Cyprus 18 - Day 2

Up and out for 6. Where to go? I decided on the Lower Ezousas Valley. As already mentioned, things are much"greener" this year, which obviously makes viewing more difficult in places. It was VERY quiet. The only bird of note was a brief and distant Chukar...

I moved on to the Sewage Works. Still early and dull but at least the Spur-winged Plovers (prefer that name) were present. Disputing partners on the road wasn't aesthetically pleasing but at least I got better views than peering through the fence!

4 Cattle Egrets showed well with the lush green background...

Onto Mandria. After a brief stop at the Mandria Gardens complex (site of last year's RUFOUS TURTLE DOVE) I drove down to the sea. I soon picked up some Northern Wheatears, both sexes...

Then something special, at least for me...

Isabelline Wheatear

This pic' shows the long legs well.

A car then pulled up...it was Colin Richardson. It was great to see him again. We were catching up when another car appeared, it was another resident birder, Matt Smith. We'd contacted each other on-line but this was the first occasion we'd met. Small world...and all that. He managed to pick out a distant Hen Harrier. Nice spot. It was now 9 and time for me to return to the apartment.

After buying a few things for the holiday and having a coffee in Costa at the Mall...where incidentally, I picked out a Hoopoe on a building across the road, we headed for Timi beach by the airport.

It was on the left end of the white building. No, you can't see it!

Thankfully I've never had any security problems here...yet! Louise set her stall out and I started to bird the immediate area. Some sandy coloured Larks, one having a dust bath...

Greater Short-toed Lark

White Wagtails are common and very confiding...

Then a sighting of another "special". Sardinian Warbler is common on Cyprus BUT this isn't...

Ruppell's Warbler

Just a brief tantalizing view, then gone! I decided to stay around for a good while hoping for better. It paid off in the end but it took some time. I texted Colin. Unbeknown to me he was just over the hill!!! A short while later we were both enjoying decent views of this iconic migrant...

Well worth the wait!

Trip total 38