One factor that I’ve discovered from repeated spring visits to Cyprus is that no two years are ever the identical. This April situations have been glorious for migrant waders, so there have been loads to see. The island’s largest salt lake, Akrotiri, will not be a terrific draw for waders, however the vary of huge, shallow saline swimming pools on its east facet, alongside Woman’s Mile, have been in good situation to draw all kinds of species. Ruffs have been by far probably the most quite a few, with as many as 500 birds in view without delay. Few birds sport such magnificent breeding plumage because the male ruff, however not a single hen confirmed greater than a touch of this plumage. I believe that this have to be as a result of the magnificent neck feathers, or ruff, are an encumbrance to a migrant hen. These ruffs nonetheless had a 1,000 or extra miles to fly to succeed in their northern breeding grounds. Not surprisingly, there was no courting, both: these birds have been feeding regularly, fuelling up for the subsequent leg of their migration.
Ruffs hardly ever purchase their breeding finery till they attain their breeding grounds
The Ruffs have been feeding out in the midst of the swimming pools, however across the edges have been scores of Little Stints, virtually all now in splendid summer time plumage. They have been sharing the identical habitat because the resident Kentish Plovers, the one wader to breed right here.
Marsh Sandpipers look a bit like small Greenshanks
Some cautious work with the scope produced a few Dunlins and half a dozen Curlew Sandpipers. The Dunlin have been coming near full summer time plumage, whereas one of many Curlew Sandpipers was displaying its good-looking, crimson summer time plumes. So too, have been a few Marsh Sandpipers and a Noticed Redshank. Extra species seen included a pair of Whimbrels which didn’t linger, Little Ringed Plovers and Greenshanks.
Higher Flamingoes stir the water as they feed, attracting waders. Look fastidiously and also you may spot two Pink-necked Phalaropes on this long-range {photograph}
A bonus was discovering a trio of Pink-necked Phalaropes, an everyday migrant by means of Cyprus however not one you may at all times make certain of seeing. These birds, nonetheless of their gray winter plumage, favored to feed across the Higher Flamingoes. Presumably the Flamingoes stirred the mud, to the Phalaropes’ benefit, Frustratingly, although we loved nice views by means of the scope, they by no means got here shut sufficient to {photograph} satisfactorily.
A flock of Shiny Ibises over the Phasouri Reedbeds
For freshwater waders, it’s essential to go to Akrotiri Marsh and Phasouri Reedbeds on the different facet of the salt lake. The marshes have been wanting pretty much as good as I’ve ever seen them. Till not too long ago the cattle that grazed right here have been tethered, however they’re now allowed to vary freely, and by doing in order that they have opened up the marsh significantly, creating fantastic habitat. Right here there have been quite a few Black-winged Stilts and Wooden Sandpipers, plus a number of Frequent Snipe, Black-tailed Godwits and each Noticed and Marsh Sandpipers (the latter birds that like each recent and saline feeding areas).
There have been different birds to be seen, too. Shiny Ibises have been quite a few, with the most important flock we noticed numbering a minimum of 50 birds, whereas a number of pairs of Garganey lingered for a number of days earlier than persevering with their migration north. On one event a flock of 5 Collared Pratincoles flew over: they’re such elegant fliers they’re at all times a delight to see. There have been additionally a number of herons to be seen – Purple, Squacco and Black-crowned Evening Heron
Wooden Sandpiper, a freshmarsh specialist
Squacco Herons are acquainted spring migrants
Higher Sand Plovers are a serious attraction for British birdwatchers, for Cyprus is the one web site in Europe the place they’re seen frequently. Some over winter, however a number of at all times cross by means of on spring migration. They’re by no means simple to see, however we have been fortunate to come across a passing hen on Mandria Seaside. Flying in firm with a Ringed Plover, it settled briefly, earlier than persevering with its migration.
Cyprus is a dependable place to see Higher Sand Plovers (above and under), however encountering one is at all times a matter of luck
Minutes later we discovered a 3rd plover species, a solitary Golden in breeding plumage, feeding behind the seashore in an irrigated subject, in firm with scores of Pink-throated Pipits and Yellow Wagtails. The most typical of the migrant wagtails is the putting black-headed feldegg, outnumbering the nominate blue-headed flava (under).
A blue-headed Yellow Wagtail of the nominate race, flava, and (under) a black-headed feldegg hen
Pink-throated Pipit, a straightforward hen to miss
A fantastic cock Northern Wheatear
This 12 months we struggled to seek out different passerine migrants, a mirrored image on the new, settled climate we skilled throughout our 10 days on the island. We noticed just some Pied and Collared flycatchers, only one flock of Brief-toed Larks, however not one of the migrant wheatears aside from Northern (Black-eared and Isabelline can each be widespread). One other important miss was Wryneck, a hen that I’ve normally seen previously. My {photograph} (under) was taken in 2016.
Brown hen, brown background. A Wryneck at Paphos
One important change to the birding scene this 12 months was with the ability to be part of the native WhatsApp birding group. I’m undecided that we noticed any additional birds due to it, however it did be certain that we knew what we had missed. A number of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters have been seen throughout our keep, however we solely managed to see one which flew proper over our heads. Checking the WhatsApp messages a number of days after we had flown house, I noticed that {that a} flock of six Cream-Colored Coursers had been seen on Mandria Seaside, and an analogous variety of Broad-billed Sandpipers had paused on Woman’s Mile. I’ve seen each species earlier than on Cyprus, however I’d have favored to have seen them once more.
It’s simple to focus on the coast, however there are some fantastic birds to be discovered inland, as I’ll reveal subsequent week.
