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Cyprus Weekly

1st Apr 2013 | Posted in: Overseas Birding | Comments (0)

Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 31 Mar

Woodchat Shrike at Ayia Napa Sewage Works 29 Mar

* indicates that a photo of the species is included please visit Flickr site to view http://www.flickr.com/photos/birder639/sets.

Now that it’s light enough it allows me a couple of hours birding after work on a Monday.  So this Monday it was a visit to Paralimni Lake, where numerous waders are now passing through including, Marsh, Wood and Green Sandpipers along with Redshanks, Greenshanks, Black-winged Stilts, Kentish Plovers and Black-winged Stilts.  3 Great and 5 Little Egrets with a couple of Grey Herons and the usual Cattle Egrets added to the numbers but a Curlew was a surprise.  As I moved closer to the reed beds, my first Great Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and a Little Crake were seen and on Sotira Pond at least 18 Garganeys.

On Tuesday  I headed for the Cape Greco area which was pretty quiet, except for a couple of Hoopoes, Isabelline Wheatears and at least 2 singing male Cyprus Warblers.  Under the army camp at least 2 Cyprus Wheatears are now holding territory.  At Ayia Napa Sewage Works it sounded pretty quiet although after a walk around the trees at least 5 Tree Pipits and a Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler called and was fly catching.  A male Masked Shrike was good to see and silvia warblers were much in evidence with Lesser Whitethroats, Spectacled and Blackcaps being present.  A male Marsh Harrier drifted overhead and 2 Green Sandpipers were on the lagoons as I left.  Good numbers of Vagrant Emperors* are still present.

I returned via Paralimini Lake which is now looking like a fantastic site and so it proved to be.  A good hour was spent at the site which provided views of 24 Marsh Sandpipers, at least 1200 Ruff, along with Wood and Green Sandpiperes.  Numbers of Black-winged Stilts and Spur-winged Plovers are building and a lone Greenshank was also present.  An unseasonal Turnstone amongst the many Kentish Plovers was a surprise and patient scanning of the reeds gave views of Sedge Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, a Cetti’s Warbler and a nice male Little Crake.  Some nearby shooting flushed 5 Garganeys and considering 18 were present yesterday, one can guess the fate of the others.  I flushed a Purple Heron – the first this year for me and 6 Great Whites and 5 Little Egrets with 4 Cattle Egrets completed the heron bonanza.

Wednesday and a Silver Lunch in the Mess – ‘nuff said!  You all know the routine by now.  I had a day off on Thursday and once I had managed to surface,  I headed off to North and there wasn’t much to shout about.  2 juveniles stood in the sea was a strange sight at Clapsides Beach and at Fresh Water Lake South a Glossy Ibis was in the Cattle Egret breeding colony and a late Heuglin’s Gull was a good record.  I also managed to find a migrating 1w Little Gull but then returned home – still with a headache.

Good Friday and off to Cape Greco – migrant hunting stopping on route at Paralimni Lake.  A good decision as I found a female Rock Thrush eating insects, a flock of 31 Greater Short-toed Larks were also present.  On to Cape Greco and a few migrants were about, the pick being a couple of Cretszchmar’s Buntings and a beautiful male Pallid Harrier – in off the sea.  It was obviously Tree Pipit day with numerous birds flying over calling.  At Ayia Napa Sewage Works, I photographed a male Ortolan Bunting* and saw couple of Masked Shrikes and a Woodchat Shrike*.  I left and saw probably my last Black Redstart of the season.  At Paralimni Lake on the way home, no birds to speak of but the colony (the largest in Europe) of Dark Spreadwings* had started to emerge with at least 12 being present.  An adult Armenian Gull at Larnaca Sewage Works was a late record as were a couple of 1w Caspians and an adult Baltic Gull.  Stopping at Oroklini Marsh on the way home gave views of 2 pairs of Red-crested Pochards, 3 Spotted Redsanks and a couple of female Little Crakes fed in the open.  At Dolphin rocks, 2 Med Gulls and at least 80 Slender-billed Gulls were present with the now dwindling flocks of Black-headed Gulls.

