Systematic List for June 2006  

The following list contains records that have not been corrected or corroborated.  

A White Pelican was an interesting find at Akhna Dam, present from 20th to the end of the month, while a Little Bittern at Aspro Pools on the 15th and a Night Heron at Sotira Pools on the 1st were the only reports for the month. Squacco Herons were still being reported in ones and twos at such diverse sites as Larnaca Sewage Works, Oroklini, Aspro pools and the Blue Sea Hotel, Karpasia until mid-month, with no breeding activity noted, although a few lingered to July. Opportunist Cattle Egrets seemed to be on the lookout for nesting opportunities, with ‘pairs’ noted at Oroklini Marsh and the Paphos Sewage Plant fields throughout the month. Up to eight were at Akhna Dam on the 20th (and nearby Vrysoulles Pools on the 1st) and it was rumoured they were nesting in the Dhekeleia area, although more likely from the Fresh Water Lakes colony in the north. Small numbers of Little Egrets and Grey Herons were reported throughout the month and a Glossy Ibis provided some interest at the Larnaca Sewage Works for several days from the 1st, as did a flurry of Spoonbills, with six at the Larnaca Sewage Works from the 4th – 6th, up to two at Oroklini Marsh from 4th – 21st and one at the Phasouri Reed-beds on 24th.

Interesting ducks were generally  absent except for a few late Garganey, one or two of which lingered beyond mid-month at Oroklini and Akhna Dam, and four Ferruginous Duck at Phasouri Reed-beds, which rarely showed well, seen only on the 26th. Odd single Marsh Harrier reports came from Oroklini Marsh on the 1st and the Phasouri Reed-beds on the 26th, while a Common Buzzard was seen on the northern Karpas Peninsula at ‘Ourania City’ on the 14th.  Resident Long-legged Buzzards were in short supply, except for a pair that were well-watched for most of the month over the Armou and Tsada Hills area, the local ‘patch’ of two of our committee members!  The bird pair were seen with a juvenile in tow from the 16th, a further good success-story. Ray, our eagle-eyed fisherman informer, reported two different Ospreys at Akhna Dam on the 7th and 10th, but they were not seen subsequently by any of our birding members. Always a good find in summer, single Hobbys were seen at the Larnaca Sewage Works and the Phasouri Reed-beds on 17th and 26th respectively, although the location of possible nearby breeding sites, if they exist, remain a mystery. A surprise find for me were at least five Eleonora’s Falcons feeding over the vineyards and Carob groves near Pachna Village on the 20th – the area is at an altitude of over 650 metres and about 25 km. inland, though well within sight of their cliff breeding sites at Avdimou and Episkopi.

Black Francolins were reported calling to mid-month in most areas, even on the 28th at Armou, surprisingly late, and single juveniles were only seen on the 12th at Plousha Forest and Sykhada by DW. A Quail was heard on the Tsada Hills on the 3rd, but that was all. At Larnaca Sewage Works, the number of Black-winged Stilts reached a noteworthy peak of 115 birds from the 3rd – 6th and included at least 10 juveniles, while a peak of 60 were counted at Oroklini Marsh on the 1st & 2nd. Calling Stone Curlews were reported at Ayios Nikolaos on the 3rd and Karpasia on the 14th while the Acheleia Agricultural Research Station Olive groves hosted high numbers, at least from mid-month, peaking at 21 birds on the 25th. Another typical opportunist breeder, Collared Pratincole, was seen at the Larnaca Sewage Works on a couple of days, with two on the 3rd and three on the 14th, probably different groups, and they didn’t linger. Spur-winged Plover continued to take advantage of favoured sewage and waste water ponds. A pair was at a nest at the Larnaca Sewage Works 1st – 14th and five birds remained at the Paphos Sewage Plant all month, in spite of failed breeding attempts in May when eggs and young were taken by Hooded Crows. There were up to 10 at Paralimni Lake 1st – 12th, up to 12 at Akhna Dam for most of the month and up to 25 at Oroklini Marsh all month. The 44 Little Stints at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 3rd moved on by mid-month, as did groups of up to six Curlew Sandpipers at Larnaca and Akhna Dam. A peak of seven Ruff were at the Larnaca Sewage Works on the 3rd, with one staying until the 14th. At the same time one or two Redshank and Greenshank were also present to mid-June, with a maximum of three there on the 12th. More interesting were single Marsh Sandpipers at the sewage works on the 4th and 30th. Just to confuse the issue one or two Green Sandpipers were seen at Akhna Dam, Aspro Pools and Oroklini Marsh to mid-month, probably late spring migrants, while one at the Phasouri Reed-beds on the 26th and four at Lefka Dam on the 27th were probably on autumn passage. A Wood Sandpiper at Akhna Dam on the 20th was unusually unseasonal, probably an early autumn bird.

