Trip Report: Cyprus April 2007


                                                 

Observers: Owen Foley, Conor Foley and Donal Foley 

Text and Photos: Owen Foley

09/04/2007 – 17/04/2007

We flew out from Gatwick on the 8th of April, flying into Paphos airport. Using the Paphos area as a base, we hired a car to reach a number of other areas including the Akhamas peninsula, Akrotiri salt lake and Phassouri reed beds, Larnaca salt pools and the Troodos Mountains.  Car rental equated to just 30 Euros a day for a 1.3 Litre 4 Wheel Drive Suzuki Swift. Accommodation equated to just 22 Euros per night B+B.

 

Day 1. Paphos Headland and nearby areas.

Early morning at Paphos produced a wide variety of birds. A fortunate wrong turn brought us first to the harbour, where a stunning Pied Kingfisher was our first tick of the trip, feeding from the mooring lines of the many boats in the harbour

  Moving on to the beach, our next tick was an Isabelline Wheatear amongst the many Black eared and Northern Wheatears feeding on the flat rocky areas. Scopoli’s Shearwaters moved in small numbers offshore and visible migration was quite obvious, with many Yellow wagtails (of several different races) present on the beach and nearby fields. The calls of both Tree and Red Throated Pipits were constantly heard over head.  Also calling obviously were the many Black Francolins present in the scrub, a piercing call, somewhat a mix between that of a pheasant and a rooster.  In amongst the small groups of Ortolan Buntings on the headland were one or two Cretzschmars Buntings.

 

 

 

  Ortolan Bunting

 

 

  Cretzschmars Bunting 

  Crested Lark

Nightingales were obvious in their abundance, both calling plaintively from vegetation and flicking across the pathways. The scrub also held a large fall of Blackcaps and numerous Sardinian Warblers, Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats and the odd Wryneck and Woodchat Shrike. Also seen here were our first Eastern Black Eared Wheatears, favouring the ruins on the headland. Swallows, both Barn and Red Rumped, flew low around the headland with the many Martins and Swifts, which included Common, Pallid and Alpine Swifts.

 

 

Nightingale

 

Sardinian Warbler (Female), Owen Foley, Paphos.  

After a productive morning on the headland we moved on to near by Paphos sewerage plant which produced 8 adult Spur winged Plovers as well as numerous Wood Sandpipers, Ruff and several Little Stints.  An adult Masked Shrike flew in front of the car at a nearby dry riverbed, giving good views.

Nearby Asprokremnos Dam produced the endemic Cyprus Wheatear, and Cyprus Warbler, as well as Little Owl, a Juvenile Night Heron, Purple Heron, Marsh Harrier and a few Chukars, their throaty call echoing down the valley.  A couple of hunters in the area were, to our relief, not after the birds, but where instead after snakes....namely the quite venomous (and disturbingly large) Blunt Nosed Viper...Okay...so maybe not much better conservation wise...but at least they weren’t flushing birds on us. 

 

 

Cyprus Wheatear

 

Cyprus Warbler-

 

Chukar

Day 2. Akrotiri Salt Lake and adjacent marshes.

 45 minutes from Paphos, the Akrotiri peninsula, just a few miles south of Limmasol, is a fantastically rich area for a variety of bird species. However Cyprus has been in quite a drought over the past few years, with many dams in the country being dry as a bone.  As a result the nearby marshes were, save for Phassouri reed bed, quite barren of birdlife.

Phassouri, despite being drier than in normal years, held a fantastic array of species, including Glossy Ibis, Cattle Egret, Squacco Heron, Ferruginous Duck, Garganey, Yellow Wagtail, Black Winged Stilt, Wood Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper. Whilst watching a Water Pipit on a nearby reedmass, an adult male Little Crake emerged into the open giving stunning views. Numerous Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzards and Common Kestrels hunted over the reed beds.

 

We then moved on to the nearby Kensington cliffs, a breeding site for both Eleonoras Falcon and Griffon Vulture. Both of these species, were yet to be present in numbers and none were seen whilst we were there, however a fantastic adult Black Vulture rose off the Cliffs and afforded good views. Numerous Alpine Swifts were also present here, screaming past just inches from our heads.

