Blog Archives

November 30th, 2019

30/11/2019

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Paphos half-day tour 28/11/2019

On the 28th I guided Steve around the Paphos sites for a half day tour starting off with Wallcreeper in mind. We started at the Avagas Gorge where plenty of Robin, Stonechat, Black Redstart and Blackcap were showing well as well as Linnet.
Before reaching the narrow part of the gorge we had some views of Wallcreeper in flight as well as Blue Rock Thrush and brief views of Hawfinch. A Long-legged Buzzard flew overhead being mobbed by a Common Buzzard.
We then headed to Mavrokolympus Dam which was very quiet aside some Chukar calling in the distance.
Our next stop was the Sewage works where Spur-winged Lapwing were showing well and a Bonelli's Eagle was seen but very distant.
Lastly we visited Mandria where Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and Skylark showed as well as Laughing Dove.
We finished with 41 species.

Species List:

(h)Chukar Partridge
Common Kestrel
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Bonelli's Eagle
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Rock Dove
Common Wood-pigeon
Eurasian Collared-dove
Laughing Dove
Eurasian Magpie
Eurasian Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark
Wood Lark
Eurasian Skylark
Zitting Cisticola

(h)Cetti's Warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Sardinian Warbler
Wallcreeper
European Starling
Song Thrush
European Robin
Western Black Redstart
Common Stonechat
Blue Rock-thrush
House Sparrow
White Wagtail
Meadow Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
European Greenfinch
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet
Hawfinch
(h)Corn Bunting

41

November 21st, 2019

21/11/2019

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Akrotiri and Paphos 21/11/2019

On the 21st I guided Mark Woodhead around Akrotiri and Paphos. This is the second time I've been out with Mark. We started out at Ladies Mile where there were many Gulls, mostly Black-headed but with Yellow-legged Gull and an Armenian Gull. Little Stint were feeding in the pools along with a Sanderling and some Dunlin. We moved on to Zakaki Marsh where the reeds had been cleared, although nothing much was showing aside a brief glimpse of a water rail and some more Penduline tits calling.
Next we moved on to Phassouri Marsh where we had good views of Common Kingfisher and many Reed Warblers, Moustached Warbler were calling also Penduline Tit were calling and seen. A few Marsh harrier were in the area also. A small flock of Common Teal took up from the pools behind and a Glossy Ibis was feeding around the pools. We moved on to the next hide which held very little aside Common Starling.

We then moved onto to Bishops Pool where we had a brief view of a Black Francolin in flight. At the pool there were many Common Teal and Northern Shoveler. We had good views of a Black Kite flying over, a late migrant and a few Marsh Harrier. A surprise Marbled Teal was present as well although distant, a rarity and a lifer for me.

We then moved on to the gravel pits by the church which was also fairly quiet aside Stonechat and Crested Lark.
With little else around we headed to Paphos, our first stop was Anarita Park for Finsch's Wheatear of-which there was two which Mark had great photo opportunities with.
Lastly we headed up to Episkopi to see the Cyprus Scops Owl at its roosting tree.
We finished with 55 species

Species List:

Chukar Partridge
Black Francolin
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Common Teal
Marbled Teal
Ferruginous Duck
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Glossy Ibis
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Common Kestrel
Black Kite
Western Marsh Harrier
Water Rail
Common Moorhen
Common Coot
Common Snipe
Sanderling
Little Stint
Dunlin
Armenian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Black-headed Gull

Slender-billed Gull
Common Wood-pigeon
Eurasian Collared-dove
Cyprus Scops Owl
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie
Eurasian Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Eurasian Penduline tit
Crested Lark
Wood Lark
Cetti's Warbler
(h)Moustached Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Sardinian Warbler
Common Starling
Western Black Redstart
Finsch's Wheatear
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
White Wagtail
Meadow Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Common Chaffinch
European Greenfinch
European Goldfinch

