Cyprus 25 - Day 2

Head for the Hills..or Mountain to be more precise! The Troodos range covers most of Western Cyprus and peaks with Mount Olympus at 1,952 meters...or 6,437 feet in old money. It was another relatively hot day in Paphos and we left relatively early for Kidasi where a VERY special Target Bird was hopefully lingering. It's a Winter visitor to Cyprus and departs around this time. I first saw this Species here 10 years ago during a one week December visit. I joined the Bird Group which included Ian and Kate Bloomer and we headed for the Valley I was to visit this morning. I must have treid at least 6 times since at various spots including here without success. My hopes weren't high today as the high temperatures could possibly have made them moe on...if they were there at all!?

We stopped off at the traditional Extreme View Cafe for a coffee and probably the earliest piece of Cheesecake I'd ever had. Very nice though! We arrived at the Valley around 10 and started to drive the decent track up the Valley. Memories came flooding back from previous visits and we parked the car at the top end to enjoy the view. I started to scan and Louise started to do her puzzles. For the unfamiliar this is a striking black and white Wheatear with white stretching down its back.

Nothing much was seen except for the local Jackdaw flock. I kept scanning the isolated rocks, posts and path. It wasn't looking good...until...a flask of Black and White through the windscreen. Could it be...or was it a "fresh in" Cyprus Wheatear? I then noticed the white back. YES!!!

Of course, the Bird flew waaay down the Valley before I could prize myself out of the car! I waited...and Louise puzzled. 30 minutes passed with no further sign. Then...there it was perched on a rock some 70 yards away...

Stunner in the Sun

A special moment indeed!

The Bird was active and wide ranging but I managed a few more images in the next 45 minutes before we headed for Troodos...

Job done.

We arrived at Troodos after a brief visit to the Platres Trout Farm to try for Grey Wagtail...

and Wren for the Trip List. As we approached the Site I saw a "fresh in" Cyprus Wheatear on the road.

It was lunch time in the Ben Nevis Cafe where I had a late Breakfast and Louise had Apple Pie!! The afternoon session was fairly quiet but somehow it didn't matter after the elation of the morning. I added Coal Tit, Jay, Hoopoe (a surprise to me)...

In deep shade

...Blackbird and Common Swift (c30). I tried to turn one/some into Pallid...but I couldn't! There was no sign of any House or Crag Martins at the Mine Overlook to the East of Troodos.

Trip Total - 32 Species

Cyprus 25 - Day 1

As promised, I'm starting my Trip Blog. As mentioned on previous occasions, some of you will be familiar with the Island...and some of you won't be, so I'll add some information on occasion about the various Sites, at it may help you, if you're planning a Trip here.

After a hectic couple of days in transit we had our first full day today...and took it easy, in temperatures of 29C!!!

Friday didn't go to plan with far more time taken to settle the lads in the Kennel/Cattery due to road closures, which meant we arrived in Bury at 6pm after more fun on the M62.

Saturday started early at 5am. We flew at 9 arriving in Paphos at 3.30pm. At least we made the sunset at Mandria...

Anyway, here we are on Sunday with three weeks ahead of us. All is well. After a late rise, I left Louise to settle in and headed for Anarita Park for my first relaxed session. It turned out to be steady away, no doubt linked to the unseasonably high temperatures. The highlight was a brief view of a Great Spotted Cuckoo being chased by a Magpie. A Corn Bunting braved the heat...

After lunch we headed down to Mandria again to make the most of the sea breeze...and do some Birding...of course! For the unfamiliar, this is an agricultural area with a long list of Scarce and Rare Birds...and a Beach Bar!

I drove the tracks for a couple of hours and had some excellent sightings...

Almost immediately I saw a Black Francolin running along the track ahead of me. This is a locally common Species but is heard far more than it is seen...

A Bobby Dazzler!

Further along the track I found an Isabelline Wheatear on the roof of an outhouse...

The common but distinctive Crested Lark was widespread in the area...

As I made my way back to the Beach Bar to join Louise I could hear (yes I could!) the chipping of Sparrows...just...

Spanish in Greece

We're heading for the Hills tomorrow. Seems like a good time to visit Troodos and surrounds before the "cool down" later in the week.

Trip Total - 23 Species

Last Efforts

Yesterday afternoon found me over at my favourite Flood Meadow for my last session before my Trip. I arrived via Beverley (for reasons already stated) around 2 pm and had a good 4 hour watch from the Geoff Smith Hide. A nice chap called Colin (who I'd met before) was already in the Hide and we had a long chat about this and that. It was cold with broken cloud but the light improved as the afternoon went on. There were some amazing Cumulonimbus clouds around and we had a couple of hail showers.

