Cyprus

Cyprus
30 March – 11th April 2001

I went to Cyprus with my family and tried to spend as much time as I could afford for birding. We were based at Paphos (hotel “Paphos Garden”) which is nice but very touristic. The people in charge are trying hard to spoil this area as fast as possible with more and more hotels and built up areas. Most of the inhabitants appered to us sincere and trustful.
We rented a small car and had to pay 14 C pounds a day. If we would have taken a car with the company we travelled with, it would have cost at least 23 C pounds a day! So check first, because there are plentiful of care hire agencies. Anyway, a car is essential.

I (we) vistited the following areas:
Akamas at the Baths of Aphrodite, Trodos (short stop at the Olymp Mountain on our way to the Kykko monastery), Evretou Dam, Paphos Head (usually daily), Coral Bay and the adjacent area, Asprokemmnos Dam and the area of Mandria, Akritori Salt Lake with Bishops Pool. This quite famous pool is best reached from the entrance of the RAF. From there you walk to the east, most of the time just along the fence. After 1 km you will come to a gate which could be likely closed on holidays (open usually from 9 am and closed in the afternoon). Another km walking and you will come to the sewage farm which lies 300 to 500 m south of the pool. Actually one can drive all the way down to the pool – I didn`t, because I thought it was forbidden. At the time I was there it was full with water.
I didn`t go further east than Limassol. Lanarca Salt Lake could be a place one should not miss, especially if you are eager to get a long trip species list.

There were many birders from England and only very few from others as the Netherlands, Norway, etc. You meet them on all well-frequented and well-known places and you get many good informations on localities and sightings. How much trust one can put in all the sightings one will inevitably hear from you have to decide yourself.
The Cyprus Birdline run by the Cyprus Ornithological Society rsp. by Jeff Gordon is located in Paphos:
“…service run from the premises of ‘Photo Optic Land Ltd.’ in Kato Paphos on Apostolou Pavlou Avenue, just up from the Harbour ‘T’ junction and sign-posted outside the premises as ‘Photo Demetrakis’. A COS(57) representative will be available from 08.00-09.00 each
Tuesday and Thursday to provide help and assistance for those who wish such help. Tel. [06] 270447..”.

General comments: To put it alltogether, migration seemed at the time I was there quite weak in quantity. There was no really big fall of migrants at the places I went to. Especially the numbers of Lesser Whitethroat and other warblers (like Bonelli`s Warbler, Redstarts, buntings) were astonishing little if you have seen good migration days in the Arava Valley in Israel or other hotspots. Only the 07. april could give some impression how excellent Paphos Head can be and showed again that the worst weather is most of the time better for birdwatching than all-over sunshine. Common Wheatear, Tawny and Tree Pipit, Short-toed Lark showed for my taste good numbers.
In that period there were many “sightings” of birds which I didn`t managed to see. This list is for sure not complete, but could give some impression of arrival of common species and some rarities:
Pygmy Comorant (end of march one bird was claimed on the Aspro lake), Little Bittern (one was seen at Evretou Dam in a small dry reed bed, one of the first sightings), White Stork (one was seen west of Aspro Dam), Bonelli´s Eagle (about 25 breeding pairs; Aspro is one good place for them), Lesser Kestrel (quite a lot of them were seen, a flock of over 15 birds were see around that deserted village, just north of Aspro Dam; once a single male was shown to me that to my opinion was`nt this species), Hen Harrier (one at Paphos Head) Common Crane (one was seen at Lanarca Salt Lake), Collared Pratincole (one was seen on 10th at Akritori, the first one I heard of), Spur-winged Plover (one was seen around Paphos and at Akritori), Greater Sand Plover (some where seen on the last days of March at Paphos head and some at Lanarca), Caspian Plover (one was claimed at Paphos Head on 29th march), Great Snipe (one at Evretou, the only observation I heard of), Great Black-headed Gull (some where seen at Lanarca and/ or Ladies Miles Beach?), Little Owl (one was seen at Aspro Dam), European Bee-eater (the first were observed around the 9th or 10th), Calandra`s Lark (supposed to breed around Lanarca; at Mandria they used to breed?), Richards Pipit (one overflying at Paphos Head on 29th march?), Citrine Wagtail (two sightings of one and two birds at Aspro Dam Pools), Willow Warbler (some were seen, but only very few), Bonelli`s Warbler (I heard only of very few sightings), Wood Warbler (some very few were seen), Rüppel`s Warbler (one at Paphos Head and one at Aspro Dam where the only ones I heard of), Garden Warbler (one was seen on the last days of our stay, haven`t heard of more sightings), Golden Oriole (the first ones were seen at Paphos Head and somewhere else around the 8 or 9th), Penduline Tit (four were seen around Phassouri Reed Beds on 11th), ….

