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October 20th, 2021

20/10/2021

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Full day tour - Akrotiri with Tomas et al 19/10/21

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On the 19th I guided Tomas around the Akrotiri sites at the tail end of Autumn migration, I had previously done a tour for Tomas and group many years ago in the east of the island. We started at Akrotiri marsh where we was greeted by two female Black Francolins showing well at the entrance cut field. Shortly after we spotted a small white raptor sitting high in a tree. It turned out to be a Black-winged Kite which has been reported in the area for quite some time now. To our surprise though a second was seen in a tree a bit further away, both adults. We had amazing views and both flew quite close to us at one point. A Cyprus Rarity with possibilities of them nesting on the island this year in the north and definitely a future prospect for Cyprus.
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We then continued on to the Tower hide where we got some great views of many Common Kingfisher and a Male Black Francolin in the distance with a few calling in the area. A Little Bittern called out, but unfortunately we did not see it. A few raptors were in the area, mainly Marsh Harriers and Sparrowhawk and we got a distant view of a male Levant Sparrowhawk which was the first adult that I had ever seen in Cyprus, not a common sighting, all my past sightings (6-7) have been juveniles. A White-winged Tern was in the area darting around, and a small flock of Redshank passed a few times. A Great White Egret was spotted flying in the distance.
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We stopped at a few spots along the marsh to see if we could spot a Sociable Lapwing that had been reported the day before, but we could only find Northern and Spur-winged Lapwing. At the last point we came across many Glossy Ibis, Whiskered Tern, a Squacco Heron, Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank sounded flying over. A Hen Harrier was hunting in the area almost catching one of the Whiskered Tern, prior to that it was being mobbed by possibly another Black-winged Kite. A few Sparrowhawk were also hunting in the area, flying low and putting everything up occasionally. 
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Next we ventured through the gravel pits seeing little aside Marsh Harrier, Common Stonechat and Whinchat. We then decided to stop at a cafe for coffee.
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After we finished our coffee's we head off for bishops pool, seeing a few more Sparrowhawk on the way. On the water at Bishop's Pool we had a single Ferruginous Duck, Shoveler, Teal and many Little Grebe. Hunting above the water we had a juvenile Peregrine Falcon, a few Eurasian Hobby's, many Eleonora's Falcon including a juvenile bird, and a few young red-footed falcon, a falcon-fest. Blackcap and Cetti's warblers were calling frequently in the shrub and we had a very close call with another Sparrowhawk.
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Next we ventured to the Salt Lake, seeing very little aside Eleonora's Falcon, Greater Flamingo and a lone Eurasian Curlew.
We decided to visit Zakaki Marsh next and have our lunch in the hide there.
The ONly bird of note here was possibly another Black-winged Kite mobbing a Marsh Harrier.
Lastly we ventured to Kensington Cliffs where we got good views of 3 Griffon Vulture, many Eleonora's Falcons including juveniles and a lone Peregrine Falcon. 
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We finished the day with 67 species, quality over quantity and a very enjoyable tour.
Species List:

Black Francolin (5)   
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Common Teal
Ferruginous Duck    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Glossy Ibis
(h)Little Bittern
Squacco Heron
Cattle Egret
Great Egret
Little Egret
Common Kestrel   
Red-footed Falcon    
Eleonora's Falcon  
Eurasian Hobby
Peregrine Falcon
Black-winged Kite (4)
Griffon Vulture
Western Marsh Harrier  
Hen Harrier
Levant Sparrowhawk 
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (12)
(h)Water Rail
(h)Corncrake 
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Snipe 

Black-tailed Godwit   
Eurasian Curlew
Spotted Redshank 
Common Redshank 
Common Greenshank 
Wood Sandpiper 
Ruff 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Whiskered Tern
White-winged Tern
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Kingfisher
Red-backed Shrike 
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark  
Barn Swallow 
Zitting Cisticola  
(h)Cetti's Warbler
(h)Eurasian Reed-warbler
(h)Great Reed-warbler
Willow Warbler 
Common Chiffchaff 
(h)Blackcap 
Song Thrush   
Whinchat
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail 
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Tree Pipit 
67

May 17th, 2021

17/5/2021

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - 2 Day tour Paphos and Akrotiri with Max 13+14/05/2021

