Cyprus in Spring (Part 3)

Tuesday 5th March - Tomb of the Kings and the Archaeological Site

First full day of the tour with all the group together and the weather had definitely taken a turn for the better,with wall to wall sunshine and light winds. First up was the Tomb of the Kings, oddly named as no Kings have ever been buried there. Whilst the botanists got down to serious stuff I wandered off looking for some migrant birdlife. The site is ideal for Wheatears but I found only two, a Northern Wheatear  that sort of posed and an Isabelline that shot off and I failed to relocate. 

Bound to be a Black Redstart here....

....and so it proved

Hooded Crows everywhere.

A Kestrel that sat and watched me for an age.

The Cyclamen persicum were particularly good here

More Starred Agamas

In the afternoon we visited the archaeological site on the headland, very few new birds, though we did have good flybys of the Great Spotted Cuckoo.

I revisited the site of the orchids that I had found on Saturday. I was surprised by how quickly the stems of Ophrys flavomarginata had gone over, however, more were on the way. This time I found Ophrys sicula close to the stone walls.

Ophrys flavomarginata

Ophrys flavomarginata

Ophrys sicula

Ophrys sicula

...and, of course, Ophrys umbilicata

Wednesday 6th March - Somewhere in Cyprus and the Pegeia Forest

Moving day. Today we left our hotel in Paphos and headed for our new base, the Aphrodite Beach Hotel on the Akamas Peninsular. However, there were one or two targets to be seen en route as it were. Earlier in the week I had discussed with Yiannis some of the birds that I would love to see and we joked how people expected the tour check list to be delivered in full. When I mentioned Scops Owl I was reminded that the Cyprus Scops Owl is now considered to be a separate species - Otus cyprius. Never did I suspect that Yiannis had something up his sleeve. I have seen photographs of Scops, normally taken at night and illuminated by a poor torch.  So, when summoned to look up in a tree I was dumbfounded to see not one, but two owls, posing in broad daylight. I was so overcome that my first action was to hug Yiannis in thanks - just before I managed to get the camera out, I am not surprised that some of the photographs are poorly focused as I was shaking so much with excitement.

Cypus Scops Owl, Otus cyprius

Cypus Scops Owl, Otus cyprius

Cypus Scops Owl, Otus cyprius

Cypus Scops Owl, Otus cyprius

Next stop was of a botanical nature where we managed to record the Giant Orchid, Himantoglassum robertianum, formerly a Barlia. These are truly large and very variable in colour.
.

The Giant Orchid, Himantoglossum robertianum

The Giant Orchid, Himantoglossum robertianum

The Giant Orchid, Himantoglossum robertianum

The Giant Orchid, Himantoglossum robertianum

Then a real stunning orchid, Ophrys iricolor, sometimes called the Rainbow Orchid.

Ophrys iricolor

Ophrys iricolor

Ophrys iricolor

Ophrys iricolor

Crab spider

And yet another Ophrys flavomarginata

Having visited the Pegeia forest picnic site just a few days earlier I recorded very little. However, a pair of Anacamptis syriaca stems caught my eye.

Thursday 7th March - The Baths of Aphrodite

Our first foray from our new base was a walk down the road to the Baths of Aphrodite, unfortunately the verges on either side had been treated with weedkiller, destroying almost everything. At about half distance I was treated to the flyby of a blue butterfly - a Paphos Blue. Top target on the butterfly list and a lifer - only problem - it didn't stop. However, at the botanical gardens adjacent to the Baths several specimens were flying, raising expectations of some photographs during the day. In fact I spent most of the day staking out some Small Flowered Broom, Genista sphacelata, the larval host plant of the species. I finally managed some records of both male and female but the open wing shots left much to be desired.

Paphos Blue, Glaucopsyche paphos

Paphos Blue, Glaucopsyche paphos (m)

Paphos Blue, Glaucopsyche paphos (f)

At the end of the day I was surprised how few records I had taken, I had literally spent all day waiting for one butterfly - but what a cracker!

Cyprus in Spring (Part 1)

Way back last year I had a long conversation with Yiannis Christofides, the botany lead for the Greenwings tour of the Pyrenees and concluded that the Birds, Butterflies and Botany of  Yiannis' beloved Cyprus would certainly afford some subjects that I had never photographed before. So I booked early, but after some research decided to extend the trip by four days so that I could do some birding on my own before the group arrived.

On the last day of February I set off for Paphos courtesy of easyJet. The journey was uneventful, if a tad long, but I was quickly through the official bits at the airport. Within an hour of landing I had picked up my Avis rent-a-hide, and was on my way to my first destination, Paphos Sewage Works. Now I know that most people would think it odd to visit such a place but this is home to some charming birds. From recent reports I had learned that there were at least twenty Spur-winged Plovers residing there and it was a bird that I very much wanted to record. As I parked up I could hear them calling and immediately found them perched on the apron of one of the ponds, unfortunately not much chance of a shot so I decided to search the nearby fields, sure enough, three to be seen though at a bit of a distance. Finally I found one that gave reasonable shots and I duly recorded it. I think the strong winds deterred them from coming out of the shelter of the works and although I hung about for a while, none ventured forth.

