Cyprus Bird Watching Tours - BIRD is the WORD - Akrotiri 06/09/2019
Eurasian Curlew - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
On the 6th I guided Brian around the Akrotiri sites for my first tour of autumn. I had met Brian out here before when he was on an orchid tour with a friend, and had been friends on social media for quite some time.
We set off early morning to the Salt Lake to check for any late parties of Demoiselle Cranes. Unfortunately none had roosted overnight though we had a good view of many Greater Flamingos and Slender-billed Gulls. A Lesser Grey Shrike was moving around the bushes next to us which we got great views of. Bee-eaters were flying high overhead.
We moved around to the run-off side. Water levels weren't so good but the dryness enabled us to get very close to a Eurasian Curlew feeding through the salt flats, a fairly scarce species in Cyprus. Small parties of Spectacled Warbler were in the shrubs and more Lesser Grey Shrikes. A pair of Hoopoe flew in close to the car but vanished in the shrubland. On the Salt Lake many of the Greater Flamingo were very close and many of their nesting mounds were visible.
We set off early morning to the Salt Lake to check for any late parties of Demoiselle Cranes. Unfortunately none had roosted overnight though we had a good view of many Greater Flamingos and Slender-billed Gulls. A Lesser Grey Shrike was moving around the bushes next to us which we got great views of. Bee-eaters were flying high overhead.
We moved around to the run-off side. Water levels weren't so good but the dryness enabled us to get very close to a Eurasian Curlew feeding through the salt flats, a fairly scarce species in Cyprus. Small parties of Spectacled Warbler were in the shrubs and more Lesser Grey Shrikes. A pair of Hoopoe flew in close to the car but vanished in the shrubland. On the Salt Lake many of the Greater Flamingo were very close and many of their nesting mounds were visible.
Greater Flamingo - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
They were joined by many coot, Little Egret and a few Glossy Ibis as well as a few Herons hiding behind the shrubs. Eleonora's Falcons were hunting over the salt lake as well as quite a few Marsh Harriers. Here we also had some Slender-billed Gulls and many Yellow-legged Gulls. Small groups of Yellow Wagtail were darting around but small waders were absent from the area. I was a bit disappointed at the lack of Raptors on the ground here as it is a favoured roosting spot, though the close ups of the Curlew more than made up for it.
We then headed to the Gravel Pits. Here we got close to a pair of Hoopoes and a Red-backed Shrike wasn't too far away and Chukar Partridge moving along the rocky ledge.
We then headed to the Gravel Pits. Here we got close to a pair of Hoopoes and a Red-backed Shrike wasn't too far away and Chukar Partridge moving along the rocky ledge.
Eurasian Hoopoe - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
A couple of Willow Warblers were flitting around by the church. There wasn't a bird to be found around the water bodies and so we ventured to Phassouri, seeing Whinchat, Turtle Dove and Spotted Flycatcher en route.
Many Cattle Egret were around the cattle, and at the main hide a pair of Whiskered Terns took up from somewhere nearby. A Greenshank called and then it was fairly quiet. A pair of Zitting Cistcola were feeding their young quite close to the path. A bit further up a Marsh Harrier was on the ground next to some Hooded Crows.
Many Cattle Egret were around the cattle, and at the main hide a pair of Whiskered Terns took up from somewhere nearby. A Greenshank called and then it was fairly quiet. A pair of Zitting Cistcola were feeding their young quite close to the path. A bit further up a Marsh Harrier was on the ground next to some Hooded Crows.
Zitting Cisticola - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
We entered the tower hide which was fairly dissapointing, only seeing one Reed Warbler, a few Turtle Dove and a few Marsh Harrier.
Our next destination was Bishop's Pool in hope of seeing some migrating raptors there. There wasn't so much on the water aside some Little Grebes, Moorhen and Garganey. There was a single Ferruginous Duck there but only seen briefly. Eleonora's Falcon frequently patrolled the water, a Grey Heron and many Turtle Doves were moving around too. Overhead some Marsh Harrier flew over and also a young Pallid Harrier.
Next stop was Kensington Cliffs where 3 Griffon Vultures were seen on arrival and another on the cliff face. Many Eleonora's Falcons were flying around not far from us and one dark morph perched on the cliff face meters from us. Right below us from the cliff face a very large adult Green Turtle was swimming in the shallows. We headed inland a bit and had our lunch.
Our next destination was Bishop's Pool in hope of seeing some migrating raptors there. There wasn't so much on the water aside some Little Grebes, Moorhen and Garganey. There was a single Ferruginous Duck there but only seen briefly. Eleonora's Falcon frequently patrolled the water, a Grey Heron and many Turtle Doves were moving around too. Overhead some Marsh Harrier flew over and also a young Pallid Harrier.
Next stop was Kensington Cliffs where 3 Griffon Vultures were seen on arrival and another on the cliff face. Many Eleonora's Falcons were flying around not far from us and one dark morph perched on the cliff face meters from us. Right below us from the cliff face a very large adult Green Turtle was swimming in the shallows. We headed inland a bit and had our lunch.
Eleonora's Falcon - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Eleonora's Falcon - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Green Turtle - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
We then ventured to zakaki to a dragonfly site as Brian is very keen on dragonflies. Here we got to see Wandering Glider, Broad Scarlet, Black Percher, Slender Skimmer, Violet Dropwing, Red-veined Dropwing and Lesser Emperor. Earlier at the Salt Lake we saw Red-veined Darter and Vagrant Emperor also.
Black Percher - Cyprus Bird Watching Tours Bird is the Word © Matt Smith All Rights Reserved
Our last stop was at Ladies Mile where quite a few waders were on the small pockets of water, including Kentish and Ringed Plover and also Little Stint. We stopped to see some Sea Daffodils and then finished the tour, seeing Laughing Dove and Baltic Gull on the way back.
We managed 56 species for the day, which is not particularly the best count for this time of year and odd that not a single Honey Buzzard or Black Kite was seen.
We managed 56 species for the day, which is not particularly the best count for this time of year and odd that not a single Honey Buzzard or Black Kite was seen.
| Species List: Chukar Partridge Mallard Garganey Ferruginous Duck Little Grebe Greater Flamingo Glossy Ibis Cattle Egret Grey Heron Little Egret Common Kestrel Eleonora's Falcon Griffon Vulture Western Marsh Harrier Pallid Harrier Common Moorhen Common Coot Spur-winged Lapwing Common Ringed Plover Kentish Plover Eurasian Curlew (h)Common Greenshank Little Stint Yellow-legged Gull Baltic Gull Slender-billed Gull Whiskered Tern | Rock Dove Common Wood-pigeon European Turtle-dove Eurasian Collared-dove Laughing Dove (h)European Bee-eater Eurasian Hoopoe Red-backed Shrike Lesser Grey Shrike Eurasian Magpie Eurasian Jackdaw Hooded Crow Great Tit Crested Lark Sand Martin Barn Swallow Red-rumped Swallow Common House-martin Zitting Cisticola Eurasian Reed-warbler Willow Warbler Sardinian Warbler Spectacled Warbler Whinchat Spotted Flycatcher House Sparrow Spanish Sparrow Yellow Wagtail (*Flava) European Greenfinch 56 |
| Violet Dropwing Red-veined Dropwing Broad Scarlet Red-veined Darter Slender Skimmer Keeled Skimmer Black Percher Wandering Glider Lesser Emperor Vagrant Emperor | African Grass Blue Painted Lady Large Whip Snake Sling-tailed Agama Sea Daffodil Green Turtle |
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