We also saw our first Roller of the trip, typically, on overhead wires by the roadside, a truly stunning bird.

 

Day 3. The Akhamas Peninsula.

We began the day at the famous Baths of Aphrodite, a noted migration watch point where birds feed up before making the crossing to Turkey. A Wood Warbler showed well at the entrance to the caravan park, with the almost acrocephalus sounding song of Masked Shrike echoing around the groves.

 

Masked Shrike

 It was here we encountered our first Eastern Bonellis Warbler of the trip. Further up the hill at Symies track, the buzzing song of the Cyprus Wheatear resounded around the hills, with the water troughs in this area, the only source of water for birds to drink, producing both male Collared and Semi-Collared Flycatchers (along with Pied Flycatcher) and yet more Eastern Bonellis Warblers. 

  We then moved back south to Cape Drepanum, (seeing an Adult Long Legged Buzzard along the way) where we saw numerous Greater Short Toed Larks, Yellow Wagtails, with more Black Eared Wheatears and an Isabelline Wheatear.

   

Corn Bunting

 

 

European Roller

Day 4.  Larnaca salt marshes.

Two hours from Paphos, beside Larnaca airport, are a number of very productive salt pools. A few hours driving around these produced Spectacled Warbler, Marsh Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Greater Flamingo, Slender Billed Gull, Little Gull and Greater Sandplover.

 

Spectacled Warbler

 

Greater Sandplover

 

A nearby marsh at Oirilinki, not described in any of the texts, produced several more Marsh Sandpipers with other waders such as Ruff, Little Stint, Wood and Green Sandpipers, numerous Black Winged Stilts and Glossy Ibis and a surprise 1st year Common Crane. Passerines here included Yellow Wagtails, Spectacled Warbler, Great spotted Cuckoo and Hoopoe.

 

Day 5.  Paphos, Mandria and Phassouri Reed Beds.

The early morning at Paphos produced yet more new trip birds such as a migrant Blue Rock Thrush at the ruins of Dionysus. Flocks of herons migrating included 25 Night Herons and several Squacco Herons. Several Woodchat Shrikes (of the races Senator and Niloticus) afforded good views, whilst Sardinian and Subalpine Warblers were in strong numbers in the scrub of the headland with a few Wrynecks mixed in for good measure.

Mandria Beach produced yet more Greater Short Toed Larks and Red Throated Pipits, with good numbers of Eastern Black Eared Wheatears and a pair of Isabelline Wheatears.

The evening was spent at Phassouri Reed Beds, were numerous waders fed in close proximity, including Marsh and Wood Sandpipers, Ruff, Little Stint, Spotted Redshank and Common Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit and Little Ringed Plover. Reed, Great Reed and Sedge Warblers flitted around the reed stems and many Little Crakes emerged to feed. Heron species included Purple Heron, Night Heron, Grey Heron, Squacco Heron, Little Egret and Cattle Egret. Yellow Wagtails arrived to roost in the evening, with Citrine Wagtail being heard at this site also.

 

 

Blue Rock Thrush

  Day 6. Troodos Mountains

The Troodos Mountains occupy a large portion of the centre of the island of Cyprus, and provide the best opportunity for seeing Bonelli’s Eagle and the scarce Imperial Eagle, as well as the endemic races of Jay, Coal Tit, Wren and Short Toed Tree Creeper. The woodlands around the village of Troodos (some two thousand meters above sea level and still emerging from the winter snow) provided these endemics easily with all but wren being easily seen. The Coal Tit in particular was remarkably different from our own. Several stake outs for Raptors failed to produce either eagle and we returned to the lower sections of the island.

Asprokremnos dam held Osprey and Gull Billed Tern as well as a migrating Steppe Buzzard. Several Rollers were seen on telegraph wires along the way.

Day 7. Phassouri Reed beds and Akrotiri.

An early morning trip to Phassouri Reed Beds produced a stunning Baillons Crake and over 20 Little Crakes.  Several Eastern Black Eared Wheatears and an Isabelline Wheatear were at the nearby gravel pits, with Spectacled Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Redstart, Pied Flycatcher and other common migrants also in this area. A ring tail Pallid Harrier was at nearby Lady’s mile.

