Birding in Cyprus this spring? (1 Viewer)

[richarddavis30]

Popped up to the argaka dam today, we need to go back with more supplies for the lovely walk. We did see

Black cap
Cretzmar bunting
Eleonoras falcon
And
A harrier either hen or pallids. Any ideas on which is more likely at this time of year?

Upon realising it was a long walk here we popped to evretou dam. Here we encountered many swallows 6 jackdaw and two hoopoe. Heard chukar too.

Any help with the other two birds would be great(from the last two posts)

 

[ApusApus]

Popped up to the argaka dam today, we need to go back with more supplies for the lovely walk. We did see

Black cap
Cretzmar bunting
Eleonoras falcon
And
A harrier either hen or pallids. Any ideas on which is more likely at this time of year?

Upon realising it was a long walk here we popped to evretou dam. Here we encountered many swallows 6 jackdaw and two hoopoe. Heard chukar too.

Any help with the other two birds would be great(from the last two posts)

EOW is very possible at this time of year as is Hen Harrier vs. Pallid!


Shane

 

[Gavin Mac]

EOW is very possible at this time of year as is Hen Harrier vs. Pallid!


Shane

Hi Shane

I am staying with family in Coral Bay. No real time for regular birding but am keen to know of latest bird news. The last update on Birdlife Cyprus was March 31st is there a different website that is updated daily ?? Am crossing my fingers for Great Snipe !!

Had a Stone Curlew on the headland at Coral Bay this morning plus a couple of Tawny Pipits.

Any updates welcome - thanks

 

[firecrest9]

Very quiet at Paphos Lighthouse/heasdland, birds seen were a male Collared Fly 3 Richard pipits and 4 Night Herons flying over. Had 4 Collared flys at Aspro dam today.

 

[ApusApus]

Hi Shane

I am staying with family in Coral Bay. No real time for regular birding but am keen to know of latest bird news. The last update on Birdlife Cyprus was March 31st is there a different website that is updated daily ?? Am crossing my fingers for Great Snipe !!

Had a Stone Curlew on the headland at Coral Bay this morning plus a couple of Tawny Pipits.

Any updates welcome - thanks

Hi Gavin Mac

Sorry no daily update on the website as far as I know but there is a phone number to use to hear the latest bulletin, 25 934076. Never tried it myself so can't comment!

Great Snipe is certainly a possibility at this time of year but most sightings will be in the South Eastern part of Cyprus, like Oroklini marshes or Akrotiri Salt Lake.

However, if you catch the 615 Bus from Coral Bay to the Bus Station in Paphos Harbour then you could do a couple of hours birding around the Archaeological site and Lighthouse early morning. There is plenty to see there at the moment and it only costs 1.50 euros each way!


Shane

 

[richarddavis30]

Had a quiet day at Pafos lighthouse yesterday. Highlight for us were 4 hoopoe's.

We did however have a large buzzard over the hills as we driving back out of pafos towards polis.

I think it was either a steppe buzzard or a long legged buzzard. Did anybody else see one around yesterday? Only as as its the only big bird of prey we have seen except the marsh harrier....e elimated the honey buzzard as we could se no white in its tail...

Thanks

Rich, Rob and Alex

 

[richarddavis30]

At last

A walk up to the almost the top of the hills behind Argaka has finally given us a cyprus warbler. We also had a lovely view of a very unexpected eagle. It came soaring over the hill top and stayed in view for about a minute. Lovely bird. We think this was an Eastern imperial eagle. It looked bigger than the booted eagles we have seen in spain.

Rich and Rob

 

[ApusApus]

At last

A walk up to the almost the top of the hills behind Argaka has finally given us a cyprus warbler. We also had a lovely view of a very unexpected eagle. It came soaring over the hill top and stayed in view for about a minute. Lovely bird. We think this was an Eastern imperial eagle. It looked bigger than the booted eagles we have seen in spain.

