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Cyprus Birding (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Mick Sway
- Start date
Mick Sway
Well-known member
Cyprus v Lesbos
Hey Rokerman!
To be fair, although I have been to Cyprus three times I've not had the opportunity of birding there properly during peak migration. In June and October
it was very quiet. As it happens I don't drive, so even this time I had to rely on the good grace of my hosts dropping me off a couple of times, most sucessfully on the Wed morning at Limassol Port/Zakaki Marsh, when I managed some good birds due to a fall.
Lesvos is still relatively unspoiled compared to Cyprus and I would say that the welcome more warm. Both times at Zakaki Marsh, locals peeped their horns and shouted out of their cars as they trawled down the strip to Lady Mile Beach on the Bank Holiday. Although Fly tipping is bad all over Europe, I found it particulaly so in Cyprus. The EU should especialy do something about the thousands of plastic shotgun cartridges left on the hilsides.
Fortuntaely, touch wood I'm off to Lesvos too, in five weeks!
Thanks for responding.
Mick
B
Hey Rokerman!
To be fair, although I have been to Cyprus three times I've not had the opportunity of birding there properly during peak migration. In June and October
it was very quiet. As it happens I don't drive, so even this time I had to rely on the good grace of my hosts dropping me off a couple of times, most sucessfully on the Wed morning at Limassol Port/Zakaki Marsh, when I managed some good birds due to a fall.
Lesvos is still relatively unspoiled compared to Cyprus and I would say that the welcome more warm. Both times at Zakaki Marsh, locals peeped their horns and shouted out of their cars as they trawled down the strip to Lady Mile Beach on the Bank Holiday. Although Fly tipping is bad all over Europe, I found it particulaly so in Cyprus. The EU should especialy do something about the thousands of plastic shotgun cartridges left on the hilsides.
Fortuntaely, touch wood I'm off to Lesvos too, in five weeks!
Thanks for responding.
Mick
B
Mick Sway
Well-known member
Kala Chorio birds
I started this tread by saying that we were staying with freinds in the village of Kala Chorio at 2500 ft above sea level, in the district of Limassol. During the last week I walked the local hillsides in rain,hail and shine, to see what birds the habitat (mainly scrub with some vines and the odd tree) held. The biggest disapointment was the lack of raptors, none were seen except several Kestrel.
It looked ideal Buzzard country. The Cyprus warbler and wheatear are endemic to the area, however I found the former although common, very skittish and difficult to see.
Thanks for viewing
Mick
B
I started this tread by saying that we were staying with freinds in the village of Kala Chorio at 2500 ft above sea level, in the district of Limassol. During the last week I walked the local hillsides in rain,hail and shine, to see what birds the habitat (mainly scrub with some vines and the odd tree) held. The biggest disapointment was the lack of raptors, none were seen except several Kestrel.
It looked ideal Buzzard country. The Cyprus warbler and wheatear are endemic to the area, however I found the former although common, very skittish and difficult to see.
Thanks for viewing
Mick
B
Attachments
rokermartin
Well-known member
Hi Mick i have been to Cyprus twice both times in spring and saw some excellent birds.I was there last year in May and saw a Pied Kingfisher.The only thing that is putting me off going to Lesbos is the amount of bird tour groups that will be on the island in the spring season.I expect it is like birding on the Scillies bumping into birders everywhere you go.You certainly dont get that in Cyprus.Cyprus used to be a bit like that years ago when it was very popular with birders.
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TWM
Well-known member
Great stuff , did we bump into you at Aphrodites Baths?
We did Tuesday 24th March to Tue 31st.
Based at Kissonerga near Paphos.
We started birding on Wed morning at Paphos Lighthouse and it was 'hooching' , wading through migrants with loads of Ruppel's Warblers and Cretzchmar's Buntings being the highlight for me. Loads of S-t Larks, couple of Orphean Warblers, Black eared Wheatears and of course Chiffs and Lesser Whitethroats .
One of my targets was the Francolin and we had one at the back of our villa which provided great views.
