Cyprus Summary - Photo summary

Contrary to my general beliefs I've decided to post a "photo log" of certain sites in an effort to complete my report...and enable me to start my British Spring!!!

Anarita Park - A well known Birding location to the NE of Paphos. Below is a brief summary and a few of remaining photos taken at this location...

Looking South towards the Med'

 

I visited this sprawling site on at least a dozen occasions. I like to think I'm now VERY familiar with it for future visits! I saw some great birds here. Below are a few of my remaining images.

Lesser Kestrel on the approach road...

Rock Thrush...

Blue Rock Thrush...

Isabelline Wheatear...

Cyprus Pied Wheatear...

Little Owl...

...and a few from Zakaki Pool, Limassol.

View from the hide...

Baillon's Crake...

Little Crake...

Penduline Tit...

Night Heron...

 



Black Francolin...

 

 

Ferruginous Duck...

 

 

Lesser Whitethroat...

 

 

Hope you enjoyed them. Can't go on forever! Last post tomorrow.

Cyprus Summary - Troodos

This was my first trip up into the mountains. At over 5,000ft it's an impressive height and contrast with my wanderings thus far.

We'd been waiting for a settled spell and it had arrived. It took us about 90 minutes to reach the village. We parked (all free) and had a coffee overlooking the conifers. I thought I might sneak a Crossbill. I didn't!

Again, I'd been fortunate with my timing as a PINE BUNTNG had been found by Matt Smith the previous day. He'd kindly given me directions so we found the spot and adopted our usual tactics. I searched while Louise read...

It was still a bit fresh in places...

My first sighting of note was...a Mistle Thrush...

A local resident but can be hard to catch up with. t flew over our spot and landed high in a conifer across the road. Three hours in the area failed to produce a sighting of the PB but I did add Pallid Swift, Jay, (Dorothy's) Short-toed Treecreeper and Coal Tit...

A distinctive bird I think you would agree. Another visit to the café produced a surprise sighting...Lance Degnan! A shout of "Alan" alerted me to his presence. He was enjoying a nice fish lunch with his wife. We had a brief chat and then left them in peace.

It was late afternoon now and the temperature was dropping...fast!  One last look around the square. Crossbill is a bogey bird for me. I still "need" it for my ABA list. I've looked for it all over the States, in suitable areas of course. I'd really enjoyed our day and was very impressed with the area. I scanned again...was it a mirage?

NO...

BIG moment for yours truly this. You can spend a LONG time looking at the tops of conifers in vain! I remember looking for Hawk Owl in Alaska. Found one on the last day!

Definitely a large-billed race...and as Bill Stacey informed me "I've yet to see a red one"!

I savoured the moment and hopefully FULLY appreciated it...

Cyprus Summary - Go East?

I must admit my technical problems on this trip are causing me some problems regarding my summary. I'm aware that time is marching on and it's in danger of becoming "less than topical". I will persevere. Good job there's no British migration yet!!

Tonight I want to concentrate on the Eastern sites...

Achna Dam - This reservoir is on the border between Turkish and Greek Cyprus. There is much evidence of manned defences. My target was White Pelican which would be an addition to my Cyprus list. Fairly common in the Autumn but unusual in Spring. I made two visits. The first a whistle stop effort for the WP while Louse was in the Mall! Our second was far more leisurely.

Our view on arrival...

You can just make out the raft. Guess what was sat on it this time...

Not everybody's cup of tea but an impressive beast nonetheless. The Cormorant thought so!

Plenty of preening...

Time to leave and try and find the shallow end access.  Not easy. Fortunately I'd eventually managed to find a way last winter and things thankfully hadn't changed. We negotiated our way down the
(fortunately) dry path and had lunch. Excellent habitat here. A decent selection of waders were present including Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Spur-winged Plover, Little Ringed Plover (c10)...

Black-winged Stilt and Little Stint.  then noticed a Pipit that looked interesting. It was very distant but eventually it came (slightly) closer...

Water Pipit

The weather was set fair, so we spent the afternoon here. Nothing else of note was seen...until we were packing up to leave. A wagtail appeared, common in Cyprus BUT special to me. I give you Black-headed Wagtail...

The bird was right by the car and totally unconcerned by our presence. Really chuffed to see this beauty so well...even Louise was impressed!

Our second eastern venue was Oroklini Lake. A superb wetland area just to the east of Larnaca. It has a tower hide giving panoramic views over the area. Last winter I was lucky enough to see White-headed Duck here. Red-crested Pochard and Spur-winged Plover were present and a nice group of Cattle Egrets lingered...

...and more Flamingos of course...

Time to head West...

Cyprus Summary

I checked out another couple of sites locally on the morning of the 12th. Firstly Timi Beach near the airport. The habitat looked good for migrants and access was easy in the car. I managed a few Isabelline Wheatears (fairly common on passage in Cyprus)...

and excellent views of the elusive Chukar...

Next it was time for my first stroll around Paphos headland. I knew this area well from my trip last winter. I'd seen Greater Sand Plover then but I wanted another peep. I only found (eventually) a single bird. I wondered if there would be any sign of summer plumage, there wasn't...

After breakfast we were off to Limassol and "My Mall"!!! Well, to be more accurate Louise was! This shopping utopia is conveniently placed at the start of Lady's Mile on the Akrotiri Peninsular. Nice! Unfortunately, we had chosen today (Sunday) because the forecast was poor and boy did it live up to it's billing! While Louise was in retail heaven I was praying for a break n the torrential rain. Of course there wasn't one, in fact at one point I was seriously concerned I was going to get stranded as the pools overflowed.

I survived to bring you a few "atmospheric snaps". Bad weather can mean good birds...if you can see them. What might I see through the steamy windows? Not a lot to be honest! Then...there it was...

