Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD 3 day tour 27-30/03/2018
Lesser Kestrel - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
From the 28th I had the pleasure of guiding Jacob and Nancy on a 3 day tour. Unfortunately along with the continuing atmospheric dust and increased winds the Israeli's were doing military exercises with the Cypriots and low flying jets are certainly causing the birds stress.
Highlights included a Squacco Heron flying over, male and female Pallid Harriers hunting nearby, Laughing doves displaying, A Great Spotted Cuckoo showing well and calling out ... a species that seems to be in serious decline over recent years and proving a hard bird to find this year,
A small party of Water Pipit showing well and maybe more than 30 Eurasian Hoopoe at just 2 sites! Maybe the star birds were a pack of 11 Lesser Kestrels hovering and hunting all around the car providing amazing photo opportunities. A great start managing 58 species.
Highlights included a Squacco Heron flying over, male and female Pallid Harriers hunting nearby, Laughing doves displaying, A Great Spotted Cuckoo showing well and calling out ... a species that seems to be in serious decline over recent years and proving a hard bird to find this year,
A small party of Water Pipit showing well and maybe more than 30 Eurasian Hoopoe at just 2 sites! Maybe the star birds were a pack of 11 Lesser Kestrels hovering and hunting all around the car providing amazing photo opportunities. A great start managing 58 species.
 Eurasian Stone Curlew - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Lesser Kestrel - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Peahen + Chukar - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Corn Bunting - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
Eurasian Hoopoe and Superciliaris form of Yellow Wagtail - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
The second day was at Akrotiri. Driving out of Paphos the weather looked like it was going to be pretty grim ... though just before arriving the sky cleared. What a result. Though the day got gradually windier and dustier with some rain.
We started at Phassouri Marsh where a very rare Eastern Siberian White Wagtail (ocularis sp.) had been found the previous day. We couldn't find it, though no-one else did until 5pm. On entering the site we stopped to watch some European Serin feeding on the grassy verge and also some in display and worked our way through the finches before moving on to the marsh species. On the marsh we managed Black Francolin (Target Species), a few Squacco Herons, Little and Cattle Egret, Glossy Ibis, Ruff and a Greenshank among others. Heading onto the gravel pits we was treated to a few large mixed waterfowl flocks, mainly Paintail, Shoveler and Garganey... plus a small passage of Baltic Gull and Black-headed Gull. Wheatears were everywhere with the odd Isabelline still around, a lovely Woodchat Shrike posed well in the shrub though seemed quite nervous.
A Wryneck posed incredibly well on a wooden pole just meters from the car and many Lesser Whitethroat were hopping around the Acacia. After a quick look at our endemic Ophrys Kotschyi we continued.
We started at Phassouri Marsh where a very rare Eastern Siberian White Wagtail (ocularis sp.) had been found the previous day. We couldn't find it, though no-one else did until 5pm. On entering the site we stopped to watch some European Serin feeding on the grassy verge and also some in display and worked our way through the finches before moving on to the marsh species. On the marsh we managed Black Francolin (Target Species), a few Squacco Herons, Little and Cattle Egret, Glossy Ibis, Ruff and a Greenshank among others. Heading onto the gravel pits we was treated to a few large mixed waterfowl flocks, mainly Paintail, Shoveler and Garganey... plus a small passage of Baltic Gull and Black-headed Gull. Wheatears were everywhere with the odd Isabelline still around, a lovely Woodchat Shrike posed well in the shrub though seemed quite nervous.
A Wryneck posed incredibly well on a wooden pole just meters from the car and many Lesser Whitethroat were hopping around the Acacia. After a quick look at our endemic Ophrys Kotschyi we continued.
Eurasian Wryneck - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Lady's Mile was fairly devoid of waders though we did find a pair of Kentish Plovers very close to us and Eurasian Hoopoe. A large flock of Greater Short-toed Lark foraged on the ground along with many Tawny Pipits.
