Cyprus Birding Tours

29/01/2025

A day out in Paphos hoping to get a Cyprus tick - a Rook that had been found by Matt Smith at Mandria late last week. It had moved a bit further west than when last seen on Sunday but I was pleased to find it mixing with some Hooded Crows there. It wasn't being photo friendly so didn't even get a record shot unfortunately. With only 12 records since 1993 and hardly any of the previous being seen by anyone other than the finder, it was good to finally add it to my Cyprus list. Also around Mandria were many Eurasian Skylark (photo), European Serin, Common Linnet, a Hen Harrier, plenty of Meadow Pipit, a few Red-throated Pipit and a couple of European S**g on the offshore rocks. Also visited the deserted village of Foinikas at the north end of the Asprokremmos Dam. Best birds there were three Woodlark, a Blue Rock Thrush (photo), a Finsch's Wheatear, two Little Owl (photo) and a Great White Egret on the Dam as well as a Common Shelduck and plenty of Common Teal and Great Cormorant.

28/01/2025

Visited a few sites on the south east coast. Photos of the best birds at Agia Trias and Oroklini Beach. Three Audouin's Gulls were also at Kermia Beach along with an unexpected Bluethroat. Two Barn Swallows at Agia Trias.

25/01/2025

Searching through all the Northern Shovelers at Larnaca Sewage Works brought up a few less common winter visitors this afternoon - Gadwall (photo), Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Duck - and of course plenty of Common Teal and Mallard as well. The long-staying Slavonian Grebe was in with the Black-necked Grebes (photo) and there was a flock of more than 60 Northern Lapwings, four Common Greenshank and some Common Redshank. Two birds of prey flying over disturbed the peace and I was surprised to see that it was a Merlin chasing a Eurasian Sparrowhawk.

21/01/2025

Spent the day in Troodos with some relaxing birding and a productive walk. Chaffinches were everywhere but more interesting were three Yellowhammers (photo), five Redwings, some Mistle Thrush and a Hawfinch. Disappointing not to find the female Pine Bunting seen yesterday but you can't have it all!

20/01/2025

Water Pipit and Red-throated Pipit from visit to the Limassol area today.

18/01/2025

One of my favourite birding days of the year today - the annual IWC count. Again I did the Larnaca Salt Lake area where there were many Northern Shoveler, Common Teal, Common Shelduck, Greater Flamingo and gulls with best birds - two White Stork (photo), over 300 Eurasian Golden Plover (photo), Red-crested and Common Pochard, 71 Ferruginous Duck, two Tufted Duck (scarce winter visitors), two Gadwall, Black-necked Grebes, a brief view of the long-staying Slavonian Grebe, two Common Crane, many Common Redshank and a large group of roosting Eurasian Stone Curlew.

14/01/2025

After three male Finsch's Wheatears yesterday outside Nicosia it was good to see this female at a small archaeological site on Curium Beach today.

14/01/2025

A Common Shelduck having a bath. Lady's Mile 14th January 2025.

14/01/2025

Akrotiri Marsh 14th January 2025
Spent a few hours at Akrotiri Marsh this morning. The putative Eastern Yellow Wagtail was still there but too distant for photos. Also of interest were nearly 100 Spur-winged Lapwing, Moustached Warbler, Penduline Tit, hundreds of Common Teal, eight Spotted Redshank, a Ruff, an early Barn Swallow, Water Pipits, Meadow Pipits (photo), a Common Kingfisher and four Western Marsh Harrier.

13/01/2025

Nicosia morning 13th January 2025
A walk around Athalassa Dam where there were more than 400 Northern Shoveler, a few Eurasian Teal and Mallards, two each of Tufted and Ferruginous Duck as well as plenty of Common Coot and Great Cormorant. Then onto Agios Sozomenos where there were three male Finsch's Wheatear (photo), a female Blue Rock Thrush and two Long-legged Buzzard.

09/01/2025

A few rarities to catch up with now I'm back in Cyprus. A Slavonian Grebe had been found on Larnaca Sewage Works just before Christmas and although on first checking I didn't think I would find it today, luckily a Marsh Harrier flew over and put all the birds in a panic with the group of Black-necked Grebes coming away from the edges and into the middle. The Slavonian Grebe was in with them and I was pleased that it was easy to pick out. (No photos though ).
Easier to find were the two Asian Crimson-winged Finches that were found by Lawrie Sampson at Petounta Point on Monday 6th January. In the morning they were very flighty and moved around the area with the Linnets, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits that were also feeding there. On my return in the afternoon they were more faithful to a large bush perching on top of it and then coming down to drink from a nearby, small puddle.

22/12/2024

29/11/2024

My last Cyprus birding of 2024 ended with a lovely surprise - four Yellowhammers at Almyrolivado in Troodos. Not reported every winter and I hadn't seen one since November 2016. Also in the area were a couple of Goldcrests, a Mistle Thrush, a few Eurasian Siskin and lots of resident Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird and Short-toed Treecreeper.

26/11/2024

While at Agia Varara (see previous post) a message on the local what's app group from Alan Crane told that two Eurasian Dotterel had been found by Matt Smith nearby on the coast at Mandria. A quick drive and they were still there. One of them appears to have a broken leg but hopefully will be able to continue it's journey. Several photos below which even noise reducing software couldn't really rescue in the fading light!

26/11/2024

A quick afternoon visit today to Agia Varvara in Paphos. Photos of varying quality of the best birds!

20/11/2024

An Isabelline Shrike found two days ago at Cape Greco by Cindy Crease. Still present this afternoon. Rather a scruffy bird!

03/11/2024

After the heavy rain and storms last night I went early to the Sewage Works pools at Larnaca this morning to see what the weather had put down. A Sedge Warbler (photo) and a female Common Redstart were feeding in the vegetation in front of the hide and were joined by four Bluethroats (photos). Plenty of White and Yellow Wagtails and Meadow, Red-throated and Water Pipits were feeding in the area. Two Stock Doves came down briefly to drink at the edge of one of the pools. Around and on the pools themselves were many Northern Shoveler, Common Teal and Mallard as well as the immature Common Crane that has been there for two weeks now, seven Northern Pintail, a fem Common Pochard, male Eurasian Wigeon, at least 20 Black-necked Grebe, 24 Ferruginous Duck, a Common Greenshank, five Common Redshank and a Dunlin. Five Slender-billed Gull and seven Northern Lapwing flew over and a male Hen Harrier was quartering nearby. A good few hours out.

02/11/2024

Another day in Troodos yesterday. A lot of the usual suspects today but did seen a Hawfinch at Platania, a Bonelli's Eagle over Amiantos Botanical Gardens and a migrating Water Pipit on wires next to the Troodos Visitor Centre. Photos of some of the usual suspects below!