The Paphos Mosaics

A quieter day today. We visited the Roman mosaics at Paphos, which were very impressive and amongst the finest in the World apparently. The site is also pretty good for birds, with the highlight today being a flock of about 20 Woodlarks. There were also plenty of Sardinian warblers, Spanish sparrows, fan-tailed warblers, black redstarts, stonechats, crested larks and hooded crows.

Still no sign of the Cyprus endemics, Cyprus warbler or Cyprus wheatear. The latter is probably long since gone from these shores, on its wintering grounds until next spring, but the warbler is still around in reasonable numbers, or so I'm reliably informed. Still no black francolin either, which although not endemic, is here in its only European stronghold. I have been to Cyprus before though, and did see all of these endemics then, so it wouldn't be disastrous to miss out on them this time, and I wouldn't swap them for the three new species I have had so far, but would still be nice to see them again.

Woodlark, always a good find, even on the continent.

Spanish sparrow.

One of the mosaics.

Paphos

I could get used to waking up to this view every day. Not bad for the middle of December!

Paphos Sewage Works

The threat of thunderstorms this afternoon (which never materialised) convinced us to stay around the house rather than venture too far. However I wanted to visit Paphos sewage works at some stage during our holiday (who wouldn't?), but for some reason which I couldn't quite fathom, Elaine wasn't overjoyed at the prospect and it was made perfectly clear to me that the only way I was going to get to see this inexplicably off the tourist route taste of the real Cyprus was to go on my own. So this afternoon it seemed a good opportunity to leave her reading by the pool while I visited this top birding site. And taste it I could....

Almost immediately I got there I spotted five spur-winged plovers sitting on one of the walls. These were a major target species for me, having visited Cyprus back in 1996 and dipped on the species then. Today I counted at least 14 birds and at one stage they all flew around calling, right overhead. A fantastic sight. Other birds here included a single black kite, two green sandpipers and eight cattle egrets. There were almost certainly red-throated pipits in with the pipit flock, but they were too far away for me without a scope.

On the way back to Nata I came across an impressive flock of around 80 stone curlew.

Spur-winged plover.

Hang on a minute, I thought that this was a sewage works? Seriously though, what a stunning bird.

Cattle egret

Stone curlew

The almond walk, Nata Village

This morning we took the dog for a walk around the local area. It's a great time of year to be here, everything is in fruit, with almond, orange, lemon and pomegranate trees all providing us with a top up to our packed lunch! There's also a bush which is clearly related to hawthorn which has yellow fruit the size of a cherry, and feeding on these were at least three hawfinches, the first I have ever seen outside the UK.

We walked a bit further and flushed two eagles, Bonelli's eagles with pale bodies and white backs, and possibly the same birds we saw on Sunday down near Finikas village. Other birds on the walk included several chukar, Sardinian warblers and black redstarts.

Hawfinch.

This is what the hawfinches were feeding on.

 Nata village.

This is Arisarum vulgare which is related to Lords and Ladies. It's only about 5cm high.

Paphos lighthouse and the Tombs of the Kings

At Paphos lighthouse today, five greater sand plovers in with a flock of around 50 golden plover. This is a regular wintering spot for the species. Also today, plenty of black redstarts, stonechats, Sardinian warblers and a possible Caspian gull.

These were my first greater sand plovers. This photo shows at least four birds. After watching them for about 10 minutes, these birds flew around the headland, but a fifth appeared almost immediately.

Paphos lighthouse.

Hooded crow

Wow, what a plant! As good as any sand plover!  Growing at the Tomb of the Kings, I'm pretty sure that this is Cyprus cyclamen, but I need to double check when I get home. Most specimens were long since over, but this one plant was still flowering. Edit: No it's not Cyprus cyclamen, it's actually Persian cyclamen (see Avakas gorge 12/12/14 and Baths of Aphrodite 15/12/14).

As far as I'm concerned, cyclamen are right up there with gentians, crocus and alpines. A class above everything else!

Narcissus obsoletus also growing at the Tombs of the Kings. I'm quite into miniature daffs as well!

Anemone coronaria at the Tombs of the Kings.

One of the tombs.

Paphos.

Walking the dog at the Asprokremmos Dam, Cyprus

I don't have a dog, we're here dog sitting for friends. That's the price of free accommodation and a free car. So today we took the dog for a walk from our house in Nata down to the abandoned village of Finikas on the shore of the Asprokremmos Dam, and on to very nearly the head of the dam itself, a round walk of a good 10 miles.

Most of the best birds were around Finikas, where I found the main target species of the holiday, Finsch's wheatear, a bird which breeds in Turkey and winters in Cyprus. I was pleased to see two spectacular males.

Cyprus pied wheatear breeds here in summer, but most have gone by now. Finsch's wheatear is distinctive because it has a white back, whereas Cyprus pied has a black back. This was a new bird for me.

While we were in the village I noticed two birds of prey flying around the nearby cliffs, and was made up to see that they were Bonelli's eagles, a species which I have seen before but only rarely and never so well.

White body contrasting with a dark looking under wing is a feature of Bonelli's eagle.

The white back is a another feature. Looking at the photographs, I would say that these were juvenile birds.

On the return journey we stopped off at the village again and had more views of the wheatears, but also a bird which at first I thought was a female Finsch's wheatear, but on seeing the photos I now consider to be a juvenile blue rock thrush. I could get used to walking the dog!

Finally, below are a couple of shots of Finikas village.

The first day

The first day on Cyprus, we are staying in the village of Nata near Paphos. During the flight we had spectacular views of the Alps and the Aegean sea, and when we arrived at Paphos airport the temperature was 22'C with bright blue sunshine. Not had time for any serious birding etc. today, but even so I've seen a few Spanish sparrows, black redstarts, a possible short-toed eagle and a Turkish gecko.

The Aegean.

Turkish gecko and a large millipede.

Appleton Reservoir, Warrington

Mandarin 1 m
Teal 3 m & 2ff
Tufted duck 20
Mute swan 2 ads