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Cyprus 12 to 16 March RFI (1 Viewer)

P

PJSharp

Well-known member
Dear All,

I have booked a short visit to Southern Cyprus in mid March for a few days birding with my father, and would appreciate advice and up to date news re some of the target birds we are hoping to see.

I have been keeping a watchful eye on the following excellent websites for recent sightings, and in relation to the first two of these to gain an idea of what has been seen in the same period in recent years:
We have also bought Dave Gosney's guide book to Cyprus for site details.

Our three main target birds are Cyprus Warbler and Wheatear and Finsch's Wheatear. For the former I am hoping that given some decent weather this should be possible at Curium Stadium or Cape Greko

For Cyprus Wheatear it looks like we are taking a bit of a chance on whether or not they will have arrived during the period between the 12-16th, if anyone has sightings in the lead up to or during our trip, please let me know! I will be checking this site during our stay.

We are staying at the Vasilias Nikoklis Inn, relatively close to Asprokremmos Dam / Foinikas and the Anarita area which seem to be good areas for Finsch's Wheatear. Any info on recent sightings with detailed directions would be very much appreciated.

Best wishes, Paul
 
Hi Paul

All 3 target birds were seen in March last year so you stand a good chance of picking them up this year but you have a small window of opportunity!

I was at Asprokremmos Dam last Saturday and it was fairly quiet to be honest but hopefully things will start to pick up in the next week or so.

I will keep an eye out for your target birds and will let you know if there are any specific sightings.


Shane
 
Hi Paul,

I stayed in the bungalow at the bottom of the road from the hotel at the same time 2 years ago. In the grounds of the bungalow we had Cyprus warbler, Wryneck, Scops owl , Masked shrike, Great spotted cuckoo, Black Francolin, Hawfinch, Alpine swift and Long legged buzzard. If you take a stroll along the road heading away from Paphos there are a few track that take you down the the river and I had Cyprus wheatear there.

I will be arriving back there on the 18th for a week with the same friends as last time, looking foreward to it.

Dave
 
Paul, a quick update for you. Both Cyprus Warbler & Cyprus Wheatear were seen yesterday at Akrotiri Gravel Pits, along with Desert Wheatear, Isabelline & Northern Wheatear.


Shane
 
Dave, Shane,

Thanks for the replies, I am delighted to hear that the migrants have started to arrive and am looking forward to joining them!

Happy birding, Paul
 
Good views of 5 Cyprus Wheatear, 1 Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, 1 G S Cuckoo, 3 Red-rumped Swallow, 2Long-legged Buzzards Kidasi this afternoon. No Finsch's Wheatear though...

Will provide sightings to recorder after our trip.

Cheers, Paul
 
A good day today, highlights :

Pafos: Short- eared Owl, Yelkouan S/water, Tawny Pipit, Red-throated Pipits, Subalpine Warbler
Pafos Sewerage Works: Spur-winged Plover (11)
Mandria: Short-toed Lark (9), Desert Wheatear (1f), Tawny Pipits (3)
Kourion Stadium: Masked Shrike (1), Cretz. Bunting (16), Cyprus Wheatear (2), Black-eared Wheatear, Cyprus Warbler (1f), Ruppell's Warbler (5)
Kensington Cliffs: Griffon Vulture (3), Alpine Swift (10)

Role on tomorrow...

Paul
 
Another good day...

Anarita Park & Mast: Cyprus, Ruppell's, Spectacled Warbler, Cyprus, Black-eared Wheatear, Cretz. Bunting
Troodos: Coal Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Jay, Crossbill, Hawfinch, Bonelli's Eagle
Zakaki Marsh/Lady's Mile: Ferruginous Duck , Slender-billed Gull

Tomorrow Cape Greko.
 
A quieter day, hard work until later in the afternoon - weather too nice I suspect.

Kermia Beach: Audouin's Gull (1)
C. Greko sea caves/dump: Lesser s-t Lark (2), Cyprus Wheatear (1), Cretz Bunting (1), Ruppell's 5
C. Greko: Eastern Orphean Warbler (1), Bonelli's Warbler (4), Cretz Bunting (3)
Paralimni: Habitat looked good, but v quiet
Orolinki Marsh: v. birdhouses - recommended, R. C. Pochard (4), Gargany (2), Marsh Sandpiper (1), L. Stint (3), S-b Gull (16), Med. Gull (14), Armenian Gull (2)
Diarrizos valley on drive back: Barn Owl
Vasilias Nikoklis: Scops Owl - 2 from my room!

Last half day tomorrow.
 
A hot and sunny morning, highlights...

Aspro Dam: Cyprus Warbler (2), Cretz Bunting (1), Hoopoe (3)
Mandria: Lesser Short-toed Lark (24), Stone Curlew (3), Gannet (1).

A thoroughly enjoyable long weekend.

Happy birding, Paul
 
Hi Pete,

Its always difficult when you go somewhere new to get a grasp of what is 'exceptional' and what is regular at that location/time, even if unfamiliar at home - I would not pretend to know what consitutes regular or exceptional on Cyprus in mid-March. From research in advance of the trip I thought Lesser s-t Lark possible but unlikely, for example the BirdLife Cyprus report for March 2013 (the most recent available to non-members) lists a sighting of 11 Lesser s-t Larks at Mandria on 17 March of that year.