Typically in mid-summer, there were several gull species at the Larnaca Sewage Works, including one or two Slender-billed Gulls to mid-month and an immature Baltic Gull (Lesser Black-backed) most days from the 6th – 30th. Of the 40-odd Yellow-legged Gulls visible from the hide, on the 1st June there appeared to be at least six immature Caspian Gulls present (the central Asian nominate form). Meanwhile, enigmatic Audouin’s Gulls were reported on the Karpas Peninsula , with three off Davlos on the 13th, four at the Blue Sea Hotel on the 13th and one at the Agarki ton Lacho river mouth on the 15th. A few Gull-billed Terns were reported, with one at Akhna Dam on the 5th and up to four at the Larnaca Sewage Works from the 14th with two adults there on the 30th. It was a good time to observe breeding terns from the Larnaca Sewage Works hide, where a pair of Common Terns were present, one on a nest until mid-month, with 3 chicks first seen on the 17th. Little Terns had a record year at the sewage works, undisturbed by dogs it seems. On the 6th June, 32 birds were counted, many on nests. The first chick was seen on the 21st, and 3 broods were present on the 30th, bringing the total to 40 birds. ‘Marsh’ terns were well-represented at the Larnaca Sewage Works, with at least one Whiskered Tern present until from the 1st - 17th (two on the 12th), up to two Black Terns from the 12th – 18th and a White-winged Black Tern from 1st – 18th, with five there on the 14th.

Young Great Spotted Cuckoos were much in evidence and quite vocal, all month. One immature bird appeared in a Strovolos garden on the 3rd, surprising BA, who had hardly seen a Magpie, its usual host, all spring. The bird was collected by the Game Fund and looked after in the rehabilitation centre. One or two juveniles were also reported at Akhna Dam, Oroklini Marsh, Agia Andronikos, Sarakino Vouno, Lefka and Kannaviou Dam. The largest and most consistent numbers were in the hills above Armou, where up to five juveniles were present from the 7th to the end of the month. Two Barn Owls, the only ones reported, were at Kouklia on the 1st, while Cyprus Scops Owls were reportedly continuing their vocalisations all month. They were heard at Strovolos, Tsada Hills, Marathounta and Terra - one was calling in BB’s garden on the 30th. Little Owl was fairly widely reported in day time: pairs were at nest holes at Athalassa on the 11th, at the Anarita (Aspro) Mast with a youngster on the 15th and at the Blue Sea Hotel on the 13th. Amongst other reports, was one calling regularly at Agios Nikolaos from the 16th to the end of the month. Some observers reported the complete absence of Swifts from their villages by mid-June, but the discovery of 320 above Mandria fields on the 9th and over 2,300 birds feeding around me during my walk around the Mt. Olympus Artemis Trail on the 20th goes some way to explain their absence from some lowland areas. This was a spectacular sight and the sound of so many wings in flight was quite disturbing, especially when they flew close-by. On the same day, about 50 Pallid Swifts were found at Prodromos, four at the Troodos Visitors’ Centre and two at the Artemis Trail. Alpine Swifts too had moved away from their traditional breeding areas, with 25 seen above the Extreme View Café in the Dhiarizos Valley on the 2nd, four at Mandria on the 9th, two at Aspro Pools on the 15th and one amongst the thousands of other swifts on Mt. Olympus on the 20th. At Akhna Dam when he reported at least two (‘possibly three’) Pied Kingfishers, which had been present from late June. One wonders if they would breed nearby, the first time in Cyprus since 1996. It is not the best month to watch Bee-eaters, and no known breeding sites were visited, although on the 14th a pair at Lefkonisos Island on the Karpas could have been nesting nearby. Otherwise there were reports all month - mostly single invisible birds heard flying over the west of the island – from Tsada, Goudhi, Paphos town centre, Aspro Pools and Tala. About 40 Rollers were reported from about 12 different sites. Several Hoopoe were seen and heard in forest habitat at Troodos, Artemis trail, Kannaviou Dam and Ayios Dimitrios, and singles at Terra on the 11th, Akhna Dam on the 20th and Aspro Pools on the 25th were in more open habitat. The relict Calandra Lark breeding population was in evidence at the Larnaca Desalination Plant fields on the 1st & 6th, when up to seven birds were singing and displaying, while two at Agios Nikolaos (ESBA) on the 20th were the only others reported. While a single out-of-season Sand Martin at Cape Andreas on the 13th and a Crag Martin at Troodos on the 20th were unique in being the only ones of their species to be reported, other hirundines were in abundance and need little mention, except that a noteworthy 2,000 Swallows were swarming on the Karpas on the 13th and 2,000 House Martins were feeding over the forest at Kannaviou Dam from the 16th – 27th. At least two pairs of Black-headed Wagtails had nested at the Larnaca Sewage Works where up to five were seen all month and 10 including juvs from the 17th, while at Oroklini Marsh up to six were present all month and a pair were seen at the Paphos Sewage Plant from 9th to 18th. There were only two reports of Wren: one near Mylikouri on the 2nd and another singing by the Artemis Trail on the 20th. A Nightingale was seen gathering food for young by Agios Nikolaos and another was heard near Platres, both on the 2nd and one was at Prodromos on the 28th. Cyprus Wheatears adults and juvs, were well-reported with a maximum of 30 seen at Cape Andreas on the 13th. There were some interesting reports of Blackbird, mostly up to five birds in the Mt. Olympus trails area, plus large numbers in the Ayios Dimitrios area, down to as low as  800 m,  with eight there 16th, and 28, including many juvs. on the 28th - there were estimated to be 26 territories there. 

