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Weather 24-30 degrees all week, mainly light westerly breeze.
Cyprus 16th to 23rd April 2016
Garry Wright, Kev Shone, Eric Buckley and myself Russell Hayes travelled with Easyjet from London-Luton Airport to Paphos Cyprus.
We arrived late Saturday evening at Hylatio Tourist Village, Pissouri but managed to get a meal before bedtime. Paul & Sandra Neale were staying at the same Hotel and later in the week Graham Catley & his wife arrived. John Badley was on the island too and it felt like most of Lincolnshire were there.
Note: only the first sightings of a species are listed, many were seen daily.
Sunday 17th
Woken up at 6:30am to the sound of a Black Francolin and House Sparrows. Outside the accomodation were Barn Swallows, House Martins, Common Swifts, Collard Doves, Wood Pigeons, Greenfinch and a lone Cyprus Pied Wheatear. We could hear a Cetti’s Warbler and Zitting Cisticola. Not a bad start before breakfast at 7:00am.
After breakfast we all set off in the hired car an Opal Zafira. Heading towards Paphos on the old B6 coast road, Hooded Crows, Jackdaws and Magpies were seen. Along the coast we found 10 Squacco Herons on the shore some of the first arrivals. Further along Shags were on the rocks and Yellow-legged Gulls were flying over.
Paphos sewage works area was the next stop where we had Spur-winged Plover, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Sardinian Warblers, a pair of Cattle Egret and the first Hoopoe of the week.
Not far away on the Lower Ezousa river, which after the very dry winter was bone dry as was most of Cyprus, we found Turtle Doves, Goldfinch and Common Kestrel.
We had heard of some Laughing Doves at Timi so we headed there hoping to see some. We found at least one feeding in a local chicken run and coming to water from a dripping tap. We would see several more throughout the week mainly in village centres.
A short ride from Timi we went to Asprokrommos Dam where a small plantation at the top had Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Spectacled Warbler. From the roadway along the dam wall we had Cyprus Warbler and 6 Ortolan Bunting.
On to Mandria, where a lot of fields are cultivated, we had dozens of Red-throated Pipits, Blue-headed Wagtails, Black-headed Wagtails, Woodchat Shrike, a few Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters flew over head, Rock doves and Northern Wheatear.
Onwards to Anerita Park via Agia Vavara where a small water reservoir had Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and Wood Sandpiper. At Anerita park we saw Pallid Harrier, Montagues Harrier, Great-spotted Cuckoo and Lesser Kestrel. A short drive towards a Water Treatment Works heard Common Nightingale and a pair of Stone Curlew near the Water Works.
Other birds seen on the first day were Spanish Sparrow, Purple Heron, Common Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Chukar, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Whinchat, Eastern Olivacious Warbler and Linnet.
Monday 18th
We decided to give the Akritiri area a bash and headed off to Zakiki marsh. The marsh was very overgrown but a few small areas of open water visible from the hide produced Mallard, Ferugenous Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Glossy Ibis, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Water Rail and a fine female Little Crake.
A brief stop to see a very tame White Pelican on the beach at Lady’s Mile being herded back into a camper van. (Very strange)
Along Lady’s Mile we saw 3 Juvenile Greater Flamingos, Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and Little-ringed Plover.
Around Bishop’s pool we saw Tree Pipit, Blackcap, Northern Shoveler and Common Snipe.
On to Agios Georgios Church at Akritiri Gravel bed saw the first Masked Shrike of the week and Black-winged Stilt was seen over a small pond.
Phassouri Reed Beds further along had 80% damage caused by a huge fire but was just starting to grow again and looked hopeful for recovery. Marsh Harrier noted.
On the way back towards Pissouri we stopped off at Kensington Cliffs for the Eleonora’s Falcons which were a bit distant but some Alpine Swifts gave close views.
A quick trip back to the Water Treatment Works saw a male Red-footed Falcon over the dam. Another female seen later in the week was the only sightings of this species.
Other birds seen during the day were: White Wagtail and Little Egret.
Tuesday 19th
Troodos Mountain was the plan today as the weather looked good and no clouds on the mountain could be seen.
A drive past Nata Ford, (which is becoming a bridge) found a Red-backed Shrike, Little Owl and Corn Bunting, further along we stopped under some pine trees and located a Cretzschmar’s Bunting, a few more were seen on the route.
Salamiou on the way up was our next stop where Griffon Vultures are regularly seen flying past. After a short wait we saw one fly distantly across our view that appeared to land further down the road. We jumped in the car and headed in the general area of where the Vulture was last seen to see if we could get a closer look. We got out to have a look only to be surprised by 13 of them leaping off the steep sided rocks near the car into the air around us. Brilliant close views were had by all.
At Troodos we walked along the Atalante Naure Trail for a few kilometres and found Cyprus Jay, Cyprus Coal Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Serin and Pallid Swift.
Later back down the mountain to Mandria for a Lesser-grey Shrike that Paul & Sandra informed us about. Another Lesser was found by us later in the week.
Wednesday 20th
After a quick stop off at Zakiki Marsh and Lady’s Mile where we saw Spotted Redshank and Greenshank we headed for Larnaka and the area to the south of the Airport. First birds seen were Little Tern, Dunlin and Grey Heron.
At Larnaka sewage works hide we saw Teal, Ruddy Shelduck, a couple of passing Gull-billed Terns, Pintail, Garganey, Ruff, and Marsh Sandpiper. A Common Kingfisher was seen briefly.
A short ride to Kiti Dam found no water behind the dam wall and no birds but we did see Golden Oriole and Spotted Flycatcher around the trees.
On to Oroklini Lake, new birds were Black-tailed Godwit and Common Chiffchaff.
But the biggest spectacle was the sight of nearly 400 Cattle Egret on site.
A Scops Owl was heard back at the hotel one of about 3 heard during our stay.
Thursday 21st
Staying Locally today saw us drive along the B6 coast road and stopping off to take the views in we saw a couple of Peregrine Falcons up close.
Turning off the B6 towards an orange grove found the only Black-eared Wheatear of our trip plus Garry had a glimpse of the only Wryneck seen all week.
At Agia Vavara we found our way to a small pool of water under a motorway bridge where Little Bittern was a new bird seen. Up the valley near some ponds we found a Collared Flycatcher.
Another look at the Asprokrommos Dam area found a very obliging female Common Redstart followed by a nice male.
Back at the hotel a Barn Owl flew past the bar in the dark.
Friday 22nd
Today we drove up to the Polis Area and the Akamas Peninsular on the North West side of Cyprus. On the way we saw a flock of 10 Night Herons. Stopping at Menthis Hills Golf Course we saw our first Roller of the week; very few were seen all week. Another stop at Mavrokolympos Dam shallow end found a nice female Citrine Wagtail among the other Wagtails present.
Nothing new noted at Aphrodites Pool and the camp site so headed to Smigies where we found approx 60 European Bee-eaters in the area.
On the way home we stopped off at Agios Geogios and saw some Baltic Gulls fly over. A quick look at Mandria found a Whimbrel on the beach.
Saturday 23rd
Another day spent locally as we had to leave the hotel and prepare for the flight home.
A similar route to the first day was taken and many of the birds seen that day were seen again. The holiday had one last treat in store for us as a couple of birders we bumped into told us they had just come from Mandria where two Greater Sand Plovers were seen. We dashed down and found the birds where we were told they would be. A great end to a great holiday.
130 species for the week which was about 10 less than last year but not bad considering how dry the island was.
Dinner was had at Mandria fish and chip restaurant before catching the flight back home.
Russell
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