Cyprus 23 - Day 8

Day 8 already

Good day on the Akrotiri Peninsular today. Phil picked me up just before 8. It was nice to be a passenger for a day. Louise drives enough at home.

We made it to Zakaki Hide for 9 and had a good hour there. I eventually found us a Little Crake at the far end of the "open area". It was only in view for a few seconds. Glad I took my scope. Other additions were Kingfisher...

Snipe, Reed Warbler...and while I was looking to the side of the hide for the LC I found...this...

My first Yellow Wagtail and my favourite variety...Fledegg! We also sneaked a first brief view of a Black Francolin...after hearing many...

We then checked the pools at the top of Lady's Mile for "unusual" Gulls but a single Yellow-legged was all we could find. We did have great close views of Greater Flamingos though...once they lifted their heads...

Still trying to figure this one out!

Didn't quite fit it in but nice wings!

Plenty of Kentish Plovers on Lady's Mile...

I also added Sanderling and Dunlin.

We then drove to the bottom end and across to Bishop's Pool. I frotunately remebered how to weave through to it. It had change quite a bit over 5 Years. Eventually the Target Duck popped out. 3 Males...

Ferruginous Duck

Lunch was had at Agios Georgios Church. A quick scoot around was rewarded with this cracking male Redstart...

Blackcap was also added. A Little Stint was spotted as we drove down the Gravel Pits. We also had better views of Kentish...

We made our way to the Coast and I finally saw a flock of Garganey off the Fish Farm...

Distant and hazy BUT a first for me and VERY pleasing.

Onto Akrotiri Marsh aka Phasouri Reedbed. A pleasant 30 minutes here added Cattle Egret...or is it Horse...

Some summer plumaged Ruff (10) were also present, a couple with white heads. Also 4 Black-tailed Godwits and 3 Spour-winged Plovers.

Then a message...

BLACK-BELLIED SANDGROUSE still present at Mandria this afternoon. Phil was interested. We decided to return West. 40 minutes later due to the excellent Motorway we were back in Mandria. I decided to try the original area. We spotted a couple of cars down a track. As we approached we could see someone pointing a camera downwards!? A quick look through the bins revealed the Bird on the track right in front of us!!!

A slightly better view of this superb bird.

As we were returning to Paphos I received a WhatsApp message off Richard (thanks pal) informing me of something even rarer!

Diederik Cuckoo at Lake Paralimni late afternoon 

Trip Total 99