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October 26th, 2019

26/10/2019

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Akrotiri 26/10/2019

Picture
Common Crane - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 26th I guided John and Jean around the Akrotiri sites.
We started off at Phassouri Marsh where the first bird seen was a Mistle Thrush sitting at the top of a cypress tree. Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler and Great Reed Warbler showed well at the tower hide passage and we put up a few Black Francolin and Song Thrush. Cetti's Warblers were calling frequently, with one showing for longer than usual. The Tower hide produced little aside a Common Kingfisher plus a few Penduline Tits (heard but not seen) so we moved on to the water bodies further down where a pair of Common Snipe were probing the marsh. Cattle, Little and Great Egret were all showing well and on the opposite side of the road a Bluethroat was perched on a dry bit of vegetation for a very lengthy period of time.
Picture
Cattle Egret - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
A Whiskered Tern with heavy wing damage was scouting the puddles which passed us a few times during our stay. Serin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet and Greenfinch were feeding in the area and a small group of Spanish Sparrows showing meters from the car.
As we approached the main hide a large group of Northern Lapwing took up followed by a large flock of Spur-winged Lapwing, of which I had never seen so many in the area before. White Wagtail and Yellow Wagtail were feeding near the pathway and Common Stonechat were everywhere. Marsh Harrier patrolled the reed line frequently and a Eurasian Hobby flew over low.
Due to the recent heavy rains, both the Gravel Pits and the Salt Lake were off limits, and so we headed to Bishops Pool seeing a Common Redstart and many Crested lark on the way. Bishop's Pool held a disappointing variety of waterfowl for this time of year, mostly Teal and some Northern Shoveler. Just before we was about to leave, multiple large flocks of Common Crane flew over low from the salt lake, creating quite a spectacle and undoubtedly the highlight of the day.
Picture
Common Snipe - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
A stop at Zakaki Marsh produced little aside a Common Kingfisher and some Grey Heron and so we moved on to Ladies Mile where many Black-headed Gull were on the port side lake with no larger gulls among them. On the opposite side a Turnstone, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and Kentish Plover were very active. 
We then stopped for a coffee and lunch.
Our final site was Kensington Cliffs where two Long-legged Buzzards flew over, many Eleonora's Falcons were still around and five Griffon Vultures flew in. With a bit more time to spare we had a second search around Phassouri, with a Sparrowhawk being the only new species for the day.
We finished the day with 64 species.
Species List:
   
Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Common Teal
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Common Kestrel
Eurasian Hobby   
Eleonora's Falcon  
Griffon Vulture
Western Marsh Harrier  
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Long-legged Buzzard     
(h)Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Common Crane
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Kentish Plover    
Common Snipe 
Ruddy Turnstone 
Little Stint 
Dunlin 
Curlew Sandpiper 
Yellow-legged Gull 

Black-headed Gull 
Whiskered Tern
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
(h)Eurasian Penduline tit
Crested Lark  
Zitting Cisticola  
Cetti's Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Great Reed-warbler
Willow Warbler 
Common Chiffchaff 
Sardinian Warbler
Song Thrush   
Mistle Thrush 
European Robin
Bluethroat
(h)Western Black Redstart
Common Redstart
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Common Chaffinch 
European Serin 
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch

64

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    - no teleconverter.

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    (older: Canon sx50 HS)


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