Trip Report – 6 May 2010

We made a really good attempt to see the Scops Owl but they were elusive although we heard a couple at Troodos. We also got Barn Owl which I had told [Alain, our guest] was unlikely and saw at least 7 Crossbills which I had also warned him would be unlikely. He got the two non-endemic lifers that he wanted – Spectacled Warbler and Great Spotted Cuckoo. Our day total was 61 species. His main targets were Scops Owl, Cyprus Wheatear, Cyprus Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper, Jay, Little Owl, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Wren, Crossbill, Shag, Great Spotted Cuckoo, and Spectacled Warbler. He requested that we concentrate on getting his targets and that whatever else we saw was a bonus. He has birded in both Greece and Turkey so it was mainly our endemics he was after.

So this was how trip went –

Asprokremnos Dam Car Park and area behind – Ring-tailed Harrier – prob Montagu’s; Kestrel, Chukar; Wood Pigeon; Turtle Dove; Collared Dove; Eurasian Cuckoo; Little Owl; Common Swift; Roller; Crested Lark; Barn Swallow; Taeny Pipit; Whinchat; Cyprus Wheatear; Cetti’s Warbler; Fan-tailed Warbler; Spectacled Warbler; Sardinian Warbler; Cyprus Warbler; Spotted Flycatcher; Woodchat Shrike; Magpie; Jackdaw; Hooded Crow; Golden Oriole; Greenfinch; Corn Bunting

Aspro Pools area – Cyprus Wheatear; Cyprus Warbler; Moorhen; Lesser Grey Shrike; Jackdaw; Kestrel

Troodos area – Eurasian Cuckoo (H); Scops Owl (H); Common Swift; Hoopoe (H); Red-rumped Swallow; House Martin; Cyprus Wheatear; Blackbird; Coal Tit; Short-toed Treecreeper; Masked Shrike; Red-backed Shrike; Jay; Chaffinch; Serin; Crossbill

Caledonian Falls Trail – Wren; Chaffinch; Blackbird

Akrotiri Gravel Pits area – Great Spotted Cuckoo (we went there specifically for this species as I knew it was there!! and we had not found it elsewhere)

Phassouri Reed Beds – Cattle Egret; Squacco Heron; Glossy Ibis; Black-headed Wagtail; Sand Martin; Black Francolin (H)

Kensington Cliffs – Eleonora’s Falcon; Alpine Swift; Shag; Yellow-legged Gull

Kouklia – Barn Owl

Guide: Jane Stylianou
Date: 6 May 2010, from 8:30am to 8:30pm (long day!)