Just got back from a trip to Cyprus. Not a birding trip but still kept the bins at hand just in case. In fact it was quiet as regards Birdlife. To be expected to some extent with migration petering out but it had also been a very dry winter with very little rainfall so all the usual rivers, and pools held no water at all. Several species were only seen where the irrigation equipment sprayed water over the Fodder crops.
I managed to get a few photograghs of some of the birds that were around. Best bird was probably a Greater Sandplover found on my adopted 'patch' just outside Paphos. Over the years the beach and crop fields behind have produced some excellent 'finds' including White tailed Plover, Collared Pratincole, Icterine warbler and a number of Tern species.
Greater Sandplover, Mandria beach
Much to my disappointment I missed out on an Amur falcon a rare visitor to the Western Palearctic. Very similar to Red footed falcons many of which were still around the Anarita Park area but no sign of the Amur falcon although I learned later that it was still around during the first couple of days of my visit.
Red footed Falcon, Anarita Park
Other birds in the Aghia Vavara area included good numbers of Rollers, Kestrels and Great spotted Cuckoos.
Great spotted Cuckoo
Roller
Alpine Swift
Red rumped Swallow
Red rumped Swallow
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