One factor that I’ve realized from repeated spring visits to Cyprus is that no two years are ever the identical. This April situations had been glorious for migrant waders, so there have been loads to see. The island’s largest salt lake, Akrotiri, will not be an awesome draw for waders, however the vary of huge, shallow saline swimming pools on its east aspect, alongside Girl’s Mile, had been in good situation to draw all kinds of species. Ruffs had been by far essentially the most quite a few, with as many as 500 birds in view directly. Few birds sport such magnificent breeding plumage because the male ruff, however not a single chook 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 chook. These ruffs nonetheless had a 1,000 or extra miles to fly to achieve their northern breeding grounds. Not surprisingly, there was no courting, both: these birds had been feeding regularly, fuelling up for the following leg of their migration.
Ruffs hardly ever purchase their breeding finery till they attain their breeding grounds
The Ruffs had been feeding out in the midst of the swimming pools, however across the edges had been scores of Little Stints, nearly all now in splendid summer season plumage. They had been sharing the identical habitat because the resident Kentish Plovers, the one wader to breed right here.
Marsh Sandpipers look slightly like small Greenshanks
Some cautious work with the scope produced a few Dunlins and half a dozen Curlew Sandpipers. The Dunlin had been coming near full summer season plumage, whereas one of many Curlew Sandpipers was displaying its good-looking, purple summer season plumes. So too, had been a few Marsh Sandpipers and a Noticed Redshank. Further species seen included a pair of Whimbrels which didn’t linger, Little Ringed Plovers and Greenshanks.
Larger Flamingoes stir the water as they feed, attracting waders. Look fastidiously and also you would possibly spot two Purple-necked Phalaropes on this long-range {photograph}
A bonus was discovering a trio of Purple-necked Phalaropes, an everyday migrant by Cyprus however not one you may all the time ensure of seeing. These birds, nonetheless of their gray winter plumage, appreciated to feed across the Larger Flamingoes. Presumably the Flamingoes stirred the mud, to the Phalaropes’ benefit, Frustratingly, although we loved nice views by 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 aspect of the salt lake. The marshes had been wanting pretty much as good as I’ve ever seen them. Till lately the cattle that grazed right here had been tethered, however they’re now allowed to vary freely, and by doing so that they have opened up the marsh significantly, creating high-quality habitat. Right here there have been quite a few Black-winged Stilts and Wooden Sandpipers, plus just a few 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 had 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 just a few 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 all the time a delight to see. There have been additionally just a few herons to be seen – Purple, Squacco and Black-crowned Evening Heron
Wooden Sandpiper, a freshmarsh specialist
Squacco Herons are acquainted spring migrants
Larger Sand Plovers are a significant attraction for British birdwatchers, for Cyprus is the one web site in Europe the place they’re seen repeatedly. Some over winter, however just a few all the time go by on spring migration. They’re by no means simple to see, however we had been fortunate to come across a passing chook 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 Larger Sand Plovers (above and under), however encountering one is all the time 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 Purple-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 chook
Purple-throated Pipit, a straightforward chook to miss
A high-quality 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 Quick-toed Larks, however not one of the migrant wheatears aside from Northern (Black-eared and Isabelline can each be widespread). One other vital miss was Wryneck, a chook that I’ve often seen prior to now. My {photograph} (under) was taken in 2016.
Brown chook, brown background. A Wryneck at Paphos
One vital change to the birding scene this 12 months was having the ability to be a part of the native WhatsApp birding group. I’m unsure that we noticed any further birds due to it, nevertheless it did be certain that we knew what we had missed. A number of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters had been seen throughout our keep, however we solely managed to see one which flew proper over our heads. Checking the WhatsApp messages just a few days after we had flown residence, 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 Girl’s Mile. I’ve seen each species earlier than on Cyprus, however I’d have appreciated to have seen them once more.
It’s simple to focus on the coast, however there are some high-quality birds to be discovered inland, as I’ll reveal subsequent week.