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On the 13th Max and I set out for Akrotiri to do some general birding before venturing up to Troodos for a few target species; Dorothy's Short-toed Treecreeper, Cyprus Scops Owl and Red Crossbill.
Our first stop was the run off at the Salt Lake where there was a few waders to pick through. Oddly a few grey plovers were present in winter plumage among the many little stint and curlew sandpipers with a few ruff here and there. A big party of Little Terns were present with one displaying with a fish. Shortly after a White-winged Tern flew in and joined them. A pair of Sanderling were on one of the islands but seemingly disappeared by the time I put the scope in their direction. 
We then checked Zakaki marsh for Caspian reed warbler of which there was a few and a Night Heron flying over.
Next was the Gravel Pits where we was lucky to see a small party of very late Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters.
We then ventured to Akrotiri/phassouri Marsh which had good levels of life. A few marsh sandpiper and little stint were the highlights here, as well as glossy ibis, lesser grey shrike and black-winged stilt.
On the way to Troodos we checked a vinyard for Black-headed Bunting, of which there was a few on the wires.
Our first stop in Troodos at the meteorological site provided good views of jay, masked shrike and eastern olivaceous warbler.
Moving to livadi tou passia we got great views of a Red Crossbill family, Spotted Flycatcher, Coal Tit and our target Dorothy's Short-toed Treecreeper.
We checked a few nest boxes for Cyprus Scops Owl and although one was likely being used we didn't manage to see it.
​We finished the day with 76 Species  
Highlight from the second day in Paphos was seeing a Great Spotted Cuckoo in flight at a Bonelli's Eagle territory of which sadly seems to have been abandoned. A Peregrine Falcon on territory, hearing a few Cyprus Scops Owls close but sadly not getting any views, great views of multiple Little Bittern at a suspected nesting site, A Purple Heron, A late Greater Short-toed Lark and a stunning Collared Pratincole in pristine plumage bringing our two day total to 92 Species.
​
Species List:

​Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Glossy Ibis
Black-crowned Night-heron
Squacco Heron
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Common Kestrel   
Eleonora's Falcon  
Western Marsh Harrier  
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Black-winged Stilt 
Spur-winged Lapwing
Grey Plover
Common Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover    
Marsh Sandpiper 
Common Greenshank 
Wood Sandpiper 
Sanderling 
Little Stint 
Curlew Sandpiper 
Ruff 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Little Tern     
White-winged Tern
Common Wood-pigeon   
European Turtle-dove
Eurasian Collared-dove
Laughing Dove
Alpine Swift   
Common Swift
Pallid Swift   
European Roller   
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
European Bee-eater   
Eurasian Hoopoe 
Lesser Grey Shrike
Masked Shrike 
Eurasian Golden Oriole
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius glaszneri)   
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Coal Tit (Parus ater cypriotes)
Great Tit (Parus major aphrodite)



Crested Lark (Galerida cristata cypriaca)  
Sand Martin
Barn Swallow 
Red-rumped Swallow   
Common House-martin    
Zitting Cisticola  
Cetti's Warbler
​​Eurasian Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus fuscus)
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 
Sardinian Warbler
Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes cypriotes)
Dorothy's (Short-toed) Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla dorotheae)
Eurasian Blackbird    
(h)Common Nightingale
Spotted Flycatcher
House Sparrow 
Yellow Wagtail (*M.f.thunbergii)   
Grey Wagtail 
Common Chaffinch 
European Serin 
European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris muehlei)  
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra guillemardi)
Corn Bunting
(h)Cretzschmar's Bunting 
Black-headed Bunting
76

Great Spotted Cuckoo
Chukar (Alectoris chukar cypriotes)
Spanish Sparrow
Long-legged Buzzard
Whinchat
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus brookei)
Rock Dove
(h) Cyprus Scops Owl
Little Owl
Eurasian Stone Curlew
Little Bittern
Purple Heron
Great Reed Warbler
(h)Sedge Warbler
Greater Short-toed Lark
Collared Pratincole

92

March 24th, 2021

24/3/2021

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - 12 Day tour with (alias) Aladdin 07/03/2021

