CYPRUS SPRING’23
MAY 17th- JUN. 1st 2023
DAILY LOG
Weds.17th travel day
Thurs. 18th
We revisited Cyprus after a break of over 20 years this Spring . Staying at the Elysium hotel at the top end of the strip.. next to the Tomb of the Kings archaeological site. Lots of restaurants nearby, only a half hour drive from the airp.. a great place to stay!!First look around the Hotel grounds and what immediately struck me was how quiet it was regarding the bird life … hardly any migrants… but I must admit, I knew that a lot of migrants would have moved on … never the less there were still some nice birds to see; for example going out onto our balcony and hearing Quail constantly calling .. and a White Stork fly – over!!
- House Sparrow: Hotel Grounds
- Laughing Dove: Hotel Grounds
- Hooded Crow: Hotel Grounds
- Swift: Hotel Grounds
- Swallow: Hotel Grounds
- Bee-eater: Hotel Grounds
- House Martin: Hotel Grounds
- Wood pigeon: Hotel Grounds
- Yellow Legged Herring Gull Hotel Grounds
- Kestrel: Hotel Grounds
- Collared Dove: Hotel Grounds
- Quail : Hotel Grounds
- White Stork: Hotel Grounds
- Crested Lark: Paphos Headland
- Fantld’Warbler Paphos Headland
Took myself off for an afternoon walk around the Tomb of the Kings archaeological site , which was right next to our hotel, very hot but managed to se a few new birds for the Holiday list
- Great tit: Archeological Site (Tomb of the Kings)
- Pied Flycatcher: Archeological Site (Tomb of the Kings)
- Greenfinch: Archeological Site. (Tomb of the Kings)
- Archeological Site. (Tomb of the Kings)
- Sardinian Warbler. Archeological Site. (Tomb of the Kings)
Fri. 19th
No new birds recorded today
Sat. 20th
A very hot walk down to the Paphos Harbour yielded little, apart from Yellow legged Gulls and a new bird for the holiday list 5 Shags resting on a rock in the harbour
- Shag: Paphos Harbour
- Linnet: Archeological Site. (Tomb of the Kings)
Sun.21st
A day chilling by the beach, very little moving; at the end of the day one new bird !!
- Grey Heron: Hotel Grounds
Mon. 22nd
A nice long walk from the hotel up to Paphos Headland first thing in the morning when it was a little cooler produced some nice birds for the holiday .. nice to get a couple of heron species!!
- Jackdaw: Paphos Headland
- Sptd F’Catcher: Paphos Headland
- SquaccoHeron: Paphos Headland
- Night Heron: Hotel Grounds
Tues. 23rd.
Did not do a lot of birding today, however this afternoon a few swifts caught my attention flying around the hotel , they were calling too Pallid Swifts!!!
- Pallid Swift: Hotel Grounds
Weds. 24th
No new birds recorded today
Thurs. 25th
Hired a car for the next few days and had a search about; today visited Asprokremnos Dam and Mandria fields – near the airport. Saw some nice birds .. but as I mentioned in my introduction pretty quiet with most migrants gone .. but non the less still great to see and hear birds scubas Stone Curlew and Blackfrancolin.
- Magpie:
- Goldfinch:
- Chaffinch:
- Stone Curlew:
- Black Francolin:
- Turtle Dove:
- Cetti’s Warbler
- Roller
Fri. 26th
Had a big drive around the foothills east of Paphos with the main target in mind Black Headed Bunting armed with a bit of local information set off; drove through some beautiful countryside. Eventually found a couple of Black Headed Bunting which were new birds for me!! Next destination …Evretou Dam… apparently good for raptors!! Only had to wait for 10 minutes until a juvenile Goshawk flew over and then a Bonelli’s Eagle involved in an aerial scrap with 2 Long-legged Buzzards … distant but still great to watch. After Evretou Dam, headed back to Paphos with a couple more Long Legged Buzzard sightings on the way back. Cracking day celebrated with a cold beer and why not!!
- Black Hd. Bunting:
- Corn Bunting
- Chukar
- Goshawk:
- Long- legged Buzzard
- Bonelli’s Eagle
- East’ Olivaceous Warbler
Sat. 27th
An early morning walk produced 3 more new birds for the Holiday List and back for breakfast !! Sadly the car went back today so the rest of the holiday will be on foot and public transport!!
- Lesser Black Backed Gull Paphos Headland
- Stonechat: Paphos Headland
- Spanish Sparrow: Paphos Headland
Sun. 28th
Lazy pool day with just one new bird for the list!!
- Cormorant: Hotel Grounds
Mon. 29th
Nice walk close to the hotel produced a few surprises today especially when a Hobby stormed through..typically not stopping however it did put the fear of God into the local Swallow population and literally a crowd of birds attempted to mob the Hobby as it passed overhead!!
- Spoonbill: Hotel Grounds
- Cattle Egret: Hotel Grounds
- Hobby: Hotel Grounds
Tues. 30th
No new birds recorded today
Weds. 31st
No new birds for the trip as we flew home today.
