Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

 

Maximum counts listed. Agia Napa Sewage Works: 47 on 25-Oct. Akhna Dam 14 on 15-Oct and 30-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South) 77 on 22-Oct . Kannaviou Dam: six 29-Oct.  Larnaca Sewage Works: 133 on 15-Oct. Oroklini Marsh: three 2-Oct. Panagra Dam: 14 on 11-Oct. Paphos Sewage Plant: one 13-Oct and 16-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: 17 1-Oct.

 

Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis

 

Larnaca Sewage Works: two 25-Oct and 31-Oct.

 

SCOPOLI’S Shearwater Calonectris diomedea diomedea

 

Cape Kormakiti : nine 10-Oct.

 

YELKOUAN Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan

 

Cape Kormakiti : 19 on 10-Oct and two 11-Oct.  

 

Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

 

Agia Napa Sewage Works: one 12-Oct. Akhna Dam: one 31-Oct. Cape Greco: two 14-Oct. Cape Kormakiti: 17 on 10-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: maximum count: six 20-Oct. Mandria: nine 7-Oct.

 

Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis

 

Ormideia Beach: 20 on 24-Oct. Elsewhere up to nine Bogazi, Cape Kormakiti , Chelones area, Klidhes Islands , Mandria, Orga, Paphos area and Spiros Beach buoys.

 

White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus

 

One flew over Akrotiri 5-Oct, five were at Larnaca Sewage Works 7-Oct and one was at Akhna Dam 15-Oc, two remaining there 20-Oct.There was an unprecedented influx between 17-Oct and 20-Oct.

17-Oct: Kalo Chorio/Lefka: c1500 in three flocks came in off the sea, spiralled up and headed south over Kalo Chorio.

19-Oct: Agia Napa/Cape Greco/Paralimni: A flock of c1800 flew over the area at 09.15h and landed on the sea. Akhna Dam: “hundreds” seen in the area at around 10.00.

20-Oct: Larnaca Sewage Works: 234 present until 09.45h when they took off and spiralled up on thermals until out of sight.

Up to seven were at Cape Greco 19-20-Oct and four at Larnaca Sewage Works 21-Oct with one remaining there 31-Oct.

 

NIGht Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

 

Cape Greco : three 10-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South): six 7-Oct and two 22-Oct. Protaras: one 22-Oct.

 

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

 

Fresh Water Lake (South): Numbers using the roost decreased from 231 on 7-Oct to 191 22-Oct and 179 31-Oct. Akhna Dam: 12 on 13-Oct. Phasouri Reed-beds: up to five present all month.

 

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

 

Single-figure numbers widely reported. Fresh Water Lake (South): 46 7-Oct, 14 22-Oct. Orga: a total of 139 migrating birds seen 10-12-Oct.

 

Great Egret Egretta alba

 

Akhna Dam: Present all month with five 20-Oct and a maximum of 10 25-Oct. Akrotiri: three 7-Oct. Athalassa: three 19-20-Oct. Cape Greco: one 22-Oct. Kannaviou Dam: one 29-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: one 25-Oct. Panagra Dam: one 11-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: one 2-Oct and three 7-Oct.

 

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

 

Akhna Dam: Present all month with a maximum of 18 on 25-Oct. Athalassa: four 19-Oct. Cape Greco : five migrating 15-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South): five 7-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: present during the second half of the month with a maximum of six 21-Oct. Mandria 11 on 2-Oct . Zakaki Marsh: present all month, maximum count 44 on 5-Oct.

 

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea

 

Akhna Dam: seven 3-Oct.

 

Black Stork Ciconia nigra.

 

Akhna Dam: six 20-Oct. Athalassa Park : two 19-Oct. Cape Greco: two 27-Oct. Phasouri Reed-beds: one 9-Oct.

 

White Stork Ciconia ciconia

 

Cape Greco : five 13-Oct. Paphos Sewage Plant: one 1-Oct. Phanos, Paralimni: 23 moving north 13.20h 15-Oct.

 

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

 

Phasouri Reed-beds: one 11-Oct.

 

Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia

 

Akrotiri: two 7-Oct. Oroklini Marsh: one 12-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: present from 1-Oct to 12-Oct with a maximum of three 9-Oct.

