Date:
28/03/2024
Location:
Cyprus
Weather:
24c-30+
Species Highlights:
Citrine Wagtail, Collared Flycatcher, Finsch's Wheatear, Little Crake, Common rock Thrush, Hooded Wheatear, Semi Collared Flycatcher, Tibetan Sandplover, Humes warbler & all endemics
28/03/2024
From Bristol we flew out to Cyprus for some springtime birding Me, Lauren, and Dave Hughes, It was only Dave's second visit but we knew all the good spots, so he was in safe hands.
I was driving and we picked up the hire car from Paphos airport around 8pm and drove to our apartments at Mandria and food.
After an early start, we arrived at 6:30am at Akrotiri Marshes.
This Hoopoe greeted us with the early morning sunshine warming up the marshes.
The always-present Spur-winged Lapwing, looking fantastic.
This Marsh Harrier hunting along the reed beds.
3 Spoonbills at close range coming in for breakfast.
200+ Glossy Ibis and Night Heron were streaming along the coast over the gravel pits
A good number of Greenfinch were feeding among the cattle and donkeys, House sparrows and Pigeons were also here.
Isabelline Wheatear showed briefly.
Eastern Black-eared Wheatear were present at most sites throughout the week.
At 50 species in the first 2 hours, we headed to St George's Chapel and Gravel pits only 9 species were added but this Masked showed down to around 15ft! More Hoopoe, Crested Lark, and Wheatears present, the heat haze was awful across the Gravel pits so we moved on to Bishops Pool.
A bonus was a few Lesser Emperors hovering outside the hide gave great views.
Lunchtime was approaching so after a few sandwiches we headed back towards Mandria and the Asprokremmos Dam area, driving is effortless in Cyprus with good roads and most tracks are drivable.
Around the Dam and small woodland another 15 species, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Alpine Swift, Zitting Cisticola, and Sardinian Warbler.
The best birds were this male Semi collared flycatcher
And Collared flycatcher again a Male.
Plenty of Cyprus rock Agama lizards.
As we were staying at Mandria, we stopped before returning to the apartment to explore the fields and coastline there. You never know what will turn up here, some days it's full of Wagtails, Larks, or even Birds of Prey. This afternoon it was Wheatears
Northern Wheatear
Yellow Wagtail or Blue-Headed, Motacilla flava flava.
European Stonechat
Stone Curlew, is such a cracking bird.
A small flock of Greater Short-Toed Lark
More Stone Curlew, last time I was here I saw 50+ in the same field!
Around the villas of Mandria Laughing dove and Spanish Sparrow.
It had been a long hot day so we decided to try the local supermarket out and relax for the rest of the day ready for another early start.
29/03/2024
At 6:30am we arrived in Paphos ready for a wander around the Headland, there is free Parking here, and it's free to walk around the now concrete path, a change from my last visit where it was a dusty gravel path.
As the Sea came into view a Short-eared owl took off from inside the Archaeological site and flew along the coast.
A soggy Isabelline Wheatear.
Crested Lark the most common birds around the coastline.
A large number of Red-throated Pipits were coming in of the sea and feeding in the bushes.
Second to the Crested Larks were Sardinain Warblers a big increase this year in this species.
Cyprus rock Agama soaking up the early sun.
Male Sardinian Warbler.
So along with Great-spotted Cuckoo, Swift, Purple Heron, Ruppells Warbler, Nightingale, Cyprus Wheatear was the stunner a Finch wheatear was a first for me and Lauren, the heat made it difficult to get a clean shot, but happy with a lifer.
After 4 1/2 hours and nearly 7 miles walked, breakfast, and a drive to Agia Varvara, a bumpy road but if you drive slowly it's fine, after all, it's not my car!
Another Collared fly, more Great Spotted Cuckoo.
The Best bird didn't show well, but another lifer, Little Crake 2 birds were present.
A tour around a few other spots but ended the day at Mandria where there was a fall of Whinchat, with 4 birds present.
Black-headed Wagtail - Motacilla flava feldegg.
We returned for a rest, and as evening approached we walked up to Mandria Fish & Chips a great little place with a wide range of dishes and a few beers.
30/03/2024
The morning would be an even earlier start as it was Cape Greco some 170km or 2 hours away.
The winds overnight were not great for a fall of birds here and after a 3-mile walk and drive best of the 18 species was Blue Rock Thrush and a stunning Palid Harrier.
After an hour we drove back to Oroklini Lake. A good spot for Flamingo, Marsh Harrier, and Purple Heron.
