Cyprus 26 - Day 14

Dipped a Turnstone this morning at Paphos Headland! Yet another potential Cyprus Tick. I scanned the Headland for over an hour but no sign...

The walk did me good though (my longest yet) and I did get great views of Red-throated Pipits feeding on the foreshore...

Post Bathing!

It was a lovely fresh morning with a lively sea...

After lunch I left Louise to have a chill as the weather was iffy, while yours truly returned to Timi Beach to try for better views of the Trumpeter Finch. I like a challenge! On arrival, a single 4x4 was present, I asked them if they were looking for the Finch, they said they were but they hadn't seen it. I drove up and down the track a few times before settling in what I thought was a favourable position. The Bird had been seen in multiple areas including the field which hosted the Bimaculated Lark...

Eventually the couple left. I was now into my 4th hour of trying to get a good view of this Cyprus Mega. I then saw a tiny bullet of a Bird shoot high over my car and appear to land near the Beach? I looked with my naked eye and noticed a tiny lump on top of a concrete block...

Maybe a hint of a Bill...

It couldn't be anything else BUT would it stay long enough for me? I drove the car down a weedy track to try and get a better angle with the sun behind me...

The Bird then dropped out of sight towards the Beach. Decision time. I decided to position myself on the track by the sea and wait, I even sat down (I'd figure out later how to get up again!). 10 minutes passed with no further sign then...

Most records of this "Desert Finch" have occurred at Cape Greco so I was pleased it hung around for me after my trip out East...

A lot more to this pink-tinged male than first meets the eye. It's gone up in my estimation lol!

Flushed with success I made my way up to Anarita Park. A few Wrynecks had been reported there. Always a challenge to see. My arrival coincided with a torrential downpour but not before I'd seen  a couple of Woodchat Shrikes within 20 yards of each other and a stunning Eastern Black-eared Wheatear...

While I was waiting for it to ease off...a message of a second-hand report of a Black-winged Pratincole on rocks near the Headland. Another Cyprus Mega!!! It had been found by Rob Adams, who I knew from Spurn! The Twitcher in me took over and I drove back to Kato Paphos to try for the Bird. I hope I hadn't walked past it this morning...just kidding!?

As I parked my car and started to walk to the path I saw 4 Birders, one of which was Rob! He informed me the Bird had flown off high over the Lighthouse. I was strangely relieved?