55 Species

November 20th, 2019

20/11/2019

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - 3 day tour. Kukla, Larnaca, Akrotiri and Paphos. 14, 15, 19th November

On the 14th I guided Allen around the eastern sites of Cyprus, a second time out for Allen this year. We started out at Oroklini Marsh where many waterfowl were present, including Common Shelduck, Northern Shoveler and Pintail.
There was a few waders on the waters edge, including Redshank, Greenshank and Wood Sandpiper. From the first hide we had a brief glimpse of a Pied Kingfisher which shot over the far reeds but sadly didn't show again. There wasn't much else to see and so we then ventured to Kukla wetlands. Life wasn't very abundant here compared to previous visits though two Pelicans were a welcome sight and a decent sized flock of Common Cranes and small group of Greater Flamingo. A Merlin was in some shrub at the waters edge and provided great photo opportunities in flight.
We then headed back to Oroklini to get some food and to check out the gulls on the coast, sadly only Black-headed Gulls and Yellow-legged Gulls were present.
Next stop was the Kamares aqueduct which only had a few water pipits and a common kingfisher. The Menou area which held very little and so we called it a day.
We finished with 59 species.

On the 15th we headed to Akrotiri. The weather was terrible, with heavy rain, hail and and even a few waterspouts. We started at Phassouri Marsh at the tower hide. Penduline Tit and Common Kingfisher were seen as well as Common Snipe. Marsh Harrier were also patrolling the reeds.
We didn't venture to the next hide as the weather got worse and so we visited some of the sites in Paphos stopping at Episkopi on the way where we got fantastic views of Griffon Vultures not so high up. We searched Mandria and the sewage plant which both held many larks and pipits and the Spur-winged Lapwings were on show as well as a small group of Northern Lapwing.
We finished the day with 43 species.

On our last day we headed to the Avagas Gorge for the Wallcreeper of which we found fairly quickly not far from the entrance. A Lifer for Allen. Robins, Black Redstart and the usual winter visitors were present.
We then headed to Mavrokolympus in hope of seeing Cyprus Warblers which sadly were not around. Greater Cormorant and Little Grebe were on the water but no waterfowl, we saw a fleeting glimpse of a Spanish Sparrow and also many Stonechat were present.
We then headed to Agia Varvara as I got a message of a Great Bittern near the pools. Sadly we didn't see it as we were looking in the wrong place and not much else was around of note. We then headed to Anarita park where the Finsch's Wheatear was showing well, but unfortunately no Little Owls were around again. A flock of Woodlark were flitting around at the entrance.
Lastly we headed to Episkopi where a Cyprus Scops Owl was in its roosting tree, another lifer for Allen, and a highly sought after species.

We finished the day with 41 species.

Species List:

Chukar Partridge
Common Shelduck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Common Teal
Common Pochard
Ferruginous Duck
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Great Cormorant
European Shag
Common Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Griffon Vulture
Western Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Long-legged Buzzard
Common Moorhen
Common Coot
Common Crane
Black-winged Stilt
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Snipe
Common Redshank
Common Greenshank
Green Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper
Armenian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Black-headed Gull
Rock Dove
Common Wood-pigeon
Eurasian Collared-dove
Laughing Dove
Cyprus Scops Owl
Common Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie
Eurasian Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Eurasian Penduline tit
Crested Lark
Wood Lark
Eurasian Skylark
Zitting Cisticola
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Blackcap
Sardinian Warbler
Wallcreeper
Western Black Redstart
Common Stonechat
Finsch's Wheatear
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
White Wagtail
Meadow Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Water Pipit
Common Chaffinch
European Greenfinch
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet

70 species

November 16th, 2019

16/11/2019

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Paphos. Half-day Tour 16/11/2019

On the 16th I guided Matt and Hayley on a half day tour with Wallcreeper being the target species.
We set out to Avagas Gorge and was fortunate to see one of the Wallcreepers on the narrow part of the gorge quite low down. Further up there was two in flight but views here were distant.
A Long-legged Buzzard flew over putting up the Rock Doves, Feral Pigeons and Jackdaw. Blackcap and Robin were in most bushes and we had lengthy views of a Wren hopping under the low trees meters from us. Grey Wagtail were seen at various points along the river.
After some time we then ventured to Mavrokolympus Dam seeing quite a few Cyprus Warbler in the spiny shrub. A walk around the dam produced Woodlark, Sardinian Warbler, Little Grebe and some Spanish Sparrow.
We finished the day with 31 species.