From the 7th of March I guided Aladdin island wide on a 12 day tour. I had previously given Aladdin a 4 day tour back in 2018.
We had scheduled to do a day in the North of Cyprus but unfortunately the border crossing was closed and also we cancelled the day in Nicosia in favour of repeat visiting a few sites.
Some of the highlights of this tour included 2 Great Crested Grebes in full breeding plumage, a species that only recently started nesting again in Cyprus a few years ago in the famagusta area at Achna Dam. Greater Flamingo still engaging in their courtship dance at Larnaca Salt Lake. Red-crested Pochard, a species only found at one site in the republic of Cyprus, a single nesting pair. A Little Bittern calling at the Phassouri Tower hide, a bird that surely must have over-wintered. 2 Pallid Harriers, one at Timi and another at Kensington Cliffs, both female. A Greater Sand Plover at Mandria pretty much in full breeding plumage.
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Greater Sand Plover - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
A Cream-coloured Courser was probably the best find of the tour located on the last day in Larnaca.
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Cream-coloured Courser - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
We also managed to see one of the rarest breeding birds in Cyprus, a Common Raven (The first I had seen in the Republic) which are listed as critically endangered in Cyprus with only a few nesting pairs, none of which in the republic, this was spotted by Aladdin on the Akamas peninsular near Fontana Amarosa of which we had a very good day at a site very rarely birded, with great numbers of migrant warblers in nearby bushes.
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Common Raven - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
All the endemics posed nice and close for us, although the Cyprus Wheatears newly arrived were a little bit tricky to get close to. Many Cyprus Warblers showed close and also at a day roost we had great close photo opportunities with a Cyprus Scops Owl and hearing two others at different sites.
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Cyprus Scops Owl - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Cyprus Warbler - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Cyprus Wheatear - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
An Ehrenberg's Redstart was a great find at Cape Greco along with an early Masked Shrike and lastly one of the two bluethroats we saw was singing meters from the car for over 10 minutes.
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Masked Shrike - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Probably one of the most memorable moments of the tour for me was spotting a traumatized Cetti's Warbler on the main road at Oroklini, stopping to pick it up, check over and successful release at a quiet area of the lake.
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Cetti's Warbler - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
An amazing tour with great company managing 148 species and good numbers of each.
There was a few species we just couldn't manage though; Pallid Swift, Stone Curlew and Sandwich Tern seemed to evade us, all being fairly common species. We also missed out on the Griffon Vultures despite visiting one of their nesting sites twice. We tried twitching a female Hooded Wheatear of which we was at the site 5 minutes after I was alerted to its presence but unfortunately it had left. So 148 out of a possible 163 reported.