On Thu 25th we started at 'The tomb of the Kings' just west of the Lighthouse, lots of Isabelline Wheatears, Tawny Pipits and a Rock Thrush.
The first visit to Aspro Pools and Dam didn't produce anything but we went again on Tue 31st March and saw Little Crake, Night Heron and great views of Gt spotted Cuckoo in the plantation above the dam.
Part 2 to Follow
We did Tuesday 24th March to Tue 31st.
Based at Kissonerga near Paphos.
We started birding on Wed morning at Paphos Lighthouse and it was 'hooching' , wading through migrants with loads of Ruppel's Warblers and Cretzchmar's Buntings being the highlight for me. Loads of S-t Larks, couple of Orphean Warblers, Black eared Wheatears and of course Chiffs and Lesser Whitethroats .
One of my targets was the Francolin and we had one at the back of our villa which provided great views.
On Thu 25th we started at 'The tomb of the Kings' just west of the Lighthouse, lots of Isabelline Wheatears, Tawny Pipits and a Rock Thrush.
The first visit to Aspro Pools and Dam didn't produce anything but we went again on Tue 31st March and saw Little Crake, Night Heron and great views of Gt spotted Cuckoo in the plantation above the dam.
Part 2 to Follow
TWM
Well-known member
The grove at the top of the dam also had Cyprus Warbler, Wood Warbler, Lesser Kestrel and a Pied Flycatcher that might have been Semi-collared but I didn't get enough on it.
Friday started with mega Thunderstorms and when it eased we went to the lighthouse but didn't find anything new (although I heard that it livened up later. ).
Saturday we went to Troodos via the Dhiarizos Valley, beautiful sunny day, Great Sp Cuckoo and Long legged Buzzard on the way. A Masked Shrike on the outskirts of Nikitari was a real cracker.
Sunday was Akrotiri, another hot sunny day. Pretty average until we got round to the pools by the harbour which produced Stilts, a Marsh Sandpiper and 5 Ferruginous Ducks.
On the way back we visited the Kourion Archeological site, Cyprus Wheatear, Black eared Wheatear , Isabelline Wheatear and Norther Wheatear were all hopping around within a few yards of each other, also Blue Rock Thrush there.
On Monday in Pegeia we stopped to admire the view and I noticed a rather drab looking Bunting sitting in a bush--a Cinerous Bunting (probably the most unexpected bird of the trip!).
On our last day (Tue) we went to the Lighthouse and had a couple of Booted Eagles fly in, then to Aspro Pools where a Little Crake showed well and Gt Sp Cuckoo was in the plantation at the top of the Dam.
My final total was 93 of which 9 were lifers---can't be bad.
Friday started with mega Thunderstorms and when it eased we went to the lighthouse but didn't find anything new (although I heard that it livened up later. ).
Saturday we went to Troodos via the Dhiarizos Valley, beautiful sunny day, Great Sp Cuckoo and Long legged Buzzard on the way. A Masked Shrike on the outskirts of Nikitari was a real cracker.
Sunday was Akrotiri, another hot sunny day. Pretty average until we got round to the pools by the harbour which produced Stilts, a Marsh Sandpiper and 5 Ferruginous Ducks.
On the way back we visited the Kourion Archeological site, Cyprus Wheatear, Black eared Wheatear , Isabelline Wheatear and Norther Wheatear were all hopping around within a few yards of each other, also Blue Rock Thrush there.
On Monday in Pegeia we stopped to admire the view and I noticed a rather drab looking Bunting sitting in a bush--a Cinerous Bunting (probably the most unexpected bird of the trip!).
On our last day (Tue) we went to the Lighthouse and had a couple of Booted Eagles fly in, then to Aspro Pools where a Little Crake showed well and Gt Sp Cuckoo was in the plantation at the top of the Dam.
My final total was 93 of which 9 were lifers---can't be bad.
Mick Sway
Well-known member
Cyprus
Hi TWM
You have a nice list of species there, rock thrush was on my hit list however it managed to evade us. Unfortunately we never got to Paphos headland so we never bumped into you. I would have liked to have gone further afield but as I said we were visiting freinds.
