Paphos Headland

16/12/16 Paphos Headland, by contrast to the previous day we had to time our walks along the headland to complete the wetland count in order to miss the showers, which we did but got caught on the way back. Well worth the visit though with 4 Ruddy Turnstone seen feeding with the Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpiper and 3 Dunlin on seaweed. There were Shag fishing in the sea with a few Great Cormorant flying past. On the headland point 116 Golden Plover were resting along with a single Grey Plover and the Greater Sand Plover. Not a good day for photographs but managed a few.

Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

Common Sand Piper (Actitis hypoleucos)

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Agia Varvara

Agia Varvara. A visit on 22/11/16 we noticed that the water department had cleared the aquafier pools in readiness for the winter. Visiting again today, despite this disruption, produced much the same birds that had been seen previously on the 22nd. In the pools were Common Snipe, Bluethroat, European Serin, Songthrush, White Wagtail and Meadow Pipit taking advantage of the new water. In the surrounding area were a male Finsch's Wheatear, Little Owl, European Robin, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Stonechat and Long-legged Buzzard.

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Wallcreeper

Avakas Gorge. Another visit to the gorge where we managed closer views of the Wallcreeper that we saw last week. We saw our first sighting approx 100 metres past the narrowest part of the gorge. We then spent another couple of hours viewing approx 100 metres further up. We saw one Wallcreeper feeding in a wide range of approx 500 metres going well up past the "shard".
Also seen Female Blue Rock Thrush and a Sparrowhawk.

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Raptor Watch

Raptor Watch for BirdLife Cyprus at Mandria Paphos.
At the start the usual Common Kestrels were hunting over the fields and shortly after a Black Kite was chased out to sea by mobbing Hooded Crows. There were various groups of Red-footed Falcon rising together with smaller numbers of Honey Buzzard, a group of European Bee Eaters were seen along with others heard throughout the morning. A long-legged Buzzard and Marsh Harrier were seen.
Moving to the West side of Mandria there were 17 Red footed Falcon on wires which diminished to 9 although there was evidence of some returning. Also in the same area 2 European Roller and a Bonelli's Eagle.
We completed our day with a visit to Paphos Sewage Works where a couple of Northern Lapwing along with the resident Spur Winged Plover were seen.

Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)

European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

Female Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus

Blunt Nosed Viper

A walk up the inlet of Mavrokolympos dam looking for dragonflies with Dave's brother we came to an abrupt halt when we came close to a Blunt Nosed Viper (Macrovipera lebetina), that unusually did not scurry off, probably due to the fact that it had just started to digest it's prey. A venomous snake that will only attack in self defence.

Mavrokolympos Dam

Having seen an early morning report of a Lesser Grey Shrike in our local area of Mavrokolympos Dam we we thought migration must be picking up. A visit to the area did not produce the Lesser Grey but did manage a Red Backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike and a few Masked Shrike. There were also a couple of Little Grebe on the water and a number of Cyprus Wheatear that are now in autumn plumage, a rear and front view is shown below.

Red Backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) Mavrokolympos Dam 

Cyprus Wheatear ( Oenanthe cypriaca), Mavrokolympos Dam

Cyprus Wheatear ( Oenanthe cypriaca), Mavrokolympos Dam

Recent Butterflies

Thymelicus acteon (Lulworth Skipper)

Carcharodus alceae (Mallow Skipper)

Pontia daplidice (Bath White)

Akamas National Park

Akamas National Park Area, although very hot 35c it was worth seeing many European Roller in breeding locations together with Cyprus Wheatear. Masked and Woodchat Shrike and juvenile Little Owls.

European Roller (Coracias garrulus), A passage migrant and breeding summer visitor to Cyprus. Akamas National Park

European Roller (Coracias garrulus), A passage migrant and breeding summer visitor to Cyprus. Akamas National Park

Juvenile Little Owl (Athene noctura), a resident breeding bird of Cyprus, Akamas National Park

Mavrokolympos

A trip to our local area of Mavrokolympos, for a change the focus was on Dragonflies and Damselflies and not Birds. Although close views of Cetti's Warbler and Squacco Heron were had.
Expecting to find Calopteryx splendens and Epallage fatime that were seen last year it was good to see some other species including the Persian Bluetail (Ischnura intermedia) that was only reported for the first time in Cyprus in 2013. Also observed were Anax parthenope and Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus).

