Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - 3 day tour. Kukla, Larnaca, Akrotiri and Paphos. 14, 15, 19th November
Spur-winged Lapwing - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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.
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.
Northern Lapwing - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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.
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.
Cyprus Scops Owl - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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.
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 |
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