Spent the day with Jayne who was staying in Pegeia.  We visited Cape Drepanum, Meletis area of Akamas, Paphos Sewage Works, Asprokremmos Dam, Mandria, Agia Varvara and Anarita Park. We had sightings of many Lesser Grey, Red-backed and Masked Shrike at all locations with a solitary Woodchat Shrike at Mandria.  There appeared to have been a fall of Whinchat and we saw between three and ten at all locations. Likewise there were many Willow Warblers around wherever we visited.

At Paphos Sewage Works we also found up to three hundred Yellow Wagtail – many juvenile and female birds but also a few males of the flava and feldegg races. In amongst them was a lone Greater Short-toed Lark, a male Northern Wheatear and a couple of Isabelline Wheatear. At least six Hoopoe were also feeding on the cut alfalfa fields together with thirteen Spur-winged Lapwing and many Hooded Crow and Jackdaw were taking advantage of the water from the sprinkling system. Sardinian Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher were in the trees close to the sea and several Barn Swallow were flying around. The only bird of prey was a Common Kestrel but two Black Francolin obliged with good views as they crept along the edge of the field.

At Asprokremmos Dam we were unable to find a Cyprus Warbler which was disappointing but we did find a couple of Spotted Flycatcher and a male Masked Shrike as well as a few more Isabelline Wheatear. As usual the pines were full of Goldfinch. The Dam itself held a lone Yellow-legged Gull and as we drove away we saw a Little Owl and a European Roller. The star birds at Mandria were Stone Curlew sheltering from the heat in the olive groves there. It was at Mandria that we also had our best sighting of the day – not a bird but a turtle swimming close to the shore – probably a Green Turtle Chelonia mydas.

We found two Cyprus Wheatear at Agia Varvara so Jayne had good sightings of one of our endemics. We also found another Little Owl there who watched us watching him! We added no new species at Anarita Park and were disappointed to see no raptors at all all day other than Common Kestrel. A quiet day overall but an enjoyable day in Jayne’s company.

List of birds seen:

European Shag,  Common Kestrel, Chukar, Black Francolin, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Spur-winged Lapwing, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Little Owl, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Yellow Wagtail – including Blue-headed and Black-headed, Whinchat, Isabelline Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Cyprus Wheatear, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Masked Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, European Goldfinch