The weather (as I remember and noticed it):
30./ 31.03.: In the early morning quite cloudy (6/8), later on less (2/8), wind from E-SE
01.04.: Wind direction changing to W (weak), warm.
02.04.: Wind coming from NW, quite strong (3-5 Bft).
03.04.: Clouds as 0-2/8, wind very weak (1-2 Bft), very warm.
04.04.: In the morning very cloudy (5/8-6/8), wind weak (0-2 Bft), in the afternoon some rain fall, in the evening it is getting better.
05.04.: In the morning almost no wind (0-1 Bft), but cloudy (5/8-6/8). In the course of the day increase of wind changing from W to E. In the evening short remaining, but intense showers.
06.04.: In the beginning of the day quite a lot of clouds (6-7/8), later on less (2-3/8). Wind from W-SW (3-4 Bft), warm.
07.04.: In the early morning (4 a.m.) thunder and lightning with partly very strong showers. In the course of the day wind changing from W to E and backwards again. Occasionally there were some showers.
08.-09.04.: The weather most of the times good: Sunny, not many clouds. Mostly wind from W.
10.04.: First wind from E, cloudy (5-7/8). Later wind changes to W-SW. Around 9-10 a.m. short, but strong showers. After that, weather getting better. In the evening more clouds again.
11.04.: In the morning quite nice. In the early afternoon heavy clouds approaching from W (short showers).
In general the weather was quite diverse at this time of year, but most of the time one had not to freeze! On the 9th high up the mountains it was cold (maybe 10-15 ° C).
Literature, maps, etc.:
· Flint, Peter R, and Stewart, Peter (1992) The Birds of Cyprus: An Annotated Checklist British Ornithologist’s Union (ISBN 0 907446 14 0) is a description of the island, its avifauna and top biding sites, both north and south of the green line.
· Map: Cyprus Leisure Map 1 : 200 000 Marco Polo
· And some trip reports (http://www.bsc-eoc, https://osme.org/osmetrip/tripreps.html, etc….) were consulted.

 

Systematic List

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
10+, Bishop`s Pool, Akritori on 11/04/2001

Cory`s Shearwater Calonectris diomeda
1, off Paphos ® NW on 04/04/2001

Yeloukan Shearwater Puffinus yeloukan.
1 + 1, off Paphos ® NW on 03/04//2001
2, off Paphos ® NW on 04/04/2001

Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
1, Ladies Mile Beach offshore, roosting on a buoy on 08/04/2001.

Comorant Phalacrocorax carbo
1 immat., Aspro Lake on 02/04/2001
2 immat., west of Akitori on 11/04/2001

Great Bittern Botauris stellaris
1, 5-6 m beside the road to Ladies Miles Beach, S Akritori salt lake on 08/04/2001

Little Egret Egretta garzetta
2-5, Aspro Dam on 02/04 and 11/04/2001
10 ® E, Paphos Head on 04/04/2001
1, Akritori on 05/04/2001
6 on 06/04 and 7 on 08/04/2001 at Akritori
2 roosting on rocks at Mandria Beach on 10/04/2001

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
1, Akritori on 06/04/2001
3, Akritori on 08/04/2001

