Agia Varvara

Agia Varvara. A visit on 22/11/16 we noticed that the water department had cleared the aquafier pools in readiness for the winter. Visiting again today, despite this disruption, produced much the same birds that had been seen previously on the 22nd. In the pools were Common Snipe, Bluethroat, European Serin, Songthrush, White Wagtail and Meadow Pipit taking advantage of the new water. In the surrounding area were a male Finsch's Wheatear, Little Owl, European Robin, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Stonechat and Long-legged Buzzard.

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Wallcreeper

Avakas Gorge. Another visit to the gorge where we managed closer views of the Wallcreeper that we saw last week. We saw our first sighting approx 100 metres past the narrowest part of the gorge. We then spent another couple of hours viewing approx 100 metres further up. We saw one Wallcreeper feeding in a wide range of approx 500 metres going well up past the "shard".
Also seen Female Blue Rock Thrush and a Sparrowhawk.

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Raptor Watch

Raptor Watch for BirdLife Cyprus at Mandria Paphos.
At the start the usual Common Kestrels were hunting over the fields and shortly after a Black Kite was chased out to sea by mobbing Hooded Crows. There were various groups of Red-footed Falcon rising together with smaller numbers of Honey Buzzard, a group of European Bee Eaters were seen along with others heard throughout the morning. A long-legged Buzzard and Marsh Harrier were seen.
Moving to the West side of Mandria there were 17 Red footed Falcon on wires which diminished to 9 although there was evidence of some returning. Also in the same area 2 European Roller and a Bonelli's Eagle.
We completed our day with a visit to Paphos Sewage Works where a couple of Northern Lapwing along with the resident Spur Winged Plover were seen.

Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)

European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

Female Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus

Blunt Nosed Viper

A walk up the inlet of Mavrokolympos dam looking for dragonflies with Dave's brother we came to an abrupt halt when we came close to a Blunt Nosed Viper (Macrovipera lebetina), that unusually did not scurry off, probably due to the fact that it had just started to digest it's prey. A venomous snake that will only attack in self defence.

Mavrokolympos Dam

Having seen an early morning report of a Lesser Grey Shrike in our local area of Mavrokolympos Dam we we thought migration must be picking up. A visit to the area did not produce the Lesser Grey but did manage a Red Backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike and a few Masked Shrike. There were also a couple of Little Grebe on the water and a number of Cyprus Wheatear that are now in autumn plumage, a rear and front view is shown below.

Red Backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) Mavrokolympos Dam 

Cyprus Wheatear ( Oenanthe cypriaca), Mavrokolympos Dam

Cyprus Wheatear ( Oenanthe cypriaca), Mavrokolympos Dam

Recent Butterflies

Thymelicus acteon (Lulworth Skipper)

Carcharodus alceae (Mallow Skipper)

Pontia daplidice (Bath White)

Akamas National Park

Akamas National Park Area, although very hot 35c it was worth seeing many European Roller in breeding locations together with Cyprus Wheatear. Masked and Woodchat Shrike and juvenile Little Owls.

European Roller (Coracias garrulus), A passage migrant and breeding summer visitor to Cyprus. Akamas National Park

European Roller (Coracias garrulus), A passage migrant and breeding summer visitor to Cyprus. Akamas National Park

Juvenile Little Owl (Athene noctura), a resident breeding bird of Cyprus, Akamas National Park