Cyprus: April 5th-12th, 1995

James Packer, Brian Gibbs, Pat Mayer, Roger Musgrove,

Great Crested Grebe

Ones and twos at Akrotiri and Asprokremnos Reservoir

Little Grebe

Up to three at Phassouri, and three at Asprokremnos Reservoir

Cory's Shearwater

Singles seen from Paphos on 6th and 10th; up to three on 5th, 8th, 9th and 11th.

Yelkouan Shearwater

A single close inshore from Paphos on 9th, four on 10th; nine on 11th.

Cormorant

Singles at Asprokremnos Reservoir on several dates; three flying over Phassouri on 7th.

Shag

Single at Quarry Beach on 7th.

Greater Flamingo

Up to 500 at Akrotiri Salt Lake on 7th and 10th; four flew east past Paphos Headland on 9th.

Night Heron

One at Asprokremnos Dam Pools from 9th-11th; one over Paphos Headland together with 15 Purple

Herons on 8th.

Cattle Egret

Eight at Phassouri on 7th were gone by 10th.

Squacco Heron

An adult at Asprokremnos Dam Pools on 11th; a non breeding plumaged bird on the reservoir at the

same date.

Little Egret

Small flocks noted at Asprokremnos Reservoir, Phassouri Reed Beds, Baths of Aphrodite,

Mavrokloymbos Dam. A heavily oiled bird was at Asprokremnos Reservoir on 11th.

Great White Egret

One flew west over Paphos on 9th.

Egret spp.

Five flew north at Phassouri Beach on 7th.

Grey Heron

Small numbers at Phassouri Reed Beds, Asprokremnos Reservoir (2) and Mavrokloymbos Dam.

Purple Heron

Two resting on Paphos Headland, 6th, with 15 over here on 8th, and 23 flew west on 12th; 15

roosted at Asprokremnos Reservoir on 10th. Others at Phassouri Reed Beds and Akrotiri Salt Lake.

Glossy Ibis

51 at Phassouri Reed Beds on 7th, 30 here on 10th; two at Asprokremnos Reservoir on 7th, with

47 flying to roost here on 10th.

Mallard

Three at Akrotiri on 10th.

Pintail

Flocks of 30 or less at Phassouri, Paphos Headland and Akrotiri. A female flushed on Paphos

Headland, 10th.

Shoveler

c10 at Akrotiri Salt Lake on 7th.

Garganey

Many large flocks past Paphos Headland and Phassouri Beach. At least 500 past here in 15 minutes

on 7th.

Pallid Harrier

A female flew in off the sea at Paphos Headland on 12th.

Marsh Harrier

Over a wide area singles were seen on 6th, 7th, two on 9th, four 10th and 11th, a single on 12th.

Harrier spp.

A ringtail above Evretou Dam on 6th evaded positive ID.

Goshawk

Two over the Paphos Forest on 10th (one male).

Common Buzzard

One at Akrotiri Salt Lake on 10th.

Griffon Vulture

Five at Quarry Beach on 7th, one at Asprokremnos Reservoir on 11th, and four in the Xeropotamus

Valley on 11th, including a pair at a nest.

Common Kestrel

Common throughout, especially around lowland arable areas.

Hobby

One at Asprokremnos Reservoir on 10th.

Black Francolin

Common, between Akrotiri and Polis, especially in low and mid altitude arable and citrus growing

areas.

Chukar

Common, especially in mid altitude maquis.

Quail

Common migrant, easily flushed from many locations.

Baillon's Crake

A male at Asprokremnos Dam Pool on 9th and 10th, a pair here on 11th.

Little Crake

Two, Asprokremnos Dam Pools on 7th.

Spotted Crake

One, Asprokremnos Reservoir on 7th.

Water Rail

Single at Asprokremnos Dam Pods on 11th.

Moorhen

Present in small numbers at Evretou Dam, Asprokremnos Dam Pool, Phassouri Reed Beds and

Mavrokloymbos Dam.

Coot

Noted only at Phassouri Reed Bed.

Stone Curlew

Four on Paphos Headland on 8th, one here on 12th; one at Asprokremnos River Bed on 9th.

Black-winged Stilt

c15 at Asprokremnos Reservoir on 7th.

Little Ringed Plover

Two, Ladies Mile on 10th; one at Phassouri Gravel Pits on 7th.

Kentish Plover

Common at Akrotiri Salt Lake/Ladies Mile.

Spur-winged Plover

Two at Phassouri Reed Beds on 7th, one with a damaged leg at the Gravel pits on 10th.

Lapwing

Pairs at Phassouri Reed Bed and Asprokremnos Reservoir.

Turnstone

A summer plumaged bird at Paphos Headland on 11th.

Ruff

Large numbers at Akrotiri Salt Lake, and surrounding areas.

