Cyprus 18 - Landed!

Re-adjusting at "the Mothers". Still euphoric after an incredible last day...plus a trip that exceeded my expectations by some distance!!!

I'll continue my report on my return home on Sunday...

Cyprus 18 - Nice finish!!!

Outstanding finish to my Cyprus 18 trip. Re-finding Blythe's Pipit, this stunning male Rock Thrush (despite the hoardes of tourists) and then the 'ocularis' White Wagtail at Akrotiri Marsh! Oh happy day!!!

Cyprus 18 - far east

Great day out with Joe and John today.

The star bird...

Stunning male Citrine Wagtail at Lake Paralimni

Cyprus 18 - Masked Shrike at Troodos

Spent all morning searching for this wonderful species, no joy. Driving back to the Village for lunch a bird flies up from the road. He tried to hide but I found him...

Cyprus 18 - Turtle Dove sp

Here's honesty for you...

I went down to Mandria early doors to try for yesterday's BCBE's. No sign.

Last try was at Mandria gardens where I knew there was a dead tree!

No BCBE but wait...a Turtle Dove!!!

Early? Didn't I see an Oriental TD briefly in the same tree last year?!!! I managed a couple of pics before it flew. Decisions... decisions! Had a look and blew them up. Plumage features difficult in early morning light...but it looked big to me compared to the adjacent Collared Doves?

I contacted Jane and Colin. You want to let people know asap but don't want to waste their time! It was nice to have that problem...for once.

Upshot...Colin confirmed it was a Turtle Dove (national UK rarity) BUT what a coincidence!!!

Exciting...none the less.

Cyprus 18 - here and there

Morning at the impressive Mandria, then a lovely afternoon on the Akrotiri Peninsular. A twist of fate thrown into the bargain.

Having had so much luck on this trip I want to do specific accounts on key sightings. That's just not possible until I return home. 5 days to go, Still time for more surprises.

Birding  before Blogging...

Cyprus 18 - the trip that keeps on giving!

I'm conscious of repetition regarding summary against details later. Not sure I've found an answer, so I'll just get on with it as we're going out for a drink tonight.

Today was another incredible one. This trip has surpassed my expectations by some distance.

No (more) words... just this...

Cyprus 18 - latest

Thought I'd try a new slant on things!?

Long drive today and meal out tomorrow obviously limits blogging!

So, I'll complete the full day reports and summary on return and just do a brief daily report with a few BOC (back of camera) pics... it's easier!

Actually it was Louise's idea!!! Just kiddin 😉

So... yesterday (12). I re-found the BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER at dawn... quite a story to tell... later.

Pleased to catch up with the Desert Wheatear at Mandria...

...plus a pair of Long-legged Buzzards nearby. A female Blue Rock Thrush at Aspro Dam was also pleasing.

Day 13

I'm writing this from Cape Greco...yes, we've finally made it! East wind but VERY quiet...yet! Got to go now...the BIG Gull might fly past...

Cyprus 18 - Day 12 (pending)

Confession...I'm feeling the strain! No probs, just difficult to fit everything in sometimes! I want to do justice to each day but can't tonight. We've been doing the boring stuff this evening and it's a 5am start tomorrow as we try Cape Greco 2!

I'll catch up when I can...

Cyprus 18 - Day 11

No luck with the CASPIAN STONECHAT. I was happy I found the right area (which is half the battle) but didn't see it or much else to be honest. However, on leaving I made it onto the beach to check for the raft of Garganey that had been reported by Tony Reeves. The sea was rough due to the strong wind, which obviously didn't help viewing. Unsurprisingly I didn't see any BUT I did see a distant large Shearwater! It seems Yelkouan is favourite, although Scopoli's also occurs in March...apparently. Anyway, I've seen a Shearwater in Cyprus lol!

Lunch at Costa...for a change. They do a mean apple pie and Latte. Time to check the news...

 

A Blue-cheeked Bee-eater was seen by visiting birders at Paphos Headland this morning.

Scramble!!!

My history with this species goes back to 1989...yes I AM that old! New to birding and with a young family I was in Spain when one turned up at Cowden, Yorks (to make it worse!). Every year I (and many others) say...maybe THIS year?

When compiling my wish list for this trip...this was my number one.

We arrived back in Paphos at 2.40. Louse hit the shops and I entered the headland. Without word of a lie I looked up to see a Bee-eater sp floating high above the lighthouse!!!!!!! "Never presume" as the saying goes. BCBE is favourite in March especially when you have an earlier report! Of course it disappeared. Rather frustrating!

I walked around 200 yds scanning every so often. Any dead trees? There's one...