Baillons crake

Upon returning to Phassouri, 2 Blue Cheeked Bee eaters began feeding over the marsh, truly stunning birds and easily the bird of the trip for me.  These birds gave stunning views for over half an hour.

 

Returning towards Paphos, Mandria Beach played host to four migrating Red Footed Falcons (3 adult males and an adult female), with a flock of 14 Eurasian Spoonbills moving offshore.

 

Red Footed Falcon (Male)

Day 8. Akhamas Peninsula.

An early morning trip to the Akhamas peninsula began at Symies track, producing an extremely obliging Eastern Olivaceous Warbler drinking from the troughs and allowing excellent views from the car. Ortolan Buntings were again in strong numbers with several parties sitting in trees around the area.  A pair of Goshawk afforded good views moving up the valley with a Hobby moving through the area also.

The Polis area nearby produced yet more Rollers, with a pair affording excellent views just overhead on wires in breeding habitat.

  The Evretou Dam produced more Chukar and Great Spotted Cuckoo, with a Calidus race Perigrine Falcon hunting the area, eventually harassing an adult Bonellis Eagle, a long awaited tick for me. The lower end of the dam produced another Ringtail Pallid Harrier and an adult male Red Footed Falcon, along with more Corn Bunting, Black Headed Wagtail and Flava Wagtails and our only Little Bittern of the trip, a stunning male.

The return trip to Mandria produced several more Rollers as well as 3 Long Legged Buzzards and a male Red Footed Falcon. Mandria itself had obvious migration underway, with over a dozen Purple Herons roosting in crop fields. A female Marsh Harrier passed close by, with many Eastern Black Eared Wheatears in the fields with Red Throated Pipits. A pair of Stone Curlews was also present in the area with large flock of Greater Short Toed Larks. Many migrants were also grounded on the beach, with Wood Warbler, Common Redstart, Sub Alpine Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Collared Flycatcher all feeding in the scrub.

 

Day 9. Final Day. Paphos Headland.

Rain just before dawn produced our only fall of migrants of the trip, with a massive deluge of migrants landing in the Paphos area. The headland itself was heaving with Yellow Wagtails of several races, Tree Pipits, Red Throated Pipits, Tawny Pipits, Whinchats, and Wheatears.

Many Woodchat Shrikes were also present, with a migrant Masked Shrike also. 2 Eastern Bonelli’s Warblers were amongst the many Lesser Whitethroats, Common Whitethroats and Blackcaps. Pied Flycatchers, were in good numbers with both Collared and Semi-Collared Flycatchers also present. Numerous Wrynecks flicked across the paths, feeding with the abundant Nightingales. 2 Eastern Olivaceous Warblers fed in the scrub near the Ruins of Dionysus with similar scrub producing our only Ruppell's Warbler of the Trip.

Several Flocks of Herons moved over head with Purple Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Squacco Heron and Great White Egret all being seen.  Birds were also moving in off the sea with several Hoopoes moving through, as well as Common Nightjar and Common Quail. Another Calidus race Peregrine hunted over the headland and an Eleonora’s Falcon also came off the sea.

Cape Drepanum had a large flock of Greater Short Toed Larks and Yellow Wagtails. With numerous Black Eared Wheatears, Red throated Pipits and Tawny Pipits. Several Quail moved in off the sea here and 6 Great White Egrets roosted on the island off shore.

 

Tree Pipit

Species

Location

Status

Date

Alpine Swift

Kensington Cliffs, Paphos, Akrotiri, Asprokremnos.

Common

Daily

Avocet

Larnaca Salt Lakes

Small numbers

12/04/07

Baillons Crake

Phassouri Reed beds

Uncommon (1)

15/04/07

Black Eared Wheatear

(Western Race)

Coastal farmland and beaches.

Common

Daily

Black Eared Wheatear

(Eastern Race)

Coastal farmland and beaches.

Common Passage Migrant

Daily

Black Francolin

Farmland

Common

Daily

Black Headed Gull

Coasts and marshes

Common

Daily

Black Headed Wagtail

All Habitats

Extremely Common Passage Migrant

Daily

Black Redstart

Paphos Headland

 Single bird (female)

17/04/07

Black Tailed Godwit

Phassouri Reed beds

Single bird (1st summer)

13/04/07

Black Winged Stilt

Phassouri, Larnaca, Paphos, Oirllinki, Asprokremnos.

