A week in Cyprus near Coral Bay Phaphos no car just a bit of headland to walk round most mornings and afternoons.Its 15 years since I last went ,,,,,,,
Day 1 , the headland was busy with the sound of Sardinian Warblers (7 pairs still in and around territories) 5 - 7 Crested larks singing , 10 Stonechats , 5 White Wagtails , a migrant Sedge Warbler and 4/5 Chiffchaffs. 300/400 Spanish Sparrows , a Sparrowhawk kept spooking the Sparrows and 50 Hooded Crows patrolled the headland. A Hermit , 5 Bath White , 3 Painted lady , 20 African Grass Blue , Long tailed Blue and Clouded Yellows were pretty common. A few Crimson Speckled were blowing about in the wind. A few hours sea watching produced 4 Yellow legged Gulls.
Long tailed Blues
Crested lark 20 + most days
Day 2 was very similar to day 1 with hot sunshine from day break . An influx of Stonechats , White Wagtail , a male Black Redstart and 1 male Whinchat . 2 Common Sandpipers and 3 Kingfisher were on the rocks. The bird of the day was an adult Bonelli's Eagle which drifted north along the coast line before heading back inland. A small flock of 15 Swallows flew straight out to sea. No new butterflies and the sea watch was again YLGulls only .
Day 3 ...Plenty new Chiffs and the odd Willow Warbler on the headland but still very quiet .The sea watch produced Yelkuon 5 and Barolo 3 Shearwaters a few YL Gulls . A cracking Pygmy Skipper and a few Humming bird Hawkmoths .
Day 4 ..Heavy rain dropped in a load more Chiffchaffs , 3 Wheatear ,and White Wagtails but the bird of the day was a cracking Slender billed Gull close into the shore line drifting south. One adult Caspian Gull landed briefly on the headland.
Day 5.. 3 Kentish Plover , 1 Dunlin , 1 Reed Warbler ,1 Fan-tailed Warbler , 4 Wheatear were all new in and a beautiful Swallowtail , 5 Bath White , 1 Hermit ,18 Long tailed Blue , 15 African grass Blue , 5 Clouded Yellow 1 Painted Lady and the odd Large White.
Day 6 ..The wind had changed overnight and was from the s/e , 2 Black Redstarts , 1 male Whinchat , 6 Wheatear and about 18 White Wagtails , 8 Chiffchaffs and 2 Willow Warblers were all flitting about the puddles left by overnight rain , a couple of Yellow Wags and a stonking Red - throated Pipit all came in to view , a raptor / falcon shot through but was too quick to id it . Everything was in the air hundreds of Spanish Sparrows swirling around with wagtails and finches everywhere eventually everything settled down and the White Wagtail flock now about 30 + had moved closer to the sea. A few more Yellow Wags were picked out and 2 Tawny Pipits flew in and started to preen in the puddles. A Common Redstart , 20 + Crested Larks , Chiffs and a couple of Wheatear were feeding in a small area when a fem/ juv type Montys flew south soon followed by 2 Elenora's Falcon chasing the passerines. Another falcon (poss red foot) and Harrier sp were out at sea but too far out to id an 2cy Audouin's Gull was easy to see as it drifted south. Another Mothys flew south and 2 Rose coloured Starling followed just behind them...A couple of male Sardinian Warblers were rattling away on top of a bit of scrub and another Black Redstart was feeding amongst the rocks....that was a great few hours......
By the afternoon the sun was hot and butterfly's were out in force and 4 Cyprus Grayling were seen for the first time......A Sparrowhawk and Peregrine were seen along the headland and a Barn Owl was seen at dusk....
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