Spur-winged Plover or Spur-winged Lapwing.

Not the best quality but a record nonetheless - and I planned to return.

So, it was too early to go to the hotel and I knew there was a chance of another rarity at Paphos headland. I parked at the large free car park at the archaeological site, strapped my camera to my back and set off in a very strong wind. By now the three a.m start was beginning to tell, I ignored sundry Pipits, Larks and Wheatears to reach my destination in good light. I scanned the headland adjacent to the large concrete block and located four birds, a lone Turnstone and three Greater Sand Plovers. Hunkered down against a fierce wind they didn't look as if they wanted to fly anywhere so I set about getting closer. The place was deserted, just me and the birds and as I crept through the rocks they eyed me warily. I took my time, each time a bird fidgeted I paused, waiting for the birds to settle down. Finally I was in camera range and I filled my boots, recording another 'lifer' - two in a day - what a start.

The flecks are flying sand - not the best camera environment.

Greater Sand Plover (m)

Greater Sand Plover (f)

As I arrived at the Axiothea Hotel, my base for the next five days, I met Yiannis in the car park, he must have known I was coming. It was good to have dinner together and get the lowdown on the forthcoming tour.

Day 1.  Paphos Archaeological Site, Paphos Sewage Works and the Asprokremmos Dam

After what Yiannis describes as the 'best breakfast in Cyprus' I headed off for a day's birding and as it happened, some early botany on Paphos Headland. I was a tad early but they opened the gates for me, I paid my pensioner rates entrance fee and set off in search of something to photograph.

First up was a pair of the ever present Crested Larks, birds that seem to just stay ahead of you, never close but OK for a shot.

Crested Larks

Crested Lark

I was being distracted by the botany, Cyclamen persicum were everywhere and the stalks of the Orchis collina, the Fan Winged Orchid were a disappointment, I had hoped to record a flowering specimen. I planned to do a circular tour round the site, travelling as far as the lighthouse and then doing a zig-zag return. Just after some newly excavated remains I was accosted by a little old lady who told me in no uncertain terms to go away. I had noticed her hunched form, peering intently at the ground, poking the vegetation with a large stick and placing something into a carrier bag. I left, not wanting a confrontation, I later learned from Yiannis that she was collecting wild asparagus and that the natives defend their patch fiercely.

Cyclamen persicum

Cyclamen persicum

The morning sun was finally having an effect and things were starting to move. Butterflies, mainly whites and countless Painted Ladies were flitting about and several Starred Agama lizards were sunning themselves. Stonechats were everywhere and always in pairs.

Painted Lady

Starred Agama, Stellagama stellio

Starred Agama, Stellagama stellio

Starred Agama, Stellagama stellio

Starred Agama, Stellagama stellio

Snake-eyed Lizard, Ophisops elegans

Corn Buntings and Sardinian Warblers were common too.

Corn Bunting

Sardinian Warbler

I wish I could have a pound for every Stonechat that I saw during the week, they were everywhere in good numbers.

In a field below the lighthouse I located my first orchids, plenty of Ophrys flavomarginata, some Ophrys umbilicata and the last remaining Orchis collina in bloom and a white one at that.

Ophrys flavomarginata

Ophrys flavomarginata

Ophrys flavomarginata

Ophrys flavomarginata

Ophrys flavomarginata

Ophrys flavomarginata

Ophrys flavomarginata

Ophrys umbilicata

Ophrys flavomarginata?

Orchis collina - The Fan-lipped Orchid - the only one I found in bloom, the rest had long gone.

Orchis collina - The Fan-lipped Orchid

Paphos Lighthouse and the location of the orchids

Finally the non-orchid botany, there were plants everywhere and I just couldn't record all of them

Having circumnavigated the whole of the archaeological site it was time to revisit the sewage works, visitor numbers were increasing and it was unlikely that any birds would be happy to pose.

At the sewage works the Spur-winged Plovers had come out to feed in the adjacent fields and the mobile hide paid dividends. Not only did I get the plovers but a nearby Chukar gave me  a life tick. A supporting cast of Cattle Egret, Laughing Dove and a host of Spanish Sparrows, none of which presented themselves for a photograph.

Spur-winged Plover

Spur-winged Plover

Spur-winged Plover

Spur-winged Plover

Chukar !  Not the most salubrious of surroundings - but happy to record it

I drove round Mandria Beach but found little other than a large flock of larks at "lark corner" so I made haste for the Asprokremmos Dam. By the time I reached the dam ominous clouds were gathering and I felt a few spots of rain. During the winter Cyprus has experienced heavy rainfall and this was evident as the dam was full, almost overflowing. I walked across the barrage, putting at least ten Chukar off the dam wall. In the far corner I found a Blue Rock Thrush but the light was poor and the shots I took are pretty grim. I walked down the path towards the river bed at the bottom and found quite a few Ophrys flavomarginata but precious little else. The heavens opened and I decided that it was time to head back to the hotel for a late afternoon "cuppa". All in all an auspicious start to the holiday.