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October 22nd, 2020

22/10/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Half-Day Promo Akrotiri 22/10/2020. Rita and Steve

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Eurasian Hobby - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Black Francolin - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Ferruginous Duck - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List:

Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Common Teal
Ferruginous Duck    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
White Stork
Black-crowned Night-heron
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Common Kestrel 
Eurasian Hobby  
Red-footed Falcon    
Eleonora's Falcon  
Western Marsh Harrier  
Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Common Snipe 
Wood Sandpiper 
Common Sandpiper 
Temminck's Stint 
Armenian Gull 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark  
Barn Swallow 
Zitting Cisticola  
(h)Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Common Chiffchaff 
(h)Blackcap 
Bluethroat
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Black-headed Wagtail 
Red-throated Pipit
European Goldfinch

56

October 21st, 2020

21/10/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Half-Day Promo Akrotiri 21/10/2020. Jane and Sandra

Picture
Red-footed Falcon - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Northern Pintail - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Ferruginous Duck - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List:

Black Francolin    
Gadwall 
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Common Teal
Ferruginous Duck    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Black-crowned Night-heron
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Common Kestrel   
Red-footed Falcon    
Eleonora's Falcon  
Western Marsh Harrier  
(h)Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover    
Common Snipe 
Black-tailed Godwit   
Spotted Redshank 
Wood Sandpiper 
​Sanderling 

Little Stint 
Temminck's Stint 
Dunlin 
Armenian Gull 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Caspian Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark  
Barn Swallow 
Zitting Cisticola  
(h)Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Willow Warbler 
Common Chiffchaff 
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Black-headed Wagtail 
Red-throated Pipit
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch

63

October 20th, 2020

20/10/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Half-Day Promo Akrotiri 20/10/2020. Joe and Jeff

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White Stork- Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Greater Flamingo - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
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Green Turtle - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List:

Chukar Partridge    
(h)Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Common Teal
Northern Shoveler
Greater Flamingo
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Black-crowned Night-heron
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Little Egret
European Shag  
Common Kestrel   
Eleonora's Falcon  
Western Marsh Harrier  
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Northern Goshawk
Common Buzzard
(h)Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover    
Common Snipe 
Wood Sandpiper 
Little Stint 
Armenian Gull ​



Yellow-legged Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Slender-billed Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Crested Lark  
Barn Swallow 
Zitting Cisticola  
(h)Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Willow Warbler 
Common Chiffchaff 
(h)Blackcap 
Sardinian Warbler
Bluethroat
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
Spanish Sparrow    
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
*Black-headed Wagtail 
Red-throated Pipit

57

- Crimson Speckled Moth
- Green Turtle

September 16th, 2020

16/9/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Paphos & Akrotiri 16/09/2020

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Eurasian Hoopoe - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
​On the 16th I guided Ian around the Akrotiri and Paphos sites. We started at Phassouri Marsh where we was greeted with many European Bee-eaters on the trees, feeding in-flight and bathing and we also flushed a female Black Francolin as we approached the tower hide. At the first hide we had a pair of Common Kingfisher and at the flooded part near the entrance we was treated to another pair and also Garganey, Glossy Ibis, Wood Sandpiper, Cattle and Little Egret.
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Garganey - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
A Sedge Warbler flitted around the reeds and a Little Bittern and Water rail called from deep in the reeds and unfortunately not seen. A small party of 4 Black-tailed Godwit flew overhead as well as many flocks of Little and Great White Egret. We put up a few Snipe here.
There wasn't much to be seen at the second hide so we didn't stay long. There was a lot of activity on the far fields, over 70 Glossy Ibis, Yellow Wagtails everywhere, Squacco Herons and also a juvenile Black Stork took the spotlight.
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Black Stork & Glossy Ibis - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Moving round to the gravel pits we saw quite a few Whinchat, Red-backed Shrike and a Spotted Flycatcher. At the pools there was a pair of Curlew Sandpiper.
We then headed to the salt lake to see the Greater Flamingo of which we got great views of. There wasn't much else around here aside Black-winged Stilt and some Eleonora's Falcon hunting. Just as we was leaving a European Honey Buzzard flew in and landed nearby.
Next we scouted ladies mile that held no surprises and on to Bishop's pool. Here we saw Shoveler, a Pochard, Ferruginous Duck and many Garganey. The best birds of note was a Peregrine Falcon and a very rare Saker Falcon as well as maybe over 50 European Turtle Dove.
We decided to give the Gravel Pits another go as it seemed the better destination for the wave of Honey Buzzards that were imminent and although most were quite high we got just that. Over 100 including 5 Black Kite soared over us. We also managed to add Masked Shrike to our day list.
After stopping off at Kensington Cliffs for Eleonora's Falcons and seeing a Green Turtle in the bay we made our way back to Paphos stopping at Mandria Picnic site for lunch.
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Green Turtle - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
At Mandria we managed to locate an Isabelline Wheatear and many Whinchat and Greater Short-toed Lark as well as a Tawny Pipit.
Moving to Agia Varvara we was greeted with the long staying White Storks which provided amazing views and photo opportunities.
Our last stop was the Sewage Works where we got very close to Spur-winged Lapwing, Cattle Egret, Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Grey Shrike and quite a few Hoopoes finishing the day with 76 Species in total.
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White Stork - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Species List:

Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Garganey   
Common Pochard   
Ferruginous Duck    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Black Stork
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Squacco Heron
(h)Little Bittern
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
European Shag  
Common Kestrel   
Eleonora's Falcon  
Saker Falcon    
Peregrine Falcon
European Honey-buzzard
Black Kite   
Western Marsh Harrier  
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
(h)Water Rail
Black-winged Stilt 
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover    
Common Snipe 
Black-tailed Godwit   
Wood Sandpiper 
Little Stint 
Dunlin 
Curlew Sandpiper 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
European Turtle-dove
Eurasian Collared-dove
Laughing Dove
European Roller   
Common Kingfisher
European Bee-eater   
Eurasian Hoopoe 
Red-backed Shrike 
Lesser Grey 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  
Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Willow Warbler 
Lesser Whitethroat 
Sardinian Warbler
Whinchat
Isabelline Wheatear
Spotted Flycatcher
House Sparrow 
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Black-headed Wagtail 
Tawny Pipit  
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch
76

September 14th, 2020

14/9/2020

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - Paphos & Akrotiri 14/09/2020

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White Stork - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 14th I guided Luis around the Paphos and Akrotiri sites for my first tour of the year (due to the covid madness).
We started in the foothills of Paphos for Bonelli's Eagle, a target species. We was unfortunate not seeing one at their territory although I got a fleeting view of one low from behind, we managed to spot many Cyprus Wheatear here which were also a target species and also a single whinchat. We moved on to Minthis Hills where many Little Grebe and Garganey were on the drainage pool. Warblers were flitting around everywhere around the ornamental lake, here we got Common and Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Sardinian Warbler and Cyprus Warbler, another target species. In the hills we had great views of a Pallid and Montagu's Harrier as well as a few European Honey Buzzards riding the thermals.
Next stop was Episkopi for Cyprus Scops Owl which were not to be seen at their day roost. We continued to Agia Varvara where the many White Storks were still present, coming in to land at the pools enabling great views, in the air we counted over 50 of them, at one point they was accompanied by a Long-leggged Buzzard and some time later a 1st plumaged Bonelli's Eagle shot past.
On the water we had sedge warbler and some reed warblers calling out. We had a brief view of Black Francolin here in flight, another target species. 
Moving on to the sewage plant we had fantastic views of Lesser Grey Shrike lining the trees around an Alfalfa field which held many Spur-winged Lapwing, Yellow Wagtail and Glossy Ibis, we also managed to spot a Red-backed Shrike here and also a Black Francolin crossing the road. Many Cattle Egret were also present in the area.
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Glossy Ibis - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Picture
Glossy Ibis - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Many shrikes later and a lone Tree Pipit we ventured to Akrotiri stopping at Kensington Cliffs on the way fro Eleonora's Falcon, another target species. Luis said this was the highlight of the trip as not only did we get fantastic flight views but Luis managed a photo of a dark morph on the cliff just less than 10 meters away. We also had views of one feeding a recently fledged youngster. Unfortunately the Griffon Vultures didn't show.
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Eleonora's Falcon - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Next stop was Bishop's Pool for ferruginous duck, another target, we had around 3-4 here and also a Common Pochard and an out of place Great Cormorant. We stopped here to have lunch.
After a brief visit to the Salt lake run-off and Ladies Mile where we saw many waders; Kentish and Common Ringed Plover, Little and Temmincks stint etc we brushed past the Gravel Pits, only seeing a lone Tawny Pipit and enteretd Phassouri marsh where there was an abundance of Great White, Little and Cattle Egret as well as Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron and Grey Heron feeding in the marshes. At the first hide we had a fleeting glimpse of a female Little Crake running into the reeds and European Bee-eaters were everywhere. Quite a few European Rollers were about of which there was also some on the wires at Ladies Mile providing good photo opportunities.
The tower hide was fairly unfruitful aside a few Common Kingfishers, we finished up the tour at the bee-hives raptor migration spot which produced many Marsh Harriers and some Honey Buzzards as well as a Hobby. We finished the day with 76 Species.
Species List:

(h)Chukar Partridge    
Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Garganey   
Common Pochard   
Ferruginous Duck    
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Squacco Heron
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Great Cormorant   
European Shag  
Common Kestrel   
Eleonora's Falcon  
Eurasian Hobby
European Honey-buzzard
Western Marsh Harrier  
Pallid Harrier
Montagu's Harrier  
Long-legged Buzzard     
Bonelli's Eagle    
Little Crake
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover    
Common Snipe 
Green Sandpiper 
Little Stint 
Temminck's Stint 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Slender-billed Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
European Turtle-dove
Eurasian Collared-dove
Laughing Dove

European Roller   
Common Kingfisher
European Bee-eater   
Red-backed Shrike 
Lesser Grey Shrike
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark  
Sand Martin
Barn Swallow 
Zitting Cisticola  
Cetti's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
(h)Eurasian Reed-warbler
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 
Willow Warbler 
Common Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat 
Sardinian Warbler
Cyprus Warbler 
Spectacled Warbler  
Whinchat
House Sparrow 
Yellow Wagtail (*Flava)   
Black-headed Wagtail 
Tawny Pipit  
Tree Pipit 
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet

76

December 29th, 2019

29/12/2019

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Paphos & Akrotiri 28/12/2019

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Greater Sand Plover - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 29th I guided Rita and Wilkie around Akrotiri and Paphos.
It was a much quieter day than the previous day although we still managed 53 species even though the tour was called short an hour due to bad weather.
We set out at the Paphos Headland with Greater Sand Plover in mind. On the corner point looking past the many Golden Plover there were three Greater Sand Plover that we managed good close views of. The only other birds of note were Common Sandpiper, Skylark and many Meadow Pipit as well as a fantastic murmuration of Starling. 
We then ventured to the Sewage Plant and saw the Cattle Egrets and a few Spur-winged Lapwing of which numbers seem to be down. 
Next stop was for the Finsch's Wheatear at Anarita Park of-which two showed quite nicely although there was not much else around of note aside Corn Bunting which were surprisingly already in song. 
Mandria was the next stop where Laughing Dove and Red-throated Pipit showed well and also a Water Pipit, no sign of any Hen Harriers though unfortunately.
We then continued to Akrotiri stopping at Phassouri Marsh first which was fairly quiet and so we moved on to the Sylvania Restaurant spot to scope the Flamingos of which there was a small party displaying.
Zakaki held very little, the Bluethroat that was present yesterday didn't show and the gull selection at Ladies Mile was very limited in comparison although there did seem to have been a lot more Armenian Gulls present.
Driving to Kensington Cliffs we had a fly over Peregrine Falcon and at which point the weather turned for the worse and so we decided against visiting the site.
We finished with 53 Species.
Species List:

Black Francolin    
Mallard    
Common Teal
Greater Flamingo
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Great Cormorant   
European Shag  
Common Kestrel   
Peregrine Falcon
Western Marsh Harrier  
Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Spur-winged Lapwing
Eurasian Golden Plover
Greater Sand Plover
Green Sandpiper 
Common Sandpiper 
Armenian Gull 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Caspian Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
​
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Laughing Dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Eurasian Penduline tit
Crested Lark  
Eurasian Skylark
Zitting Cisticola  
(h) Cetti's Warbler
Common Starling 
(h) European Robin
Western Black Redstart
Common Stonechat
Finsch's Wheatear
House Sparrow 
White Wagtail
Meadow Pipit 
Red-throated Pipit
Water Pipit (*Caucasian Water Pipit)
Common Chaffinch 
European Serin 
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet
Corn Bunting

53

December 27th, 2019

27/12/2019

 

​Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Akrotiri & Paphos 27/12/2019

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Bluethroat - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 27th I guided Tim and Alice around the Akrotiri and Paphos sites.