On Saturday, I visited Clapsides Beach where 7 Audouin’s Gulls loafed with a Sandwich Tern and a single Grey Plover, which was a good late record.  At Fresh Water Lake South the Little Gull was still present with 5 Slender-billed Gulls, resplendent in pink breeding plumage.  I visited Paralimni lake at the end of the day to see a female Little Crake and a male Spotted Crake.  As I scanned the Yellow Wagtails, the majority being Black-headed, I first saw a Water Pipit and then a Grey-headed Yellow Wagtail (thunbergi).

On Easter Sunday another early morning visit to Cape Greco paid dividends with my first Pied Flycatcher of the year. I had arranged to meet 2 visiting birders who are doing survey work for BirdLife Cyprus, good company and very talented birders.   Later at the Ayia Napa Sewage Works, a male Eastern Orphean Warbler, a Ruppel’s Warbler, several Lesser Whitethroats, a Tawny Pipit and 3 species of Wheatear with a male Masked Shrike also showing well.  As we walked around, the Dutch birder and the German birder I was with (exceptional young birders), pointed out an Orchid – I looked at it and realised it was a new one for me.  When I analysed the photos at home, it was a Bornmueller’s Ophrys (Ophrys bornmuellrii), only right that they found it with a name like that.   As I left, 2 Red-rumped Swallows did a flyby.  On the track to Ayia Napa Football Pitches, I stopped to photograph a butterfly that caught my attention and indeed it turned out to be a new species for me in the form of an Eastern Dappled White*  At the football pitches, another Masked Shrike (female) and a male Black Francolin.  A detour to Ayia Thekla provided views of probably the last remaining wintering Greater Sand Plover (columbinus).  I stopped at Paralimni Lake as usual and there 3 Black-eared Wheatears, a Northern and a Cyprus gave great views.  The Spotted Crake and Little Crake showed once more, this time a male and on the flats 3 Greater Sand Plovers in superb breeding plumage of the race crassirostris.  Obviously migrants as the wintering race are colombinus with much smaller bills.  We saw the Cyprus endemic Cyprus Grass Snake swimming in Sotira Pond and one of the birders I was with caught a Black Whip Snake* which I of course had my picture taken with.  A female Ortolan Bunting rounded off a good day.

For pictures of birds with a * please click on the following Flickr links:

Highlight of the Week:  Nothing in particular but some good year ticks although migration remains slow, a mixed number of species is passing but not in volume.

Other Interesting Finds: The Eastern Dappled White butterfly, another new orchid with the total now on 27 species.  The emergence of the Dark Spreadwing colony at Sotira Pond and of course the Black Whip Snake were all notable experiences.

Look Forward:  More of the same with additional migrating species hopefully – and of course my birthday on the 2nd.

If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at:   birder639@yahoo.com

Mark Easterbrook


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SPTA West

1st Apr 2013 | Posted in: UK Birding | Comments (0)

A Mediterranean Gull amongst the hundreds

It has been a rather blustery and cold landscape on the Plain.  The majority of birds are skulking around deep in any cover and rarely move.  I practically stepped on a Pheasant before it moved which made me jump.  Even the corvids are bunkering down.  The Wheatears are arriving at a steady rate and they have been seen across the area.  Incidentally the BTO web site still keeps telling me thay are out of season.  A Stone Curlew was seen on the Centre northern road.  There are still flocks of Starlings, Fieldfare and Golden Plover.  Also seen were Woodcock and Stonechat.  This weekend Imber Village was open to the public.  The village is dry and the water is not flowing down the main street.  Even the ponds to prevent flooding are nearly dry.  It is amazing how quickly the water disappears once the rain stops.  The bournes are still flowing but have decreased in flow rate.  At long last I managed to find a Mediterranean Gull amongst the hundreds of Black-headed and Common Gulls that are found south of the Plain on the A36 valley.  There is also a Little Ringed Plover on Langford Lakes which is not too far away from Knook Camp.

