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.