Spent Sunday and Monday in the Paphos area with Richard and Mike who were over from the UK on a short break for some birding. We started early Sunday morning with a walk around the Headland and inside the archaeological site, moving onto Paphos Sewage Works, Ezousas soakaways, Mandria and finishing at Anarita Park. On Monday we started at the Kouklia Fish Farm pool before heading to Asprokremmos Dam and then moving down to the Lower Xeros Pools. A quick recheck of Mandria then over Minthis Hills and then a drive around the Akoursos area. We finished our time out at Cape Drepanum. Over the two days we saw 80 different birds between us with Richard and Mike gaining a good number of lifers each.

Highlights at each site

Sunday 7^th April

Paphos Headland – Pallid Harrier 1 juv, Greater Short-toed Lark 3, Tawny Pipit c10, Yellow Wagtail 20+ from various races including one ‘superciliaris’, Tree Pipit 1+, Common Redstart 1m, Common Nightingale 1 seen and others heard, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler 1, Subalpine Warbler 1m, Lesser and Common Whitethroat, Woodchat Shrike 4+, Spanish Sparrow

Paphos Sewage Works – Spur-winged Lapwing, Hoopoe, Common Kingfisher 1

Ezousas Soakaways – Squacco Heron 1, Green Sandpiper 1, Tree Pipit 1

Mandria – Black Francolin 2, Chukar 2, Greater Sand Plover 6, Broad-billed Sandpiper 1, Greater Short-toed Lark c20, Isabelline Wheatear 4, Northern Wheatear 2

Anarita Park – Montagu’s Harrier 1m, Pallid Harrier 1f, Lesser Kestrel 13, Alpine Swift 3, Red-rumped Swallow 3, Whinchat 6, Woodchat Shrike 1, Corn Bunting 2+

Monday 8^th April

Kouklia Fish Farm Pool – Roller 1, Spotted Crake 1, Black-winged Stilt 1, Wood Sandpiper 3, Common Sandpiper 2, Yellow Wagtail 10+ from various races including one ‘dombrowski’, Sedge Warbler 3, Great Reed Warbler 1

Asprokremmos Dam – Montagu’s Harrier 1f, Long-legged Buzzard 1, Chukar 2, Hoopoe 2, Red-rumped Swallow 1, Common Redstart 1f, Sardinian Warbler 3, Cyprus Warbler 2m, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Blackcap 1, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler 1

Lower Xeros Pools – Little Egret 1, Glossy Ibis 2, Little Crake 1, Little Ringed Plover 5, Wood Sandpiper 5, Sand Martin 1, Masked Shrike 1

Mandria – Kentish Plover 2

Minthis Hills – Pallid Harrier 1m, Corn Bunting 2+

Akoursos – Long-legged Buzzard 1, Rock Dove 3, Tree Pipit 3+, Common Nightingale 1 heard, Cyprus Wheatear 8+, Red-rumped Swallow 1

Pegeia – Bonelli’s Eagle 2 adult

Cape Drepanum – Yellow Wagtail 300+, Greater Short-toed Lark c30