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
7 + 1, ® E-NE, Paphos Head on 31/03/2001
13 ® NE, Aspro Dam on 02/04/2001
1 coming in, Aspro Dam on 04/04/2001
1 take off ® NE, Akritori 06/04/2001
1 coming in from SW and roosting, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001
1, Aspro Dam on 07/04/2001
1, Aspro Dam 10/04/2001

Cattle Egret Bulbulcus ibis
1, Mandria on 10/04/1995

Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
2, S Akritori on 06/04/2001 and 4 there on 08/04/2001
1, S Akritori + 4 Bishop`s Pool on 11/04/2001

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
1 ad. soaring low above Paphos Head (searching a roosting place?) on 31/03/2001
65 ® NE, Aspro Dam on 02/04/2001
7 (1 2nd year), Bishop`s Pool on 11/04/2001

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
3 ® N, Paphos Head on 01/04/2001
12 ® N, Paphos Head on 02/04/2001
1 together with Night Herons ® NE, Aspro Dam on 02/04/2001

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
500+ Akritori on 06, 08, 11/04/2001

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
1, Evretou on 03/04/2001
2, Evretou on 04/04/2001

Wigeon Anas penelope
2 male, 1 female, Akritori on 05/04/2001

Shoveler Anas clypeata
1, Evretou on 04/0472001
80+, Akritori on 05/04/2001
50, Akritori on 08/04/2001
500, Akritori on 11/04/2001

Pintail Anas acuta
30, Akritori on 05/04/2001
60, Akritori on 06/04/2001

Garganey Anas querquedula
5, Aspro Dam on 02/04/2001
26 + 13, ® NW, off Paphos on 03/04/2001.
2, Evretou on 04/04/2001
10 ® NW, off Paphos on 08/04/2001

Pochard Athya ferina
1, NE Akritori on 11/04/2001

Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
1 soaring low above the motorway, 5 km E of Pissouri on 08/04/2001

Osprey Pandion haliaetus
1 ® NE, Paphos Head on 31/03/2001

Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
1 female, Aspro Dam on 02/04/2001
1 female, Mandria on 04/04/2001
1 female ® N + 1 male, Aspro Dam on 07/04/2001
2, Akritori on 08/04/2001
1, Aspro Dam on 11/04/2001

Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus
1 female, S Akritori on 08/04/2001

Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus
1 male, Paphos Head on 02/04/2001
1 male, Akritori on 05/04/2001
1 female, NE Akritori on 06/04/2001
1 female, Aspro Dam on 10 and 11/04/2001
1 female, S Akritori on 11/04/2001
1 “ringtailed” Harrier (Pallid or Hen), Akritori on 08/04/2001

Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Very common, seen at all places visited.

Merlin Falco columbarius
1 male was attracted by a big flock of Yellow Wagtails and hunted successfully on them, Mandria on 04/04/2001.

Chukar Alectoris chukar
Common. Seen and heard almost everywhere. You see them in scrubby, stony habitat as well as in agricultural (for example Mandria).

Quail Coturnix coturnix
Only in small numbers:
1 calling, Paphos E on 01/04/2001
1 flushed, Pahos Head on 01/04/2001
1 calling, Paphos Head on 04/04/2001
2 flushed, Paphos Head on 08/04/2001

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
5, Evretou on 04/04/2001
2, Aspro Dam on 04/04/2001
Seen at Bishop`s Pool (number ?) on 11/04/2001 – due to the rain, the pool had a lot of water.

Coot Fulica atra
3-5, Aspro Dam on 02-11/04/2001
1, Evretou on 04/04/2001
1, Akritori on 08/04/2001
some at Bishop`s Pool (number ?) on 11/04/2001

Little Crake Porzana parva
Two long staying birds: 1 male and 1 female, Aspro Dam from 02-11/04/2001

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Up to 20 birds at Akritori from 05 to 11/04/2001
1, Evretou Dam on 04/04/2001

Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus
2 flying in from sea, Pahos Head on 07/04/2001

Cream-coloured Cursor Cursorius cursor
1 on the beach at Mandria on 04/04/2001 – this bird was not shy at all and for it stayed quite long (> four days) it was therfore well-twitched by many birders. Another one was discovered at Aktritori some days later.