 

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber

 

Cape Greco : one 21-Oct. Lady’s Mile: one 24-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: numbers slowly increased during the month with 63 on 1-Oct and 261 31-Oct. Oroklini Marsh: maximum of five on 15-Oct and 16-Oct.

 

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

 

Larnaca Sewage Works: one 4-Oct.

 

Wigeon Anas Penelope

 

Fresh Water Lake (South): one 7-Oct and 31-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: nine 31-Oct.

 

Teal Anas crecca

 

Akhna Dam: single figure numbers present 9-Oct to month’s-end. Athalassa Park : c20 19-Oct, c40 24-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South): 106 7-Oct, 119 22-Oct and 202 31-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: present all month with maxima of 184 on 15-Oct and 182 on 25-Oct. Paphos Sewage Plant: nine 13-Oct. Phasouri Reed-beds 12 on 5-Oct  . Zakaki Marsh: maximum count of 39 on 5-Oct.

 

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

 

Akhna Dam. Up to 10 present all month. Athalassa: 10 on 24-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South): 56 on 7-Oct decreasing to 18 on 31-Oct. Cape Kiti: three 20-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: maximum of 153 on 9-Oct. Oroklini Marsh: present all month, maximum of five 15-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: between 10 and 16 birds present all month.

 

Pintail Anas acuta

 

Akhna Dam: three 15-Oct, two 25-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South): two 7-Oct, four 22-Oct and four 31-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: present from 7-Oct with a maximum of 21 on 15-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: eight 5-Oct.

 

Garganey Anas querquedula

 

Akhna Dam: two present 8-Oct to 15-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South): three 7-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: nine 9-Oct, two 15-Oct. Oroklini Marsh: up to nine present 2-16-Oct. Phasouri Reed-beds: two 5-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: three 2-Oct.

 

Shoveler Anas clypeata

 

Akhna Dam: one or two present all month. Fresh Water Lake (South): 32 on 31-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: The size of the flock gradually increased during the month with 136 1-Oct, 292 7-Oct, 445 9-Oct, 465 on both 15-Oct and 20-Oct and 554 25-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: up to eight present during the first half of the month.

 

Pochard Aythya farina

 

Larnaca Sewage Works: four 20-Oct, 16 25-Oct and 20 31-Oct.

 

Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca

 

Larnaca Sewage Works: up to fourteen present all month.

 

Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus

 

Agia Varvara: four 2-Oct. Akrotiri Environmental Centre: 143 1-Oct, 106 2-Oct, 17 3-Oct and 21 5-Oct. Anarita Park : four 2-Oct. Aspro Dam: six 2-Oct. Cape Greco: nine 15-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South): three 7-Oct. Kantou: three 2-Oct. Mandria: 71 and Marathounta six, 1-Oct.

 

Black Kite Milvus migrans

 

Akhna Dam: one 7-Oct and one 31-Oct. Akrotiri Environmental Centre: four 1-Oct, one 2-Oct and one 10-Oct. Souni: one 4-Oct.

 

Red Kite Milvus milvus

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: one reported 2-Oct. If accepted this will be the third record for Cyprus and the first since 1986.

 

EGYPTIAN VULTURE Neophron percnopterus

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: one 26-Oct. Cape Greco : juvenile 14-Oct.

 

Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus

 

Kensington Cliffs: seven 7-Oct. Kidasi: four flying towards Platres 31-Oct. Troodos: one 25-Oct.

 

Black Vulture Aegypius monachus

 

Troodos: one 25-Oct.

 

Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus

 

Cape Greco : one 15-Oct.

 

Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: 30 1-Oct, 24 2-Oct, seven 3-Oct, one 4-Oct, eight 5-Oct, one 10-Oct, four 12-Oct and one 29-Oct. Akhna Dam: one 20-Oct. Cape Greco: 20 individuals counted between 10-Oct and 26-Oct. Cape Kormakiti: one 11-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South): one 7-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: seven reports of single birds between 1-Oct and 25-Oct. Mandria: one 1-Oct and two 13-Oct. Oroklini Marsh one 19-Oct. Phasouri Reed-beds: five 5-Oct otherwise one or two birds present all month. Zakaki Marsh: two 1-Oct and one 12-Oct.

