All the Little Crakes and Reed Warblers all looked really wet. A pair of Swallows nesting in the hide continued to fly, reluctant to take shelter
The crakes had rising water levels to contend with as well as drops from above.
We drove round to Akrotiri Marsh and thankfully the rain stopped. There were around 80 Glossy Ibis on the marsh. Cattle Egrets were living up to their name but the site management left much to be desired with cows in the reserve area.
Glossy Ibis
Cattle Egrets
Sykes's Wagtail
There were also several Collared Pratincole.
Moving on to the gravel pits, we got Red-throated Pipits and our first Little Stint of the visit.
Red-throated Pipit
Little Stint
Chris then managed to locate a Great Snipe.
Great Snipe
Driving on we could see there were small birds in the larger bushes. We found two Wood Warbler, Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Spotted, Pied and Collared Flycatchers. As we birded the garden by the church it was clear that the bulk of the fall were flycatchers although there was Nightingale and a Redstart.
Female Pied Flycatcher
Male Collared Flycatcher
We continued to see flycatchers along the roadside towards Ladies Mile and in the bushes on the far side of the pools, even in the garden next to the Lighthouse takeaway and cafe.
At Ladies mile there were few small waders. There were however Flamingos, egrets and three Spoonbill.
Flamingos
One of three Spoonbill
Whinchats were another species that arrived in numbers after the bad weather.
Female Whinchat.
We were unable to attempt to catch any birds from the fall because the area is part of the sovereign base, and our permit is not valid there. Even if it had been an area for which our permit is valid we need to give advance notice of ringing and there was insufficient time to do this.