Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - 3 day tour (Paphos/Night Tour, Akrotiri + Akamas)
Namaqua Dove - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 17th I had the pleasure of Guiding Marco and Theresa on a 3 day tour with a heavy photographic focus. We started the day at the Paphos Sewage plant as it was a cloudy morning and the sun was not high enough yet for our main site. At the sewage plant we had a flock of Purple heron flying low and eventually landing in some nearby trees, a Glossy Ibis stood in a field with quite a few Squacco Heron, Little and Cattle Egret. There was only 2 Spur-winged Lapwing
outside the fence and few Red-throated Pipit.
As the light got better we moved around to Agia Varvara where we failed to see any crake species. Then we moved on to our main site, Anarita Park. Here we was treated to many Lesser Kestrel that didn't seem to be very active.
Here we had photo opportunities with male and female Cyprus Warbler and also Cyprus Wheatear. There was decent photo opportunities with Ortolan Bunting also, another target species. We managed to spot a Greenfinch feeding its mate and then copulating briefly. We even saw a Large Whip Snake sun-bathing on the track.
Next stop was Mandria where we managed good photo opportunities with Greater Short-toed Lark and also had good views of Black Francolin, another target species. We was very lucky to see the (Cyprus Rarity 6th) Namaqua Dove that had previously been found in the area. We flushed it some 30 meters from the car.
We then moved on to Timi Beach where we had great views and photo opportunities with an adult male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, and were also treated to a Yellow-legged Gull feeding another and then mating on a rock offshore. I saw a quail land in the vegetation and then flushed it whilst searching. Here we also came across a Mammoth Wasp and a Sand Wasp species carrying a dead Grasshopper. An usual occurrence here was 4 Swallowtail Butterflies all chasing each other and eventually landing all together. I guess competition for mating.
We managed 56 species for the day.
outside the fence and few Red-throated Pipit.
As the light got better we moved around to Agia Varvara where we failed to see any crake species. Then we moved on to our main site, Anarita Park. Here we was treated to many Lesser Kestrel that didn't seem to be very active.
Here we had photo opportunities with male and female Cyprus Warbler and also Cyprus Wheatear. There was decent photo opportunities with Ortolan Bunting also, another target species. We managed to spot a Greenfinch feeding its mate and then copulating briefly. We even saw a Large Whip Snake sun-bathing on the track.
Next stop was Mandria where we managed good photo opportunities with Greater Short-toed Lark and also had good views of Black Francolin, another target species. We was very lucky to see the (Cyprus Rarity 6th) Namaqua Dove that had previously been found in the area. We flushed it some 30 meters from the car.
We then moved on to Timi Beach where we had great views and photo opportunities with an adult male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, and were also treated to a Yellow-legged Gull feeding another and then mating on a rock offshore. I saw a quail land in the vegetation and then flushed it whilst searching. Here we also came across a Mammoth Wasp and a Sand Wasp species carrying a dead Grasshopper. An usual occurrence here was 4 Swallowtail Butterflies all chasing each other and eventually landing all together. I guess competition for mating.
We managed 56 species for the day.
Cyprus Warbler - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
 Yellow-legged Gull copulating - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  |
 Swallowtail Butterfly |  Sand Wasp (Tachysphex sp.) |
Large Whip Snake
The second day was at Akrotiri and Episkopi. We started out at Phassouri for Black Francolin, we found one pretty quickly but it was tricky to photograph, a wary bird on this favoured perch. We did find another later for some photography.
 Black Francolin - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Purple Heron - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
As usual the entrance to the site held many Serin singing and a few Chaffinch.
Heading to the marsh there was a Wryneck perched in the reeds and two Purple Heron on the ground. From the hide there was many Cattle Egret and Little Egret nearby, as were Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Garganey, Ferruginous Duck and Glossy Ibis.
Heading to the marsh there was a Wryneck perched in the reeds and two Purple Heron on the ground. From the hide there was many Cattle Egret and Little Egret nearby, as were Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Garganey, Ferruginous Duck and Glossy Ibis.
 Cattle Egret - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Ferruginous Duck, Shoveler + Mallard - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
Glossy Ibis - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
At the back 3 Great Reed Warblers showed well and in the small reeds much closer, Sedge and Eurasian reed Warbler flitted around.
The gravel pits held a few Woodchat Shrike, Pallid Harrier and a Eurasian Hobby on the ground at the pebbled beach. In a dry grassy area there were many Owlfly's on the wing. Unusually the church area was completely devoid of life.
The gravel pits held a few Woodchat Shrike, Pallid Harrier and a Eurasian Hobby on the ground at the pebbled beach. In a dry grassy area there were many Owlfly's on the wing. Unusually the church area was completely devoid of life.
Eurasian Hobby - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
We continued to Lady's Mile where there was many Ruff, Little Egret and a small party of Marsh Sandpiper and two Greenshank. There wasn't many Gulls around.
We then headed to the Salt Lake. On the way we came across a pair of Collared Pratincole on the ground and a huge group of Glossy Ibis both on the ground and in the air, of which many joined the passing flock. On the salt lake there was many Little Stint with a Temmincks stint very distant. There was a large stretch of Northern pintail on the ground as well as quite a few Greater Flamingo and Grey Heron. A Grey plover was an odd sighting here. Many Swift passed overhead with some Pallid among them.
A few little tern were fishing here and a White-winged Tern was resting on the ground.