Unsurprisingly due to the sharp drop in temperature, activity was subdued and the majority of the Birds were at the Western end of the reserve using the trees as shelter. However one noticeable change was the increase in that wonderful Duck...the Pintail. The water level had subsided still further allowing perfect depth for the Ducks to upend. I made a conservative count of 250!!!

The Pink-footed Goose flock (c150) was still present,...

Always a fine spectacle

Around 5.30 the familiar sound of Whooper Swans was heard and slowly but surely they started to arrive from the South. These magnificent creatures never disappoint...

Unfortunately they settled at the Western end but they still looked great in the last of the sunshine.

I had a Village addition recently in the form of a cc Marsh Harrier (47) N on Snakey? This morning I was really pleased to see the return of Tree Sparrows (3) to Cliff Cottage...

So that's it on the home front. We leave tomorrow for Lancashire and after an overnight stop and my Mother's, we'll be departing from Manchester at 9am for Cyprus. I'll be doing my usual riveting diary. You may (or may not) want to follow...?

American Wigeon

Yesterday's trip to the LDV didn't start at Duff. Instead I arranged to meet Haydn at East Cottingwith to try for the American Wigeon that had been sent on a small pool there over the weekend. The journey was grim, with even more roadworks now on the A63 including single lane traffic BOTH ways at North Cave. This is in top of the 40mph restrictions. It was foggy the majority of the way and I would have turned back except for Haydn's assurance that it was clearing at his end.

Anyway I finally arrived at 8.15. A quick look at the car thermometer informed me it was now 2C! However visibility was better, much better.

I joined him at the roadside and he informed me that it was showing. After a short time when the Bird disappeared around the back of the Island I enjoyed nice views of the Rarity on the water...

Sleepy start

Better light

As we were enjoying the Bird a van pulled up. It had a smart paint job "Cornwall Birdwatching Tours". It was Paul Freestone and his Dad. I joked that surely he hadn't travelled from Cornwall for this! He was up here visiting his Dad as he's originally from Yorkshire. It was good to see him again. After around 20 minutes we'd had our fill and we returned to our cars to thaw out. 3 Barn Owls were also seen!

This was my 4th record for the LDV after Birds at NDC (23/3/2007), Wheldrake (6/11/2010) and North Duffield Ings (8/3/2024).

Next stop NDC car park. Once in situ we enjoyed the view Have I mentioned that!). The water level had dropped a tad more but conditions were still excellent although the plunge in temperature meant that aerial activity was down on my last visit, at least initially. We enjoyed a pleasant 3 hours viewing a similar cast to last week. Great to see Black-tailed Godwits (c60) still present. We also had 3 Ruff which was nice. I also bumped into Scilly stalwarts Andy Holden and his wife Vicky. It was great to see them both. Quite a morning.

I'll be over tomorrow afternoon for my last session before Cyprus. Be nice to connect with a Black-necked Grebe? I'm trying not to get too excited about the Trip...but it's not easy...lol!

Birds!

All of a sudden they're here! Time of Year and Weather.

Definitely helps with motivation, although I do try to burst through the gloom! A nice run down Snakey this morning in glorious sunshine, birds immediately apparent in hedges, trees and on wires. Wonderful!!!

I guess we all become a tad blase about Birds we see locally on a fairly regular basis...don't we? I try really hard not too and try to fully appreciate some of the "local" Species I'm fortunate enough to see around the Village and immediate area. 

Like this beauty...

My first "singer" of the Year

...then another...

Yellowhammers really are stunners. They are well represented on Snakey Lane.

I continued. As I approached the Western end thoughts turned to Corn Bunting. I didn't see any last year? I looked in the tops of the isolated trees by the roadside where I usually see them, hoping for a result without much conviction. There was a solitary bird high in the top of the first tree. Could it be?...

Oh Yes! (46)

So pleasing to see the return of this Species.

NDC - Helluva Morning!

Prized myself out of the sack at 5.45 yesterday morning and left at 6.15. Slow going through the traffic restrictions but I eventually arrived at the car park at 8.15 to be greeted by Haydn. We headed for the Hide. As we approached Haydn picked up a Treecreeper (71). Then more interest, as a large flock of Whooper Swans came in from the East. Unfortunately we were still behind the screen so our view was restricted. Once in the Hide we counted 80 Birds. We decided they had almost certainly been flushed off the Farm across the road.