Common

Daily

Blackbird

Troodos

Scarce (only in mountainous areas)

14/04/07

Blackcap

Paphos, Akrotiri, Ahkamas.

Common

Daily

 

Species

Location

Status

Date

Black Vulture

Kensington Cliffs

Single Adult

10/04/07

Blue Cheeked Bee-eater

Phassouri Reed beds

2 birds. (adults)

15/04/07

Blue Rock Thrush

Paphos

1 bird. (female)

13/04/07

Bonelli’s Eagle

Evretou Dam

1 bird (adult)

16/04/07

Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler

Ahkamas, Paphos.

6 birds over the course of the trip.

11/04/07 and 17/04/07

Cattle Egret

Phassouri, Paphos

Common in suitable habitat

Daily

Cetti’s Warbler

All Habitats

Common in all Habitats

Daily

Chaffinch

Troodos, Paphos

Common in mountains, Passage migrants seen during fall.

10/04/07

Chiffchaff

Paphos, Ahkamas

Small numbers on passage

Daily

Chukar

Asprokremnos, Akrotiri, Coastal Farmland.

Common in rocky terrain and Farmland

Daily

Citrine Wagtail

Phassouri, Lara beach

Birds heard overhead. Small numbers

11/04/07 and 15/04/07

Coal Tit (endemic race)

Troodos

Common in mountains

14/04/07

Collared Dove

All habitats

Extremely Common Resident

Daily

Collared Flycatcher

Ahkamas, Mandria, Paphos

5 adult males over the course of the trip

11/04/07 (2), 16/04/07 (1) and 17/04/07 (2)

Species

Location

Status

Date

Common Buzzard

Lowland areas

Common

Daily

“steppe” Buzzard

Asprokremnos Dam

Single Bird

14/04/07

Common Crane

Oirilinki Marsh

Single bird (1st year)

12/04/07

Common Sandpiper

All wetland and coastal habitats

Common

Daily

Common Tern

Larnaca Salt Pools

Single Bird

12/04/07

Coot

All Wetland Areas

Common

Daily

Cormorant

Kensington Cliffs

Single Bird

10/04/07

Corn Bunting

Farmland and scrub areas

Common

Daily

Cory’s Shearwater

Paphos Headland

Common

Daily

Crag Martin

Ahkamas

2 birds

11/04/07

Crested Lark

Coastal areas

Extremely Common

Daily

Cretzschmars Bunting

Paphos

8 birds (in small parties)

09/04/07

Crossbill (Endemic Race)

Troodos

Common in mountains

14/04/07

Curlew

Paphos

Single Bird

16/04/07

Curlew Sandpiper

Phassouri

3 birds (1st years)

10/04/07

Cyprus Wheatear

All Habitats

Extremely Common endemic.

Daily

Cyprus Warbler

Coastal Scrub and agricultural groves

Common Endemic

Daily

Species

Location

Status

Date

Dunlin

Larnaca salt pools

Small numbers amongst little stints.

12/04/07

Eleonora’s Falcon

Paphos

Single adult pale phase

17/04/07

Ferruginous Duck

Phassouri Reed beds

16 adult birds (6 Drakes) and 10 ducklings.

10/04/07, 15/04/07

Garganey

Phassouri, Larnaca, Oirilinki, Paphos

Common in wetlands and flocks of birds on passage at sea.

Daily

Glossy Ibis

Phassouri, Larnaca, Oirilinki and Cape Drepanum.