We were not disappointed Purple Heron, 6 birds flew around the lake for the whole visit.
41 Greater Flamingo, Garganey, Red Crested Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Black-winged Stilt, Spur-winged Lapwing, and Western Cattle Egret were the best of the rest.
A stop-off at Larnaca
Also the sewage works and apart from Garganey and Green Sandpipers not much else so carried on back to Akrotiri.
The heat was affecting pictures and the birds it seemed.
a few Glossy ibis had dropped onto the marsh with Red-throated Pipit and more Black-eared Wheatear.
After a cool off in the apartments, we again drove into Paphos and into the Archaeological site, free if you say you're just birding, in fact, we never paid on any of our visits.
3 Masked Shrike were seen, Wryneck.
Great Spotted Cuckoo, Lots of Lesser Whitethroat, with Nightingale, Redstart also , and we even heard a Quail.
31/03/2024
Troödos and visit for some Endemics this morning, so we took the picturesque drive up to the top and parked in the Square car park, Pallid and Common Swift were abundant filling the skies above. A common cuckoo called and Crossbill were heard.
Coal Tit (Cyprus)
Jay (Cyprus)
Short-toed Treecreeper were fairly easy to find and photograph.
After a couple of hours took a leisurely drive back down, checking roadside verges for Orchids and Butterflies, it wasn't long until I spotted an Eastern Festoon, a quick halt, and cameras out to photograph this beautiful butterfly., It didn't wanna stop mind!
A bit further down a Orchid was spotted, Naked Man Orchid, a first for me.
Serapias bergonii also.
That evening a trip Mavrokolympos Dam 3 Scops Owl heard multiple times calling and this Little Owl.
Paphos Blue (endemic) butterfly roosting.
Several Cyprus Warbler were showing extremely well.
01/04/2024
Another day around Akrotiri marshes, squacco Heron, Greenshank, and a Great Bittern were seen (Laurens Picture!)
Birds of Prey were scarce this trip all distant but Bonellis Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Long Legged Buzzard, Kestrel.
Anders a local guy and fabulous birder spotted a Siberian Stonechat, distant but managed a picture, life tick.
We checked Lady's Mile and other sites but little to see, unfortunately. Kentish Plover, Little Stint, and a Little-ringed Plover were added to our trip list.
News had come in of a Common Rock Thrush on the other side of Paphos so nothing for it but drive back towards Coral Bay. Heat haze was a killer but saw the bird after scrambling over the very rough rocks.
Blue rock Thrush here also.
02/04/2024
The winds had not brought anything new in so we decided to go back to Oroklini
30 Common Swift along with House Martin and Barn Swallow feeding above.
Black-winged Stilt
Red-crested Pochard
A quick stop at Kourion Stadium and this Lovely Cyprus Wheatear couldn't have posed better.
We still hadn't seen any Griffon vultures so headed along to Kengsitton cliffs, after our last visit I was very confident that we see them, unfortunately not this time Alpine Swift and Great Spotted Cuckoo were the best.
That evening another trip to the Paphos Archaeological site and a Hooded Wheatear, female had turned up, showing a bit well!
Northern Wheatear male
Laughing dove, a big increase in these.
The Last day of our trip and nothing for it than to return to Akrotiri Marshes after all you never know what could turn up., Marsh Sandpiper, and Ruff, were at the back of the pools but this Hoopoe stole the show.
Marsh Harrier
Ferruginous Duck, 30 more species seen around the Marshes.
Another stop at Kengsitton Cliff and 3 Griffon vulture were seen very distantly but added to the list.
This is our Kia Stonic that served us well over the week, hired for Enterprise.
Our Last night was spent checking around the Paphos Arch site.
A good bird was this Eastern Orphean Warbler, Hume's Leaf Warbler, Tree Sparrow also added to the trip list.
This is the inside of the site and Paphos Lighthouse.
Cant help take photographs of the Rock agama
A Clouded Yellow catching the last rays of sunshine.
With a couple of hours to spare before our flight a Tibetian Sand Plover had arrived at Paphos Headland, a quick dash out the nearest gate and BOSH! A lifer to end the trip!
Awful pictures I know, but our rules are a picture and I can tick it.
So that was Cyprus and spring Migration for 2024, I think the following week was cooler and a few more birds came through but overall a great trip.
132 birds seen
6 Life ticks :
Little Crake, Tibetian Sand Plover, Collared Flycatcher, Siberian Stonechat, Hooded Wheatear, Finsch's wheatear
Ebird link at top shows all the places and a full list
