Cyprus Days 3 and 4 Larnaka
April25th
First morning in Larnaka so I thought I would check out the normal places
First stop the Tekke Mosque. This is next to the Larnaka Salt Lake and has a great dirt track behind it. In pervious years it has been very good. Red-backed Shrike, Montagues Harrier, Roller, Bee Eaters, Great Spotted Cuckoos, and Little Owl. Sadly there was nothing of note hear at all today. There were plenty of Black-winged Stilts and a few Spur-winged Plovers around the lake. Crested Larks were all around the scrub
Black-winged Stilt - Larnaka Salt Lake
Crested Lark- Larnaka Salt Lake
Next stop was Larnaca Sewage works. This is very near to Larnaka Airport. Here is a hide which overlooks two pools anything can turn up here at the pools or surrounding bushes. There was already 2 guys in the hide. Turns out to be Steve Carey and his Brother Barry. I know Steve after following him on various social media sites and meeting him at Forest Farm for the Little Bunting in February. Small world. The guys were quick to point out a BlackTern 2 Whiskered Terns and 3 Collared Pratincoles. What a great site to watch these fly catching over the water. Also here were large numbers of swifts and Swallows, Spur Winged Plovers, Black Winged Stilts, There were a few Wood Sandpipers and 4 Black Headed Wagtails. On the water there were a few Mallards with Young. I stayed in here with Steve and Barry for about 45 minutes trying in vain to catch a decent flight shot of the Pratincole. Steve nailed it but my efforts weren't quite as good. Also had a couple of flocks of Glossy Ibis on migration.
Whiskered Tern - Larnaka Salt Lake
Collared Pratincole - Larnaka Salt Lake
Glossy Ibis - Larnaka Sewage Works
Next stop the ploughed fields by the Desalination Plant. Good for a number of species especially Larks and Pipits. There was plenty of Crested Larks around and I had a quick glimpse of what I though was a Red Throated pipit. I carried on driving before I came to a sharp halt I had just spoked a pair of Stone curlews. They were in good photo range but I hadn't seen them before it was to late. They settled a bit distant for a decent photo.
Stone Curlew - Desalination Fields Larnaka (Record shot)
The nearby Menous pools held plenty of Flamingos and BW Stilts but no sign of the reported Black Flamingo. Will try other places later. A Pair of Spur-winged Plover gave good views from the car in a nearby ploughed field
Spur-winged Lapwing, Larnaka
Took a trip with the wife to the Larnaka Viaduct.
Larnaka Viaduct
This has a 4km walk to the Salt lake we walked along the reed beds and heard a lot of Reed Warblers and Cettis in song. There were a lot of white butterfly's including a Large White.
Larnaka Salt Lake
This is also were I caught site of my 1st European Chameleon. It quickly disappeared into the long vegetation but I managed a few pictures of this amazing reptile. There was lots of Pink Flamingos on the lake but sadly no sign of the Black one reported here last week.
European Chameleon - Larnaka Salt Lake
Went to Kiti for Lunch saw 2 Little Terns calling over the sea.
Kiti Dam
Late afternoon went to Kiti Dam. Golden Oriel are often seen here. Not today. There were 8 Glossy Ibis on the water along with some coot. 2 Wood sandpipers, 1 Purple Heron and a Squcceco Heron were also in the area. The Bank up to the dam is good for Butterfly's. I had several different species, two I could identify were Clouded Yellow and the Swallowtail.
Swallowtail - Kiti Dam
2 Collared Partincole and a couple of Black Terns were still around the Sewage works. The Pratincole landed in the field and although distant i managed a few photographs of these amazing waders.
Collared Pratincole - Larnaka Sewage Works
Collared Pratincole - Larnaka Sewage Works
26th April
Looking like another beautiful day on Cyprus. Thought I would check out the same areas as yesterday. First stop the road to Tekke Mosque. There were serval pairs of Black winged Stilts in the small pools on the Drive up. The dirt track which in previous years had produced some great birds was again empty. A few House Sparrows, Greenfinch and a Great Tit. A lone magpie caught my eye whilst watching this i caught sight of a raptor disappear into the distance no idea what it was. I then caught sight of a Harrier sat on a rock I slowly edged up alongside and fired of a few shots and then it flew. I believe this to be a Pallid Harrier.
Pallid Harrier - Larnaka Salt Lake
Next stop was the coast road. The Small beach pools had a pair of Spur-winged Plover these are a personal favorite and over the years I've took hundreds of photos but all have been fairly average. They are normally very flighty and as you approach they take flight. These however didn't I got pretty close even managing to capture the Red eye detail. The Awesome early light helped with this.
Spur-winged Lapwing, Spiro's Beach Pools
Spur-winged Lapwing, Spiro's Beach Pools
Spur-winged Lapwing, Spiro's Beach Pools
Spur-winged Lapwing, Spiro's Beach Pools
Spur-winged Lapwing, Spiro's Beach Pools
There were also 3 Kentish Plover here. These have breed near before last June I photographed a pair with a chick.
Kentish Plover - Spiro's Beach Pools
The Desalination fields which had the Stone Curlew yesterday were again full of Crested Larks. I also managed to Id a couple of Red- throated Pipit. To distant for a pic. There was what i believe to be an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in one of the bushes but not much else. Just as I was about to leave the area a Pair of Francolins were in the field I managed a few distant shots before they disappeared into cover. You always hear these birds but rarely see them in the open. I normally catch a glimpse as they disappear. This was the first female I had seen.
Black Francolin - Desalination Fields
Black Francolin - Desalination Fields
Next stop Larnaca Sewage Works I checked out the Spiors Pools on route. 6 Ruff, an unknown Gull??? And 30-40 Little Stint. There is probably a lot more in here I am missing.
I drove up to the Sewage works hide when two birds flew up from the ploughed field pretty much next to the car!!! Shit it was the 2 Stone Curlews again. Another missed opportunity. They landed in the middle of the field. With no cover I had no chance of getting closer. Leave them in peace and check out the hide. Was a lot quiter today 1 Black Tern in summer plumage 2 Whiskered Terns, 2 Greenshanks few Spur Winged Plover, Black winged stilts and Wood sandpipers. There was also a few flybys of 1 collared pratincole. The Cettis was on a nearby bush and a Black Francolin could be heard in the distance. There was again plenty of Swifts and Swallows about.
Black Tern - Larnaka Salt Lake ( Record Shot)
Last stop was the Temple again. Not much again apart from a Kestrel and a Spectacled Warbler that I couldn't photograph.
