Slavonian Grebe

SLAVONIAN GREBE (also known as Horned Grebe). This bird was first seen by Alison McArthur back on November 16th. We did attempt to see this bird earlier but the weather being windy creating large waves, we were not successful. On Sunday the sea being calmer we were very pleased to see one bird still present. If this is confirmed it would only be the 3rd record for Cyprus the last one dating back to 1958.

Slavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

Slavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

Slavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

BirdLife Cyprus December Wetland Counts

BirdLife Cyprus Wetland Counts 14th, 15th, December. On Thursday, visiting the dams of Kannaviou, Evretou and Mavrokolympos in the Paphos area the normal over wintering birds such as Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Coot, Teal and Mallard were present. The Surprise on Mavrokolympos was a Black-necked Grebe which seem to present in some numbers in Cyprus this winter.
On Friday we walked the Paphos headland where the regular flock of Golden Plover were present along with the three Greater Sand Plover, a couple of Dunlin and unusually only one Ruddy Turnstone could be found. The over wintering Whimbrel was seen flying along the coast towards the ship wreck. Also seen Common Sandpiper and Kingfisher.

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii)

Akrotiri Gravel Pits

11/12/17 A week ago John East reported a Red-breasted Merganser at Akrotiri Gravel Pits, a rare bird for Cyprus, along with Black-necked and Great Crested Grebe. We had a limited opportunity to call in and were lucky to see these lovely birds still present.

Red Breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)

Black Necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

Paphos Headland

07/12/17 Paphos Headland, with snow falling in the Troodos mountains, on the coast it was bright and sunny but a little windy. Inside the Archaeology there were the usual winter visiting flocks of Common Starling, Meadow Pipit and Eurasian Skylark. European Robin and Black Redstart were present in numbers. In the way of raptors a Eurasian Sparrowhawk was nice to see along with the usual Common Kestrel. On the coast the usual overwintering flock of Golden Plover and three Greater Sand Plover were present.

Paphos Lighthouse

Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Eurasian Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)

Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii)

Timi Beach

26/11/17, Timi Beach. Having dropped Jan off at the airport I had a quick visit to the coastal area near the airport. As soon as I arrived rewarded with a couple of raptors. A Common Buzzard being mobbed by Crows and a Peregrine Falcon which unsurprisingly was not.

Eurasian Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Eurasian Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

Finsch's Wheatear (Oenanthe finschii)

23/11/17 First time out birding in a week, highlights include male Finsch's Wheatear at Anarita and Agia Varvara, Common Buzzard at Kouklia along with a couple of Long-legged Buzzard. An adult pair of Bonnelli's Eagle at Asprokremmos were showing well and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk gave us a close fly past. On the water were around 40 Great Cormorant, 50 Mallard, Common Teal and a couple of Grey Heron. On the way home stopping off at Piania Dam there were a couple of Common Snipe, Little Grebe, Grey Heron and Great Cormorant.

Finsch's Wheatear (Oenanthe finschii)

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Chalcolestes parvidens (Eastern Willow Spreadwing)

19/11/17. A very friendly Chalcolestes parvidens (Eastern Willow Spreadwing), plenty about at Evretou including pairs copulating. Also Sypetrum strioltatum.

Chalcolestes parvidens (Eastern Willow Spreadwing)

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Black-tailed Godwit

16/11/17. Having completed 4 sites for the monthly BirdLife Cyprus Wetland counts with the normal residents for this time of year at Kannaviou, Evretou and Mavrokolympos dams, today at Asprokremmos, the highlight was a Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa).

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)

Avakas Gorge

13/11/17 Avakas Gorge. Taking Victor and Emma to see the Wallcreeper, they were not disappointed with it showing almost straight away. Other birds seen European Robin (many), Western Black Redstart, Northern Wren, Grey Wagtail, Rock Dove, Eurasian Jackdaw and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Photograph of a Wallcreeper today, other photographs taken recently in the gorge.

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

Lemon-yellow Tree Frog (Hyla savignyi)

Sedge Warbler (A. schoenobaenus)

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Troodos Mountains

09/11/17 Another trip to the Troodos to see if more winter visitors have arrived since our last visit at the beginning of the month. We were not disappointed with the addition of Hawfinch and Brambling. In addition we observed the usual mountain birds, Short-toed Tree Creeper, Northern Wren, Eurasian Blackbird, Red Crossbill, Eurasian Jay and Common Chaffinch.

Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)

Hawfinch (C. coccothraustes)

Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

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Wallcreeper

07/11/17 Avakas Gorge, Akamas National Park. The Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) is an elusive winter visitor to Cyprus. A regular visitor to the Avakas in very small numbers, only one, two or three. It feeds in the crevices of the gorge walls on insects and spiders. The first one has arrived and was feeding well. Some distant photographs show the bird feeding. It also shows the birds dull grey plumage, which make it difficult to spot until it opens its wings to reveal it's crimson colours.

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

Eleonora's Falcon

Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae). These falcons appear in two morphs light and dark. An elegant falcon to watch when they stoop and dive to catch prey. This bird is unusual as it delays it breeding until late summer when they can catch their prey, small birds on migration. The Eleonora's breed on the southern coastal cliffs of Cyprus before migrating to spend the winter in Madagascar.

Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae)

Juvenile Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae)

Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae)

Paphos Headland

10/10/17 A walk along the Paphos coastline today, very windy with a rough sea. We still manged to see some good birds only missing out the Whimbrel that was seen by others. Present were four Common Sandpiper, three Ruddy Turnstone and Greater Sand Plover a Common Kingfisher and Dunlin. The interesting bird that took our attention was a Grey Plover.

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii) 

Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

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Red-footed Falcon

09/10/17 Red-footed Falcon. Over the last couple of weeks during our BirdLife Cyprus Raptor counts we have seen a gradual increase in the migration of this bird. This last week in the Paphos Plain area there have been high numbers of flocks feeding in the fields before continuing their migration to south west Africa.

Red-footed Falcon Juvenile (Falco vespertinus) 

Red-footed Falcon Female (Falco vespertinus)

Red-footed Falcon Male (Falco vespertinus) 

BirdLife Cyprus Wetland Count

15/09/17 BirdLife Cyprus Wetland Count. Starting at Kannaviou there were sightings of Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Common Kingfisher and Whiskered Tern. Moving on to Evretou our first highlight was Golden Oriole in the valley and on reaching the the water a complete surprise were the 4 Pied Avocet flying around with the same number of Black-winged Stilt. Also Grey Heron, Yellow Wagtail and Hoopoe were seen. We moved on to the Arodhes area where there were numerous Willow Warbler, European Bee Eater as well as Red-backed and Masked Shrike.

Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)

Pied Avocet (Recurvirosta avosetta)

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

Eurasian Dotterel

11/09/17 EURASIAN DOTTEREL. At Mandria, Paphos, today during our BirdLife Cyprus Raptor Migration Count we noticed a small wader come down in an adjacent field. Scanning at a distance we could not at first pick it up. We then fell upon a Common Ringed Plover and with it was a Eurasian Dotterel, a rare passage migrant to Cyprus that breeds in the Arctic tundra and over winters in north Africa. This bird is on it's way to Africa and does not have far to go to complete it's migration journey.

Eurasian Dotterel

Eurasian Dotterel

Eurasian Dotterel