The first thing that strikes you as soon as you get inside the complex is the impressive show of wildflowers. The place is completely awash with yellow, red and pink making it a rather pleasant place to spend a few hours.
Although largely quiet for birds there was a nice selection. An eastern olivacuous warbler showed well just inside the main gates followed by the first of 7 hoopoe we saw.
The bushes held 6 nightingale, 3 collared fly, 2 wood warbler, sedge warbler and a nice female masked shrike. 5 ortolan and black eared wheatear were the best of the rest.
A quick look around the ruins before escaping the growing crowds.
The area inland of Mandria and Asprokremmos Dam was largely disappointing. We did get at least 6 lesser kestrel and a nice little owl in the Anarita Park area but little else. Nata Ford added little ringed plover to the trip list and nice views of red rumped swallows collecting nest material from the river bed.
The scrubby picnic area near the dam held a few migrants. Several female 'black & white' flycatchers were difficult to pin down but a male collared was much easier. Good numbers of blackcap were present along with a male golden oriole and our first bonellis warblers. Even bumped into someone who knew me from work!!
Mandria fields were quiet and the irrigating had stopped near Paphos SF so the birds from the other day had moved on.
4 new species added today taking the list to 83
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