Species List:

Little Grebe
Great Cormorant
Common Kestrel
Long-legged Buzzard
Yellow-legged Gull
Rock Dove
Common Wood-pigeon
Eurasian Collared-dove
Eurasian Magpie
Eurasian Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Wood Lark
(h)Cetti's Warbler
Blackcap
Sardinian Warbler
Cyprus Warbler
Eurasian Wren
Wallcreeper
(h)Song Thrush
European Robin
Western Black Redstart
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
White Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Meadow Pipit
Common Chaffinch
European Greenfinch
European Goldfinch
31

November 04th, 2019

4/11/2019

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Akrotiri + Paphos 04/11/2019

On the 4th I guided Joan and Keith around the Akrotiri and Paphos sites.
We started at Phassouri where many finches were flitting around. From the Tower hide we had Penduline Tit, Bluethroat and Common Kingfisher showing well at times and Hooded Crows were mobbing a Common Buzzard in the eucalyptus trees and then on the ground of-which appeared to have prey.
Moving to the second hide there was a group of Spur-winged Lapwings which were flushed by a Marsh Harrier. A Jack Snipe was seen in flight and a few Common Snipe were flushed. Not much else showed aside some Teal, Cattle Egret and Little Egret. As we left a pair of Marsh Harrier were calling to each other and flying close over the hide. Further down a small party of Northern Lapwing were showing in the distance and a flock of Starling were feeding on the ground.
We had a quick stop at the environmental center to scope the Flamingos and then ventured to a section of the gravel pits, seeing many Black Redstart on the wires and houses in the Village.
Ladies Mile was the next destination seeing many Black-headed Gull and a few Mediterranean Gull plus some Armenian Gulls. Numbers of Little Stint had increased significantly, as well as Dunlin. A Common Snipe landed a few meters from the car and provided great views and photo ops.

A quick stop at Zakaki sadly produced a heavily oiled Grey Heron.
We didn't stick around for long and headed to Bishop's Pool. Again at Bishop's Pool, a concerning absence of Ferruginous Duck, though Many Shoveler and Teal were on the water as well as a female Pochard. A Sparrowhawk did a low fly over and then we headed to Kensington Cliffs where the Griffon Vultures unfortunately didn't show.
We drove back to Paphos and stopped at Mandria for lunch. We managed to get great views and photo ops with Laughing Dove, and good views of Skylark, Water Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and Corn Bunting.
Our last stop was Anarita Park for Finsch's Wheatear and Little Owl, unfortunately none of the Little Owls were showing but we got some good views of Finsch's Wheatear finishing the day with 63 Species.

Speciest List:

Chukar Partridge
(h) Black Francolin
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Common Teal
Common Pochard
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Common Kestrel
Western Marsh Harrier
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Common Moorhen
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Jack Snipe
Common Snipe
Little Stint
Dunlin
Armenian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Rock Dove
Common Wood-pigeon
Eurasian Collared-dove

Laughing Dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie
Eurasian Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Eurasian Penduline tit
Crested Lark
Eurasian Skylark
Zitting Cisticola
(h) Cetti's Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Sardinian Warbler
Common Starling
European Robin
Bluethroat
Western Black Redstart
Common Stonechat
Finsch's Wheatear
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
White Wagtail
Red-throated Pipit
Water Pipit (*Caucasian Water Pipit)
Common Chaffinch
European Serin
European Greenfinch
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet
Corn Bunting

63