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Bluethroat - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Black Francolin - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Caucasian Water Pipit - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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M.f.superciliaris - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Spectacled Warbler - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Common Kingfisher - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Greater Short-toed Lark - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Ruppell's Warbler - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Cretzschmar's Bunting - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Western Black Redstart - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Red Crossbill - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Slender-billed Gull - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Great Spotted Cuckoo - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Eastern Subalpine Warbler - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Blue Rock Thrush - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Ehrenberg's Redstart - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Ferruginous Duck - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Tawny Pipit - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Eastern Black-eared Wheatear - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Eastern Bonelli's Warbler - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Alpine Swift - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List: (many numbers are estimated)
Chukar Partridge 30+   
Black Francolin 7+    
Common Quail 2h
Common Shelduck 20+   
Ruddy Shelduck 1           
Mallard 50+   
Northern Shoveler 200+
Northern Pintail 2
Garganey 400+   
Common Teal 100+
Ferruginous Duck 7   
Red-crested Pochard 2 
Little Grebe 10+
Great Crested Grebe 2   
Greater Flamingo 10,000+
Glossy Ibis 4
Little Bittern 1h
Cattle Egret 50+
Grey Heron 30+
Great Egret 4
Little Egret 10+
Great Cormorant 200+  
European Shag 10  
Common Kestrel 20+   
Peregrine Falcon 1
Western Marsh Harrier 10+ 
Hen Harrier 2
Pallid Harrier 2
Eurasian Sparrowhawk 2
Northern Goshawk 1h
Common Buzzard 3
Long-legged Buzzard 6    
Bonelli's Eagle 1    
Water Rail h
Common Moorhen 30+  
Common Coot 300+
Black-winged Stilt 20+
Pied Avocet 1
Spur-winged Lapwing 20+
Eurasian Golden Plover 5
Grey Plover 4
Common Ringed Plover 
Little Ringed Plover 10+
Kentish Plover 20+    
Greater Sand Plover 1
Common Snipe 20+
Black-tailed Godwit 5   
Spotted Redshank 1
Common Redshank 20+
Marsh Sandpiper 1
Common Greenshank 1 
Green Sandpiper 4
Wood Sandpiper 1 
Common Sandpiper 1
Little Stint 20+
Dunlin 1
Ruff 50+
Cream-coloured Courser 1
Heuglin's (Siberian) Gull 1 
Armenian Gull 8
Yellow-legged Gull 100+
Caspian Gull 1
Baltic Gull 1
Black-headed Gull 1000
Slender-billed Gull 50+
Mediterranean Gull 1  
Rock Dove 4
Common Wood-pigeon 1000+  
Eurasian Collared-dove 15+
Laughing Dove 9
​
Great Spotted Cuckoo 5
Cyprus Scops Owl 3 (2h)
Little Owl 4 (3h)
Alpine Swift 30+  
Common Swift 30+
Common Kingfisher 1
Eurasian Hoopoe 30+ 
Eurasian Wryneck 1
Woodchat Shrike 1
Masked Shrike 1
Eurasian Jay 2   
Eurasian Magpie 10+   
Eurasian Jackdaw 1000+   
Hooded Crow 30+
Common Raven 1  
Coal Tit 10+
Great Tit 6
Eurasian Penduline tit 2h
Greater Short-toed Lark 8
Crested Lark  
Wood Lark 2
Eurasian Skylark 10+
Sand Martin 6
Eurasian Crag-martin 1 
Barn Swallow 50+
Red-rumped Swallow 20+  
Common House-martin 10+    
Zitting Cisticola 5 
Cetti's Warbler 10+
Sedge Warbler 3 (2h)
Eurasian Reed-warbler 1
Common Chiffchaff 10+
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 4
Blackcap 2
Lesser Whitethroat 7 (5h)
Eastern Orphean Warbler 2
Rueppell's Warbler 15+
Sardinian Warbler 10+
Cyprus Warbler 6
Eastern Subalpine Warbler 10+
Spectacled Warbler 6 
Eurasian Wren 3
Dorothy's (Short-toed) Treecreeper 7 (6h)
Common Starling 16
Eurasian Blackbird 3    
Song Thrush 7   
European Robin 2
Common Nightingale 2h
Bluethroat 2
Western Black Redstart 11
Common Redstart 1 +(Ehrenberg's Redstart 1)
Common Stonechat 40+
Northern Wheatear 20+ 
Finsch's Wheatear 1
Eastern Black-eared Wheatear 11
Cyprus Wheatear 5
Isabelline Wheatear 30+
Blue Rock-thrush 3
House Sparrow 30+
Spanish Sparrow 200+   
White Wagtail 50+
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava, *Superciliaris, *Dombrowskii)   
Black-headed Wagtail 100+
Grey Wagtail 1 
Tawny Pipit 6  
Tree Pipit 2
Meadow Pipit 50+
Red-throated Pipit h
Water Pipit (*Caucasian Water Pipit) 7
Common Chaffinch 20+
European Serin 200+
European Greenfinch 10+   
Eurasian Siskin 5
European Goldfinch 20+
Common Linnet 100+
Red Crossbill 3
Corn Bunting 50+
Cretzschmar's Bunting 30+
148