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
2, Evretou Dam on 04/04/2001
15+, Akritori on 06/04/2001
1, Aspro Dam on 07/04/2001
1, Akritori on 08/04/2001

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
3, Akritori S on 11/04/2001

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Up to 50 were seen at Akritori on 05 to 11/04/2001.

Redshank Tringa totanus
1, Akritori on 06 and 08/04/2001

Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropeus
1 calling, Akritori on 05/04/2001
1 moulting into breeding plumage, Akritori on 06/04/2001

Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
3, Akritori on 05/04/2001
40, Akritori on 06/04/2001
10, Akritori on 08/04/2001

Greenshank Tringa nebularia
1, Evretou Dam on04/04/2001
25+, Akritori on 05/04/2001
10, Akritori on 06/04/2001
1, Aspro Dam on 11/04/2001

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
1 at Akritori Reed Bed on 05/04/2001
1, Akritori S on 08 and 11/04/2001

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
1, Evretou on 04/04/2001
15, Akritori on 05/04/2001
1, Aspro Dam on 10/04/2001
5, S Akritori on 11/04/2001

Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos
1, Aspro Dam on 11/04/2001

Turnstone Arenaria interpres
5, on the shore of Paphos Head on 07/04/2001

Little Stint Calidris minuta
1, Aspro Dam on 04/04/2001
130+, Akritori on 05/04/2001
120, Akritori on 06/04/2001
50+, Akritori on 08/04/2001

Dunlin Calidris alpina
1 on 05/04 and 2 on 06/04/2001 at Akritori Salt Lake

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferrugina
1 winter plumage, Akritori on 06 and 08/04/2001
6 moulting into breeding plumage, Akritori on 11/04/2001

Ruff Philomachus pugnax
2 flying above Paphos Head + 1 flying low above the pool of our hotel in Paphos with the “intention” to land there on 31/03/2001
3, Evretou on 04/04/2001
3, Aspro Dam on 04/04/2001
300-350, S and E Akritori on 05-06/04/2001
200, Akritori on 09/04/2001

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
4-10 (05/04), Akritori on 05-11/04/01

Snipe Gallinago gallinago
1, Aspro Dam on 02/04/2001
4, Evretou on 04/04/2001
2, Aspro Dam on 04/04/2001
1, Aspro Dam on 07/04/2001
1, Akritori on 11/04/2001

Yellow-legged Gull Larus c. cachinnans
Usually only singles or small groups with up to 5 birds were seen. Most (> 50) were atracted to a garbidge dump (where else!) 5 km E of Paphos, just beside the motorway. Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
4 + 15 ® NW, off Paphos on 04/04/2001
50 ® NW, off Paphos on 08/04/2001
All birds looked like fuscus or intermedius.

Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
2 2nd year, Akritori on 05/04/2001.
1 ad breeding plumage, Akritori on 05/04/2001.

Little Gull Larus minutus
2-3 2nd year, Akritori on 05-06/04/2001

Slender-billed Gull Larus genei
5-15, Akritori on 05-11/04/2001

Sandwich Tern Sterna sandwicenis
1 ® NW, off Paphos on 31/03/2001

Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus
2 ® N, Coral Bay on 03/04/2001 – which was the first sighting on the trip. Actually they proofed to be quite common:
40 in a flock, Evretou on 04/04/2001
20+, in the fields of Mandria on 04/04/2001
10, Akritori on 05/04/2001
singles, Trodos on 09/04/2001
50, Mandria on 10/04/2001

Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur
1, Paphos Head ® E on 07/04/2001.

Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
Common.

Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius
Quite Common:
1 flying across the street, 5 km south of Polis (E709) on 03/04/2001
2, Evretou on 04/04/2001
1 coming in from sea, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001
3, some km N of Aspro Dam on 07/04/2001
2, around Bishop`s Pool on 11/04/2001

Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
1 nearby Bishop`s Pool, Akritori on 11/04/2001.

