A day around the Paphos birding spots with Brenda and George today. We started at Petra tou Romiou where we had a dozen overhead Alpine Swift, singing male Cyprus Wheatear and Warbler as well as two distant Eleonora’s Falcon and close up views of a Peregrine Falcon. We then explored the area behind Asprokemmos Dam near the mast where we spent some time watching a family party of Spectacled Warbler, saw a male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, a couple of Whinchat, a pair of Red-rumped Swallow and a migrating Purple Heron. On approaching the Dam itself we were pleased to see an Osprey flying over the area. In the trees of the amenities area near the Dam we found two male Collared Flycatcher, two Spotted Flycatcher and a Eurasian Hoopoe.

Moving to the Sewage Works we quickly found our target species – the Spur-winged Lapwing. There were at least seven birds around the Plant buildings and in fields. We watched at least 35 migrating Glossy Ibis and also found our only Yellow Wagtails of the day – two Black-headed around a small puddle of water. On arrival at the coast of Mandria we saw seventeen Northern Pintail flying E along the coast. In a field we found three Spur-winged Lapwing and a Ruff and a male Red-backed Shrike on a tree near the picnic site where we ate our lunch.

Moving inland we headed to the Ezousas Valley behind Agia Varvara village. A lone Garganey was on one of the pools there and we also found Spanish Sparrow, Eurasian Turtle Dove and Eurasian Reed Warbler. We finished the day in Anarita Park. There we found three pairs of Great Spotted Cuckoo, two Little Owl, a hunting female Pallid Harrier, around twenty Lesser Kestrel, a European Roller, a Woodchat Shrike, two Whinchat and a Long-legged Buzzard. As at our first stop we also had Cyprus Wheatear and Cyprus Warbler. A good end to a good day’s birding.

Total species seen – 54

Little Egret, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Pallid Harrier, Long-legged Buzzard, Osprey, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Eleonora’s Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Chukar, Black Francolin, Common Moorhen, Spur-winged Lapwing, Ruff, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Eurasian Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, European Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Common House Martin, Black-headed Wagtail, Whinchat, Cyprus Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Collared Flycatcher, Great Tit, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Corn Bunting