November 10th, 2020

10/11/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - promo Paphos half-day tour with Tom and Molly 10/11/2020

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Whimbrel - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Greater Sand Plover - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Grey Wagtail - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Bonelli's Eagle - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Peregrine Falcon - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List:

Chukar Partridge    
Mallard    
Garganey   
Common Teal
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Great Cormorant   
Common Kestrel   
Peregrine Falcon
Hen Harrier
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Long-legged Buzzard     
Bonelli's Eagle    
(h)Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Spur-winged Lapwing
Greater Sand Plover
Common Snipe 
Whimbrel  
Yellow-legged Gull 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Little Owl
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Crested Lark  
Wood Lark
Eurasian Skylark
(h)Cetti's Warbler
Common Chiffchaff 
Sardinian Warbler
Common Starling 
(h)European Robin
Western Black Redstart 
Common Stonechat
Northern Wheatear 
Blue Rock-thrush 
House Sparrow 
White Wagtail
Grey Wagtail 
Meadow Pipit 
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet
(h)Corn Bunting

47 species

November 04th, 2020

4/11/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Akrotiri promo half-day tour with Louise and Alan 04/11/2020

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Eurasian Penduline Tit - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Eurasian Penduline Tit - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Caucasian Water Pipit - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Cattle Egret - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List:

Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Garganey   
Common Teal
Common Pochard   
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Glossy Ibis
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Great Cormorant   
Common Kestrel   
Western Marsh Harrier  
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Water Rail
Spotted Crake
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover    
Common Snipe 

Green Sandpiper 
Wood Sandpiper ​
Little Stint 
​
Dunlin 
Armenian Gull 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Eurasian Penduline tit
Crested Lark  
Zitting Cisticola  
(h)Cetti's Warbler
Moustached Warbler
(h)Eurasian Reed-warbler
Common Chiffchaff 
Blackcap 
(h)European Robin
Bluethroat
Western Black Redstart
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Black-headed Wagtail 
Meadow Pipit 
Red-throated Pipit
Water Pipit (*Caucasian Water Pipit)
Common Chaffinch 
European Goldfinch

58

October 28th, 2020

28/10/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Full-Day Tour Paphos & Akrotiri 28/10/2020.

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Bluethroat - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 28th I guided Geoffrey around the Akrotiri and Paphos sites.
We started at Akrotiri (Phassouri) Marsh where we came upon many Common Snipe at the waters edge. Common teal, Moorhen and Coot were abundant here as well as at least 4 Common Kingfisher. Reed Warblers and Water Rails were heard in the reeds but unfortunately not seen. Quite a few Cattle Egret were in the area, spotting one perched on a cow. Further up we got views of Yellow Wagtail and White Wagtail with many Red-throated Pipit calling but being tricky to locate,we got great views of a Water Pipit here though. In the distance a Starling and two Little Stint were feeding in the water. Both Northern and Spur-winged Lapwing were present with some close to the fence. At the last stop along the marsh we had views of at least 4 Glossy ibis and some Little Egret at the back. A single Wood sandpiper was present as well as many Common Snipe. A Red-footed Falcon passed close overhead, a juvenile bird shortly followed by a Eurasian Hobby flying low hunting dragonflies. Quite a few Marsh Harriers were knocking about and I managed a fleeting glimpse of a Hen Harrier here. The White Stork appears to have migrated from the area thankfully.
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Red-footed Falcon - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Many Stonechats later and a drive through the much devoid Akrotiri Gravel Pits we arrived at the Salt Lake. Many Greater Flamingos were showing as well as a few Great Egret. I couldn't pick out anything from the gulls aside Yellow Legged and Black-headed this time round. A few Eleonor's Falcons passed over and in the reeds section we had amazing views of a Bluethroat.
We then checked Ladies Mile for waders. Little Stint, Common Ringed Plover and Kentish Plover were on show. A Greater Sand Plover was also present, saving a trip to the Paphos headland later.
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Greater Sand Plover - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Next we stopped at Bishop's Pool for waterfowl. We managed to see Ferruginous Duck here as well as Common Pochard, Northern Pintail, Gadwall and the usuals.
Our next stop was Kensington cliffs where for the 5th trip running we were not able to see a single Griffon Vulture, which is deeply worrying. We did pick out a few Eleonora's Falcons, European Shag and a Blue Rock Thrush.
We then drove back to Paphos stopping at Mandria for Dinner. At Mandria we saw many Laughing Dove and despite seeing them in flight and hearing them we still didn't manage a good view of a Red-throated Pipit. The small football pitch held maybe over 100 Water Pipit, with some red-throated among them but distant. Also a few Starling were feeding in the grass as well as a group of Spanish Sparrow.
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Caucasian Water Pipit - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Our next target was Finsch's Wheatear at Anarita Park which seems to have not arrived yet sadly and not many birds of note were seen here, probably due to a large fire in the area.
Our last stop was the Paphos Sewage Plant which also was fairly quiet. Spur-winged Lapwing showed here but not much else aside a Eurasian Sparrowhawk.
We finished the day with 63 species.
Species List:

Black Francolin    
Gadwall 
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Common Teal
Common Pochard   
Ferruginous Duck    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Glossy Ibis
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
European Shag  
Common Kestrel   
Eleonora's Falcon  
Eurasian Hobby
Red-footed Falcon
Western Marsh Harrier  
Hen Harrier
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
(h)Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover    
Greater Sand Plover
Common Snipe 
​Wood Sandpiper 