 

Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: 4+ 1-Oct. Akhna Dam: one 6-Oct and two 31-Oct. Lavadia Fields: one 26-Oct. Oroklini Marsh: one 15-Oct. Polemi area: one 17-Oct. Tsada Hills/Track: singles 17-Oct, 22-Oct and 27-Oct.

 

Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus

 

Agios Fotios: two 4-Oct. Akrotiri Environmental Centre: two 1-Oct and two 2-Oct. Anarita Park: one 2-Oct. Cape Greco : one 13-Oct. Mandria: singles 1-Oct and 6-Oct.

 

Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus

 

Agios Fotios: one 4-Oct. Anarita Park : one 6-Oct. Armou Hills: one 9-Oct. Cape Greco: one 12-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: one 20-Oct. Mandria: two 1-Oct. Paphos Sewage Plant: one 1-Oct. Larnaca Airport Pools (South): one 31-Oct. Tsada Track: one 6-Oct.

 

HARRIER sp. Circus sp.

 

Ringtails not assigned to species were reported from Akhna Dam, Akrotiri Environmental Centre, Armou Hills, Larnaca Airport and Stavros Tis Psokas Valley.

 

Goshawk Accipiter gentilis

 

Souni: female 6-Oct.

 

Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: one 1-Oct. Cape Greco: a total of 11 were counted between 13-Oct and 26-Oct. Paphos: one 6-Oct. Paphos Sewage Plant: one 19-Oct. Phasouri Reed-beds: one 6-Oct. Souni: female 18-Oct and male 26-Oct. Tsada Track: two 6-Oct and one 26-Oct.

 

Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: two 1-Oct and a female 2-Oct. Prior to these birds the two most recent accepted records were in 2005 and 1991 respectively.

 

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo

 

Agios Filonas: one 5-Oct. Akhna Dam: one 10-Oct and 20-Oct. Akrotiri Environmental Centre: six 1-Oct and three 2-Oct. Larnaca Airport area: one 31-Oct. Oroklini Marsh: one 2-Oct, 14-Oct and 18-Oct with two present 7-Oct. Souni: singles on 1-Oct, 9-Oct, 21-Oct and 30-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: one 5-Oct.

 

Steppe Buzzard B.b.vulpinus

 

Akhna Dam: one 15-Oct. Akrotiri Gravel Pits: one 1-Oct. Akrotiri Salt Lake : one 7-Oct. Cape Greco: six 11-Oct, three 12-Oct, four 13-Oct, one 14-Oct, three 15-Oct and one 21-Oct.

 

Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: one 1-Oct, five 4-Oct. Armou Hills: one 15-Oct, three 25-Oct. Aspro Dam: two 2-Oct, one 5-Oct. Ayios Fotios: one 29-Oct. Agios Nikolaos (ESBA): one 17-Oct. Cape Greco: six singletons on six dates between 12-Oct and 26-Oct. Goudhi: one 7-Oct. Kidasi: one 10-Oct. Oroklini Marsh: one 18-Oct. Polemi: one 28-Oct. Stroumbi: two 6-Oct and three 26-Oct. Tsada Hills/Track: three 8-Oct, one 19-Oct and 23-Oct, two 26-Oct. Giolou: one 7-Oct.

 

Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: one 2-Oct. Awaiting field notes.

 

Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus

 

Cape Greco : one adult white phase 15-Oct. Kelokedara: one 4-Oct.

 

Bonelli’s Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus

 

Agia Marinouda: one 31-Oct. Akrotiri Environmental Centre: one 4-Oct.

 

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: one 5-Oct. Aspro Dam: one 2-Oct. Cape Kormakiti : one 10-Oct.

 

Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni

 

Agia Varvara: two 2-Oct. Akrotiri Environmental Centre: 36 1-Oct, one 2-Oct, seven 5-Oct, one 8-Oct, 10-Oct, 15-Oct and 29-Oct, two 26-Oct. Mandria: at least six 1-Oct   and three 5-Oct.

 

COMMON Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

 

Widespread. Reported from 28 sites this month.

