Cyprus 2011

1st summer Red footed Falcon, Anarita
Thursday 19th May 2011

Just enjoyed a non-birding holiday in Cyprus, a bit earlier than last year so just caught the end of the migration season, not that we were birding, but you keep your eyes open dont you! Only trouble is you miss a few things in the UK. if you go away in May. It seems the good stuff was quite local this year I think I missed a Midlands tick, the Black Stork, and a County tick ,the Night Heron and a few other good birds but I can live with that. We had a great holiday.

Cyprus gets a bad press, the shooting and trapping of wild birds. Quite rightly, but throughout our stay we saw and heard no evidence of either in the countryside of south west Cyprus. The cynic would say they're too busy destroying the habitats, building more and more apartments and Villas they cant sell. There are 2 ways of looking at it. You can make an individual gesture by simply boycotting the country or, visiting the country and make it clear that you are there because of the birds. You cant make any sort of statement passively though, you've got to talk to people - local farmers, hotel managers and write to tourist boards etc. Just not going somewhere might make you feel better but it aint going to change anything, Tourists will continue to flock to places like Cyprus and Malta.

Anyway back to the birds, Jan and I wandered about the local countryside, taking in some good birding locations such as Smylies trail, Cap Drapano, Mandria, Phasouri, and the Asprokremnos reservoir. The trusty camera was never far away to record what we saw.......