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Cyprus Weekly

25th Mar 2013 | Posted in: Overseas Birding | Comments (0)

Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 24 Mar

Male Ruppel's Warbler at Cape Greco 19 Mar  - I'll try harder next time to get the tail in.  * indicates that a photo of the species is included please visit Flickr site to view.

A day’s leave on Monday so a full day out in search of some lingering migrants from the fall on Saturday which I missed due to attendance at the tulip festival.  Cape Greco was the obvious choice but it was Green Monday -  a Cypriot bank holiday.  With hundreds of people usually heading for the National Park it was essential to start early.  Why it is called Green Monday I have no idea as judging by the amount of rubbish, drinks cans and other debris left lying around it has little to do with any conservation, ecological or environmental credentials (if they exist) that the Cypriots may hold.  Whilst at the Konnos Bay area, I saw a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, an Isabelline Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, several Cyprus Warblers, a Ruppel's Warbler and the star of the show a male Masked Shrike.  At the Cape’s tip, more Isabellines and 3 Greater Short-toed Larks were present.  As I transited from this area to the rubbish tip and sea caves I saw a Woodchat Shrike* and another Ruppels Warbler. 

The highlight of the day was seeing 5 species of Wheatear in the area including 3 Deserts* (1 male), 4 Isabelline, a female Finsch’s, 3 Cyprus and a single male Northern with the 6th of the day, a cracking male Eastern Black-eared* being added at Ayia Napa Sewage Works later.  Also present were 3 Tawny Pipits, a couple of Ruppel's Warblers and at least 3 Lesser Whitethroats.  As I was leaving the area 3 Alpine Swifts stopped briefly to feed at the sea caves.

I returned home for lunch and some admin before driving to the Larnaca area for the afternoon’s migrant hunt.  At the sewage works and surrounding areas good numbers of Slender-billed Gulls, Black-winged Stilts and Spur-winged Plovers with a couple of Green Sandpiper.  The highlights were however 2 Gulls, a migrating adult Baltic Gull* and a 1st winter Caspian which is hanging on its wintering quarters.  At the north side of the Salt Lake, Greater Flamingo, Shelduck and other wildfowl numbers are decreasing rapidly but good numbers of migrant waders were present including, c40 Snipes, 2 wintering Jack Snipes, c50 Redshanks, 2 Greenshank, 3 Marsh Sandpiers, 4 Green Sandpipers, a couple of Ringed Plovers and at least 9 Little Ringed Plovers.  A Water Rail was heard along with a few Cetti’s Warblers and a Reed Warbler and the first Sedge Warbler of the year revealed itself.  A ringtail Hen Harrier, male Marsh Harrier and Common Buzzard harassed the waders and I left to the sounds of singing Blackcaps and a flushed Song Thrush.

On Tuesday afternoon I headed off to Cape Greco, visiting Ayia Napa Sewage Works on the way.  On the approach road to the sewage works I flushed a Tawny Pipit and whilst walking around saw a few Lesser Whitethroats and a Blue Rock Thrush.  3 Green Sandpipers were on the lagoons but that was about it apart from an influx of hirundines one of which was a Red-rumped Swallow.  I also freed a female Vagrant Emperor that had become stuck on a plant.  Numbers of these are now much reduced and in their tens – mostly females as opposed to the hundreds that were present after the sand storm.

I proceeded to the Cape Greco rubbish tip and sea caves area.  Immediately seeing a couple of Isabelline Wheatears and at least 9 Lesser Whitethroats.  As I walked my usual route, a few lingering Meadow Pipits flew away calling and I then came across 4 Tawny Pipits, obviously a movement of this species is taking place.  As I continued, 2 female Desert Wheatears* remained with a single male Northern and Cyprus.  I then managed to photograph a Ruppel's Warbler* albeit not managing to get its tail in shot – note to self – must try harder!  We returned home via Carrefour and Lidl and then got lost in some mental road works where the diversion signs had run out – brilliant and a great end to the day.

