Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Akrotiri + Paphos 1 Day + 1/2 Day Tour 27+30/09/2019
European Honey Buzzard - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 27th and 30th I guided George and Lorna on a day and a half birding tour around Akrotiri and Paphos.
On our first day we set out to the Akrotiri Peninsular with Phassouri being our first site. In the Tower hide car park we had great views of a Roller, some Bee-eater and a pair of Gull-billed Tern flying over. As we ventured round to the main hide we was treated to a few Black Francolin next to the road.
On our first day we set out to the Akrotiri Peninsular with Phassouri being our first site. In the Tower hide car park we had great views of a Roller, some Bee-eater and a pair of Gull-billed Tern flying over. As we ventured round to the main hide we was treated to a few Black Francolin next to the road.
Black Francolin - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
As we approached the next hide a Great Reed Warbler showed in some vegetation on the opposite side, as well as Red-backed Shrike and Whinchat.
Great Reed Warbler - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
At the main hide Spur-winged Lapwing showed in the distance and large groups of Mallard and Garganey were landing behind the reeds. A Marsh Harrier swooped in and put up a party of White Winged and Whiskered Tern with one Whiskered still in its summer plumage. Water Rail briefly showed at the waters edge and Sedge Warbler. Common Kingfishers were darting around with one flying right up to the hide. A large party of Greenshank kept buzzing around the hide sounding alarm calls, coming very close at times.
Greenshank - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
A few Glossy Ibis were on the ground as well as many Little and Cattle Egret with a few Great Egret and Grey Heron flying over. We also had a European Honey Buzzard fly over us low which must have been roosting in a nearby tree.
We then continued to the gravel pits, seeing a few more Black Francolins on the way. At the oasis pool a Bar-tailed Godwit was at the waters edge, a scarce bird for Cyprus and likely the same bird I found flying in the area the day prior. Quite a few Turtle doves were flying from bush to bush here.
Next we ventured into the Eucalyptus woodland and got fantastic views of a Honey Buzzard in a low tree right infront of the car.
We then continued to the gravel pits, seeing a few more Black Francolins on the way. At the oasis pool a Bar-tailed Godwit was at the waters edge, a scarce bird for Cyprus and likely the same bird I found flying in the area the day prior. Quite a few Turtle doves were flying from bush to bush here.
Next we ventured into the Eucalyptus woodland and got fantastic views of a Honey Buzzard in a low tree right infront of the car.
European Honey Buzzard - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Near the Salt lake edge from the north we got great views of a pair of Greater Short-toed Lark.
We continued to the run-off side of the salt lake and watched the thousands of Greater Flamingo nearby. Eleonora's Falcon were hunting here and a few Honey Buzzards flew over high. Yellow wagtails were moving about here as they were at Phassouri earlier but not much else seemed to be visiting the area so we moved on.
We continued to the run-off side of the salt lake and watched the thousands of Greater Flamingo nearby. Eleonora's Falcon were hunting here and a few Honey Buzzards flew over high. Yellow wagtails were moving about here as they were at Phassouri earlier but not much else seemed to be visiting the area so we moved on.
Western Yellow Wagtail - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
We stopped at the Environmental Center where many Red-rumped Swallow were flying over low.
A quick visit along ladies mile produced Common and Little Ringed Plover, Little Stint and Kentish Plover, quite a poor selection of waders for this time of year. Bishop's Pool held little aside a Whiskered Tern, a newly arrived Common Teal and Shoveler.
We stopped at the Tower Hide for lunch and got to see the Bee-eaters coming down to bath.
A quick visit along ladies mile produced Common and Little Ringed Plover, Little Stint and Kentish Plover, quite a poor selection of waders for this time of year. Bishop's Pool held little aside a Whiskered Tern, a newly arrived Common Teal and Shoveler.
We stopped at the Tower Hide for lunch and got to see the Bee-eaters coming down to bath.
