With just a few hours to spare before our flight out of Cyprus, we had time for another look at Pafos Headland in the morning. Easterly winds had brought an arrival of wagtails, the majority of which were pristine male Black-headed birds. It was also obvious that Tawny Pipits and Hoopoes had arrived since our last visit. Warblers were still in very short supply but a superb male Ruppell’s Warbler showed well. We worked our way around the narrow paths between the ruins and were finally rewarded with a new bird for the year, a gorgeous male Citrine Wagtail. This colourful rarity was sitting in a small bush showing off beautifully next to a male Blue-headed bird for comparison. A little further down the path, movement at the edge of the vegetation caught our eye. A Wood Lark was sitting right on the edge of the path in full view. This time we all got to see it and it could be added to The Biggest Twitch total, phew!
As Owen and Glynis drove us to the airport, the phone rang. Colin Richardson had just found a Pale Rock Sparrow at the Aspro Pools. Unfortunately the bird had quickly moved on and Colin had not been able to relocate it. Cruel luck as the Pools are only a few minutes’ drive from the airport and we would certainly have diverted had the bird still been available.
We’d like to thank Owen and Glynis for their welcome and hospitality and for kindly driving us around the island giving us the benefit of their expert knowledge of Cyprus and its birdlife.
If you feel tempted to visit this wonderful island, Owen and Glynis welcome paying guests to their Paphos villa for fully-guided spring and autumn birding weeks in their 4WD vehicle. Guided extensions are also offered to Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Kuwait and Oman. For details email Owenrandr@aol.com or write to them at
55, Grivas Digenis Street, Shop 1, Suite 237, Chloraka 8220, Paphos, Cyprus.
Bird species total: 1870
Posted 2pm, 25th March, Pafos Airport, Cyprus