Once settled we started to scan and it turned out there was PLENTY to look at! We immediately picked up a large flock of Golden Plover, always a delight to see...

The Dunlin flock was substantial and we estimated 300! As we were admiring them Haydn picked up something rather special heading our way. Black-tailed Godwits...lots of them! Fortunately they landed straight out from the Hide at around 150 yards...

They stayed for around 15 minutes before being flushed by a Marsh Harrier...

They relocated to the far western edge...unfortunately. We did have time to count them though...ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY!!! Checking my records this was my largest ever flock after a spectacular sp flock of 130 on 26/4/99. They eventually left in groups to the North around 11. A memorable event indeed! Shortly afterwards a couple of Oystercatchers arrived from the East and landed on the Bund to preen briefly before returning over the River to Bubwith Ings.

Mixed flock incoming

Seeing Red-legged Partridges out on the Bund was unusual...

We were discussing what might be the next arrival...as you do as we enter March. I mentioned Coot (72) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (73). Both were seen in the next 10 minutes. I've just bought a lottery ticket!

There was almost constant aerial action in superb conditions. Next Geese in from the East, a quick check revealed a couple of Egyptian among them...

Final addition was a Little Egret (74) in front of Garganey Hide. Quite a 3 hours that...one of my best I reckon. We both really enjoyed it. The Carrs is looking Prime at the moment.

Spring forward

Hibernation over for another Winter! Weather set fair (at least till Friday). Light beyond 6 now, which makes a BIG difference. 

So Tuesday meant another trip to NDC, which is prolonged at the moment due to the various roadworks. It's worth the wait though.

I arrived at 10 and headed for the platform with my pal. Bright sunshine with little wind and little activity... unfortunately. A singing Skylark and a male Reed Bunting. On the way back to the car park I noticed a couple of Pink-footed Geese on the riverbank with the commoner Geese...

Much pairing occurring

It was unusual to see PFG so close here...

We made our way to the Hide. Once settled, I started to enjoy the view once more...

I was curious to see if the Egyptian Geese were still around? I scanned down the river to the far end but I couldn't see any. The Goldfinch flock remained faithful to the area and it was pleasing to see the pair of Goldeneye happily feeding. The lower water level was to the liking of the Waders with c200 Dunlin, c150 Golden Plover, c100 Lapwing, 15 Redshank and 3 Curlew. Then I spotted the pair of EG. They were feeding on the far bank of the River, some 400 yards from the hide. I then noticed a couple of barges approaching... 

It was obvious they were going to flush the Geese and I was hoping they might come onto the Carrs...

Voila 

More evidence of Spring in the Air!

I watched them for a while then started to look elsewhere. When I checked them again...

Five!

This is the first occasion I've seen this Species actually ON the Reserve. After around 15 minutes 3 left for Bubwith, followed shortly afterwards by the other 2...

It was nice to see a decent flock of Golden Plover lingering on and around the Reserve...

Water Rail (69) and Skylark (70) were added.

.....................................................................................

Yesterday provided a welcome surprise locally as I returned with the provisions from Tesco. As I got out of the car (with my flash card in hand) I looked up to see a Red Kite (43) floating over the field opposite! By the time I'd re-inserted the said card the Bird had drifted away. However...it came back...

A grab into the Sun but there it is. My 5th record for the Village and the second from the Cottage. Still scarce out here. A couple of Greenfinches (44) in the hedge was an added bonus. I also added Reed Bunting (45) later with c4 Birds in Stubble by Snakey Lane...

A Car Window view!

Back to Duff tomorrow...

Back Home

Had a cruise around the Village yesterday afternoon to check out a few spots and possibly lingering Birds. Last day of February... thankfully! 

The Weather was set fair with glorious sunshine and little wind.

I started in the South at Cliff Farm. As I drove up the track I was greeted by a pair of pristine Oystercatchers (40) feeding on the grass...

Dapper

An excellent start. I spent a good hour up there but the only "action" on the sea was half-a-dozen RTD...

Next, I checked for Little Owl and sure enough it was in residence...

Onto "our Pool" to see if our Rarity was still present...

I also had a sighting of a Fox which is rare here.

Snakey Lane opened with 6 dapper Yellowhammers glistening in the sunshine followed by a pair of RLP at the Western end...

On the return leg a flock of c50 Fieldfares was a nice surprise. A couple of Barn Owls perform well as the sun set. I then added a third on the way back from Tesco!

All within 3 miles of home.

This morning produced my first Skylarks (41) jousting for partners and a brief blast from a Song Thrush (42).