On the other side there was a small group of Gull-billed Tern sitting next to some Yellow-legged and Armenian Gull. Slightly to the right was a small group of Kentish Plover and ... a male Caspian Plover, a Cyprus rarity. Two days and two rarities.
We then headed to the Salt Lake. On the way we came across a pair of Collared Pratincole on the ground and a huge group of Glossy Ibis both on the ground and in the air, of which many joined the passing flock. On the salt lake there was many Little Stint with a Temmincks stint very distant. There was a large stretch of Northern pintail on the ground as well as quite a few Greater Flamingo and Grey Heron. A Grey plover was an odd sighting here. Many Swift passed overhead with some Pallid among them.
A few little tern were fishing here and a White-winged Tern was resting on the ground.
On the other side there was a small group of Gull-billed Tern sitting next to some Yellow-legged and Armenian Gull. Slightly to the right was a small group of Kentish Plover and ... a male Caspian Plover, a Cyprus rarity. Two days and two rarities.
 Caspian Plover - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Caspian Plover - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
We then checked Episkopi on the way back for Griffon Vulture and saw one but it wasn't very close. An Eleonora's Falcon sat on the Cliffs in the distance and Alpine Swift buzzed past us many times. We managed a whopping 86 Species.
2 Hours of the tour were reserved for a quick night tour for Cyprus Scops Owl. We managed to find one but not at my trusted site which is now in need of evaluation. We found 4 Little Owls, an Egyptian Fruit Bat, a few Pipistrelle, a Nightjar churring and also a few encounters with Long-eared hedgehog.
2 Hours of the tour were reserved for a quick night tour for Cyprus Scops Owl. We managed to find one but not at my trusted site which is now in need of evaluation. We found 4 Little Owls, an Egyptian Fruit Bat, a few Pipistrelle, a Nightjar churring and also a few encounters with Long-eared hedgehog.
Long-eared Hedgehog - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
The third day was to concentrate more on photography with the Endemics (and only 6 hours to do so) and also target Cretzschmar's Bunting, Ortolan Bunting, Masked Shrike and Eastern Olivaceous Warbler. It was an afternoon tour which was sadly overcast. We did however manage some superb photo opportunities despite the weather of all the mentioned species. I decided the Akamas on the north coast was the place to go.
Other highlights were a pair of Cuckoos, Whinchat, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, 20+ Golden Oriole and almost nabbing a good photo of one, Serin, Great Tit fledglings everywhere, Little Owl, Hoopoe and many many Roller including one in display flight. A female Pallid Harrier did a close flyby and we saw two Eurasian Hobby's. A low count of 45 species for the day and bringing our total to 110 species.
Other highlights were a pair of Cuckoos, Whinchat, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, 20+ Golden Oriole and almost nabbing a good photo of one, Serin, Great Tit fledglings everywhere, Little Owl, Hoopoe and many many Roller including one in display flight. A female Pallid Harrier did a close flyby and we saw two Eurasian Hobby's. A low count of 45 species for the day and bringing our total to 110 species.
Cretzschmar's Bunting - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
 Cretzschmar's Bunting - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Cyprus Warbler - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
Cyprus Warbler - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
 Pallid Harrier - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Cyprus Wheatear - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
Cyprus Wheatear - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
 Cyprus Wheatear - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Common Cuckoo - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
Little Owl - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
| Total: Chukar Partridge Black Francolin Common Quail Mallard Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Garganey Ferruginous Duck Little Grebe Greater Flamingo Glossy Ibis Squacco Heron Cattle Egret Grey Heron Purple Heron Little Egret European Shag Lesser Kestrel Common Kestrel Eleonora's Falcon Eurasian Hobby Griffon Vulture Western Marsh Harrier Pallid Harrier Steppe Buzzard Long-legged Buzzard Bonelli's Eagle Common Moorhen Common Coot Black-winged Stilt Spur-winged Lapwing Grey Plover Common Ringed Plover Little Ringed Plover Kentish Plover Caspian Plover Marsh Sandpiper Common Greenshank Green Sandpiper Wood Sandpiper Little Stint Temminck's Stint Dunlin Ruff Armenian Gull Yellow-legged Gull Gull-billed Tern Little Tern White-winged Tern Rock Dove Common Wood-pigeon European Turtle-dove Eurasian Collared-dove Laughing Dove | Namaqua Dove Common Cuckoo Cyprus Scops Owl Little Owl (h) Eurasian Nightjar Alpine Swift Common Swift Pallid Swift European Roller Eurasian Hoopoe Eurasian Wryneck Woodchat Shrike Masked Shrike Eurasian Golden Oriole Eurasian Magpie Eurasian Jackdaw Hooded Crow Great Tit Greater Short-toed Lark Crested Lark Sand Martin Barn Swallow Red-rumped Swallow Common House-martin Zitting Cisticola Cetti's Warbler Sedge Warbler Eurasian Reed-warbler Great Reed-warbler Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Blackcap Lesser Whitethroat Sardinian Warbler Cyprus Warbler Common Nightingale Common Redstart Whinchat Northern Wheatear Eastern Black-eared Wheatear Cyprus Wheatear Isabelline Wheatear House Sparrow Spanish Sparrow White Wagtail Yellow Wagtail (flava, feldegg) Meadow Pipit Tawny Pipit Red-throated Pipit Common Chaffinch European Serin European Greenfinch European Goldfinch Common Linnet Corn Bunting Ortolan Bunting Cretzschmar's Bunting 110 |
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