Wednesday had arrived and with limited time to get out due to the fact that I had spent most of the day attempting to avert my own banking crisis by moving money to the UK and changing allotments etc, I still managed to get out.  For those of you concerned about my fiscal well being, please save yourself the worry, I will not be eating Lidl Baked Beans and Smash for the next month!  I got as far as Paralimni Lake but this was productive enough.  On Sotira Pond, 11 Garganeys including 7 drakes – a much awaited year tick.  As I watched the main lake and spotted a Black-tailed Godwit, several Black-winged Stilts with Green and Wood Sandpipers, numerous Snipes and Ruffs also rose from the vegetation.  In the nearby vegetation, a couple of Cetti’s Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat.  I saw good numbers of Yellow Wagtails in the distance so had to drive around to the north-west corner of the lake.  Here I also discovered a flock of c40 Greater Short-toed Larks.  Amongst the throng of c50 Black-headed (feldegg) Yellow Wagtails, at least 5 Blue-headed (flavas) and 3 supercilliaris (believed to be a Black-headed / Blue-headed hybrid) but a very striking bird nonetheless.

Thursday’s visit to Cape Greco in search of the reported Desert Lesser Whitethroat was a failure.  I did however see good numbers of Lesser Whitethroats, a Sandwich Tern and a male Black-eared Wheatear with a couple of commoner Isabelline Wheatears.  As I passed the lagoons at Ayia Napa Sewage Works 4 Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper were present.  On the bluff above the works, a male Blue Rock Thrush continued and many Lesser Whitethroats were evident.  Perhaps the highlight was a female Subalpine Warbler, sometimes a difficult species to catch up with and really only possible in the spring as they appear to take a different return migration route in the autumn.

On Friday and Saturday one of the annual Coptic Storms ensured the wind was howling and with heavy rain showers, it was pointless going out as I couldn’t hold the scope still and in any event couldn’t see anything fot the rain.  On Saturday morning we headed off to Paphos to stay with friends via the Limassol and Episkopi sites.  Although it had stopped raining, the wind was still strong so birds were in short supply.  At Lady’s Mile, 23 Ruff, 5 Marsh Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover was about it, whilst at Bishop’s Pool, a drake Garganey, and 4 drake Ferruginous Ducks was the highlight.  At the orchid glade, I added 2 new specimens.  The first a Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera – the same one as you get in the UK) and the second a Bug Orchid (Ochris fragrans).  We stopped briefly at Akrotiri Gravel Pits for a female Masked Shrike, a few Isabelline Wheatears and Greater Short-toed Larks were present but little else.  No Griffons were present at Episkopi however I stopped half way down the road to Happy Valley and eventually found my 3rd new orchid of the day – 6 Eastern Marsh Helliborines (Epipactis veritriflouria) , a large sprawling and impressive plant.

Onwards to Paphos and the Ayia Varvara and Anarita Park areas.  At Anatrita Park several wheatears and Corn Buntings were present and at Ayia Varvara, incredibly the male Finsch’s Wheatear was still in residence.  Good news for the AOS trip next year which has raised the expectation of this species from a *** to a ** star – more of that in the message board later next month.  At Mandria beach, more Greater Short-toed Larks and at least 200 Yellow Wagtails, mostly Black-headed* (feldegg), many Blue-headed* (flava) and several hybrid (supercilliaris*), a Syke's Wagtail (beema) alwo posed for the camera.  With the wind still howling we made for our friends house and an enjoyable curry at a local restaurant.