We started off at Phassouri Marsh where many Marsh Harrier and Penduline were seen along with Water rail. At the entrance to the site a Pale Morph Common Buzzard sat out in the open for a while and then flew off in the distance, the first time I had seen this colour phase in Cyprus.
We headed along the marsh banks seeing little aside Common Kingfisher. At the second hide we had great views of Common Kingfisher, Water Pipit and Shelduck flew overhead among many Common Snipe. Spur-winged Lapwing and Coot were on the Scrape. Reed Warbler called from the reed but were shy.
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Common Shelduck - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Further down we were treated to great views of both male and female Black Francolin and also a pair of Cattle Egret roadside. A lone Little Egret was also feeding among the cattle.
We then ventured to the environmental center to scope the Flamingos.
Next was Ladies Mile which was fairly quiet aside the bulk of the Gulls. We managed to pick out Armenia, Caspian, Heuglin's, Mediterranean and a Slender-billed Gull among the Black-headed Gulls.
At Zakaki Marsh we was treated to great views of a Bluethroat, and concealed views of Moustached Warbler.
Next we headed to Kensington Cliffs where only one Griffon Vulture showed but amazingly there was two Cyprus Warbler calling and showing nearby. We stopped here for lunch and then continued to Paphos.
At Mandria we had some smashing views of Red-throated Pipit and the many Skylark. We also got close to a Laughing Dove here and distant views of a Bonelli's Eagle being mobbed by Hooded Crows. We stopped for coffee at a taverna and headed to the Sewage Plant where the Spur-winged Lapwings were proving tricky though a Green Sandpiper was unusually showy.
Next we went for the finsch's wheatear at Anarita Park which we got pretty decent views of two. A male Goshawk swooped in and attacked a Common Kestrel right above us which was a bonus. On the way to Episkopi we had brief views of Woodlark and Corn Bunting and at Episkopi we managed to see the Cyprus Scops Owl which is amazingly still around. 
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Cyprus Scops Owl - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
​We finished the day with an impressive 67 species for this time of year.
Species List:

(h) Chukar Partridge    
Black Francolin    
Common Shelduck    
Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Common Teal
Greater Flamingo
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Great Cormorant   
Common Kestrel   
Griffon Vulture
Western Marsh Harrier  
Northern Goshawk
Common Buzzard
Bonelli's Eagle    
Water Rail
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Snipe 
Green Sandpiper 
Heuglin's (Siberian) Gull 
Armenian Gull 
Caspian Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Slender-billed Gull 
Mediterranean Gull   
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
​
Laughing Dove
Cyprus Scops Owl
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Eurasian Penduline tit
Crested Lark  
Wood Lark
Eurasian Skylark
Cetti's Warbler
Moustached Warbler
Eurasian Reed-warbler
Common Chiffchaff 
Blackcap 
Sardinian Warbler
Cyprus Warbler 
(h)European Robin
Bluethroat
Western Black Redstar
Common Stonechat
Finsch's Wheatear
House Sparrow 
White Wagtail
Meadow Pipit 
Red-throated Pipit
Water Pipit (*Caucasian Water Pipit)
Common Chaffinch 
European Serin 
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet
Corn Bunting
Common Reed Bunting
​

67

December 06th, 2019

6/12/2019

 

​Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Paphos Half-day Tour 02/12/2019

On the 2nd I guided Dave around Paphos. We started at the Headland for Greater Sand Plover of which there was two, a small group of Golden Plover were present also and a murmuration of Starling. 
Our next stop was the Sewage Works where we saw a Peregrine Falcon on some pylons. The Spur-winged Lapwings were unusually no-where to be seen. 
We then ventured to Agia Varvara where three Snipe were feeding at the edge of the pool. We then headed to Anarita Park for Finsch's Wheatear which showed well. A short trip around Mandria produced little and at Asprokremnos dam there were some Great Egrets which were behaving oddly, landing on the water.  
We then headed to Episkopi for the Cyprus Scops Owl and lastly Minthis Hills where we saw just a Grey Heron.
We finished the half day with 39 Species. 

