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