Thanks for your kind comments.
By the way I managed to dig out another species, slender billed gull (below) whilst trawling through the photos.
:t:
Hi TWM
You have a nice list of species there, rock thrush was on my hit list however it managed to evade us. Unfortunately we never got to Paphos headland so we never bumped into you. I would have liked to have gone further afield but as I said we were visiting freinds.
Thanks for your kind comments.
By the way I managed to dig out another species, slender billed gull (below) whilst trawling through the photos.
:t:
Attachments
Mick Sway
Well-known member
Francolin
Jim thanks for the input.
Congratulations TWD, nice one with the Francolin!
We are yet to see one.
I would like to note that the "slender billed gull" above has been disputed, although it was long billed which made me think that.
Any further thoughts on the subject would be appreciated.
Just to mention on the subject of butterflies, there were few about where we were, however we did see red admiral,painted lady, small white and clouded yellow.
Mick
B
Jim thanks for the input.
Congratulations TWD, nice one with the Francolin!
We are yet to see one.
I would like to note that the "slender billed gull" above has been disputed, although it was long billed which made me think that.
Any further thoughts on the subject would be appreciated.
Just to mention on the subject of butterflies, there were few about where we were, however we did see red admiral,painted lady, small white and clouded yellow.
Mick
B
Attachments
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Birdspotter
Well-known member
Just back today, 24 March-3 April stayed in the Paphos area with day 1-2 alive at the headland, 20+ Ruppell's 30+ Cretchzmar's Bunt on day 1 there!
It got quieter as the week went by but the GT Spott Cuckoo's started coming through, we had at least 10 in the Dhiarizos Valley on the 30 March.
Eastern Bonelli's were everywhere in the first few days, with best birds being a male Semi-collared Fly in the orchard above the Aspro Dam 26 March and a Brambling below the dam on 25 March.
Highlights for me though were the Pallid Harriers in off low over our heads at the headland on the evening's of 2-3 April8-P
It got quieter as the week went by but the GT Spott Cuckoo's started coming through, we had at least 10 in the Dhiarizos Valley on the 30 March.
Eastern Bonelli's were everywhere in the first few days, with best birds being a male Semi-collared Fly in the orchard above the Aspro Dam 26 March and a Brambling below the dam on 25 March.
Highlights for me though were the Pallid Harriers in off low over our heads at the headland on the evening's of 2-3 April8-P
rokermartin
Well-known member
Well i have to admit i thought the gull was BH when i first saw the pic.It appears to be a 1stw if it was a 1stw SB Gull is would have a pale orange bill with out black on it.
Mick Sway
Well-known member
Birdspotter
Some nice birds there, I would have thought that the Brambling was a bit of a coup for any Cyprus birding list.
Have you thought of submitting your records to Birdlife Cyprus ?
Thanks for responding to the thread everyone.
Mick
Some nice birds there, I would have thought that the Brambling was a bit of a coup for any Cyprus birding list.
Have you thought of submitting your records to Birdlife Cyprus ?
Thanks for responding to the thread everyone.
Mick
Attachments
TWM
Well-known member
My first reaction was B-h Gull as well---maybe some feathers missing on the forehead making the bill look long?
Birdspotter
Well-known member
rokermartin
Well-known member
I would say it was a SC.Flycatcher you can see the white tipped medium coverts.
Birdspotter
Well-known member
Also take note of the large amount of white to the sides of the tail as well as the undertail.
I haven't a problem with the ID, it's the age I was wondering about, any thoughts?
Birdspotter
Well-known member
Hi Mick
I believe there is some sort of recording system in place, but two different society's both very similarly named except the years in which they were formed are different, one which has a recorder the other hasn't, all very confusing, anyway I do enough descriptions back home I am not so sure I want to carry that on when I go abroad, at least not for an uncommon passage migrant anyway.
That said I always I always have a go at my mate who had a flock of Pallass's Gulls off Paphos one year and did not bother to submit them, then again though I believe there has only been around 15 or so records of this species to Cyprus.
cheers