...and there's something GREEN in it!

Obviously a GREAT moment...and one to be savoured. My gamble had paid off...in spades. A LIFER!

The next couple of hours were a bit surreal as I let as many people know as I could. I also managed a few snaps. This one I particularly like, hope you do...

Trip Total 103

Cyprus 18 - Day 11

Slower day today with a slower start. I'm not 21 any more!

I'm keen though so off I went around 9 to spend three hours at Anarita Park just up the road. I met Matt Smith with some clients on the way in. My main targets today were Great Spotted Cuckoo and Lesser Kestrel.

Quiet for the first hour...but t only takes one bird right? Here it is...

PALLID HARRIER male

Moving VERY quickly in the dazzling sunshine...like a ghost. Another one of my short-list targets...it's quite long actually!

The wedge

Then it was gone. I moved into the central area and waited. Maybe a Wheatear? No luck. Just as I was about to set off...it was back!

Right by the car. Pleased I managed...something. Stunner!

I later had a female plus a similar female Hen Harrier. A good passage on the island today. We also spent the afternoon here enjoying the wonderful weather (apologies to folks back home). I found a few Spanish Sparrows (c8)...

I couldn't connect with a GS Cuckoo but around 4 I did see a couple of distant 'Kestrels' that requires further investigation...So, here we go again. Another bird I'm not that familiar with...which is good. Very similar to Kestrel...I'm hoping this is a Lesser. To me...shorter wings with a wider base. It seemed to move/behave differently...

This one shows a pale under wing...

I've really enjoyed learning more about certain species that I'm not that familiar with. A nice change. Happy to be proved wrong...as always. Different Raptors, Wheatears and ...Yellow Wagtails!!!

My pics have caused a bit of a stir in certain areas. That's fine...it's only my opinion.

First we had a Black-headed Wagtail with a Super...cilliaris

Then a Black-headed Wagtail...

Then the mystery bird. I posted this as it was the sharpest...

Granted it looks "dark" but even on this one I'm seeing white above...and below? I sent the image below to Jane Stylianou the Bird Recorder for Cyprus. She concurred that the bird was indeed 'dombrowskii'..

If it's good enough for Jane, it's good enough for me! Anyway after all that, aren't they just SMART BIRDS!!!

Trip Total 101

Breaking News...CASPIAN STONECHAT...Akrotiri Gravel Pits!!! Time for bed.

Cyprus 18 - Day 10

We were  out at 5.25 this morning!

BIG day in the East. I'll make it brief as I'm...knackered! We didn't get to Cape Greco as there was a cycle race and the road was completely blocked!!!

We spent the day checking out sites around Larnaca. The man two were the Sewage works and Oroklini Marsh. The latter was less than relaxing with it being a Sunday...never mind. The highlight was six Ferruginous Ducks albeit distantly...

The Sewage works produced...

BN Grebe 7

Ferruginous Duck m

Pochard 3f

Wigeon m

SW Plover 10

 

 

Greenshank 3

Green Sand

Marsh Sand 2

Yellow Wagtail 2 'dombrowski'

 

 

Northern Wheatear male

Spectacled Warbler

We left the area slightly early...why? I'd had it! Hence the post this evening.

Trip Total 99

Cyprus 18 - Day 9

Spent the morning strolling around Paphos headland with the Birdgroup. Nice to meet and chat with some familiar and not so familiar faces. It turned out to be rather quiet but I did manage a trip tic...Black-eared Wheatear...

Distant but still a stunning bird!

Someone also found a chameleon...

Amazing thing!

After the walk Louise joined me and we went for lunch with some of the group. It was good of them to invite us. We ended up in Mandria. After grabbing some chips we headed for the beach picnic area. Plenty of wine flowed (I was on Pepsi zero) and a good time was had by all. We even managed a decent bird in the form of a Sandwich Tern! After saying our goodbyes we headed back through the village. I'd noticed a promising looking dove earlier on a post by the chippy. It was still there...

Spotted Dove

 

A recent import from Africa.

 

Late afternoon we went for a walk around Paphos headland. I noticed a small flock of Yellow Wagtails...they had black heads! Yellow and black is a stunning combination, especially in bright sunlight...

 

Got lucky...

Stunner

Then I noticed something...different...

 

Sub species 'superciliaris'

This bird breeds breeds in SE Russia...apparently! They occur annually in Spring in small numbers so I was chuffed to find one...

 

 

BIG day out East tomorrow, so there won't be a post until Monday...

 

Trip Total 92

 

Cyprus 18 - Day 8

Had to start with just one more image of the star attraction that appeared in front of me yesterday morning...