Sunday was butterfly day and a visit to one of the dams above Paphos.  Prior to this we drove to a hilly area above Paphos and photographed several Paphos Blues* - a new species for me and an endemic to boot.  We arrived at Kannaviou Village and walked around a nearby meadow where at least 15 Eastern Festoons* were and some posed for the camera – a fantastic butterfly.  2 Sardinian Warblers vied for my attention and they were clearly nesting in the area with the male carrying food.  The area and the dam itself held more Eastern Festoons, Orange Tips, Painted Lady, Clouded Yellows and a few Speckled Woods*.  Vagrant Emperors, Common Darters and a single Lesser Emperor were also present before we stopped for coffee and lunch.  After lunch we headed for Everetou Dam and the area near Skarfor Bridge.  Here we found the target an Odilisque* (Epillage fatime) (Deb's photo) -  a peculiar Damselfly that holds its wings like a Dragonfly and Spreadwing.  A Long-legged Buzzard soared above and at least 4 Hawfinches were in the trees behind us.  At the dam the muddy fringes had attracted 4 Black-winged Stilts, a Common and a Wood Sandpiper with good numbers of Linnets and a few Meadow Pipits.  The day drawing to a close, we returned to Paphos and then Ay Nik via a restaurant for a well earned steak.

For pictures of birds with a * please click on the following Flickr links:

Highlight of the Week:  Seeing 6 species of Wheatear in a day was pretty impressive.

Other Interesting Finds:  4 new orchids, 2 at Akrotiri,  Ophrys apifera (Bee Orchid) Ochris fragrans (Bug Orchid), Epipactis veritrifloria (Eastern Marsh Helliborine) at Episkopi and Ophrys mammosa herae (Spider Orchid) at Everetou Dam.  Eastern Festoon was a cracker and it was good to finally see the endemic Paphos Blue.  Another addition to the creatures list with a Troodos Lizard (Deb's photo) at Kannaviou was also seen.

Look Forward:  3 weeks without any visitors and a few trips planned in the peak of migration should be productive.  With many early migrants now passed through the island the turn of the Nightingales and acrocephalus warblers should be upon us.

If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at:   birder639@yahoo.com

Mark Easterbrook

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SPTA West

22nd Mar 2013 | Posted in: UK Birding | Comments (0)

Woodcock and Wheatear

The area is open again after the big exercise and last weekend a walk around Imber Firs and Fish Hook was held with the theme being Woodcock and Wheatear.  The weather was kind despite a horrendous forecast though the wind was strong.  There is nothing to protect you from the wind blowing in any direction as it is a high point.  Using the woods as shelter became rather important.  Only a few hardy souls turned up including the Canadian Liaison Officer with his wife.  The walk meant a survey of 2 grid squares which turned up 32 species.  The stars were the 7 Woodcock (an addition to his UK list for one visitor to these shores) which turned out for us with some very good views.  Unfortunately there were no sightings of Wheatear but for those who drove out by Imber Clump there was one on a post waiting for its photograph to be taken.  A pair of Bullfinches put on a display for the group as did a large mixed flock of Starlings and fieldfares.  Skylarks sang when the sun came out and Meadow Pipits provided a collective fly-past.  Goldcrest sang from the woods and a Short-eared Owl quartered the ground close up, demonstrating to the group how it should be done.

The next day was the last Hen Harrier survey of the winter.  I stationed myself at Copehill Down where the only excitement was a Yellowhammer singing and the distant murmuration of Starlings; only a few hundred thousand this time!  The other teams managed to see Short-eared and Barn Owls flying by but no Hen Harriers.   There was even a Little Owl by one Vedette.  Spring must be on the way as Sand Martins and Swallows have been reported around the area as were a few Meditteranean Gulls (I dipped but they were in the flock somewhere).  It does not seem Spring is here given the current weather but I am now keeping an eye out for arriving migrants.

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Cyprus Weekly

17th Mar 2013 | Posted in: Overseas Birding | Comments (0)

Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 17 Mar

Eastern Subalpine Warbler at Cape Greco 13 Mar

* indicates that a photo of the species is included please visit Flickr site to view.