Warblers were well-represented, with Cetti’s, Fan-tailed and Olivaceous Warblers widely reported; more elusive, Reed Warblers were still singing at Sotira Pools and Aspro Pools to mid month. Healthy numbers of Spectacled Warblers were seen at the Larnaca Sewage Works, Cape Greco , Oroklini Marsh and Sykhada, with 13 birds including 10 juveniles seen on Tsada Hills on the 10th and a family party of six seen at Plousha Forest on the 12th. Sardinian Warblers were commonly seen at Kannaviou Dam, Armou and Tsada, while a singing male at Salamis ( Famagusta ) on the 25th was noteworthy and indicates an extension of its breeding range. There were 16 records of Cyprus Warbler (compared to only 9 of Sardinian Warbler), which is quite good news bearing in mind the pressure being put on Cyprus Warbler by the ‘Sardinians’ in the west. Family parties with up to four juvs. were reported at Tsada from 10th and other sites onwards including Plousha Forest , the Karpas Peninsula , the Artemis Trail, Lefka Dam and Armou. Apart from the above, there were no reports from Nicosia , Limassol or Larnaca districts.

Presumably on breeding territory, pairs of Spotted Flycatchers were seen in the river valley south of Mylikouri  on the 2nd and near the Mt. Olympus north face ski resort on the 20th. Oddly, Coal Tits and Short-toed Tree-creeper were rather localised, with only two records of each received. Seven Coal Tits were in the Troodos area on the 2nd and 26, including many family parties, around the Mt. Olympus Artemis Trail on the 20th. Of tree-creepers, while only one was seen in Troodos on the 2nd, they were abundant around the Artemis Trail on the 20th, where at least 38 were counted. Of Masked Shrike, apart from them being well-watched in their forest strongholds including Troodos and Mt. Olympus , dispersal was already evident. One was beside the road to Episkopi (Paphos) on the 13th, another on the nearby Tsada track on the 16th and two in the foothills above Armou 17th. All appeared to be tatty moulting adults. Jays were reported by observers in the forests at Troodos and Kelefos Bridge and seven were seen during a walk around the Artemis Trail on the 20th. Ever scarce, Ravens were only seen at Mt. Olympus , with two (mobbing a ‘hawk’) on the Artemis Trail on the 7th and one flying over the summit on the 20th.

There were a few notable reports of Spanish Sparrow, principally gangs of 30 - 100 birds at Vrysoulles Pool on the 1st, the Blue Sea Hotel in Karpasia on the 13th and in the Armou Hills on the 14th. Otherwise groups of less than 10 were reported. Chaffinches and Serins were only reported in the forests around Troodos and Mt. Olympus , with no unusual numbers or activity noted. The other ubiquitous finches were seen in busy family parties and require no further comment, particularly Goldfinch, and the less common (though annually increasing) Greenfinch. More localised and oddly only reported in the west, Linnet was seen mostly at low level, although one bird at Ayios Dimitrios (800 m) on the 28th was at un-characteristically high altitude. The most interesting of this family, the endemic Cyprus Common Crossbill was very elusive, as only two were seen at Troodos village roundabout, on the 2nd.

The three breeding buntings were fairly well-reported. There were seven records of Cretzschmar’s Bunting, some indicating a successful breeding season: a family party of five, including 3 juvs. were found near Paphos on the track to Tsada golf course on the 10th and three juvs. were also sighted near the cemetery at Mosfiloti Hill on the 15th. Two were at Mylikouri on the 2nd, plus singles at the Artemis Trail on the 20th and at Ayios Dimitrios on the 28th. For Black-headed Bunting, it stopped singing at Kannaviou from the 8th, although ones and twos continued to be seen all month at Terra, Episkopi, the Blue Sea Hotel, Mosfiloti Hill, Kelefos Bridge and Omodos. Seven were at the Ourania City ruins on the 14th. Corn Bunting had stopped singing too, and started flocking by mid-month, with up to 12 at Kannaviou from the 5th – 15th June and around 50 at Sotira Pools on the 5th. Karpasia had the largest  numbers, with groups of 50 each seen at the Blue Sea Hotel and Sarakino Vouno on the 13th and 20 at Ourania City the next day.  

Also reported Little Grebe, Shag, Greater Flamingo, Teal, Mallard, Griffon Vulture, Black Vulture, Kestrel, Chukar, Moorhen, Coot, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Black-headed Gull, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Turtle Dove, Crested Lark, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Hooded Crow and House Sparrow.

                                                  Return to top of page