Persian Bluetail (Ischnura intermedia)

Epillage fatime

Epillage fatime

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus)

Akamas European Roller Survey

10/05/16 Having recently completed a European Roller (Coracias garrulus) survey on behalf of BirdLife Cyprus in the national park area of the Akamas, It was good to see a number of birds using the area for breeding. This bird migrants vast distances from South Africa to its breeding grounds in Europe and Asia.
In the same area a number of Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) can be seen, again using the area for breeding. This bird differs with its migration route arriving to breed in Europe and Asia from its over wintering area which is mainly India.

European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala)

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April Dragonflies and Damselflies

A selection of Dragonflies and Damselflies taken during April.

Ischnura elegans (Immature female)

 Ischnura elegans, Mavrokolympos, 06/04/16

 Ischnura elegans, Mavrokolympos, 06/04/16

Crocothemis erythraea, Mavrokolympos, 06/04/16

Orthetrum brunneum (fem), Mavrokolympos, 15/04/16

Epallage fatime, Mavrokolympos, 15/04/16

Epallage fatime, Mavrokolympos, 15/04/16

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Great Spotted Cuckoo

08/05/16 Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius), a brood parasite that lays it's eggs in Corvid nests, mainly in Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) in Cyprus. The female can deposit between one to six eggs in the hosts nest and can deposit a total of twelve to twenty four eggs in a season. When mating the male presents their favoured food such as Caterpillars or Grasshoppers to the female. Plenty of Great Spotted Cuckoo at Anarita, Paphos at the moment.

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Amur Falcon

06/05/16 Having been in the UK and receiving reports of an Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis) we were thinking we may have missed the first record of this bird in Cyprus. It over winters in South Africa and normally migrates across the Indian Ocean to the far east, which is one of the most difficult routes for a bird of prey to migrate. It was feeding with many Red Footed Falcon and has probably migrated with this western counter part that we are more familiar with. It is easily recognised in flight from the (western) Red Footed Falcon by its white underwing coverts.

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Paphos Foothills

13/02/16
A BirdLife Cyprus field meeting led by John in the Paphos foothills was enjoyed by all today. Highlights seen were close views of Siskin, also Song Thrush, Woodlark and Blackbird were seen. Raptors in the area were Long-legged and Common Buzzard. It was nice to see both a male and female Finsch's Wheatear in the same area together with a Little Owl and Spectacled Warbler. We completed the trip with good views of a Peregrine Falcon on breeding territory. There were also plenty of wild flowers and orchids to view.

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Giant Orchid (Barlia robertiana)

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Zakaki Marsh

03/02/16 A very quick look around Zakaki Marsh where we were lucky to see the Pied Kingfisher and Pied Avocet.

 Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)

Pied Avocet (Recurviostra avosetta)

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BirdLife Cyprus Griffon Vulture Census

28/01/16 We completed the Griffon Vulture Population Census for BirdLife Cyprus in the Mousere, Dora area which straddle's the regions of  Paphos and Limassol.
An enjoyable day completing the census for BirdLife Cyprus.
In the six hours spent we had 13 sightings of Griffon Vulture ranging from single birds up to groups of 9, with both the original population of Cyprus birds successfully intergrating with the birds bought in from Crete under the project to increase the dwindling Cyprus population.

http://www.birdlifecyprus.org/en/news-811-Update_on_the_Griffon_Vulture_project.html

International Waterbird Census (day 2)

We completed the waterbird census on Sunday 17/01/16 by walking the Paphos headland coast on the edge of the archaeological site in Kato Paphos.

We started off by seeing 2 Great Cormorant flying in then a Sandwich Tern fishing just off the coast.

Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis)

Nearby was a Slender-billed Gull, Common Kingfisher and a number of Dunlin feeding. 

              Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei)

                                                                        Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

Continuing along the coast we came across 4 Greater Sand Plover and reaching the end we were disappointed not to have seen the Golden Plovers that frequent this section of the headland in winter. On our return journey though, we were pleased to see the flock flying in from another location.

     Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultia)

Eurasian Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)

Other birds seen were Yellow-legged Gull and Common Sandpiper, birds missing for us this day, Whimbrel and Ruddy Turnstone which would have been there but probably further along the coast.

Dave and Jan

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