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February 22nd, 2019

22/2/2019

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Tour - Paphos & Akrotiri 21/02/2019

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Arctic Skua - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 21st I guided Lisa and John around the Akrotiri and Paphos sites. We started in Akrotiri with Greater Flamingos in mind. Unfortunately there was only a few birds feeding near the coast, likely reduced numbers due to disturbance in the area. But we got great views of the few that were there.
We was looking through the gulls when an Arctic Sku flew low over the car, a very scarce bird for Cyprus. We watched it as it flew down the coast and rested in the sea for a while, though as I drove down for closer views it vanished, briefly re-appearing and then losing it again. Only the second I have ever seen in Cyprus and a lifer for both Lisa and John.
We proceeded to look through the gulls and found a few Armenian, Slender-billed and Mediterranean Gull. Moving on to Zakaki there was a few Temminck's stint on the pool across the road from the hide.

Picture
Temminck's Stint - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Slender-billed Gull - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
From the hide we had many good views of Marsh Harrier hunting and a Sparrowhawk harrassing a hooded crow. We had very good views of Penduline Tits out in the open but failed to see the few Moustached Warbler that were singing. A reed warbler showed very briefly.
On the way to Bishops pool a Common Buzzard was sitting out in the open showing very well and during a brief stop next to the salt lake a Common Kestrel swooped down and grabbed something from the ground in close proximity to the car. Bishop's Pool was again unusually short of waterfowl for this time of year. We did manage to see quite a few Ferruginous Ducks here though. We did manage to spot a Green Tree Frog which proceeded to hide in a shrub.
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Ferruginous Duck - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Lisa had an interest in Orchids so we entered part of the Gravel Pits to find some of the special species in flower at the moment. We found a decent selection of species including two of our endemic: Kotschyi and Elegans.
As we left the site we spotted a Cyprus Warbler sitting in the top of a low shrub next to the road, which provided good views at times. I suspect it was a recent arrival as this is not one of their territories.
We then headed to Phassouri seeing many finches at the entrance as well as some Common Swift ... with a few Alpine Swifts among them. We tried looking for the Black-bellied Sandgrouse that was seen recently here but was unsuccesful. A small party of Starlings were airborn and we later saw them all perched in a Eucalyptus tree. We got great views of a Marsh Harrier perched on some dead wood here.
We decided to have our lunch at Kensington cliffs whilst watching the Griffon Vultures. There was only one in view at first but shortly after we had 4 of them flying extremely close to us ... eye level. 
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Eurasian Griffon Vulture - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Picture
Eurasian Griffon Vulture - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
As we returned to Paphos, we scouted Mandria which held surprisingly little, though we did see a Laughing Dove. We headed to Timi after in hope of catching an Isabelline Wheatear but they seemed to be vacant from both sites.
Our final stop was the Sewage Works for Spur-winged Lapwing. One flew in and landed next to the car as did a second. A red-throated pipit flew overhead calling and a few Meadow pipit were at a puddle. A small group of Corn Bunting showed well in a bare pecan tree and moments later joined by a male Spanish Sparrow. 
We ended the day by the pomegranate orchard to get good views of Serin which didn't disappoint.
We managed 63 species for the day   
Species List:
​
Chukar Partridge    
Black Francolin (h)    
Mallard    
Common Teal
Ferruginous Duck    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Great Cormorant   
European Shag  
Common Kestrel   
Griffon Vulture
Western Marsh Harrier  
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Spur-winged Lapwing
Temminck's Stint 
Armenian Gull 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Slender-billed Gull 
Mediterranean Gull   
Arctic Skua 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Laughing Dove
Alpine Swift   ​
Common Swift
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Eurasian Penduline tit
Crested Lark  
Barn Swallow 
Common House-martin    
Zitting Cisticola   
Cetti's Warbler
Moustached Warbler (h)
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Common Chiffchaff 
Blackcap 
Sardinian Warbler
Cyprus Warbler 
Common Starling 
Eurasian Blackbird (h)    
Song Thrush   
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
Meadow Pipit 
Red-throated Pipit (h)
Common Chaffinch 
European Serin 
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet
Corn Bunting
62

Himantoglossum Robertianum
Orchis Syriaca
Ophrys Sicula
Ophrys Elegans
Ophrys Kotschyi
Ophrys Iricolor

Veined Sainfoin
Fagonia Cretica
Storks Bill
Anenome Coronaria
Salvia lanigera
Silene Aegyptica


Green Tree Frog

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