The Greater Flamingo is probably the most well known species overwintering in Cyprus. They are also the most easy to see – large flocks are present most winters on the Larnaca and Akrotiri Salt Lakes with others occasionally at Oroklini Marsh and Paralimni Lake. A smaller and more elusive visitor is the Bluethroat. A few individuals have already been seen at Akhna Dam this autumn  –  I found one there a week ago flitting around the roots of of waterside bushes. This site is a reliable place to check for this bird – at the edge of the reeds flitting from the safety of the vegetation on the mud to feed and back. In the past Zakaki Marsh has been a good place to check but this year the works around that area may change that. The vegetation in front of the Larnaca Sewage Works hide is another place Bluethroat have been seen in the past. Hopefully Phassouri Reed-beds and Oroklini will have a couple as usual. The most commonly occurring race in Cyprus is the form with the red spot in the middle of the throat. The white spotted form is scarcer and there are very few records of the all blue throated form.

This Bluethroat was photographed at Zakaki Marsh in November2008