CYPRUS- MARCH 2019 - arriving Mon 18, returning Wed 27th . Staying at the King Evelthon again
THURS 28 MARCH
Whilst going through some photos realised that I had shots of both COMMON REDSTART and the sub species found in Turkey and Caucuses region -SAMAMISICUS - This has a white panel on the wings - have put both photos on the report for Sunday 24 March .
takes the trip total to 131 - 4 lifers
WED 27 MARCH
Only time for visits to 2 sites on our way to the airport - scope safely put away in my packed suitcase .
At Mandria - 30 NORTHERN WHEATEAR , 2 ISABELLINE WHEATEAR,
25 BLACK H WAGTAIL , 1 HOOPOE , 1M WHINCHAT , 1 STONE CURLEW .
Final stop Timis Beach Pools- 9 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER , 1 BLACK T
GODWIT , 2 GREEN SANDPIPER , 16 BLACK WINGED STILT,
1 HOOPOE , 35 BLACK H WAGTAIL .
Final Trip species count was 130 .- included 3 lifers
Came back a day too early - have received emails confirming a F HOODED WHEATEARon Paphos Headland & A M RUFOUS TAILED ROCK THRUSH At Anarita Park ( in the same place we found one in 2017 )
RECORD PHOTOS FROM THIS MORNING - CRETZ BUNTING , BLACK HEADED WAGTAIL , FEMALE BLACK EARED WHEATEAR
TUES 26 MARCH
Our last full day , decided to spend the morning at Paphos Lighthouse and Headland -
8 RUPPELLS WARBLER, 2 COMMON WHITETHROAT, 25 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 3 CHIFFY , 1 WILLOW WARBLER, 2 QUAIL ,
1M 1F CASPIAN STONECHAT ( sub sb - veriegatus ) 1 TREE PIPIT , RED THROATED PIPIT , MIPIT , 2 TAWNY PIPIT , 3 SHORT TOED LARK, 12 NORTHERN WHEATEAR, 4 BLACK EARED WHEATEAR,
2 M REDSTART, 2 WHINCHAT , 1M CRETZ BUNTING , 2 HOOPOE , 1 STARLING , 8 RED RUMPED SWALLOW, 2 SAND MARTIN ,
200 BLACK HEADED WAGTAIL.
species list - 130
Need to be at the airport for 13.00 so hoping to have a brief look at a couple of sites in the morning
MON 25 MARCH
Started at Mandria - 09.40 - 1 N WHEATEAR, 1 ISABELLINE WHEATEAR, 2 CYPRUS WHEATEAR, 1F DESERT WHEATEAR ,
1 RUPPELLS WARBLER, 2 WHINCHAT, 1 F STONECHAT ,1 STARLING ,
1 LESSER SHORT TOED LARK - LIFER , 20 SHORT TOED LARK,
3 TAWNY PIPT, 200 BLACK H WAGTAIL , 75 WHITE WAGTAIL, 20 BLUE HEADED WAGTAIL- DOMBROWSKI , 1 STONE CURLEW
Second Visit - 14.30- 16.00 - 1MASKED SHRIKE , 130 SHORT TOED LARK, 1 BIMACULATED LARK - LIFER , 3 BLACK EARED WHEATER, 3 N WHEATEAR.
An hots visit to Anarita Park at 12.30 -1LITTLE OWL , 1 CYPRUS WARBLER, 1CRETZ BUNTING, 1F BLUE ROCK THRUSH, 6 BLACK EARED WHEATEAR .
SPECIES LIST - 125
A RANGE OF PHOTOS FROM TODAY -GREEN SANDPIPER,
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER , BLACK TAILED GODWITS , INC 1 BLACK WINGED STILT , HOOPOE, BLACK EARED WHEATEAR , REDSTART ( First photo is of a COMMON REDSTART , the 2nd is a
SAMAMISICUS - found in Turkey and Caucasus regions ) and a record shot of 2RUPPELLS WARBLER
SUN 24 MARCH - ANOTHER DAY TO REMEMBER
Started at Paphos Lighthouse and Gardens At 09.30- 13.15 - soon became aware that a fall of passerines had occurred - totals recorded were - 1 WOODLARK, 1 STARLING ,1 GREY HERON , 3 BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON ,4 NORTHERN WHEATEAR,
2 CYPRUS WHEATEAR,5 BLACK EARED WHEATEAR, 1 F DESERT WHEATEAR, 4 HOOPOE , 1 WOODCHAT SHRIKE, 1 EASTERN BONNELLIS WARBLER - LIFER , 35+LESSER WHITETHROAT, 2 COMMON WHITETHROAT,3 NIGHTINGALE, 5M REDSTART,
2M WHINCHAT ,3 RUPPELLS WARBLER, 1 WRYNECK , 3 SUB ALPINE
WARBLER , 5 BLACK H WAGTAIL , 1 SUPERCILIAS WAGTAIL ,
1 TREE PIPIT , 4 CHIFFY , 1 F DESERT WHEATEAR
AFTER LUNCH -M15.15 KENSINGTON CLIFFS - 4 GRIFFON VULTURE
( 1 on nest ), 5 ALPINE SWIFT , 1 COMMON BUZZARD , 1 LONG LEGGED BUZZARD .