Little Stint 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Laughing Dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark  
(h)Cetti's Warbler
(h)Eurasian Reed-warbler
Common Chiffchaff 
(h)Sardinian Warbler
Common Starling 
Bluethroat
Common Stonechat
Blue Rock-thrush 
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail 
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Black-headed Wagtail 
Red-throated Pipit
Water Pipit (*Caucasian Water Pipit)
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet

63

October 25th, 2020

25/10/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Half-Day Promo Akrotiri 24/10/2020. Diane and James

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Bluethroat - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Ferruginous Duck - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Eleonora's Falcon - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List:

Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Common Teal
Ferruginous Duck    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Black-crowned Night-heron
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
European Shag  
Common Kestrel   
Red-footed Falcon    
Eleonora's Falcon  
Eurasian Hobby
Western Marsh Harrier  
Hen Harrier
Pallid Harrier
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
(h)Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover    
Common Snipe 
Wood Sandpiper 
Little Stint 
Armenian Gull 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Caspian Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark  
Barn Swallow 
Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Common Chiffchaff 
Blackcap 
Sardinian Warbler
Bluethroat
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Black-headed Wagtail 
Red-throated Pipit

63

October 22nd, 2020

22/10/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Half-Day Promo Akrotiri 22/10/2020. Rita and Steve

Picture
Eurasian Hobby - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Picture
Black Francolin - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Picture
Ferruginous Duck - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List:

Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Common Teal
Ferruginous Duck    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
White Stork
Black-crowned Night-heron
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Common Kestrel 
Eurasian Hobby  
Red-footed Falcon    
Eleonora's Falcon  
Western Marsh Harrier  
Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Common Snipe 
Wood Sandpiper 
Common Sandpiper 
Temminck's Stint 
Armenian Gull 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark  
Barn Swallow 
Zitting Cisticola  
(h)Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Common Chiffchaff 
(h)Blackcap 
Bluethroat
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Black-headed Wagtail 
Red-throated Pipit
European Goldfinch

56

October 21st, 2020

21/10/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Half-Day Promo Akrotiri 21/10/2020. Jane and Sandra

Picture
Red-footed Falcon - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Picture
Northern Pintail - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Picture
Ferruginous Duck - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List:

Black Francolin    
Gadwall 
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Common Teal
Ferruginous Duck    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Black-crowned Night-heron
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Common Kestrel   
Red-footed Falcon    
Eleonora's Falcon  
Western Marsh Harrier  
(h)Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover    
Common Snipe 
Black-tailed Godwit   
Spotted Redshank 
Wood Sandpiper 
​Sanderling 

Little Stint 
Temminck's Stint 
Dunlin 
Armenian Gull 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Caspian Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark  
Barn Swallow 
Zitting Cisticola  
(h)Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Willow Warbler 
Common Chiffchaff 
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Black-headed Wagtail 
Red-throated Pipit
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch

63

October 20th, 2020

20/10/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Half-Day Promo Akrotiri 20/10/2020. Joe and Jeff

Picture
White Stork- Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Picture
Greater Flamingo - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Picture
Green Turtle - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List:

Chukar Partridge    
(h)Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Common Teal
Northern Shoveler
Greater Flamingo
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Black-crowned Night-heron
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Little Egret
European Shag  
Common Kestrel   
Eleonora's Falcon  
Western Marsh Harrier  
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Northern Goshawk
Common Buzzard
(h)Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover    
Common Snipe 
Wood Sandpiper 
Little Stint 
Armenian Gull ​



Yellow-legged Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Slender-billed Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Crested Lark  
Barn Swallow 
Zitting Cisticola  
(h)Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Willow Warbler 
Common Chiffchaff 
(h)Blackcap 
Sardinian Warbler
Bluethroat
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
*Black-headed Wagtail 
Red-throated Pipit

57

- Crimson Speckled Moth
- Green Turtle
<<Previous
    Mostly all photos are taken with a
    - Canon 7D mkii (older photos with mk1)
    and a
    - Canon 400mm Ef-s USM l f5.6 Lens. 
    - no teleconverter.

    Macro: 
    Tamron sp 90mm f017
    (older: Canon sx50 HS)


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