Species List:

Common Teal
Little Grebe
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Great Cormorant   
Common Kestrel   
Peregrine Falcon
Common Moorhen  
Eurasian Golden Plover
Greater Sand Plover
Common Snipe 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Eurasian Collared-dove
Laughing Dove
Cyprus Scops Owl
(h)Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Crested Lark  
Wood Lark
Eurasian Skylark
Zitting Cisticola  
Common Chiffchaff 
Sardinian Warbler
Common Starling 
Common Stonechat
Finsch's Wheatear
House Sparrow 
White Wagtail
Grey Wagtail 
Meadow Pipit 
Red-throated Pipit
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet
Corn Bunting

39

December 02nd, 2019

2/12/2019

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Paphos and Akrotiri 29/11/2019

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Northern Lapwing - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 29th I guided Martijn around the Paphos and Akrotiri sites.
We started out at the Avagas Gorge for Wallcreeper though it didn't seem to be present, we did get good views of Robin, Black Redstart and a Sparrowhawk.
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European Robin - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Next we stopped at the Paphos sewage works where both Northern and Spur-winged Lapwing were present. A quick visit to Mandria produced Skylark and various Pipits as well as Laughing Dove.
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Laughing Dove - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
We then ventured to Akrotiri which seemed unusually quiet. Ladies Mile had some Redshank and the usual Black-headed Gulls with Yellow-legged and Armenian among them. 
We stopped at Bishop's Pool for waterfowl, seeing mostly Common Teal, Pintail, Shoveler and Mallard. We stopped at the Environmental Center to see the Flamingo's and then our final stop was Kensington Cliffs of which the Griffon Vultures didn't show.
We finished the tour with 46 species. 
Species List:

Mallard    
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Common Teal
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Common Kestrel   
Western Marsh Harrier  
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Common Moorhen  
Common Coot
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Common Redshank 
Armenian Gull 
Yellow-legged Gull 
Black-headed Gull 
Rock Dove 
Common Wood-pigeon   
Laughing Dove
Common Kingfisher
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw   
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark  
Eurasian Skylark
Zitting Cisticola  
Cetti's Warbler
Blackcap 
Sardinian Warbler
(h)Eurasian Wren
Eurasian Blackbird    
European Robin
Western Black Redstart
Common Stonechat
House Sparrow 
White Wagtail
Meadow Pipit 
Red-throated Pipit
European Serin 
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet

46 

November 30th, 2019

30/11/2019

 

Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Paphos half-day tour 28/11/2019

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Wallcreeper (photo taken previously) - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 28th I guided Stephen Dutton around the Paphos sites for a half day tour starting off with Wallcreeper in mind. We started at the Avagas Gorge where plenty of Robin, Stonechat, Black Redstart and Blackcap were showing well as well as Linnet.
Before reaching the narrow part of the gorge we had some views of Wallcreeper in flight as well as Blue Rock Thrush and brief views of Hawfinch. A Long-legged Buzzard flew overhead being mobbed by a Common Buzzard.
We then headed to Mavrokolympus Dam which was very quiet aside some Chukar calling in the distance. 
Our next stop was the Sewage works where Spur-winged Lapwing were showing well and a Bonelli's Eagle was seen but very distant.
Lastly we visited Mandria where Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and Skylark showed as well as Laughing Dove. 
We finished with 41 species. 
Species List:

(h)Chukar Partridge    
Common Kestrel  
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard 
Bonelli's Eagle   
Northern Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Rock Dove
Common Wood-pigeon  
Eurasian Collared-dove
Laughing Dove
Eurasian Magpie    
Eurasian Jackdaw  
Hooded Crow
Great Tit
Crested Lark  
Wood Lark
Eurasian Skylark
Zitting Cisticola  
(h)Cetti's Warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Sardinian Warbler
Wallcreeper
European Starling
Song Thrush  
European Robin
Western Black Redstart
Common Stonechat
Blue Rock-thrush
House Sparrow
White Wagtail
Meadow Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
European Greenfinch    
European Goldfinch
Common Linnet
Hawfinch
(h)Corn Bunting

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    Mostly all photos are taken with a
    - Canon 7D mkii (older photos with mk1)
    and a
    - Canon 400mm Ef-s USM l f5.6 Lens. 
    - no teleconverter.

    Macro: 
    Tamron sp 90mm f017
    (older: Canon sx50 HS)


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