Rich and Rob

Glad to hear you got Cyprus Warbler but an EIE would be pretty exceptional, the last record was 2007!
The 3 usual Eagles you see at this time of year are the migrant Lesser Spotted & Booted and the resident breeder Bonelli's.


Shane

 

[richarddavis30]

Shane

Thanks for all your advise on these. With that in mind it must have been the bonellis. It was too big to be a booted.

Many thanks

 

[Rob Williams]

Definitely too big for Booted. Must have been Bonnelli's.

 

[richarddavis30]

Well what an amazing day we have had today. Our first proper day birding.......well just birding

We started at Asprokremmos dam.

Woodchat shrike
Sardinian warbler
Great tit
Tree pipit
Kestrel
Hooded crow
Goldfinch
Magpie
Woodpigeon
Bonellis eagle
Sparrow

We then went on the move, on the road we had

Stone curlew.(sorry not sure where this spot was)

Then on to pafos sewage works and the fields next too.

Cattle egret* x2
Collare dove
Spur winged lapwing* x5
Stone curlew* x2
White wag x5
Yellow wag x200c
Fan tailed warbler
Woodchat shrike
Cettis
Short toed lark* x16
Winchat x2 male and female.

Then onto Anarita park.

Long legged buzzard*
Kestrel
Black eared wheatear
Northern wheatear
Winchat
Semi collared flycatcher*
Linnet
Lesser kestrel*
Magpie
Ortolan bunting* x12/13
Lesser whitethroat
Roller* x2
Little owl* (my favourite been looking for these for ages)

Onto phassourri reedbed

Marsh harrier
Moorhen
Glossy ibis* x12
Cattle egret x2
Hooded crow.

Bit further down the road in a field with water.

Glossy ibis x6
Marsh sanpiper* x6/7approx
Little stint* x6/7
Ringed plover* x5/6
Snipe* x2
Black winged stilt* x9
Kentish plover*
Greenshank*
Black kite*
Knot*
Ruff* a few.
Spur winged lapwing
Pratincole* x1
Pharalope(group saw but not us)
Spotted redshank*
Garganey*(flock of approx 200 flew past)

Onto lady mile

Redshank
Greenshank
Slender biled gull* x2
Little egret
Little stint
Black winged stilt
Night heron* x 13
Yellow legged gull.
Squacco heron* x1
Armenian gull*.

I belive that makes 55 species today. Thats amazing..

We would like to thank June for showing us around an making it such a memorable trip. Amzing work she does for the cause.(espec for my little owl)

Thanks again

Rich, Rob and Alex.

 

[Rob Williams]

Many thanks to June at Birdlife Cyprus for guiding us, we couldn't have done it without her. Great day, great list, great sights.

 

[richarddavis30]

Quiet day today...

We had a glossy ibis fly down the coast line at 7.30 this morning outside the villa in Argaka.

Had a walk around argaka dam and nature trail. A few cretz bunting, great tits, sardinian warblers and a kestrel is all we really found today.

Rich and Rob

 

[Gavin Mac]

Caspian Plover @ Mandria - in last ploughed field by beach. Not seen it but posted on Birdlife Cyprus sightings for yesterday.

 

[Rob Williams]

8am, Argaka...Wryneck.

 

[richarddavis30]

1pm Argaka.....great spooted cuckoo heard and woodchat shrike seen.

 

[Gavin Mac]

No sign of Caspian Plover this morning - Spur-winged Plover & Stone Curlew the best I could do. Alpine Swift @ Coral Beach this afternoon.

 

[albatross02]

Very good birdlist, I had only 16 days in Cyprus.
Akamas was the most interesting.

But last days in Cape Greco was also intersting e.g. 6 Wryneck, some Cretschmars Bunting, some Ortolan, 2 Audonians Gulls, 1 Siberian Stonechat and 1 Desert Wheatear.

Glossy Ibis is still missing on my live list.

 

[Rob Williams]

Last early morning walk this morning before leaving...Spotted Flycatcher at Argaka.