Curlew

Three at Phassouri Reed Bed on 7th, 11 here on 10th.

Whimbrel

Two at Phassouri Beach on 7th.

Black-tailed Godwit

A single bird with a badly broken leg at Phassouri Reed Bed on 7th-10th.

Greenshank

Five at Akrotiri Salt Lake on 7th, six here on 10th.

Wood Sandpiper

c50 at Akrotiri Salt Lake and surrounding areas on 7th and 10th. One picked up exhausted at

Phassouri Gravel Pits on 10th.

Great Snipe

One, Phassouri Reed Beds on 7th.

Common Snipe

Noted at Phassouri Reed Bed and Asprokremnos Reservoir on 7th; and Phassouri Gravel Pits on 10th.

Arctic Skua

A dark phase bird flew west past Kato Paphos on 5th.

Slender-billed Gull

Up to 100 at Akrotiri on 7th and 10th; flocks of less than 30 past Paphos on 6th and 9th.

Little Gull

A first winter at Akrotiri Salt Lake on 7th and 10th.

Black-headed Gull

Relatively scarce. Less than five at Akrotiri Salt Lake and Phassouri Reed Bed.

Audouin's Gull

Two first years off Paphos Headland on 6th.

Yellow-legged Gull

Widespread, though in small numbers along the coast. One caught and drowned a small wader

offshore from Paphos on 8th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Birds of the race L. f. fuscus seen daily off Paphos.

Gull-billed Tern

Single off Paphos Headland on 8th, one in the Harbour here on 12th.

Woodpigeon

Widespread, though in small numbers.

Collared Dove

Scarce, only occasional sightings of singles.

Turtle Dove

One, Kato Paphos on 6th; one at Paphos Headland on 12th.

Rock Dove

Five at Evretou Dam on 6th.

Cuckoo

Singles at Kathikas on 6th, Akrotiri Salt Lake on 7th, and in the Xeropotamus Valley on 11th.

Great Spotted Cuckoo

18 birds seen altogether, with eight in the Xeropotamus Valley on 11th being the highest count.

Barn Owl

A long dead road casualty near Paphos Airport on 11th.

Short-eared Owl

One flew in off the sea at Paphos Headland on 9th.

Scop's Owl

Five calling in the Xeropotamus Valley in the evening of the 8th.

Little Owl

One at Asprokremnos Dam on 7th, 9th and 10th, with two there on the 11th.

Alpine Swift

Fifteen or less at Phassouri, Quarry Beach, Asprokemnos Reservoir and pools, and Xeropotamus

Valley.

Pallid Swift

About five at the Baths of Aphrodites on 6th.

Kingfisher

One on Paphos Headland on 6th, with eight on 8th; singles at Asprokremnos Dam Pools on 7th, 9th

and 11th.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

One on the southern edge of Phassouri Reed Bed on 7th.

European Bee-eater

Four over Ayios Georgios on 9th.

Bee-eater spp.

One over Paphos Headland on 8th.

Roller

A pair at the Mavrokloymbos Dam on 9th; a single at Pissouri on 10th; pair in the Xeropotamus

valley on 11th.

Hoopoe

Eighteen seen, with one singing in the Paphos Forest on the 8th; at least six on the Paphos Headland

on 8th.

Wryneck

Singles at Ayios Ceorgios on 9th; Achelia on 9th and Phassouri Gravel Pits on 10th.

Skylark

A tired bird on Paphos Headland on 11th.

Crested Lark

Very common and widespread.

Short-toed Lark

Common along the coast, with several flocks of over 500 birds past Paphos Headland, peaking in

numbers on the 8th.

Crag Martin

Small numbers in the Paphos Forest on the 8th.

Sand Martin

Singles over a wide area.

Red-rumped Swallow

Widespread in small numbers. More numerous in middle and high altitudes, with occasional migrants

along the coast.

Swallow

Very common.

House Martin

Widespread, mainly around settlements in small numbers.

Water Pipit

One, Paphos Headland on 11th was nearing summer plumage.

Tree Pipit

Common until the 9th, when numbers were less from then on.

Meadow Pipit

One on Paphos Headland on 11th.

Red-throated Pipit

Singles at Kato Paphos on 6th, and Paphos Headland on 9th and 10th.

Tawny Pipit

Fairly widespread in small numbers along the coast from Polis-Akrotiri.

White Wagtail

Fairly widespread in small numbers.

flava Wagtails

Common along the coast. The largest proportion of which were Blue-headed and Black-headed.

Wren

Heard only in the Paphos Forest on 8th.

Robin

One at Kato Paphos on 6th.

Nightingale

Widespread and common along the coast, at least 12 at Paphos Headland on 9th, with many feeding

out in the open on the beach.