European Bee-eater - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
European Bee-eater - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
We finished up the day at the Bee-hives getting Pallid Swift, more Honey Buzzards, a ring-tail Harrier, Hobby, Red-footed Falcon and many Marsh Harriers with a pair of Spotted Flycatcher making some strange noises in the orchard behind us. No sign of the Levant Sparrowhawk, Lesser Spotted Eagle and Booted Eagle that I had seen the day before here which must have went straight through.
We managed 66 species for the day.
We managed 66 species for the day.
Greater Sand Plover - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
The half day tour was in Paphos. We started at the headland and got amazing close views of the long staying Whimbrel and also a single Greater Sand Plover.
Whimbrel - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
A Common Sandpiper was feeding in the rocks nearby also and a Kingfisher showed a few times on the rocks during our stay. Lorna put us on to 3 newly arrived Great Cormorant as we approached the corner point.
We continued to the Sewage Works as Lorna and George wanted closer views of Spur-winged Lapwing and sure enough got them.
We continued to the Sewage Works as Lorna and George wanted closer views of Spur-winged Lapwing and sure enough got them.
Spur-winged Lapwing - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Red-throated Pipit had arrived at the area but we could only manage flight views.
At Mandria we had great close views of Laughing Dove and also great views of Eurasian Stone Curlew in their usual field.
At Mandria we had great close views of Laughing Dove and also great views of Eurasian Stone Curlew in their usual field.
Laughing Dove - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Northern and Isabelline Wheatear were present on the field and Greater Short-toed Lark were heard and not seen. Some newly arrived White Wagtail showed well on the fields too.
We ventured in land to cut across Episkopi to Minthis hills in hope of seeing Long-legged Buzzard and Bonelli's Eagle on this route, unfortunately we didn't but got great views of Cyprus Wheatear.
Minthis hills wasn't great for life, but we did see Eurasian Hobby's hunting dragonflies very close at times and flushed a small party of Corn Bunting.
We finished the half-day tour with 48 species totaling 82 Species overall.
We ventured in land to cut across Episkopi to Minthis hills in hope of seeing Long-legged Buzzard and Bonelli's Eagle on this route, unfortunately we didn't but got great views of Cyprus Wheatear.
Minthis hills wasn't great for life, but we did see Eurasian Hobby's hunting dragonflies very close at times and flushed a small party of Corn Bunting.
We finished the half-day tour with 48 species totaling 82 Species overall.
| Species List: Chukar Partridge Black Francolin Mallard Northern Shoveler Garganey Common Teal Little Grebe Greater Flamingo Glossy Ibis Cattle Egret Grey Heron Great Egret Greater Cormorant Little Egret Common Kestrel Red-footed Falcon Eleonora's Falcon Eurasian Hobby European Honey-buzzard Western Marsh Harrier Ring-tailed Harrier Water Rail Common Moorhen Common Coot Eurasian Stone Curlew Spur-winged Lapwing Common Ringed Plover Little Ringed Plover Kentish Plover Greater Sand Plover Whimbrel BAR-TAILED GODWIT Common Greenshank Little Stint Ruff Yellow-legged Gull Gull-billed Tern Whiskered Tern White-winged Tern Common Wood-pigeon | European Turtle-dove Eurasian Collared-dove Laughing Dove Pallid Swift European Roller Common Kingfisher European Bee-eater Red-backed Shrike Masked Shrike Eurasian Magpie Eurasian Jackdaw Hooded Crow Great Tit Greater Short-toed Lark Crested Lark Sand Martin Barn Swallow Red-rumped Swallow Zitting Cisticola Willow Warbler Cetti's Warbler Sedge Warbler Eurasian Reed-warbler Great Reed-warbler Blackcap Sardinian Warbler Whinchat Spotted Flycatcher Northern Wheatear Cyprus Wheatear Isabelline Wheatear House Sparrow Spanish Sparrow White Wagtail Yellow Wagtail (*Flava) Black-headed Wagtail Grey Wagtail Tree Pipit Red-throated Pipit European Greenfinch European Goldfinch Corn Bunting 82 |
RSS Feed
