Introduction

This short report has been compiled to cover our latest trip to Paphos, whilst we did not expect to see too much we were very pleased to see some interesting birds including four lifers (L).  There has been a major change in bus timetables enabling more to be seen without having to hire a car and I will give more info on this later.

The weather on our trip was much hotter than expected, about 75/80degrees f every day with no rain. Our hotel was the Pioneer Beach which was superb as usual and booked through Thomsons.

I have split the “birding” part of the report into the three main areas, all accessed by bus or walking:

Paphos Headland

In addition to the Golden Plovers seen on previous trips there were four Greater Sand Plovers (L) seen on the coast.

Greater Sand Plovers

Sardinian Warblers were common as were Linnets and Skylarks on the headland. On the coast a Gull Billed Tern was seen along with a very confiding Kingfisher in the harbour.

Kingfisher

Mandria

This was our most productive area of our trip and it was good to see a few local birdwatchers around.  As we had a break on a newly created picnic area a Steppe Grey Shrike (L) landed on a nearby bush, close by a pair of Tawny Pipits were fairly confiding and a  Long Legged Buzzard (L) landed on an outpost some distance away. Woodlark were also seen on the farmland.

Steppe Grey Shrike

Tawny Pipit

Long Legged Buzzard

Coral Bay

This area now has three buses an hour from Paphos and is well worth a visit. Birds seen on our trips there included Bluethroat (L), Chukar, Blue Rock Thrush, Swallow, Wheatear and the usual flock of Spanish Sparrows near the resort. All sightings are on the NW side of the town towards Ayios Georgious.

Spanish Sparrow

Chukar

Bluethroat

Trip Tips/Buses

Getting around by bus is now vastly improved and travelling to Mandria, Coral Bay, Polis and many other areas is easy and inexpensive. On the bus ask for a “Day Rider” which costs two euros and you have unlimited travel all day on all the local buses for the normal price of a return ticket !

If you visit Paphos for the first time then first thing is to get a free map of Paphos from your hotel, then visit the Tourist Information Centre and ask for the bus timetables of all the local buses and finally check out where the Caravella and Market bus Stations are situated.

Talking to other visiting birders late April is probably the best time to visit for migrants, but as you see from the above there are also some interesting birds year round.