Common in wetlands and some passage birds

Daily

Golden Oriole

Paphos

Single adult male

17/04/07

Goldfinch

All areas

Extremely Common

Daily

Goshawk

Akhamas

2 (Male and Female)

16/04/07

Greater Flamingo

Akrotiri and Larnaca

10 birds at Akrotiri, 4 at Larnaca

10/04/07 and 12/04/07

Great Reed Warbler

Phassouri, Ahkamas

Common in reed bed and on passage

15/04/07 and 16/04/07

Great Spotted Cuckoo

All areas

Common

Daily

Great Tit

All areas

Common

Daily

Great White Egret

Paphos

Passage Migrant (8 birds, 2 at Paphos and 6 at Cape Drepanum)

 

17/04/07

Species

Location

Status

Date

Greater Sandplover

Larnaca

Single bird

12/04/07

Green Sandpiper

Akrotiri

Common

10/04/07

Greenfinch

All areas

Common

Daily

Greenshank

All wetland areas

Common

Daily

Grey Heron

Ahkna dam

4 birds

12/04/07

Gull Billed Tern

Asprokremnos dam, Mandria

2 birds

14/04/07

Hobby

Ahkamas

Single Bird (adult)

16/04/07

Hooded Crow

All areas

Extremely common

Daily

Hoopoes

Coastal areas

Common

Daily

House Martin

All areas

Common

Daily

House Sparrow

All areas

Common

Daily

Isabelline Wheatear

Paphos, Lara Beach, Mandria, Akrotiri

Present in reasonable numbers. 2 at Paphos,1 at Lara beach, 2 at Mandria, 1 at Akrotiri

Daily

Jackdaw

All areas

Common

Daily

Jay (Endemic Race)

Troodos

Common in Mountains

14/04/07

Kentish Plover

Akrotiri and Larnaca

Common in Salt lakes

10/04/07 and 12/04/07

Kestrel

All areas

Extremely common resident an d passage migrant

Daily

 

Species

Location

Status

Date

Common Kingfisher

Wetlands and Coastal areas.

Common

Daily

Lesser Black Backed Gull (Fuscus race)

Coastal areas

Common

Daily

Lesser Whitethroat

All areas

Common Passage Migrant

Daily

Linnet

All areas

Common Resident

Daily

Little Bittern

Evretou Dam

Single bird (adult male)

Daily

Little Crake

Phassouri

Over 20 individuals

10/04/07

Little Egret

Coastal Areas

Common

Daily

Little Grebe

All wetland areas

Common

Daily

Little gull

Larnaca Salt Pools

3 birds, 1 adult and 2 first summers

12/04/07

Little Owl

Asprokremnos Dam

Single male seen, numerous singing birds

09/04/07

Little Ringed Plover

Phassouri

Common in wetlands

Daily

Little Stint

Phassouri and Larnaca

Common passage migrant

Daily

Little Tern

Larnaca Salt pools

3 birds

12/04/07

Long Legged Buzzard

Polis area and Ahkna Dam

5 birds over course of the trip

11/04/07 and 16/04/07

Magpie

All areas

Common

Daily

Mallard

All wetland areas

Common

Daily

Species

Location

Status

Date

Marsh Harrier

All Areas

Common

Daily

Marsh Sandpiper

Larnaca Salt pools

20+ birds

12/04/07

Masked Shrike

Coastal areas on migration and highland areas

Common

Daily

Mediterranean Gull

Cape Drepanum

2 first summers

17/04/07

Merlin

Cape Drepanum

Single Birds

11/04/07

Moorhen

All wetland areas

Common

Daily

Night Heron

All wetland areas and coastal areas on passage

Common

Daily

Nightingale

All areas

Common passage migrant

Daily

Nightjar

Paphos

Single bird

17/04/07

Olivaceous Warbler

Ahkamas, Paphos

3 birds (1 at Ahkamas, 2 Paphos)

16/04/07 and 17/04/07

Ortolan Bunting

Paphos, Ahkamas

Common Passage Migrant

Daily

Osprey

Asprokremnos Dam

Single Adult

14/04/07

Pallid Harrier

Paphos, Akrotiri, Evretou

3 Ringtail harriers

15/04/07,16/04/07

Pallid Swift

 

 

Akrotiri and Troodos

Several Birds amongst Common Swifts

09/04/07 and 10/04/07 and 14/04/07

Species

Location

Status

Date

Peregrine Falcon (calidus race)

Phassouri reed beds and Everetou Dam, Paphos.

3 birds encountered.

