| Spent the day guiding Simon Wheeler around the popular sites at Akrotiri. Simon is relatively new to birding so I thought seeing as many birds as possible today would ensure his new found hobby evolves. He said he particularly likes the raptors, and nearing peak raptor migration ... he was in for a treat. We started at Phassouri Marsh, encountering countless Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Sand Martin and European Bee-Eaters at the entrance with a lonely Turtle Dove sitting on a tree above the Bee-Eaters ... a very nice welcoming to the area. In a tree next to the farm shack was a cheeky Golden Oriole in a tree which didn't stick around for long after noticing us. We searched a little while for crakes only to come across Moorhen and Yellow Wagtails. Moving round to the main pool there were many whinchats darting around and red-backed shrikes spread across the marsh. Not much at the pool aside a sedge warbler, cetti's warbler and Eurasian reed warbler. In the open though a Willow Warbler pretty much had the territory to himself/herself. A water rail was heard. Overhead there were Common Kestrels and a Hobby flew past and plenty of Goldfinch darting around. 3 Pipit types flew over head calling, unfortunately I couldn't get on them quick enough with the bins to be able to identify them...but I suspect red-throated Pipit from the calls. A drive round the back of the Marsh produced some Marsh Harriers showing well, one perched. Heading onto the gravel pits, we accidentally flushed a Hoopoe. We had a look at the lake for the Red Knot that had been present for some time, unfortunately it seems to have moved on (later on we came back and checked the other pools in the area but sadly couldn't find it). We saw a brief sprinkling of raptors flying over, possibly one's that had roosted on the Salt Lake over night. This included Honey Buzzards, A Black Kite and a few Marsh Harriers. We then set off to Lady's Mile which produced the usual. We then cut through to the Salt Lake which was filled with Grey Herons and sadly not a Flamingo in sight... although there was a Spoonbill failing to blend in with the Grey Herons and many Eleonora's Falcon overhead. Through the scope the only wader aside Kentish plover that I could find was a Juvenile Ruff looking very lonely on the salt flats. The calls of Spectacled Warblers and a Water Rail came from the Zakaki Outflow. We was just about to leave when I noticed almost concealed behind the reeds was a puddle with two Pintail. I decided Bishops Pool was in order as I had some great sighting last time I was there (roughly 1 week ago). Sadly the life wasn't that great so it wasn't worth waiting around although watching a Marsh Harrier hunting was a great experience as always. We then decided to head back to the Gravel Pits which produced large numbers of various raptors; Pallid, Montagu's and Marsh Harriers, 4 Ospreys, Honey Buzzard, a few Steppe Buzzard, Black Kites and the star of the day a rare Juvenile Egyptian Vulture (0-1 reported annually in Cyprus). After getting some lunch and witnessing the biggest Honey Buzzard Kettle of the day (75+) over the salt lake we stopped at the Phassouri Bee-farm with eagles in mind ... we pulled up and already 2 juvenile Bonelli's Eagles were overhead accompanied by 2 Honey Buzzard (if only birding could always be that easy). On the Motorway back to Paphos we even managed to bag a Long-Legged Buzzard near Pissouri So a fantastic day in all. Species seen and heard: Golden Oriole Barn Swallow Red-Rumped Swallow Sand Martin Whinchat Zitting Cisticola Red-Backed Shrike Yellow Wagtail Eurasian Reed Warbler Willow Warbler Sedge Warbler Common Quail Cetti's Warbler Hobby Bonelli's Eagle Hoopoe European Bee-Eater Crested Lark Black Kite Lesser Kestrel Pallid Harrier Montagu's Harrier Egyptian Vulture (juv) Steppe Buzzard Osprey Greenshank Common Kestrel Northern Wheatear Crested Lark Grey Heron Spoonbill Water Rail Spectacled Warbler Northern Pintail Ruff 150+ Honey Buzzard Curlew Sandpiper Dunlin Green Sandpiper Little Stint Kentish Plover Little Egret Glossy Ibis Little Grebe Coot Moorhen Eleonora's Falcon Ferruginous Duck Mallard Common Teal Common Snipe Black-winged Stilt Garganey Marsh Harrier Wood Sandpiper Turtle Dove Long-Legged Buzzard House Sparrow Goldfinch Great Tit Hooded Crow Eurasian Magpie Jackdaw Collared Dove Rock Dove Greenfinch Corn Bunting (Minthis Hills) Wood Pigeon 68 Species  European honey buzzard Pernis apivorus & Black Kite Milvus migrans Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |  Bonelli's eagle Aquila fasciata Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  European honey buzzard Pernis apivorus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  European honey buzzard Pernis apivorus & Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Osprey Pandion haliaetus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  European bee-eater Merops apiaster Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  European honey buzzard Pernis apivorus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Eleonora's falcon Falco eleonorae Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Pallid harrier Circus macrourus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Black kite Milvus migrans Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Montagu's harrier Circus pygargus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  European honey buzzard Pernis apivorus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Pintail Anas acuta Eclipse Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea & Dunlin Calidris alpina Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Whinchat Saxicola rubetra Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved  Willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved |
Common kestrel Falco tinnunculus Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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