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December 22nd, 2018

22/12/2018

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD Tour - Akrotiri 21/12/2108

Griffon Vulture Cyprus Birding Birdwatching tours ecotours birdlife wildlife
Griffon Vulture - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 21st I guided Andy around the Akrotiri sites.
We started off at Zakaki where there were many Penduline Tits flitting around and calling, though due to their very flighty behaviour we never managed a good view of one sitting in a reed, though we got great flight views of well over 30 birds. Black-redstart and European Stonechat were showing at the entrance and a female Common Reed Bunting was showing infront of the hide at times. As we entered the hide a Common Starling flew out of the reeds, seemingly a roosting spot. Cetti's Warblers could be heard singing and calling all over and sometimes showing briefly, and a pair of Common Chiffchaff moved from reed to reed. At least 4 Moustached Warbler were heard in the area and at least 2 of those showed quite well, infact they sat on reeds preening for well over 5 minutes each which was fantastic given their usual low-down, skulky nature. Whilst tracking one of the Cettis warblers through the reeds a White-spotted Bluethroat jumped out and showed well but briefly, it then flew into a dense patch of reeds and sang for a few minutes. 
There wasn't hardly any waterfowl on the lake itself, just coot, moorhen, shoveler, mallard and a few teal. A Common Kingfisher and Water Rail could be heard at times but neither showed for us. 
Reed bunting Cyprus Birding Birdwatching tours ecotours birdlife wildlife
Common Reed Bunting - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Across the road two Muskovy Duck sat on a wall basking in the sun. Inside the Port wall on a container sat a female Blue Rock Thrush which was a surprise bird for the day which provided great close views.
We then headed on to Ladies Mile, there was a lot of Greater Flamingos feeding on the pools here as well as many Black-headed Gulls. On the beach we had Caspian, Yellow-legged and Armenian Gulls and a surprise Great Crested Grebe. Crested Larks entertained in the car park and a few Corn Bunting flying over.
Great Crested Grebe Cyprus Birding Birdwatching tours ecotours birdlife wildlife
Great Crested Grebe - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Greater Flamingo Cyprus Birding Birdwatching tours ecotours birdlife wildlife
Greater Flamingo - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Our next stop was Bishop's Pool. En route we came across a small party of Spanish Sparrows feeding in a bush. Just past the gate we were lucky enough to see a male and female Black Francolin (target species) at the side of the road, brief but good views. Bishop's Pool held poor numbers of waterfowl compared to previous years and sadly the toxic algae bloom was still prevailing at certain parts of the lake which may be a factor in reduced numbers of birds. Birds of note here were Ferruginous Duck and a Black-necked Grebe which we got pretty close views of. There was also a single Wigeon. A few Anemone Coronaria were blooming beside the pathway and also some Green Asparagus was fruiting already. 
The reed area had a few Eurasian Reed Warbler, with one in song.
As we left the area we saw Robin, White wagtail, Chaffinch and Blackcap drinking from the puddles and also a Blackbird near the entrance. As I closed the gate I saw movement in the corner of my eye, A Hen Harrier shot across the scrub and concealed behind the line of acacia and so I asked Andy if he wanted to chase it. Ofcourse, it's a Hen Harrier. So we shot down to the salt pan for a clear view point and watched the Hen Harrier for a few minutes hunting over the shrub.
A quick visit to the Gravel Pits didn't provide much as the area was too wet to drive on so we had a quick look around the church. We came across many Sardinian Warbler and some European Serin. The star bird here though was a Cyprus Warbler seemingly lost. A small party of Woodlark landed in a wet shrubby area though we was unable to locate them.
We then headed to Phassouri Marsh to eat our lunch in the tower hide. As we entered the area we saw a Common Buzzard in a tree and at least 3 hunting over an agricultural field with a few calling. After watching the buzzards a small party of Woodlark flew in and landed next to the car and provided good views. A vineyard was full of finches feeding; Chaffinch, Serin, Goldfinch, Greenfinch etc.
As we ate our lunch we watched a Marsh Harrier gliding around infront of us for a long period of time, and a Common Kingfisher slowly edged closer to us providing great views.  
The site was quite devoid of life though so we didn't spend much time here.
Common Kingfisher Cyprus Birding Birdwatching tours ecotours birdlife wildlife
Common Kingfisher - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
We then headed to Kensington Cliffs for the Griffon Vultures. We scanned for Chukar Partridge on entry which was another target species, though unfortunately none were around. A Griffon Vulture was in flight on arrival and 2 were sitting on the cliff face. The pathway to the cliff face was full of newly emerged Ranunculus, possibly Ranunculus bullatus sbsp. cytheraeus given the time of year. After scoping the Griffons we looked around for other stuff. A Peregrine Shot across the sky as did many Rock Dove. 2 Heuglin's Gull flew in (which were very easy to identify from above) and landed on the far rocks with some European Shags. Looking down I noticed a Turtle (likely a Loggerhead) emerge from the water for air, I was just explaining to Andy where exactly it was when I saw some big shadows cast down. More Griffon Vultures arrived at the site until there was 10 in total. They passed us extremely close countless times, eye level, slightly above us, sometimes below us and sometimes so close we could have probably reached out and grabbed one. It was probably one of the best experiences I had had with them due to how much time we got to experience them so close. A second Peregrine entered the site and both tried to gain height over the vultures who in turn tried to gain height to prevent being mobbed. Eventually the Griffons came in to land one by one.
Griffon Vulture Cyprus Birding Birdwatching tours ecotours birdlife wildlife
Griffon Vulture - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
When heading back to the hotel we were treated to seeing a Cyprus Fox slowly crossing the road, a Song Thrush flying across the road and many Laughing Dove around the coastal road, a good end to a good tour totaling 63 species, which is a decent count for December. 
Species List:
Black Francolin        
Eurasian Wigeon   
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Common Teal
Ferruginous Duck  
Muskovy Duck  
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe   
Black-necked Grebe
Greater Flamingo
European Shag  
Common Kestrel   
Peregrine Falcon
Griffon Vulture
Western Marsh Harrier  
Hen Harrier
Common Buzzard
(h) Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Heuglin's (Siberian) Gull 
Armenian Gull 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Caspian Gull 
Black-headed 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  
Wood Lark
Cetti's Warbler
Moustached Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Common Chiffchaff 
Blackcap 
Sardinian Warbler
Cyprus Warbler 
Common Starling 
Eurasian Blackbird    
Song Thrush   
European Robin
Bluethroat
Western Black Redstart
Common Stonechat
Blue Rock-thrush 
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
(h) Meadow Pipit 
Common Chaffinch 
European Serin 
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch
Corn Bunting
Common Reed Bunting

63 Species

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