Chuffed to refind it...as you can imagine!!!

Nata Ford...

...produced a Bonelli's Eagle. Just managed to catch it before it spiralled high...

I eventually managed to see the Red-rumped Swallows coming for mud for their nest...

As we left a Black Francolin appeared in front of us. If  I'd been a few years younger I might have got a better pic than one through the windscreen!

Amazing plumage and much more often heard than seen...close

OK...Friday.

Had a couple of hours exploring a new site for me. It's one of Colin Richardson's haunts...Marathounta. Superb views over Paphos to the south...

I had fun getting lost several times but I did manage a fleeting glimpse of my first Great Spotted Cuckoo of the trip.

After picking Louise up we headed once again for the Akrotiri peninsular.

After having some fun with some eastern immature gulls and resting Slender-billeds' I headed once again for the gravel pits while Louise enjoyed a well deserved few hours in the Mall. It was quite windy today and when I arrived  couldn't find anything for quite a while. Birding was done using the car as a hide...aka lazy!

Eventually though I found something hunkered down low...

One of two BIMACULATED LARKS present for a fourth day. Very unusual apparently.

We finished off enjoying a wonderful sunset at Akrotiri Marsh...

Really pleased to see a Glossy Ibis on the deck...

 I also added Little Egret (2) and a Spur-winged Plover was also present. Nice finish.

Field trip meeting tomorrow at Paphos Headland tomorrow. Hopefully a few more migrants will have arrived?

Trip Total 85

Cyprus 18 - Day 7

A quick one tonight after yesterday's excitement!!!

Started back at Mandria. Curious to see if the star attraction remained. I couldn't find it in a half hour scan. A couple of other birders who I didn't recognize were covering the area as well. Nobody looked excited!

I then tried for the lingering Bluethroat in the picnic area. I tried hard but it didn't show.

It was now 9 and I was about to head back. I gave it the old..."last look"... unbelievably it was THERE not 5 yards from the car!!!!!

A few birders in cars were some 30 yds behind me. I turned the car around, drove to them and told them the good news.

3 Tawny Pipits together were very nice indeed.

Late morning we headed for Nata Ford. Matt Smith had kindly informed me that a pair of Red-rumped Swallows were already nest building here.

They only showed by the river to collect mud on three occasions but it was worth the trip. Thanks Matt.

Late afternoon saw us around Agia Vavara. Nothing significant seen including the hoped for Great Spotted Cuckoo

I'll stick a few pics on tomorrow as we've been out to the pub! This is a holiday after all...

Birds added
Tree Pipit
Snipe
Green Sandpiper

Trip Total 81

Cyprus 18 - Day 6

Down the headland again for the first 3 hours. It felt "quiet" and it turned out that way. Highlights being...

Ruppell's Warbler

Isabelline Wheatear
Black-headed Wagtail - fly over
Fan-tailed Warbler (again old school!)

Not the best but worth showing. They don't hang about!

Back for Louise and off to Costa. That is the default move when staying local!

While she was ordering I checked the information sites...as you do...

Male CASPIAN PLOVER currently in the grassy area next to the picnic site at Mandria

Well I never!!! Louise arrived and could tell from my face something was afoot! She must have broke the record for drinking a black coffee (I'm a lucky boy). We left around 11 and arrived some 30 minutes later. It was a Cyprus twitch! We pulled up and June Neal gave us the great news that the bird was still present. Where though? I started to scan into the distance but I needn't have bothered as it was feeding some 20 yds away!!!

This was rather closer than last years birds at Lake Paralimni. If you were following then you may remember? The next hour was spent enjoying yet another iconic species by the beach at 20C. Nice!
It was also an opportunity to reacquaint my self with Birders from last year and to introduce Louise to them.

You know I hate death by photograph BUT tonight ladies and gentlemen I'm going to make an exception. This bird needs special treatment, I hope you agree?

The initial..."get a pic in case it flies off"...

Then with patience, something a bit better...

After yesterdays Bimaculated Larks this was almost too good to be true! A dream bird walking around feeding some 230 yds away and totally unconcerned by the admiring group. When dreams come true!

Later I found my first Tawny Pipit of the trip...

I tried for the Bluethroat by the picnic area but no joy there.  then I tried to get a decent image of the Greater Sand Plovers (3) on the beach (all these species were within 200 yds of each other!!!)

One of several Isabelline Wheatears appeared by us...

There was only one star today though. We went back and just watched the bird from the car for the last 45 minutes. We were rewarded when it walked towards the car. Definitely a bird to savour...

Oh HAPPY DAY!

Trip Total 78