Agia Varvara and birding at Timi forest, Cyprus - 15th April 2019

Having lost our main ringing area, we tried a new area of another site where we've ringed before. We were a little worried that being a broad area migrants would be rather too spread out and no migrants would connect with the nets, but we had a good few along with plenty of residents, mainly Cetti's Warblers.

We caught the first Great Reed Warbler of this trip and heard at least two others.

Great Reed Warbler

Eastern Olivaceous Warblers also featured heavily with a late showing of House Martin that began feeding along the water course and were catchable after a quick repositioning of one of the nets.

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

House Martin

During the session we saw two Bee-eaters, plus a pair of Great Spotted Cuckoos, also hearing an Ortolan Bunting close by with a Golden Oriole in the orchard across the valley.

Total: 32

House Martin - 9

Cetti's Warbler - 5

Great Reed Warbler - 1

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 8

Sardinian Warbler - 3

Blackcap - 3

Great Tit - 1

Goldfinch - 2

Four Cattle Egrets at Timi

One of two Tree Pipits

Pied Flycatcher

We had by midday and checked the Baillon's Crake site with no luck. There was a brief shower, although nothing too significant, then we headed to Timi forest. Here there were a lot of Little Egrets, some wagtails including a female Citrine, Cattle Egrets on the rapidly diminishing grassy pool at the entrance, Two Tree Pipits, a Pied Flycatcher, female Little Crake, Robin and a male first summer Peregrine.