The Gulls present were mainly all Armenian Gulls with one Caspian Gull and an Adult Yellow-legged Gull. Two Baltic Gull flew in and landed on the water and we was also treated to a Heuglin's gull flying in but unfortunately not landing ... presumably the same individual with
a broken bill that has been present for a long period of time in the area.
Zakaki Marsh didn't hold much and seems even more neglected with glass bottles thrown in the water infront of the hide ... what a sad state of affairs. We did hear a Common Kingfisher here as well as a Reed Warbler, and spotted a Marsh Harrier and a Willow Warbler flitting about in a nearby tamarisk.
Moving on to the Salt Lake we spotted many waders, the star bird here and for the day was a Eurasian Scops Owl .. a bird much lighter and browner than our endemic Cyprus Scops Owl. A great spot by Jacob, the bird was sitting in a shrub roughly 1 meter above the water, a very odd place for a Scops Owl to be, with a Common Snipe sleeping infront of it and a white wagtail to the side ... undoubtedly the only time I will see those species together in Cyprus.
Quite a rare sighting, though I imagine Jacob and Nancy would have much rathered our endemic one.
The Gulls present were mainly all Armenian Gulls with one Caspian Gull and an Adult Yellow-legged Gull. Two Baltic Gull flew in and landed on the water and we was also treated to a Heuglin's gull flying in but unfortunately not landing ... presumably the same individual with
a broken bill that has been present for a long period of time in the area.
Zakaki Marsh didn't hold much and seems even more neglected with glass bottles thrown in the water infront of the hide ... what a sad state of affairs. We did hear a Common Kingfisher here as well as a Reed Warbler, and spotted a Marsh Harrier and a Willow Warbler flitting about in a nearby tamarisk.
Moving on to the Salt Lake we spotted many waders, the star bird here and for the day was a Eurasian Scops Owl .. a bird much lighter and browner than our endemic Cyprus Scops Owl. A great spot by Jacob, the bird was sitting in a shrub roughly 1 meter above the water, a very odd place for a Scops Owl to be, with a Common Snipe sleeping infront of it and a white wagtail to the side ... undoubtedly the only time I will see those species together in Cyprus.
Quite a rare sighting, though I imagine Jacob and Nancy would have much rathered our endemic one.
 White Wagtail, Eurasian Scops Owl and Common Snipe - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Eurasian Scops Owl - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Eurasian Scops Owl - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
The Salt Lake held very little life compared to previous days and so we moved on to Bishops Pool to have our lunch. Highlights here was a Black-necked Grebe in summer plumage and some Ferruginous Duck.
Our last stop was at Kensington Cliffs for the Griffon Vultures. We was treated to a few close flyby's by three of the vultures. One of the vultures was being mobbed by a pair of Peregrine Falcons on entering the territory which was amazing to see.
As we left the site we also saw the Peregrines mobbing a Long-legged Buzzard which surprisingly fought back with a few dives at the falcons. A great bit of action and a great way to end the tour.
We managed a whopping 85 species.
Our last stop was at Kensington Cliffs for the Griffon Vultures. We was treated to a few close flyby's by three of the vultures. One of the vultures was being mobbed by a pair of Peregrine Falcons on entering the territory which was amazing to see.
As we left the site we also saw the Peregrines mobbing a Long-legged Buzzard which surprisingly fought back with a few dives at the falcons. A great bit of action and a great way to end the tour.
We managed a whopping 85 species.
Eurasian Griffon Vulture - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Eurasian Griffon Vulture - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
The last day was situated at Cape Greco, Oroklini and Larnaca. We did visit Paralimni Lake but it seems to have dried up very quickly on the outer marshy areas.
We started at Oroklini where we saw the many Cattle Egrets nesting. Highights here was a female Little Crake very close to the hide, a pair of Squacco Herons, 2 Water Pipits in summer plumage, a pair of Red-crested Pochard and a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater amazingly still hanging around and posing well for us.
