Akrotiri Area

A recent trip to the Akrotiri area, Limassol. At Zakaki Marsh it was lovely to see Water Rail chicks feeding themselves and being helped by both male and female adults, there were also adult and juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, both of which is great news for breeding birds at this site. It was a bonus to see both a Pied and Common Kingfisher, there were also a number of Little Egret and a Little Bittern was seen. At Ladies Mile it was again good to see the successful breeding of Black-winged Stilt and Kentish Plover with juveniles running about feeding, a Common Redshank was also seen. On the Salt Lake there were around 1000 Greater Flamingo.

Juvenile Water Rail ( Rallus aquaticus), Zakaki Marsh, July 2017

Adult Water Rail helping feed Juveniles (Rallus aquaticus), Zakaki Marsh, July 2017

Juvenile Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), Ladies Mile, July 2017

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), Zakaki Marsh, July 2107

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), Akrotiri Salt Lake, July 2017

Eurasian Hobby

In 2014 We discovered one of two confirmed breeding records of the Eurasian Hobby (Falco Subbuteo) in the Paphos area of Cyprus. These were the first confirmed breeding records since 1999 which previously were recorded in the Kyrenia, Pentadaktylos mountain range.
Having observed these birds since 2006 they are again in the area, we hope for a successful outcome this year.

Eurasian Hobby (Falco Subbuteo)

July Wetland Counts

Highlights of Paphos area wetland counts for BirdLife Cyprus this weekend. Paphos Headland the two Greater Sand Plover that were reported last month are present. Asprokemmos Dam, nice to see successful breeding of a pair of Spur Winged Lapwing and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover. At Kannaviou there was a lonely Great Cormorant on the water but a Northern Goshawk and pair of adult Bonelli's Eagle made the trip worthwhile. At Evretou a pair of Long Legged Buzzard's were present along with Green and Wood Sand Plover.

Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii) Paphos Headland, July 2017

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius), Asprokremmos Dam, July 2017

Adult Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus), Asprokkremmos Dam, July 2017

Juvenile Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus), Asprokkremmos Dam, July 2017