As the thunder clouds arrived - Rabbit Shed Pools and Akrotiri Marsh- 16.00-17.00 -1000 SWALLOW , 2 SAND MARTIN , 350 WHITE WAGTAIL , 75 BLACK H WAGTAIL , 5 YELLOW WAGTAIL,
25 + GREEN SANDPIPER , 5 WOOD SANDPIPER ,4 BLACK W STILT,
21 BLACK T GODWIT ( flew in at 16.30 - left at 16.35 )
10 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER ,2 RUFF ,1 F HEN HARRIER , 1 SONG THRUSH , 1 GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO
SPECIES 118
FRI 22 MARCH - JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS THAT WILL STAY WITH YOU FOR MANY A YEAR
HOTEL BALCONY 07.15 - Flocks of Duck Flying NW - Over 160 mostly GARGANEY with Some SHOVELER and PINTAIL - this pales into insignificance compared with later in the day
A drive of over 225 miles round trip to the east of the island - first stop our favourite site of Oroklini Marsh - 40 FLAMINGO, 5 BLACK WINGED STILT , 3 SPUR WINGED PLOVER, 5 LITTLE GREBE , 20 TEAL , 100 SHOVELER, 2 GARGANEY, 2 M PINTAIL , 8 FERRUGINOUS DUCK, 3 CATTLE EGRET, 1 F MARSH HARRIER, 10 BLACK HEADED GULL , 1 LITTLE GULL
At Menoeu Pools - 250 FLAMINGO, 40 BLACK H GULL, 15 SLENDER BILLED GULL,
At Spiros Pools and beach Pools - 1GOLDEN PLOVER , 40 KENTISH PLOVER, 50 DUNLIN, 3 LITTLE STINT, 1 RINGED PLOVER , 1 AD MED GULL
Airport Pools - N & S produced - 25 FLAMINGO , 80 BLACK H GULL , 25 SLENDER BILLED GULL, 3 SPUR WINGED PLOVER, 17 RUFF, 3 KENTISH PLOVER , 5 REDSHANK , 1 SPOTTED REDSHANK,
1 GREENSHANK , 2 BLACK WINGED STILT , 1 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER
Brief but disappointing visit to Zakaki Marsh - only SEDGE WARBLER , REED WARBLER, ARMENIAN GULL ,
Akrotiri Marsh - 10 CATTLE EGRET , 2 GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO,
1 JAY .
A new site ( thanks to Alan Crane for directions ) At 17.00
Rabbit Shed Pools - fabulous - 20 + LITTLE RINGED PLOVER ,
10 GREEN SANDPIPER, 2 WOOD SANDPIPER, 25SNIPE , 3 RUFF , 1 GREENSHANK, 1 REDSHANK , 2 MARSH SANDPIPER .
Just as we were leaving a flock of 200 Duck in flight - looked GARGANEY . Drove over to Curium Bay - On the sea - wow
1500 GARGANEY ( one flock -males easily stood out ) 6 PINTAIL.,
40 SHOVELER, 200 BLACK H GULL , 12 SLENDER B GULL
Arrived back to the Hotel At 18.45 - what a day .
I never thought that I would see such a large number of GARGANEY,
also 16species of wader and 7 species of Gull
species list 96
THURS 21 MARCH
Seawatching off the hotel balcony at 07.15 - 2 separate flocks of GARGANEY - 100& 60 flew NW ( a flock on the sea off Akrotiri this morning of between 8-10,000 ! ), also 20 SLENDER BILLED GULL .
At 17.00 a GREY HERON - NW .
At Mandria from 09.30 - 3 SWIFT , 3 SHAG , 1 RUPPELLS WARBLER,
5 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 2 CHIFFY , 2 TAWNY PIPIT,
4 SHORT TOED LARK ,1 ISABELLINE WHEATEAR, 1 M NORTHERN WHEATEAR.2 BALTIC GULL - NW . BLACK FRANCOLIN
At Anarita Park - 2 RED RUMPED SWALLOW, CHUKAR.
Species total 62
RED RUMPED SWALLOW and SHORT TOED LARK TODAY
PHOTOS FROM THIS MORNINGS VISIT TO PAPHOS LIGHTHOUSE-
BLACK H WAGTAIL , BLACK EARED WHEATEAR ( 2 pale throated )
CYPRUS PIED WHEATEAR, KESTREL, MASKED SHRIKE -2 ,
CRETZ BUNTING -2 , M BLACK FRANCOLIN ( often heard but seldom seen )
WED 20 MARCH
Lovely sunny and warm day , spent a very enjoyable morning at Paphos Lighthouse and grounds
1 MASKED SHRIKE ,, 1M CYPRUS PIED WHEATEAR, 1 M BLACK EARED WHEATEAR ( pale throat ) , 2m NORTHERN WHEATEAR,
15 CORN BUNTING , 3M CRETZSCHMARS BUNTING , 15 MIPIT ,
4 HOOPOE, 1 F BLACK REDSTART, 2 CHAFFINCH , 1 BLACKBIRD,
10 SARDINIAN WARBLER, 3 BLACKCAP, 2 CHIFFY, 1 NIGHTINGALE,
12 LESSER WHITETHROAT, 1 LONG LEGGED BUZZARD.
From our hotel balcony at 16.15- 2 NORTHERN WHEATEAR , 1M BLACK EARED WHEATEAR ( dark throat ) 4 BLACK HEADED WAGTAIL.
species list - 48
TUES 19 MARCH
Around the Hotel and from the balcony - 20 YELLOW L GULLS ,
14 BLACK W STILT - E@07.45 , 10 BLACK H WAGTAIL , 1 GREY H WAGTAIL , 20 WHITE WAGTAIL , 1 HOOPOE , 1 BLACK FRANCOLIN
Mandria - LAUGHING DOVE , 1M BLACK FRANCOLIN , 1 ISABELLINE WHEATEAR.
Timis Beach - On Pools - 1SPUR W PLOVER , 3 LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, 5 ISABELLINE WHEATEAR, 6 NORTHERN WHEATEAR.
Aspro Dam - 1F MARSH HARRIER.
Trip species - 35