We were lucky in that the birds were obvious - on the short grass surrounding the parking area at the picnic site, and content to be watched at very close range (8-10ft) from our car. It registered that there were a good number, hence I took the effort to count them. Whilst the Lesser s-t Larks passing through Cyprus do look slightly different to those I have seen in Spain, they were still very recognisable, both on sight and call - the two we picked up near Cape Greko on the 15th were both initially picked up on call. Plus we had the advantage of having seen Greater s-t Lark on the 13th, also at Mandria, and other I suppose confusion species in the form of Woodlark, Skylark & Crested Lark more or less daily.

Funnily enough the bird that I thought would draw the most scepticism was the Gannet! This based on seeing pretty much no seabirds whatsoever when we watched out to sea on several occasions. The only other seabird we saw was the Yelkouan Shearwater - and that was first spotted by another birdeer we bumped into.

Regards, Paul
 
Hi Paul

Lesser Short-toed Lark are much rarer than the Greater and usually seen in ones or twos - one was at Cape Greco on Friday. The most likely option would be Greater Short-toed Lark. I was at Mandria yesterday and found around thirty some of which were quite pale. Did you get a pic of yours at all?

Sounds like you had a good time and you are right about the Northern Gannet - that is a good record. Not annual and usually seen when sea is rough. More often than not they are young birds.
Cheers

Jane
 
Last edited:
Hi Jane,

Thank you for your email and the gentle challenge re the Lesser s-t Lark. I can only conclude we were mistaken in our ID - we didn't photograph the birds and having seen Greater s-t Lark on Friday at Mandria, and Lesser on Sunday at Cape Greko, we didn't pay as much attention too these birds as we evidently should. The sightings we had at Cape Greko could have been one bird, and that bird showed fine streaking across the breast, with no dark collar patch. The Greaters we saw on Friday seemed well marked, and with a clearer face pattern than the birds on Monday. Still, more variation in Greater s-t Lark than I realized, and Pete was right to flag the exceptional nature of my ID.

The Gannet was an adult and the seas near calm, it just flew steadily past at a height of about 5m above the sea. I watched it through my scope and never had any doubt about its ID - and still don't - body and wing length/ shape, and plumage all characteristic. I know that might call into question all my other sightings but there you go!

All the best, Paul
 
There are several local birders I know who have still to get Gannet on their Cyprus list!

Glad you enjoyed your trip here and good to see you got the endemics too'
 
Wolfbirder, Jane,

Thank you yes, we had a thoroughly enjoyable visit, seeing the endemics was both a relief and a pleasure. I had not expected to see Masked Shrike, nor the numbers of Cretzschmar's Buntings and Ruppell's Warblers that we saw, all brilliant birds. As ever with birding sometimes the more common birds are highlights too - one of the Hoopoe having a dust bath about 5m from us, great views of Hawfinch and Crossbill, and the local race of Jay I thought was really stunning.

We only ever had the time for a few days - annual leave on my part to use by the end of March, and other commitments dictated the time. I was worried that Cyprus Wheatear might not have arrived, but that proved not to be the case, and I thought Cyprus Warbler would be easier to find than it was. In the time we had we had few chances to visit places more than once to try to see birds we had missed. Lack of time and timing meant we missed Finsch's Wheatear, Greater Sandplover and Black Francolin, but I wouldn't trade them for what we did see, and I would be happy to go back. Maybe some winter sun will appeal to my wife one year...

Wolfbirder, thank you for your notes on the Anarita area these proved very helpful.

Best wishes, Paul
 
Jane cyprus said:
There are several local birders I know who have still to get Gannet on their Cyprus list!
Click to expand...

I think most regular Cyprus birders spend very little,if any,time seawatching.
I haven't done a lot,but I've had some decent stuff.Pallass's Gulls,Caspian Terns,good numbers of Baltic and Armenian Gulls.No Gannet though.
Coming back on Sunday for two weeks,hoping to spend a bit more time seawatching.I'm sure there must be stuff going past undetected.

Pete.
 
PJSharp said:
Wolfbirder, Jane,

Thank you yes, we had a thoroughly enjoyable visit, seeing the endemics was both a relief and a pleasure. I had not expected to see Masked Shrike, nor the numbers of Cretzschmar's Buntings and Ruppell's Warblers that we saw, all brilliant birds. As ever with birding sometimes the more common birds are highlights too - one of the Hoopoe having a dust bath about 5m from us, great views of Hawfinch and Crossbill, and the local race of Jay I thought was really stunning.

We only ever had the time for a few days - annual leave on my part to use by the end of March, and other commitments dictated the time. I was worried that Cyprus Wheatear might not have arrived, but that proved not to be the case, and I thought Cyprus Warbler would be easier to find than it was. In the time we had we had few chances to visit places more than once to try to see birds we had missed. Lack of time and timing meant we missed Finsch's Wheatear, Greater Sandplover and Black Francolin, but I wouldn't trade them for what we did see, and I would be happy to go back. Maybe some winter sun will appeal to my wife one year...

Wolfbirder, thank you for your notes on the Anarita area these proved very helpful.

Best wishes, Paul
Click to expand...

Glad you found them vaguely useful Paul. Kourion sounds like a good spot - must try that next time I am over there.
 
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