Then two more...

Amazed I recorded anything through a gap in the bushes in the darkness and pouring rain! I decided to head down to the southern end of the pool. I wasn't going to hang around as the water levels were rising ...FAST!  I scanned and scanned...then there were seven...

Quite a distinctive jizz!

A youngster

So there you go. A wonderful hour with an iconic species... I know...a Gull! It somehow gives off a tranquil vibe, even in foul weather! Needless to say this was the end of today's birding. I picked the boss up and we headed for Paphos.

N.B. I've posted smaller images to keep things tight but they can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Cyprus summary

So...what did I think overall?

As I sit here at home having just took Bud a walk in 8c and heavy cloud, the first thought that springs to mind is...get me back there! That's not going to happen, so let's move on.

Again, apologies in advance for repetition, there I've done it again!

How to approach this review? I've decided to take the site route, chronologically. So, to start with a few shots from around our hotel and my first trip to Anarita Park (I was determined to familiarize myself with this site).

OK, up early for a walk around the hotel gardens... and adjacent rough ground...

Poppies in March!

...before breakfast. The light was poor and it was overcast and quite cool at 6.30am. I heard some unfamiliar chirping coming from a tall palm tree. Spanish Sparrows! They were very elusive and extremely active but eventually I managed to "catch" them albeit in very poor light. The males are very distinctive but the females less so. In fact...

mmmmmmmmmm! Would this be ID'd in Britain...or even looked for?!

There is slight evidence of "grey streaking on whiter underparts". Anyway...a male...

He'd just had a bath! Great to have a notable bird by the Hotel. I also recorded Sardinian Warbler...

Stonechat (more on those later), Common Sandpiper and Shag...

oh, and of course, the ubiquitous Hooded Crow...

..and Kestrel...

As I was returning to meet Louise I noticed a distinctive Wheatear...

Desert Wheatear

A BIG bonus on my first sorte. A star you might say...one of many.

Finished the session with a dapper White Wagtail...

After a magnificent breakfast we headed to Anarita Park equipped with print out maps and information kindly provided by Dave Walker.

I found the entrance track easily but it was the overall area I was interested in familiarising myself with. We drove around for a while until I'd convinced myself I knew where I was going! Nothing of note was seen.

Then it was time for (free) lunch, so we drove up to a viewpoint which looked back over Paphos and enjoyed the view. I then heard some unfamiliar scratching noises? I like to think I'm familiar with SAWA so I was definitely interested in the source. Sylvia Warblers are notoriously secretive and I couldn't get any kind of view from the solitary bush? I've become very familiar with my cheap and cheerful camera by now (even if the viewfinder has problems). A few setting changes and bingo I had some photos.

Confirmed...Cyprus Warbler...

It never did leave the bush while I was there (c1hr).

The rest of the afternoon was Louise's...

Twists of fate



Funny how things work out...sometimes!

My Ruppell's photo reminded me ...unfortunately... of my dip at Holme in 1992.  I arrived early Saturday after an honest week of toil to find the bird had departed. There hasn't been another twitchable one since...

As I write there's a Rock Thrush...yes, Rock Thrush on that island that isn't what it used to be apparently?

If you followed my Blog throughout my Cyprus trip you'll remember my best find was indeed this species...closely followed by Hawfinch. The photo below s memorable for me as it's the first view  had of this special bird as I was trying to confirm a Finsch's Wheatear sighting...tale already told.

This bird was in view for only a few moments before disappearing over the brow of a hill...

Finding this bird gave me the biggest (Birding) rush of the holiday! More fun was still to be had though. I'd become very familiar with the Anarita Park area by the second week. It was a convenient site to visit from the Hotel being only 15 mins away. I have to admit I was aware that there was another male Rock Thrush present as I made my way around the dirt tracks. I'd left Louise reading by the farm as I walked down towards the junction. There was another car parked there. A voice informed me I'd be better off in the car! I enquired if they had seen anything. They said they were hoping to photograph a Rock Thrush. I lifted my bins..."well...there's one over there"! Suddenly, they were both...out of the car!!

We spent the rest of the afternoon with this elusive beauty. Enjoying the last hour with it all to ourselves. We even enjoyed hearing it sing. A quality experience...

I'm still having fun with the Computer...but I'll get there in the end...hopefully!

Back on line

Picked the new laptop up off Phil on Wednesday....many thanks pal. He gave me the tour of Frampton and Freiston RSPB reserves. Very nice! Right up my street... unfortunately, c100 miles away!

Work yesterday and today then over to Lancs for the weekend. Saturday...a suit fitting for my youngest's wedding in July.
Sunday...my mother's 86th...still going strong!

Hope to start searching Monday and post some pics from Cyprus.

Western Sub-Alpine Warbler at Spurn this morning. What excitement if it had been a Moltoni's?

Red Kite

Great moment this afternoon as we were on our way to Tesco?

I saw a bird being mobbed by the local corvids. A Buzzard (as usual)...no...a Red Kite!!!

One day you get lucky...

I've updated my lists and confirmed my total of 160 for my Cyprus trip. Co-incidentally my Duff and Holmpton lists are the same.

My pal Phil has kindly offered to sell me his laptop, so hopefully by the weekend I should be able to post some pics.

Easy does it

Been a bit busy since returning. To be honest it's hard to re-adjust after being spoilt!

Worked Friday and Saturday and took it easy today. I fired up the old laptop and started to add my sightings. The new one is at the doctor's tomorrow. Hopes of a resurrection are not high but fingers crossed.

After watching the footy I took Bud down to Kilnsea. A walk up to Holderness field produced the anticipated drake Garganey...an accompanying female wasn't.