Pafos Headland, Agia Varvara and Timi forest - 26th April 2019

Another hazy sky that looked promising for birds dropping in. We started with Pafos Headland, seeing plenty of diversity including the first of five Red-backed Shrikes. The Olive-tree Warbler was our best find, again there were plenty of Lesser Whitethroats, also Pied and Spotted Flycatchers.

Olive-tree Warbler

Lesser Whitethroats

Spotted Flycatcher

On to Agia Varvara where Great Reed Warbler sang from an exposed perch we had Bee-eaters overhead, Red-backed Shrike, two Little Bitterns and some Wood Sandpipers.

Bath White

Common Darter

Great Reed Warbler

We checked in briefly at Xeros Potamos river, then went on to Timi. Here the flooding was diminishing fast, but birds were still attracted. The Glossy Ibis were still using it as were Cattle Egret, Squacco Heron and Little Egret. There were still wagtails, with a Collared Flycatcher, two Red-backed Shrikes and a Barred Warbler.

Barred Warbler

Red-backed Shrike

Greenshank

Black-tailed Godwit with Little Stints

Ruff

A big fall and Xeros Potamos pools - 25th April 2019

So often it's the way that an appointment made coincides with a time when we'd rather not be tied to the house. Just such an event happened today as we waited in for Blue Net to come and fix the Wifi. We had said that the complete cloud cover and low wind looked like perfect fall conditions as we'd opened our curtains, and later a large fall of warbler was being reported from Mandria. Added to that there had been a report of Olive tree Warbler although there was no precise location.

We couldn't get out until just before midday and eventually arrived at Mandria to have a scout around. We were most definitely not looking for the Olive tree Warbler although we made sure to check out some of the more likely spots. Needless to say, it did not make itself known to us. It was however interesting to see a small party of Blackcap feeding on small flies on grass stems, a perfect impersonation of the local sparrows. Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroat made up the bulk of the birds, so it seemed that the Lesser Whitethroat we'd seen the day before at Avdimou were just the advance guard of a larger cohort. Perhaps they were just particularly late coming through this year.

Other birds seen at Mandria included a group of Short-toed Larks, a Masked Shrike and a rather splendid Kestrel.

Short-toed Lark among the daisies

Male Kestrel

Masked Shrike (first year)

After eating we were on site to put nets up by 3pm or so. It was clear that the area was now drying out fast, wader numbers were well down, as were wagtails and hirundines.

We got three full height and two two panel nets up and waited to see whether we'd catch much. Our average in coming in at less than the 20 mark and we're not sure that the results really make the effort worthwhile.

First year Woodchat Shrike

Whinchat female

Whinchat male

A couple of Lesser Whitethroat even managed to find a net

Total: 15

Wood Sandpiper - 5
Black-headed Wagtail - 1
Whinchat - 2
Sedge Warbler - 2
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Whitethroat - 1
Woodchat Shrike - 1
House Sparrow - 1

Avdimou, general birding, butterflies and a new dragon, Cyprus 24th April 2019

Even with a 5 am start it seems impossible to get on site before the sun comes up.

Avdimou, complete cloud cover and a watery sun 6:15am

The total for today crept up to 21. Highlights had to be a retrapped Cyprus Warbler that was ringed 9th April 2018 as a adult, making this individual at least three years old.

49366 Cyprus Warbler male

TF5&6

There were a few birds to indicate that migrants were going through including a female Black-eared Wheatear.

5F Black-eared Wheatear

One of eight Lesser Whitethroats

Total: 20 (1)

Nightingale - 1

Black-eared Wheatear - 1

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 1

Cyprus Warbler - 1 (1)

Sardinian Warbler - 1

Lesser Whitethroat - 8

Whitethroat - 1

Blackcap - 6

Crop fields at Avdimou

We took a quick look at Avdimou beach, only to find a Blue Rock Thrush, probably newly arrived from the unlikely location.

Blue Rock Thrush female

We then took a drive to Trozena for butterflies, but found some expected species absent, presumably due to the low temperatures of late. With the Pafos Blues and large and small whites was a new dragonfly for us. 

Orange Tip

Odalisque

Troodos Lizard

Waterfalls in Cyprus are not a usual sight. A trip up into the mountains, and it's clear there is still plenty of water rushing to the sea.

Water running down the lane at Trozena.

Xeros Potomas river - 23rd April 2019

Finally the wind eased and we found a good place for nets, not too badly affected by the river, still in full flow. It's amazing what a difference a few pools make to the birds. We but up one full height net, two three panel 12ms and two 2 panel 12ms.

