatear 1
Pallid Swift 3

Timi Beach
Northern Wheatear 1m and 1f
Isabelline Wheatear 5
Little Ringed Plover 1

Mandria late pm
Desert Wheatear 1m on beach
Isabelline Wheatear 15+


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Shrikes on migration.

A few days in the Akamas area 6th – 8th August produced several adult and juvenile Masked Shrike, a male and a female Woodchat Shrike and among the first return migrating Lesser Grey Shrike and Red-backed Shrike. Sea watching was quiet with not much movement yet, although I had several Gull-billed and Whiskered Tern, a flock of 22 Common Sandpiper and an ‘in off’ European Roller as well as a Western Yellow Wagtail feeding in a coastal feed.
Back in Larnaca today I found a resting group of Grey Heron and Little Egret and saw a small group of Glossy Ibis flying over. Little Tern are still fishing offshore and a group of c80 Greater Flamingo are on the Salt Lake which still has some water. Another Lesser Grey Shrike was also there and while I was looking at an Olivaceous Warbler in a track side bush this juvenile Masked Shrike came to check me out.

Masked Shrike juvenile, Larnaca 10th August 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike juvenile, Larnaca 10th August 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike juv 2, Larnaca 10th August 2019

Masked Shrike juvenile, Larnaca 10th August 2019 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akrotiri, 7th May 2018

Still some migrating waders around today with two Ruddy Turnstone and six Broad-billed Sandpipers the highlights. Plenty of Ruff, Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Common Ringed Plover and Black-winged Stilt. Also two Black-tailed Godwit and Marsh Sandpiper and a few Little Ringed Plover, a Curlew Sandpiper and a Common Greenshank. Still a large flock of Little Tern on Lady’s Mile so hopefully they will stay to breed. I also found two Woodchat Shrike and four Red-backed Shrike with a Black-eared Wheatear, a Whinchat, a female Common Redstart and several Spotted Flycatcher.

Little Ringed Plover, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Little Ringed Plover, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ringed Plover, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ringed Plover, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ruddy Turnstone, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Ruddy Turnstone, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Female Red-backed Shrike, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Female Red-backed Shrike, Akrotiri 7th May 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akrotiri 28th April 2018

A very enjoyable day birding around Akrotiri even if I got a later start than intended. Highlight was definitely finding a female Semi-collared Flycatcher as I was checking the ID’s of several females near Bishop’s Pool – also a female Collared Flycatcher which was actually my first Collared for the year. In that area there were also Pied and Spotted Flycatcher, Wood Warbler, Blackcap and several beautiful male European Golden Oriole. Plenty of Woodchat Shrike around with a few Red-backed as well. A large group of more than twenty Little Tern were on Lady’s Mile in the morning as were nine Collared Pratincole and many Marsh Sandpiper and Common Greenshank (see photos).

Late in the afternoon I visited the eastern shore of the Salt Lake and the Zakaki run off. There I saw more than ten Temminck’s Stint, ten Black-tailed Godwit, a few Curlew Sandpiper, fishing Little Tern, feeding White-winged and Whiskered Tern and best of all – a resting flock of around 300 Collared Pratincoles (see photo). Lovely!

Collared Pratincole, Akrotiri Salt Lake 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Collared Pratincole, Akrotiri Salt Lake 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Greenshank, Lady's Mile 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Common Greenshank, Lady’s Mile 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Marsh Sandpiper, Lady's Mile 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Marsh Sandpiper, Lady’s Mile 28th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Oroklini, Achna Dam and Cape Greco today 10th April 2018

Managed to avoid most of the rain showers today and even had a good walk around Achna Dam – trying to find (and failing) the Pied Kingfisher that has been seen there on a couple of occasions over the last ten days. But despite that, at the three locations I visited I managed to see some good birds including Black-necked Grebe, Squacco Heron, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, ‘Baltic’ Gull, Purple Heron, Marsh Sandpiper, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Black-winged Stilt, Temminck’s Stint, Garganey, Olivaceous Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Cyprus Wheatear and Warbler, Tawny Pipit, Black-eared Wheatear and Woodchat Shrike.