 

Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus

 

Akhna Dam: juvenile 15-Oct. Akrotiri: seven 9-Oct. Akrotiri Environmental Centre: 112 1-Oct, 137 5-Oct, five 8-Oct, 16 10-Oct, eight 12-Oct, one 15-Oct, 30 19-Oct and eight 29-Oct. Akrotiri-Kolossi: 25 on 14-Oct . Anarita Park : 14 2-Oct. Aphrodite Bay area: one 9-Oct. Aspro Dam wall: four 2-Oct. Cape Greco : two 9-Oct, singles 12-Oct and 13-Oct, 10 14-Oct and four 15-Oct. Chelones area: nine 5-Oct. Lady's Mile: nine 1-Oct. Larnaca Sewage Works: c10 4-Oct. Mandria: c60 1-Oct, 80+ 2-Oct, 91 4-Oct, 31 8-Oct and 30 12-Oct. Marathounta: four 1-Oct. Paphos Sewage Plant: two 3-Oct. Phasouri Citrus Groves : six 5-Oct. Souni: 12 moving north over a one-hour period 9-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: five 7-Oct.

 

Merlin Falco columbarius

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: one 1-Oct. Souni: one 2-Oct.

 

Hobby Falco subbuteo

 

Agios Filonas: one 5-Oct. Akrotiri: one 7-Oct. Akrotiri Environmental Centre: two 1-Oct, one 2-Oct, one 5-Oct and two 22-Oct. Cape Greco : total of 20 on 10 dates between 9-Oct and 26-Oct with a maximum day-total of six on 14-Oct . Kantara: one 1-Oct. Mandria Canal : one 13-Oct Mavrokolymbos Valley: two 5-Oct. Phasouri Reed-beds: one 1-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: one 7-Oct.

 

Eleonora’s Falcon Falco eleonorae

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: singles 1-Oct, 2-Oct and 5-Oct. Aspro Dam: two 2-Oct, one 15-Oct. Cape Greco : one 23-Oct. Kensington Cliffs: 11 7-Oct   and three 12-Oct. Kourion Beach : one 25-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: one 5-Oct.

 

Saker Falco cherrug

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: single birds reported on 4-Oct, 5-Oct, 12-Oct and 15-Oct.

 

Peregrine Falco peregrinus

 

Akrotiri Environmental Centre: two 1-Oct, one 2-Oct, one 10-Oct and two 19-Oct. Avdimou Beach area: one 23-Oct. Cape Greco : one 12-Oct, one 13-Oct, two 15-Oct and one 16-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South): one 22-Oct and 31-Oct. Mandria: one 22-Oct and 27-Oct. Panagra Dam: two 11-Oct. Souni: one 18-Oct. Vretsia Cliff: one 4-Oct. Zakaki Marsh: one 7-Oct.

 

Chukar Alectoris chukar Widespread.

 

Reported from 21 sites this month.

 

Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus

 

Agios Fotios: two 5-Oct Akhna Dam: one 7-Oct Cape Greco: one 21-Oct and 22-Oct. Chelones: one 5-Oct. Kantara: one 1-Oct. Kermia beach: three 24-Oct. Manglis Lake : one 26-Oct Neo Chorio one 6-Oct. Orga: one 11-Oct. Oroklini Marsh: up to two present 10-Oct to month’s-end. Panagra Dam: one calling 11-Oct. Paphos Sewage Plant: one 3-Oct, 5-Oct, 7-Oct and 16-Oct. Upper Xeros: two 22-Oct. Skoulli: 1 calling 5-Oct.

 

Quail Coturnix coturnix

 

Agios Nikolaos (ESBA): two flushed from lucerne crop 7-Oct. Ineia: one 18-Oct. Paphos Sewage Plant: one 29-Oct. Tsada Hills: one calling 28-Oct.

 

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus

 

Athalassa Park : one 20-Oct. Fresh Water Lake (South): one 7-Oct, three 22-Oct and five 31-Oct. Oroklini Marsh: up to two present during the second half of the month. Zakaki Marsh up to three reported all month.

 

Spotted Crake Porzana porzana

 

Oroklini Marsh: one seen daily 25-Oct to month end.