This morning brought the widest range of species in a single morning. There were hirundines feeding over the water as thousands of small black flies hatched, resting in rafts on the water and forming clouds in the sparse vegetation. There appeared to have been fresh arrivals of birds, the waders in particular had low levels of fat but there were also passerines with fat scores up to 3 and one Sedge Warbler carrying a fat score of 6. Clearly, these birds with a lot of fat still have a distance to travel.

Little Stint, aged 5

Ageing is possible, according to Demongin, using degree of wear on lesser and median coverts. We found this quite difficult, added to the birds changing from winter to summer colouration and being quite variable individually. Of the ten, only two appeared to be adult.

Little Stint age 5

Wood Sandpiper age 6

Sand Martin

Red-throated Pipit

4F Crested Lark

Total: 32

Little Stint - 10

Wood Sandpiper - 7

Sand Martin - 1

Swallow - 1

Crested Lark - 4

Red-throated Pipit - 1

White Wagtail - 1

Black-headed Wagtail - 3

Sedge Warbler - 3

Whitethroat - 1

We took a break in the middle of the day, what was probably the first really nice day since we arrived nearly two weeks ago with the temperature rising to 21 Celsius, not too much wind and no rain at all.

Before dinner, we drove to Mavrokolympos dam. Travelling to the far end of the reservoir all seemed very quiet, but on the return trip there were a few Whinchats, singles of Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Wood Warbler and Whitethroat freshly arrived. 

Ayios Minas and local birding Pafos, Cyprus - 22nd April 2019

We have struggled against the constant windy conditions of late so hoped that it might be less so in the Polis area. Despite a 5am alarm and getting nets up pretty quickly the flycatchers were thin on the ground, with as Chris put it, little else as a supporting cast. It was not helped by the strengthening blow from the direction of Turkey that was not only cold but also came straight up the hill badly affecting all nets. We finished on 8 birds and although one was a Collared Flycatcher it really didn't seem worth the effort.

5M Collared Flycatcher

We recaptured a Pied Flycatcher from the 18th and it had gained 1.2 grams.

A brief check around the area of the church turned up Serin, Wryneck and a Pied Flycatcher. Also some rather beautiful orchids.

Ophrys Apifera A type of Bee Orchid 

Anacamptis pryamidalis Pyramidial Orchid

We went up to Androliku, an old Turkish village, now mostly deserted building and saw a very interesting gorge on the way - somewhere to look for Wallcreeper in winter perhaps. 

Androliku gorge

The plan was to ring in the late afternoon/evening in one of the river beds in Pafos district but we were thwarted by the wind and had to settle for birding at Timi. There were some migrants fresh in including 22 Little Stint on the pool, a few Whinchats, a Pied Flycatcher, a Greenshank, a couple of Redstarts and a whole host of Wagtails and Wood Sandpipers.

Little Stints on the field pool

Dabrowski Wagtail

Male Redstart

Akrotiri and surrounding area birding - 21st April 2019

We started the day at Akrotiri marsh where we saw the first Alpine Swift of the visit wheeling above the reed-bed with many other hirundines. There was nothing much to see at either of the hides, apart from a Millet Skipper, but the grazed area at the far end of the marsh held Wood Sandpipers, Wagtails, Glossy Ibis and four Collared Pratincole. At the pools by the track there was a large flock of Ruff, Black-winged Stilts, Little Stints, a Great Snipe, Wood Sandpipers, Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper and Collared Pratincole.

Millet Skipper

The gravel pits held a few birds, although there wasn't much in the way of migrants.

Zitting Cisticola

Spectacled Warbler

Kentish Plover

The outflow from Zakaki was accessible and there were three species of tern, Gull-billed (29), Whiskered (27) and Little (3) along with the usual common waders. 

From the track we noticed a couple of ducks, the possible reason for a claim of two Common Scoter a few days back. Well, that was a definite ID fail - although just exactly what they are isn't clear. 

Two random ducks

We then drove back towards Pafos, checking out Kouklia where we found that since out last stop there a bit more land has been ploughed.

More natural ground goes under the plough

We then noticed how low the Swallows were flying on a patch of river and despite the wind tried a three panel 12ft net over water where the birds were congregated. We managed to capture 8 and flooked a single Wood Sandpiper for good measure. Chris walked up the river and further up found a good number of Wood Sandpipiers, a group of Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, plus a Great Snipe, along with over 30 Glossy Ibis.

Xeros Potomas Lower Pools

Total: 9

Wood Sandpiper - 1

Swallow - 8