Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD Tour - Paphos 28/04/2018
Montagu's Harrier - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 28th I had the pleasure of guiding Hugh and Joyce around the Paphos Sites.
Starting at the Paphos Sewage Works we were treated to Spur-winged Lapwing and many Golden Oriole. We spotted a Tree Pipit calling in flight and also heard a red-throated pipit. Many various Yellow Wagtails were feeding in the freshly cut field.
A Wood sandpiper and a ruff was a good spot near some puddles and we also managed many Turtle Doves here with some smashing views.
Moving on to Anarita Park we browsed through the many Rollers, Red-footed Falcons and Lesser kestrels. There was a decent number of Montagu's Harriers hunting throughout the site, we had great views of them all in flight close and also many of them on the ground feeding nearby. A female Pallid Harrier was also among them.
Smaller birds were thin on the ground though we did manage to find a Whinchat, Cyprus Warblers and Cyprus Wheatears. We got some great views of Spanish Sparrows here collecting nesting material in a mixed group with House Sparrows.
Starting at the Paphos Sewage Works we were treated to Spur-winged Lapwing and many Golden Oriole. We spotted a Tree Pipit calling in flight and also heard a red-throated pipit. Many various Yellow Wagtails were feeding in the freshly cut field.
A Wood sandpiper and a ruff was a good spot near some puddles and we also managed many Turtle Doves here with some smashing views.
Moving on to Anarita Park we browsed through the many Rollers, Red-footed Falcons and Lesser kestrels. There was a decent number of Montagu's Harriers hunting throughout the site, we had great views of them all in flight close and also many of them on the ground feeding nearby. A female Pallid Harrier was also among them.
Smaller birds were thin on the ground though we did manage to find a Whinchat, Cyprus Warblers and Cyprus Wheatears. We got some great views of Spanish Sparrows here collecting nesting material in a mixed group with House Sparrows.
 Montagus Harrier - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Montagu's Harrier - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
Montagu's Harrier - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Agia Varvara was the next site where many Black Francolin were calling but proving very hard to find as usual. The Zitting Cisticolas were flitting about as usual but life here seemed quite poor compared to recent. Our best birds here was a lone Purple Heron, Little Owl, a brief glimpse at a Collared Flycatcher and a few Pallid Swift among the many Commons.
We then moved on to Mandria which seemed very quiet. We did see a migrating flock of Glossy Ibis and many of the shrikes (Lesser Grey, Woodchat and Red-backed). The Stone Curlew were still in the same field. We cut through to Timi where a large group of Squacco Heron were all on the beach in full summer plumage, not something you get to see very often in Cyprus. A European Shag and Common Sandpiper were the only other birds on the shore.
We then moved on to Mandria which seemed very quiet. We did see a migrating flock of Glossy Ibis and many of the shrikes (Lesser Grey, Woodchat and Red-backed). The Stone Curlew were still in the same field. We cut through to Timi where a large group of Squacco Heron were all on the beach in full summer plumage, not something you get to see very often in Cyprus. A European Shag and Common Sandpiper were the only other birds on the shore.
Eurasian Stone Curlew - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Squacco Heron - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Then we went to Asprokremnos Dam to have our lunch and check the woodland for flycatchers. The sound of Golden Oriole singing whilst we had our lunch was very pleasant and a Spotted Flycatcher darted around the trees along with many Goldfinch and Great Tit families.
Moving further inland we headed to the Xeros river which also seemed much quieter than it had been recently. The Red-rumped Swallows were still around collecting mud ... they landed quite close to us at times. On the water we could only make out Wood Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper.
We then decided to head to Episkopi in hope of getting more views of Cyprus Wheatear of which we did. Also quite a few more Rollers and a few Pied Flycatchers. Many Eastern Olivaceous Warbler were singing in the bushes, one popped up for a minute.
Many finches were calling and singing, Linnet being the best of the bunch. A few Golden oriole flew into a woodland but proved to be very hard to see.
At the Peregrine Site we had great scoped views of 2 fluffy chicks and the male Peregrine in flight for long periods of time, a Great Spotted Cuckoo flew in and landed inside the fenced area where unfortunately we couldn't see it. We finished the day with 63 species.
Moving further inland we headed to the Xeros river which also seemed much quieter than it had been recently. The Red-rumped Swallows were still around collecting mud ... they landed quite close to us at times. On the water we could only make out Wood Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper.
We then decided to head to Episkopi in hope of getting more views of Cyprus Wheatear of which we did. Also quite a few more Rollers and a few Pied Flycatchers. Many Eastern Olivaceous Warbler were singing in the bushes, one popped up for a minute.
Many finches were calling and singing, Linnet being the best of the bunch. A few Golden oriole flew into a woodland but proved to be very hard to see.
At the Peregrine Site we had great scoped views of 2 fluffy chicks and the male Peregrine in flight for long periods of time, a Great Spotted Cuckoo flew in and landed inside the fenced area where unfortunately we couldn't see it. We finished the day with 63 species.
Red-rumped Swallow - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
| Species: Chukar Partridge (h) Black Francolin Glossy Ibis Squacco Heron Purple Heron European Shag Lesser Kestrel Common Kestrel Red-footed Falcon Peregrine Falcon Pallid Harrier Montagu's Harrier Spur-winged Lapwing Wood Sandpiper Green Sandpiper Common Sandpiper Ruff Yellow-legged Gull Common Wood-pigeon European Turtle-dove Eurasian Collared-dove Great Spotted Cuckoo Little Owl Common Swift Pallid Swift European Roller Red-backed Shrike Lesser Grey Shrike Woodchat Shrike Eurasian Golden Oriole Eurasian Magpie | Eurasian Jackdaw Hooded Crow Great Tit Crested Lark Sand Martin Barn Swallow Red-rumped Swallow Common House-martin Zitting Cisticola Cetti's Warbler (h) Eurasian Reed Warbler Sedge Warbler Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Eurasian Blackcap Common Whitethroat Sardinian Warbler Cyprus Warbler Whinchat Cyprus Wheatear Spotted Flycatcher European Pied Flycatcher Collared Flycatcher House Sparrow Spanish Sparrow White Wagtail Yellow Wagtail Tree Pipit (h) Red-throated Pipit European Greenfinch European Goldfinch Common Linnet Corn Bunting 63 |
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