Jonathan's Birding Blog: Birding Cyprus 26 Sep to 05 Oct 2024

Back on Cyprus to take in the raptor migration at Akrotiri at the end of September into early October 2024. Please find a summary below. Many thanks to those who helped me in the field and online.

Falcons

Didn’t disappoint. (Common) Kestrels present throughout and at least one with pale underwings could have been a Lesser Kestrel, but the strong sunlight can make all Kestrels having noticeably pale underwings. However, one adult male Lesser Kestrel complete with peachy breast flew through the Beehives one afternoon even “rolling” to show its grey wing crescents. Hobby seen throughout and several sightings of Red-footed Falcons with multiple birds present at times. In terms of numbers probably an even split of distinct (juvenile, male and female) plumages seen. Eleonora’s Falcons readily seen over Akrotiri visiting from their nearby summer haunts, yet to migrate south. A few Peregrines about the peninsula including one juv/imm. hunting over the Beehives area and a pale adult type over the Water Tower, the plumage suggestive of ‘brookei’ the expected subspecies in the Eastern Mediterranean. Most unexpected was the large Falcon that appeared over the Beehives mid-afternoon on the first birding day. With the naked eye I thought it was the pale adult Peregrine seen earlier at the Water Tower, but through bins the first view confirmed otherwise revealing brown upperparts. Almost immediately it turned revealing dark underwing coverts contrasting with flight feathers and heavily streaked underparts becoming denser further down the body. Took and circulated a record "boc" photo, Saker Falcon. It showed too briefly but remained in the area and others connected with it over the next three days. I saw it on two of those with perhaps the last sighting of it leaving the peninsula by the Water Tower (29/09). A scarce visitor to the island and I believe the last was back in 2018.

Red-footed Falcon

Eleonora's Falcon

Saker Falcon

Accipiters

(Eurasian) Sparrowhawk a given be it local birds or those on the move. Most if not all of the Accipiters readily identified on wing profile and most sightings comprised singles either hunting over the peninsula, especially Akrotiri Marsh, or moving through on migration. Sometimes seen together with another but once in a small group, more on that below. It has been an exceptional autumn for Levant Sparrowhawk on Cyprus, is this a one off? I had brief looks of a Levant Sparrowhawk called out at the Beehives (28/09) and the next day I picked up a Levant Sparrowhawk flying over the Beehives and the brown and white underpart streaking on the body gave it away as a juvenile. I nearly dismissed it as the first (Common) Kestrel of the afternoon as it flew head-on over towards the western edge of Phassouri Forest. Prolonged views of juvenile Levant Sparrowhawk followed at the Water Tower on consecutive mornings at the end of the trip (04/10 and 05/10) both birds arriving from the north and heading out south. Both birds were photographed and I got the snaps of the one on the 5th shown below. This was seen coming in at distance where the pointed-ish wing profile was made or enhanced by dark primary tips, a feature noted on 2 possible/probable/candidate/definite Levant Sparrowhawks seen earlier that morning circling above the water tower with the small group mentioned above of 4 (Eurasian) Sparrowhawks. Interestingly one of the (Eurasian) Sparrowhawks mobbed one of the suggested Levant Sparrowhawks quite a few times as they circled overhead slowly drifting south. So connected with 4-6 Levant Sparrowhawks over the period, can’t grumble with that!

(Eurasian) Sparrowhawk

Levant Sparrowhawk

Buzzards

Honey Buzzards moved through seen every day with big numbers at the beginning of the trip and a clear drop off on reaching October. The commonest raptor and the one to judge any other large raptor by in terms of size, structure and flight profile. (Common) Buzzard not so common, one Buteo (nominate) seen and one (Steppe) only, nice to get my second views of the latter. The white “swoosh” of the underwing flight feathers a key feature. Several sightings of Long-legged Buzzard touring the peninsula, always nice to see.

Honey Buzzard

'Steppe' Buzzard

Long-legged Buzzard

Harriers and friends

Marsh Harriers commonplace with some moving out but most attracted to Akrotiri Marsh remaining in the area and regularly seen over the nearby Beehives. Several sightings of juvenile Montagu’s Harriers noted mostly over the Beehives. The one shown below was debated, I’m calling it as Montagu’s based upon the primary tips being dark all or most of the way along the length plus a dark edge to the primaries. I think the neck mark whilst strong, but thin, is within range of Montagu’s. Black Kites seen throughout including a movement of at least 12 one afternoon over the Beehives. Some of these showed big pale primary windows maybe indicative of an eastern population. Osprey noted on occasion from the Water Tower most at distance along the coast except for the one shown below which appeared directly overhead on the first birding day of the trip.

Black Kite

Montagu's Harrier

Osprey

Eagles

A wandering Bonelli’s Eagle is usually a given over the peninsula and sightings throughout. Multiple birds around as noted by an astonishing group of 5 juveniles seen in the air together over Akrotiri Plain from the Water Tower (02/10) and an adult noted on a couple of dates. Sought after were Lesser Spotted Eagles and this seemed to be an exceptional year for sightings, and perhaps a week or so earlier than expected. Seen on many dates and at times 2 together with a minimum of 3 one afternoon. Towards the end of the period one over the Beehives was mobbed by the adult Bonelli’s Eagle mentioned above. The Lesser Spotted Eagles showed well with most views of the underparts but upperwing seen as well and quite a few looks at the rusty spot on the nape that was more easily seen from the photos than in the field. At times looked like a big Marsh Harrier (with drooping hands) or a mini barn-door. Short-toed Eagle was to be expected and typical behaviour of one bird lingering on the peninsula flying around when it felt like it. As the trip moved into October chance of Booted Eagle and on the last morning (05/10) a dark morph literally dropped out of the sky into Akrotiri village where it was soon back up in the sky alongside a rather upset Hooded Crow. It flew off east towards Lady’s Mile.