Black-necked Grebe, Achna Dam, 10th April 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Birding around the east of Cyprus 27th March 2018

A lovely day out today visiting Paralimni Lake, Cape Greco, Agia Napa Sewage Works and Ormedeia. A few record photos of a Citrine Wagtail and Spotted Crake seen at Paralimni, a Greater Short-toed Lark at Cape Greco and a Masked Shrike at Agia Napa Sewage Works.
Other interesting species seen were Bimaculated Lark, Pallid Harrier, Woodchat Shrike, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, singing Olivaceous and Willow Warbler, Audouin’s Gull, migrating Garganey and two stunning male Common Redstart.

Citrine Wagtail, Paralimni Lake 27th March 2018 (1 of 1)

Citrine Wagtail, Paralimni Lake, 27th March 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Masked Shrike, Agia Napa Sewage Works, 27th March 2018 (1 of 1)

Masked Shrike, Agia Napa Sewage Works, 27th March 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Spotted Crake, Paralimni Lake 27th March 2018 (1 of 1)

Spotted Crake, Paralimni Lake, 27th March 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Greater Short-toed Lark, Cape Greco 27th March 2018 (1 of 1)

Greater Short-toed Lark, Cape Greco, 27th March 2018 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Migrants in Cape Greco area this morning, 14th August 2017

Although I could only get distant photos of Lesser Grey Shrike and a female Red-backed Shrike this morning at Cape Greco there was plenty moving about in the bushes near Agia Napa Sewage Works:

Eastern Orphean Warbler 12+ (probably double that)
Barred Warbler 1 juv (and one possible other)
Lesser Whitethroat 4
Olivaceous Warbler 20+
Cyprus Warbler 1m, 1f and 2 juv
Spectacled Warbler 6 (inc 2 juvs)
European Bee-eater h high over
Little Grebe 19
Common Sandpiper 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 1
Common Hoopoe 1
Lesser Grey Shrike 1 (see photo)
Woodchat Shrike 1 (see photo)
Red-backed Shrike 1f

Lesser Grey Shrike, Agia Napa Sewage Works 14th August 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Lesser Grey Shrike, Agia Napa Sewage Works 14th August 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red-backed Shrike female, Agia Napa Sewage Works 14th August 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Red-backed Shrike female, Agia Napa Sewage Works 14th August 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours


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Akamas area and visible migration Polis Chrysochou Bay 11th August 2017

Spent several hours sea watching in Polis Chrysochou Bay today. Plenty of Glossy Ibis on the move as well as Little Egret and a single Grey Heron. Bird of the day was a juvenile Greater Sandplover that flew onto the beach near me around 7.30 am and then flew off east after about 15 minutes. It was probably the large plover that I saw later migrating west in with a flock of Glossy Ibis.

Birds seen during the day there and inland included:

Polis Chrysochou Bay
From 7.00 am – 8.30am and 11.00am to 16.00 pm
Grey Heron 1
Glossy Ibis flocks of c60 + 34 + 38+ 11 + 52 + c100 + 45 + 18 + c80 (see photo)
Little Egret 27 flying over area all day
Greater Sandplover 1 on beach in morning then flying W later with flock of Glossy Ibis 12:10
Wader spp 18 probably Common Redshank flying offshore heading W
Common Ringed Plover in off sea and inland
Common Kingfisher 1
European Shag 1 offshore
Alpine Swift 2
Common Sandpiper 5

Pittokopos
European Roller 3
Lesser Grey Shrike 1 imm

Pittokopos to Androlikou track
European Roller 5
Long-legged Buzzard 1
Lesser Grey Shrike 2 ad
Woodchat Shrike 2m
Cyprus Warbler 1m and 1f
Masked Shrike 1m and 1 juv

Androlikou
Cyprus Wheatear 2

Prodromi
Eleonora’s Falcon 1 over

Glossy Ibis, Polis Chrysochou Bay 11th August 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Glossy Ibis, Polis Chrysochou Bay 11th August 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Woodchat Shrike, Androlikou 11th August 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours

Woodchat Shrike, Androlikou 11th August 2017 (c) Cyprus Birding Tours