10/04/07

Pied Flycatcher

Paphos, Ahkamas

Common migrant

Daily

Pied Kingfisher

Paphos harbour

Single Bird

09/04/07

Pochard

Phassouri

Single Drake

10/04/07

Purple Heron

All Areas

Common in wetlands and on passage

Daily

Quail

Cape Drepanum

6 birds off the sea

17/04/07

Red Backed Shrike

Akrotiri

Single adult Female

10/04/07

Red Footed Falcon

Mandria, Polis area

4 birds at Mandria, 2 in Polis area.

15/04/07 and 16/04/07

Red Rumped Swallow

All areas

Common Migrant

Daily

Red Throated Pipit

Coastal areas and watch points

Common

Daily

Redshank

Phassouri

Single bird

09/04/07

Redstart

Paphos, Ahkamas

Common Migrant

Daily

Reed Warbler

Phassouri

Common

10/04/07

Ringed Plover

Larnaca

12+ birds

12/04/07

Rock Dove

All Areas

Common

Daily

Roller

All Areas

Common Passage migrant

Daily

Ruff

All Wetland areas

Common

Daily

Species

Location

Status

Date

Ruppell's Warbler

Paphos

Single Bird (male)

17/04/07

Sand Martin

All areas

Common

Daily

Sandwich Tern

Larnaca

4 birds

12/04/07

Sardinian Warbler

All areas

Common

Daily

Savi’s Warbler

Phassouri

Single singing bird

15/04/07

Sedge Warbler

All areas

Common Passage Migrant

Daily

Semi-Collared Flycatcher

Akhamas, Paphos

2 birds, (male at Akhamas, female at Paphos

11/04/07 and 17/04/07

Serin

All areas

Common

Daily

Shag

Kensington Cliffs

Colony

10/04/07

Short Toed Lark

Coastal Areas

Common

Daily

Short Toed Tree Creeper

Troodos

Common in mountains

14/04/07

Shoveler

Phassouri

4 birds

10/4/07

Skylark

Cape Drepanum

Single Bird

13/04/07

Slender Billed Gull

Larnaca and Akrotiri

Common

10/04/07 and 12/04/07

Snipe

Phassouri

Common

10/04/07

Spanish Sparrow

All areas

Common

Daily

SparrowHawk

Paphos

Single Bird

17/04/07

 

Species   

Location

Status

Date

Spectacled Warbler

Larnaca, Akrotiri, Oirilinki

Common in Suitable Habitat

12/04/07

Spoonbill

Mandria

14 Birds migrating along coast

15/04/07

Spotted Redshank

Larnaca, Phassouri

Adult at Larnaca, 1st year at Phassouri

12/04/07

Spur Winged Plover

All wetland areas

Common

09/04/07

Squacco Heron

All areas

Common in wetlands and on migration

Daily

Stone Curlew

Mandria

2 birds

14/04/07

Subalpine Warbler

Paphos, Mandria

Common

Daily

Swallow

All areas

Extremely Common

Daily

Swift

All areas

Common

Daily

Tawny Pipit

Coastal areas

Common

Daily

Teal

Asprokremnos, Phassouri and Larnaca

Singles at each site

09/04/07

Tree Pipit

All areas

Very Common Passage Migrant

Daily

Turtle Dove

Paphos

Single Bird

09/04/07

Water Pipit

Phassouri

Single Bird

10/04/07

Water Rail

Phassouri

Single Bird

15/04/07

Northern Wheatear

All areas

Very Common

Daily

Whinchat

Paphos

Very common

Daily

Species   

Location

Status

Date

White Wagtail

All areas

Common

Daily

Whitethroat

Paphos

Common

Daily

Willow Warbler

Paphos

2 birds

09/04/07

Woodlark

Paphos

Single Bird

09/04/07

Wood Pigeon

All areas

Very Common

Daily

Wood Sandpiper

All wetlands

Very Common Migrant

Daily

Wood Warbler

All areas

Small numbers on passage

Daily

Woodchat Shrike

(Senator and Niloticus races)

Paphos

Common Migrant

Daily

Wryneck

All areas

Common Migrant

Daily

Yellow Legged Gull

Coastal areas

Common

Daily

Zitting Cisticola

All areas

Very Common

Daily

 

Total species: 164

 

 

6

 
Species List