Moving on to Cape Greco the bird numbers were quite underwhelming considering recent sightings in the area. Best we managed here was a pair of Ruppell's Warbler (m&f), Cyprus Warbler (m&f), A few Woodchat Shrike, Wryneck an Ortolan Bunting, Nightingale and some Tawny Pipits. No sign of the Trumpeter finch seen the previous day. Lesser Whitethroat seem to have arrived in numbers here.
We stopped at Menou, Larnaca Sewage Pools and Larnaca Salt Lake on the way back... but seems to be a huge clear out of species, the salt lake was practically empty as well as the lakes aside some Greater Flamingo. The Sewage Pools held some yellow wagtail including
a dombowskii form, Teal, Shoveler, a Wigeon and a Green Sandpiper.
We managed 66 species for the day.
A very enjoyable tour bringing our total species count to 108 species.
We started at Oroklini where we saw the many Cattle Egrets nesting. Highights here was a female Little Crake very close to the hide, a pair of Squacco Herons, 2 Water Pipits in summer plumage, a pair of Red-crested Pochard and a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater amazingly still hanging around and posing well for us.
Moving on to Cape Greco the bird numbers were quite underwhelming considering recent sightings in the area. Best we managed here was a pair of Ruppell's Warbler (m&f), Cyprus Warbler (m&f), A few Woodchat Shrike, Wryneck an Ortolan Bunting, Nightingale and some Tawny Pipits. No sign of the Trumpeter finch seen the previous day. Lesser Whitethroat seem to have arrived in numbers here.
We stopped at Menou, Larnaca Sewage Pools and Larnaca Salt Lake on the way back... but seems to be a huge clear out of species, the salt lake was practically empty as well as the lakes aside some Greater Flamingo. The Sewage Pools held some yellow wagtail including
a dombowskii form, Teal, Shoveler, a Wigeon and a Green Sandpiper.
We managed 66 species for the day.
A very enjoyable tour bringing our total species count to 108 species.
 Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
Tawny Pipit - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
| SPECIES: Eurasian wigeon Common teal Mallard Northern pintail Garganey Northern shoveller Red-crested pochard Ferruginous duck Chukar - (Alectoris chukar cypriotes) Black francolin Little grebe Black-necked grebe Greater flamingo European shag - (Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii) Grey heron Purple heron Little egret Squacco heron Cattle egret Glossy ibis Griffon vulture Western Marsh harrier Pallid harrier Eurasian sparrowhawk Long-legged buzzard Lesser kestrel Common kestrel Peregrine falcon Little crake Common moorhen Eurasian coot Eurasian Stone curlew Spur-winged lapwing Ringed plover Little ringed plover Kentish plover Black-winged stilt Common snipe Common redshank Common greenshank Green sandpiper Little stint Dunlin Ruff Baltic Gull Heuglin's Gull Yellow-legged gull Caspian gull Armenian gull Black-headed gull Common Wood pigeon Eurasian Collared dove Laughing dove Great spotted cuckoo | European scops owl - (Otus Scops) Little owl Alpine swift Common swift Eurasian Hoopoe Common kingfisher (h) Blue-cheeked bee-eater Eurasian wryneck Greater short-toed lark Crested lark - (Galerida cristata cypriaca) Barn swallow Red-rumped swallow Common house martin White wagtail Yellow wagtail - (flava, feldegg, Superciliaris, Dombrowskii) Tawny pipit Tree pipit Meadow pipit Red-throated pipit Water pipit - (Anthus spinoletta coutelli) Song thrush Zitting cisticola Cetti's warbler Sedge warbler Eurasian reed warbler Willow warbler Eastern Bonelli's warbler Eurasian blackcap Lesser whitethroat Rüppell's warbler Sardinian warbler Cyprus warbler Spectacled warbler Common nightingale Common redstart Common stonechat Northern wheatear Cyprus wheatear Eastern Black-eared wheatear Isabelline wheatear Great tit - (Parus major aphrodite) Woodchat shrike Magpie Eurasian jackdaw Hooded crow Ortolan bunting Corn bunting Common chaffinch European greenfinch (Chloris chloris muehlei) European goldfinch Common linnet European serin House sparrow Spanish sparrow 108 species |
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