Tuesday and a trip to the dentist in Dhekelia allowed me views of 3 Cyprus Warblers.  In the afternoon, we'd arranged to take a couple of visiting parents, who were birdwatchers out.  I took them to the Cape Greco area firstly stopping at Ayia Napa Sewage Works to see the Orchid - of course.  In any event, a male Blue Rock Thrush, a cracking male Masked Shrike and good numbers of Isabelline and Northern Wheatears.  The Cape provided more views of the same species, so we stopped at Paralimni Lake on the way home, where a Great White Egret, numerous Green Sandpipers and a couple of Spur Winged Plovers were of interest.  A flock of c400 Ruff was the largest of the spring so far.  Of interest at Ayia Napa Sewage Works was huge numbers of Vagrant Emperors following a heavy dust storm.

On Wednesday morning, I had arranged to meet 2 orchid enthusiasts from the Limassol area to show them the rare Caspian Butterfly Orchid.   Prior to this, I stopped at Paralimni Lake where good numbers of waders were present, including a Black-tailed Godwit, Marsh, Green and Woodsandpipers with a couple of Greenshank and 2 Lesser Whitethroats.  We achieved the orchid sighting and in doing so we also saw a couple of Blue Rock Thrushes, several Northern and Isabelline Wheatears, a Lesser Whitethroat, the male Masked Shrike again, a Long-legged Buzzard, a Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper.  We continued to the Cape Greco Sea Caves area where we found good numbers of Northern Wheatears, a couple of Black Redstarts, good numbers of Pyramidal Orchids and where I photographed the male Subalpine Warbler – above.

I returned home to meed Matt & Karen, where we headed to the North for an overnight stay at Bellapais.  We arrived to an excellent hotel and restaurant where we celebrated Matt’s birthday before a good night’s sleep in well-appointed rooms.  We rose and after breakfast visited the Bellapais monastery, but not before seeing a couple of Red-rumped Swallows and an adult Bonelli’s Eagle over the hills above Kyrenia.  After the monastery we drove east on the north coast stopping for coffee and birding along the way, where we saw Northern Wheatears, a Long-legged Buzzard and at Balalan, at least 4 Cretszchmar’s Buntings, 2 Red-rumped Swallows*, a Corn Bunting, Song Thrush, Sardinian Warbler and a couple of Stonechats.  We crossed the east end of the Kyrenia range and headed down the south coast via Bojaz and Salamis.  We had lunch at the restaurant at the ruins and then walked around hearing several Cetti’s Warblers and seeing Cyprus and Sardinian Warblers.  As we were leaving 2 Audouin’s Gulls did a fly by and Matt managed a couple of good shots of them.  The Famagusta wetlands were a bit disappointing but the Chinese for dinner at Clapsides beach wasn’t – the end of another day!

Friday morning and out early to Cape Greco via Paralimni Lake.  The lake held good numbers of waders and a good variety with Snipe, Spur-winged Plovers, Marsh, Wood and Green Sandpipers with Greenshanks and Redshanks also being in attendance.   A flock of c400-500 Ruffs was an impressive sight.  3 Great White Egrets also fed amongst the numerous Cattle Egrets.  We proceeded to Ayia Napa Sewage Works and another Orchid photostop – we saw 7 species in total.  At least 8 Cretszchmar’s Buntings were present along with Lesser Whitthroats, a Common Whitethroat, 2 Ruppels Warblers, a Blackcap and a couple of Blue Rock Thrushes.  I managed to capture a Vagrant Emperor female*, that had become entangled in the long grass, which was useful as they had proved incredibly difficult to photograph previously.  At least 3 Cyprus Wheatears were present along with Northerns and Isabellines.  We proceeded to Cape Greco where Matt photographed a singing male Cyprus Warbler (incidentally, it had a single white feather on its head and appears to be the same bird I photographed about a month ago and on the same bush).  A walk around revealed a couple of Blue Rock Thrushes, several more Cyprus Warblers and as we walked we flushed several birds some of which did not look like Sparrows.  As we studied them, and listened to the calls once more, it became clear that they were Greater Short-toed Larks* and we both managed some good shots of them. 