Redstart

Singles at Evretou Dam, Paphos Headland and Paphos Airport.

Whinchat

One, Paphos Headland on 6th; two, Phassouri Gravel Pits on 7th; one, Asprokremnos Reservoir on

11th.

Northern Wheatear

Fairly common, with several small falls on Paphos Headland and along the coast.

Isabelline Wheatear

Two at Phassouri Gravel Pits on 7th, with singles at Asprokremnos River Bed on 9th and Paphos

Headland on 9th and 11th.

Black-eared Wheatear

Female near Baths of Aphrodites on 6th, male at Evretou Dam on same date; three males and one

female at the Asprokremnos River Bed on 9th; two, Paphos Headland on 9th and 12th.

Cyprus Pied Wheatear

Common and widespread especially on higher ground.

Blue Rock Thrush

A pair at Peyia on 6th; a male in the ruined village at Asprokremnos on 7th; a female on Paphos

Headland on 9th.

Blackbird

Single at Baths of Aphrodites on 6th.

Fan-tailed Warbler

Fairly common and widespread.

Cetti's Warbler

Common and widespread, even on high ground, and deep within the Paphos Forest.

Sedge Warbler

One or two most days at Paphos Headland.

Reed Warbler

Singing at Phassouri Reed Bed on 7th and 10th.

Olivaceous Warbler

One at Mavrokloymbos Dam on 9th; one at Asprokremnos Pools on two dates, and a probable

singing at Asprokremnos deserted village on 11th.

Subalpine Warbler

Two (male and female) at Kato Paphos on 5th; a female on Paphos Headland on 8th.

Spectacled Warbler

Up to three at Akrotiri on 7th, with one on 10th; singles at Asprokremnos Dam on 9th and

Asprokremnos Reservoir on 11th.

Lesser Whitethroat

Common along the coast, with singles widespread.

Whitethroat

Single at Paphos Headland on several dates.

Blackcap

Fairly common and widespread.

Ruppells Warbler

One male at Phassouri Gravel Pits on 7th.

Orphean Warbler

Single males at Paphos Headland on 8th and 10th. Two at Ayios Ceorgios on 9th (one female).

Cyprus Warbler

Common and widespread in low and mid altitude scrubby areas.

Wood Warbler

Singles in the ruined Asprokremnos village on 7th, and Paphos Forest on 8th.

Willow Warbler

Singles on Paphos Headland on 6th, and two singing at the Asprokremnos village on 11th.

Chiffchaff

One at Kato Paphos; three, Paphos Headland; one. Baths of Aphrodites; one, Kato Aphrodites; all on

6th.

Pied Flycatcher

Up to three at the Baths of Aprhodites on 6th.

Collared Flycatcher

Four, north of Yoiulou on 6th; at least five, Baths of Aphrodites on 6th; two at the deserted forest

station in the Paphos Forest on 8th; one Asprokremnos village on 7th.

Spotted Flycatcher

Singles on Paphos headland, and at the Asprokremnos ruined village on 7th.

Bearded Tit

One, Phassouri Reed Bed on 7th.

Great Tit

Singles, widespread.

Coal Tit

Common in the Paphos Forest and Troodos.

Short-toed Treecreeper

Five near Troodos on the 10th.

Woodchat Shrike

Singles near Polis on 6th; Asprokremnos Dam Pool on 9th; Phassouri Gravel Pits on 10th;

Asprokremnos Reservoir and Paphos Airport on 11th.

Masked Shrike

Migrant females at Paphos Headland on 8th-9th; territorial birds in the Paphos Forest on 8th (3

pairs, plus six other males); one male in the Xeropotamus Valley on 11th.

Jay

Several birds deep within the Paphos Forest and Troodos Mountains.

Magpie

Common and widespread. Usually with a Great Spotted Cuckoo not far away!

Jackdaw

Widespread.

Hooded Crow

Common and widespread.

House Sparrow

Very common and widespread; not always in close association with human habitation.

Spanish Sparrow

A large breeding colony at Kato Paphos (c20+ pairs) were the only sightings.

Chaffinch

Several noted over a wide area, though usually on higher ground.

Serin

Two pairs in the Paphos Forest on 8th; two pairs near Troodos village on 10th.

Greenfinch

Common and widespread.

Goldfinch

Common, with several parties of juveniles seen.

Linnet

Fairly common and widespread.

Crossbill

Three near Troodos village on 10th.

Corn Bunting

Common around weedy arable fields.

Ortolan Bunting

Fairly widespread in small numbers, usually near the coast.

Cretzschmar's Bunting

At least six, roosting, Peyia on 6th; others on Paphos Headland, Ayios Ceorgios, Asprokremnos Pool,

Phassouri Gravel Pits and in the Paphos Forest.

Cockatiel spp.

One on Paphos Headland on 1 2th.