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
1 harassed by Crows ® N, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001
1 roosting bird was flushed, Paphos Head on 08/04/2001

Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba
5, Aspro Dam on 10 and 11/04/2001
15, nearby Phassouri on 11/04/2001

Pallid Swift Apus pallidus
Not all Swifts spp. were checked for ID, but most I looked at were Common Swifts. Nonetheless some birds were positively identified as Pallid as for example at Baths of Aphrodite on 04/04/2001, etc. Groups of Swifts spp. at one place seldom contented more than 50 birds.

Swift Apus apus
see Pallid Swift

Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
1, harbour of Paphos 30-31/03/2001
1, Aspro Dam from 02 to 11/04/2001

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus
1 flying low above our hotel, Paphos on 30/03/2001
4, Paphos Head on 31/03/2001
3, SE Akritori ® NNE on 11/04/2001

Roller Coracias garrulus
1, 10 km NE of Kouklia on 09/04/2001
1, Mandria and 1 Aspro Dam on 10/04/2001
1, between Paphos and Mandria along the motorway + 1 male in display flight Aspro Dam + 2 Akritori
First arrival date heard from 07/04/2001 on.

Hoopoe Upupa epops
Up to 4 seen at Evretou, Akritori, Mandria and Paphos (usually < 2). Only once I heard a singing male at Trimiklini in the Trodos.
6 coming in from the sea, Pahphos Head on 07/04/2001

Wryneck Jynx torquilla
1, Coral Bay on 03/04/2001
1, Aspro Dam on 07/04/2001

Skylark Alauda arvensis
1, Paphos Head on 02/04/2001
4, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001
1, Paphos Head on 08/04/2001

Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla [cinerea]
1, Paphos Head on 31/03/2001
3, Coral Bay on 03/04/2001
2, Paphos Head om 04/04/2001
15, S Akritori on 06/04/2001
Strong migration on the 07/04/2001:
50 + 30 roosting and > 200 ® E, Paphos Head
Two flocks with a total of 80 birds ® N, Aspro Dam
30, Paphos Head on 08/04/2001 and 20 there on 10/04/2001
40, Akritori W on 08/04/2001
20, Paphos Head on 10/04/2001

Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens
1 on the shore at Paphos Head on 07/04/2001

Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata
2 roosting in the loose Salicornia scrub at S Akritori were flushed on 06/04/2001.

Crested Lark Galerida cristata
Very common. Seen almost everywhere, except in the higher altitudes of the Trodos.

Sand Martin Riparia riparia
1, Paphos Head on 31/03/2001
1, Evretou on 04/04/2001
10, S Akritori on 06/04/2001
5, Paphos on 10/04/2001
seen more than this, but not every sighting was noted

Swallow Hirundo rustica
Common througout the stay; seen everywhere. Up to 500, but no big passage was noted.
Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica
Groups up to 20 birds were seen at Paphos and in smaller numbers also in other places (max. 30+, Baths of Aphrodite on 03/04/2001). Toward the end of our stay there seemed to be less.

Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris
< 5, Paphos Head from 30/03 to 03/04/2001
5, Coral Bay on 03/04/2001
20+, NE Akritori on 05/04/2001
30+, NE Akritori on 06/04/2001
15+, Pahos Head on 07/04/2001
3 + singles ® N, Aspro Dam on 07/04/2001
10, Paphos Head on 10/04/2001
Singles and small groups with up to 5 birds could be seen almost everywhere in lowland and midland areas. Not every sighting was noted.

Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
Common, roosting and migrating birds were seen and heard almost everywhere throughout the trip. Roosting flocks usually not bigger than 20 birds.