We returned home for the by now compulsory end to a holiday and a visit to the Turkish barbers for the full-monty 20 Euro treatment.  Feeling completely, clean, abused and revitalised and not to mention looking a lot younger we went for a beer and a kebab for lunch before Matt & Karen departed for the airport.  Another set of visitors behind us – we settled down for a bit of a subdued night of TV.  It’s always strange and the house is a bit empty when visitors depart and you have to settle back into the routine.  But at least I don’t have to struggle another Meze down for a few weeks.

On Saturday we left early and headed for Hisarkoy in the North to stay with a friend and Orchid guru – Tony Hutchinson.  We arrived at about 0800 but not before seeing a long awaited year tick with a nice Great Spotted Cuckoo flying across the road and landing in an olive tree.  We drove to Camlibel and onto Tepabasi, where we visited the Cyprus Tulip* fields and saw a new and impressive orchid; Naked Man Orchid (Ochris italic)*.  We returned for Hallim (Halloumi) cheese pittas for lunch that we’d purchased in Morphou and after a lovely lunch walked into the local hillsides and woods.  Here we saw Dull Ophrys (Ophrys fusca fusca israelitca)*, (Cyprus) Woodcock Orchid* (Ophrys lepethica) and Serapias vomeracea bromelii, which were all new as well as some others that I’d seen before.  We continued walking and flushed another Great Spotted Cuckoo and a single Alpine Swift flew over the hillside.  I managed to add a Cyprus butterfly “tick” in the pine woods with a patrolling male Orange Tip*.  We went to the local restaurant for dinner and enjoyed and excellent and inexpensive full Turkish kebab and a statutory Efes larger.  We returned to watch the second half of the Wales, England game, an experience I could have done without especially in the presence of a Welshman.

On Sunday we visited the Tulip Festival at Tepabasi.  We enjoyed an excellent couple of hours of folk music, dancing, crafts and chicken gyros.  The first three items keeping Deb very happy and the final one making me extremely happy rounded off an interesting morning.  We returned to Famagusta via Koprulu Dam, where 59 Greater Flamingos, 33 Ruff and several Pintails were seen.  The numbers were made up with thousands of Teal, Shovellers and Coots.  Several Calandra Larks displayed around the surrounding fields and a pair of Stonechats hung on to their wintering territory.

The Famagusta sites held little, although 160 Greater Flamingos, 4 Wigeon and some Black-headed Gulls were at Fresh Water Lake North.  We returned home, completed the post weekend admin and headed off to Paralimni Lake for the last hour of light in an extremely strong wind.  The lake is now being drained and is attracting good numbers of waders.  Today, 12 Black-winged Stilts, 5 Green Sandpipers, a Snipe, c40 Kentish Plovers, 2 Ringed Plovers and a Great White Egret were present.  I also added 2 welcome year ticks if you’re into sub species with a flock of c30 Yellow Wagtails of the Black-headed (felldegg) race, which included 2 Blue-headed (flava) birds.

We returned home and the most important event of the week took place – “List Maintenance”.

For pictures of birds with a * please click on the following Flickr links:

Highlight of the Week:  Lots of migration, a trip to the Tepabasi Tulip Festival and finding a very rare Orchid at Ayia Napa Sewage Works – only the 3rd record for Cyprus.

Other Interesting Finds:  An Orange Tip in the North – my first for Cyprus and a couple of new orchids including Naked Man Orchid, (Cyprus) Woodstock Orchid, Serapias vomer berelii and Dull Ophrys.  Also a Pyramedial Orchid at Cape Greco.

Look Forward:  A day off on Monday and lots of migration during the week with a trip to Paphos next weekend.

If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at:   birder639@yahoo.com

Mark Easterbrook

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