[Rich Bonser]

Hi All

It looks like I'll be off to Cyprus with my girlfriend for the week commencing Saturday 2nd September 2006.

Although I've done some research, I was wondering whether any of you can shed any further light on the occurrences of Demoiselle Cranes for this period. Numbers, dates and personal accounts of where they were would be extremely useful.

What I know is:
- Akrotiri is the location
- dawn/dusk are the best times
- late August/early September

I've visited Cyprus previously in 2000 so know all the other birding spots etc. Although I'm going with the girlfriend I will be able to put in maximum birding effort - indeed I'm hoping that the location of my holiday and the time of year will maximise my chances of seeing this species after failing to see them in Turkey a couple of years ago.

Little does my girlfriend know this is the true reason for our Cyprus holiday, though it was a close call between here and Tarifa for Ruppell's Vulture...

Cheers and good birding

Rich

[ed keeble]

Originally Posted by Rich Bonser

Hi All

It looks like I'll be off to Cyprus with my girlfriend for the week commencing Saturday 2nd September 2006.

Although I've done some research, I was wondering whether any of you can shed any further light on the occurrences of Demoiselle Cranes for this period. Numbers, dates and personal accounts of where they were would be extremely useful.

What I know is:
- Akrotiri is the location
- dawn/dusk are the best times
- late August/early September

I've visited Cyprus previously in 2000 so know all the other birding spots etc. Although I'm going with the girlfriend I will be able to put in maximum birding effort - indeed I'm hoping that the location of my holiday and the time of year will maximise my chances of seeing this species after failing to see them in Turkey a couple of years ago.

Little does my girlfriend know this is the true reason for our Cyprus holiday, though it was a close call between here and Tarifa for Ruppell's Vulture...

Cheers and good birding

Rich

Here's a link to a French report, with map, instructions, totals since 2000...

http://www.ornithomedia.com/pratique...ge_art96_1.htm.

It looks as advancing your trip a few days into end August (if you can) would increase chances of connecting.

[Rich Bonser]

Originally Posted by white-back

Here's a link to a French report, with map, instructions, totals since 2000...

http://www.ornithomedia.com/pratique...ge_art96_1.htm.

It looks as advancing your trip a few days into end August (if you can) would increase chances of connecting.

Excellent mais est-ce que vous parlez francais?

Seriously, that's just the ticket although it certainly seems to back up my thoughts that they're sporadic in their occurrences.

It looks like year on year the species varies in the timing of its visit to the site - although this could of course be down to the fact that the info is based on limited 'one week' data when the observers were in Cyprus?

Unfortunately I'll be at the Bridges of Ross late August so unable to make it much earlier...

Thanks

Rich

[dan pointon]

Hi Rich,

Might be worth contacting the Cyprus bird recorder, who's contact details can be found here: http://www.birdlifecyprus.org/ Detailed sightings from previous years can also be found on the site.

Althought I did have Demoiselle Cranes at Akrotiri in late August 2004, I don't think there's much more to add judging by what I can decipher from that French report. As said early mornings is probably best and we had two parties or 10 - 15 birds leaving the salt lake, as well as good numbers of ground roosting migrating raptors.

Cheers

[ed keeble]

Originally Posted by Rich Bonser

Unfortunately I'll be at the Bridges of Ross late August so unable to make it much earlier...

Rich

sounds like you face an embarrass de choix

[StevePreddy]

As I'm off to Cyprus during the Demoiselle Crane migration period this year, I thought I'd resurrect this old thread to see if anyone has any more recent news on either the cranes, or birding generally in Cyprus at that time of year.

[kibrisbirds]

Hello Steve, I suspect you're going to the south but I have some info on North Cyprus birding on my website. I was at the tip of the Karpas late September last year and witnessed hundreds and hundreds of Common Crane arriving in off the sea - breathtaking. One of those birding memories that last for ever. I'm there late Aug/early Sept, just a few weeks to go!
Cheers