A WALK ON THE WILDSIDE---PAUL FOSTER

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Friday 25 March 2016

Cyprus Spring 3

I was very lucky to have the camera in the car, as this greater spotted cuckoo made its presence known by calling loudly.Myself and the mrs were walking through a small village when we stumbled across the bird being mobbed by magpies.I quickly returned to the car and grabbed the lens and luckily it stayed put,a  welcome bonus as I only saw 2 all week and they were fly bys!

 Now this dove was a real surprise for the list.Only the 4th record ever for Cyprus.Namaqua dove.Take its tail away and its only the size of a sparrow.It has been flitting around the greenhouse areas of Mandria for the last few weeks I believe!
 The Namaqua dove is pretty widespread in Africa,south of the sahara and Arabia but breeds within southern Israel.
 A pretty confiding bird and giving pleasure to the many birders that visit cyprus!

 They spend a lot of the time feeding on the ground.Many thanks to Albert Stoecker, (whose blog by the way, is called 'The nature of cyprus') for showing me this bird,a nicer bloke you could not wish to meet!
 Plenty of these around the scrub and maquis,..Sardinian Warbler!
 More images of Isabelline wheatears of which there were numerous around the coast of Mandria!I think Wheatears are surely one of the most photogenic birds there are,always very obliging and a real pleasure to see!
A grey Heron comes in to land at Zakaki marsh.There are a few species of heron around Cyprus,Purple,black crowned night heron,and squacco but it was a bit early in the Spring for these!
I do hope you have enjoyed more images from Cyprus,thanks for taking the time to view and hope that you all keep well.I'll post one final blog to conclude 'Springtime in Cyprus'!!!

2 comments:

  1. Sounds like a wonderful holiday with some great birds thrown in for good measure Paul

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