Meadow Pipit Anthus arvensis
1, Mandria coast on 04/04/2001
1, Akritori on 05/04/2001
1, Paphos Head on 07 and 08/04/2001

Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus
1, Paphos Head on 02/04/2001
1, Paphos Head on 03/04/2001
25, Mandria on 04/04/2001
10, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001 – typically associated with thunbergi- Yellow Wagtails

White Wagtail Motacilla alba
Quite regularly seen, but usually not more than 20 birds in one place (Paphos, Evretou, Mandria, Aspro and Akritori).
20+, Paphos Head on 30/03 and 07/04/2001
30+ on soccer field, Paphos E on 01/04/2001
15, Evretou on 04/04/2001
10+, Mandria on 04/04/2001
30, Madria on 10/04/2001

Yellow Wagtail [Ssp] Motacilla flava
Common, but rarely in big numbers. Most of the birds belonged to sbsp. feldegg and flava
M. f. thunbergi: Not many seen: 20, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001
The peak of migration of this sbsp. ought to be later in the season.
60+ on soccer field, Paphos E on 01/04/2001; 3 flava, 1 supercilliaris, rest feldegg
30+, Paphos Head on 03/04/2001; feldegg and flava
800, on fresh-cut fields on the edge of Mandria (E) on 04/04/2001; fedegg : flava = 70 : 30

Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
At least two males singing at Mt. Olymp in the Troodos on 09/04/2001.

Robin Erithacus rubecula
2, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001 – for sure migrators.

Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos
Quite common. Singles were seen in most places (Aspro, Evretou, Akritori, Mandria, etc.). Breeders and migrators often not seperable. A good portion of the birds at Paphos Head may have been migrators, as on the 07/04/2001 with at least 10-15 birds seen and heard singing.

Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus
1 female, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001
1 male, W Akritori on 11/04/2001

Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
In the beginning of the trips only singles, but during the trip getting more common and numerous:
1, Paphos E on 01/04/2001
1, Aspro Dam on 02/04/2001
15+, NE Akritori on 06/04/2001
5, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001
15, Akritori and Passouri Reed Beds
etc.

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
Common, seen at all coastal and midland areas.
£ 10, Paphos Head from 30/03 to 03/04/2001
100+, E Akritori on 06/04/2001
50, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001

Cyprus Pied Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca
Very common. I saw my first one on the bus transfer from Lanarca Airport to Paphos closed to Pissouri. Usually not seen in lowland agricultral areas as for example at Mandria. But as soon landscape is changing a little bit to a rocky habitat you will find them.

Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica melanocephala
Regularly seen, but only in rather small numbers, most at coastal sites (max. £ 5).

Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti
On 05/04/2001 I found a female in the loose Salicornia scrub in the SE part of the Akritori Salt Lake. Another bird (male?) was at Paphos at least on 30/03/2001, which I didn`t see.

Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina
1, Paphos Head on 30/03/2001
5, Paphos Head on 31/03/2001
1, Coral Bay on 03/04/2001
1, Mandria Beach on 04/04/2001
1, Akritori on 05/04/2001
2, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001
2, Akritori on 08/04/2001
3, Mandria Beach on 10/04/2001

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius
A singing male was noted on 10/04/2001 at Aspro Dam.

Song Thrush Turdus philomelus
2, Paphos (hotel Paphos Garden) on 30/03/2001

Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti
Fairly common, though not that common as next species. Likes to be closed to water and areas with more vegetation.

Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis
Very common.

Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
1, Aspro Dam on 02/04/2001
1 singing male, Aspro Dam 10-11/04/2001

Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
1 singing in a small and dry reed bed, Evretou on 04/04/2001
3 singing males, NE Akritori on 05/04/2001
1 singing + 1 seen, Akritori on 06/04/2001
6, Akritori on 08/04/2001

Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus
1, in a small reed bed at Evretou Dam on 04/04/2001
1 male singing, Aspro Dam on 07/04/2001

Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida
1 male singing, Trimiklini in the Trodos on 09/04/2001
> 10 singing males on the way from RAF main entrance to the Bishop`s Pool on 11/04/2001 (new incoming birds)

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
Common (as well singing birds), but no big numbers (< 10) in any place.

Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala
2 (1 singing male), Coral Bay on 03/04/2001
10+, Baths of Aphrodite on 03/04/2001

Orphean Warbler Sylvia hotensis
1, Paphos Head on 02/04/2001
1 male singing, Paphos Head on 04/04/2001
1 + 1, Akritori W and E in low bushes on 08/04/2001
2, Akritori SE (closed to the tower) together with Lesser Whitethroats and Collared Flycatchers on 11/04/2001

Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis
The first one was seen on 03/04/2001 at Coral Bay. After that, singles were seen on most days at coastal and lowland sites. Still far away from to be called common.

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca
Common and seen daily, but not really in good numbers (max. < 10-15 at Paphos Head).

Cyprus Warbler Sylvia melanothorax [melanocephala]
Common. Some birds had already chicks for I saw a pair constantly bringing food to a nest area at Aspro Dam!

Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans
1 female, Paphos Head on 06/04/2001
1 male, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001

Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata
1 female, Paphos Head on 31/03/2001
1 male, Aspro Dam on 10/04/2001

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
1, Phassouri Reed Beds on 05704/2001
2, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001
3, Aspro Dam on 7/04/2001.
1, Akritori on 11/04/2001

Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca
1, Paphos Head on 11/04/2001

Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis
1 female, Aspro Dam on 07/04/2001
2 male, Aspro Dam on 11/04/2001 – one was thought wearing at least one yellow colour ring ?!
A total of at least 5 males and 3 females in the area of SE Akritori and Bishop´s Pool on 11/04/2001

Coal Tit Parus ater cypriotes
Many seen and heard at Mt. Olymp in the Trodos.

Great Tit Parus major
Very common in most areas. ad. feeding fledged juv. seen on Paphos Head twice.

Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla
Heard at Mt. Olymp in the Trodoos.

Daurian Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus isabellinus
1 Ind., Paphos Head on 31/03 until the 01/04/2001. For this bird there is pic found in Birding World (Vol. 14, Nr. 4, p. 145). This bird showed very well, but concerning sex it was still doubted wether it was a female or a 2nd year male (comment Tim Worfolk in BW).
Another one (male) was found by a nowegian birder in the evening of the 09/ 04/2001 around the Aspro Dam Pools (sbsp.?).

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator
Not seen before the third of april, getting more and more common
1, Coral Bay on 03/04/2001
1-4, Paphos Head from 03 to 11/04/2001

Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus
1 male, Paphos Head on 01-02/04/2001
1 male, Paphos Head on 07/04/2001

Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius (meridionalis) pallidrostris
The long staying bird at Paphos Head I saw on the 31/03/2001 was supposed to be that (sub-) species. Shortly after the this date the bird had disappeared. For pics of this bird see Birding World (Vol. 14, Nr. 3, p. 171).

Jackdaw Corvus monedula
Quite common, but no data notices.

Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix
Very common.

House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Very common everywhere.

Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
On the first days at Paphos Head only singles were seen. Later on big flocks with 300 and more birds were seen, as well as for example at Mandria. Groups with up to 50 birds were seen in most places (Aspro Dam, Akritori, etc.). A small colony was found on the southern wall front of a hotel just north of Coral Bay.

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
In the Troodos at least > 10 singing males heard from the car. 2, nearby Phassouri on 11/04/2001.

Serin Serinus serinus
1, Paphos Head on 01/04/2001
2-3 singing males, Trodos on 09/04/2001

Hawfinch Coccthraustes coccothraustes
1, Coral Bay on 03/04/2001

Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
Common.

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
Common.

Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
2 at Mt. Olymp in the Troodos Area on 09/04/2001

Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana
1, Paphos E on 01/04/2001
1, Paphos Head on 11/04/2001

Cretzschmar’s Bunting Emberiza caesia
2, Paphos Head on 31/03/2001
3, Paphos Head on 02/04/2001

Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra
Quite common in agricultural and open low-scub areas. Seen far to many to mention every single sighting.

Markus Deutsch

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