Photo by Roy Atkins

21-28 March 2012
Day 1: The flight leaves from Gatwick right on time but rather early in the morning and
lands a good twenty minutes early at Paphos airport where we are met by the
representative from the car hire company who soon has us on our way to their
office to sign the paperwork. Formalities sorted we head for the hotel just ten
or so minutes away where we are made to feel very welcome by Christina and
the Swallows nesting in the bar! After a little time to settle into our rooms
we meet up at around 4:00pm for a short walk.
The hotel is in a valley that can be excellent for migrants and with recent rain
there is quite a fast flow of water in the river and the grass is lush and green,
studded with wild flowers including sheets of brilliant yellow Crown Daisies.
House Sparrows are happily chirruping from the bushes and amongst them are
some much smarter looking male Spanish Sparrows plus a few Corn Buntings and
there are lots of Wood Pigeons migrating through. We keep getting glimpses
of warblers which is a little frustrating, but patience pays off with views
of Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff then down beside the river we find
a lovely mixed flock of Goldfinches and Serins, some of the male Serins are
beautiful! There are a few very smart Linnets too and more Corn Buntings and
Spanish Sparrows. The Hooded Crows look particularly smart looking even paler
grey than those in Scotland and the flocks of Jackdaws on the cliffs opposite are
of the eastern race with the pale whitish half collars.
Our next find is particularly pleasing – a stunning male Cyprus Pied Wheatear.
It drops down behind some bushes so we wait and get several good views when
it hops up onto the bushes again. A female Black Redstart appears and we get
better views of Sardinian Warbler that sits right out in the open preening for ages!
Eventually we decide to start walking back to the hotel and glimpse a Zitting
Cisticola on the way. We notice patches of Turban Buttercup as we walk back
which look very anemone-like.
Back at the hotel we take a break before our evening meal but a couple of us try
for the Scops Owl that often appears in the tree next to the hotel. It is a little
frustrating as although we can hear it calling clearly it does not show itself – but
never mind – we have plenty more opportunities to try for this one.
We then enjoy a delicious evening meal before having a look at the map to see
what the plans are for the next few days – and in particular tomorrow… there
is great excitement as there has been a report of two Cream-coloured Coursers
today!! There is little wondering where we are heading tomorrow then!
Day 2: Those who decide to take a pre-breakfast stroll have an excellent time getting
great views of the Cyprus Pied Wheatear, plus Sardinian Warbler, Chukar and
a pair of Great Spotted Cuckoos – a great start to the day!
After breakfast we set off towards Akrotiri area where we make our first stop
near the Phassouri reed-beds. Here amongst the Coots we find a pair of Little
Ringed Plovers, a couple of Ruff, Black-winged Stilt and several Wood Sandpipers
while a Northern Lapwing is a good find. A Snipe is feeding in the long grass and
in the distance a Marsh Harrier is hunting over the reeds. A couple of Cattle
Egrets are following the cattle and a Zitting Cisticola flies through.
We move on towards the gravel pits where the coursers were seen yesterday.
We arrive to find it very quiet – well bird-wise at least – but not actually quiet
as the famous Red Arrows team are practicing their flying routines overhead!!
This is a big surprise and they are spectacular creating twisted bands and
starbursts with coloured smoke in red, white and blue – maybe they heard
we were here! As we search for the coursers we find a few Northern and
a single Isabelline Wheatear, a scattering of Stonechats including one very striking
bird that is clearly one of the more eastern races with a larger white neck and
wing patches. It is tempting to call this bird a Siberian Stonechat but
it is completely orange underneath more like a European bird so we are not sure
what to make of it. Around the edge of the shallow flashes of water are lots
of Kentish Plovers, we watch another Marsh Harrier and then Hilary spots
a superb immature Long-legged Buzzard looking almost eagle like with its long
wings. Barbara in the meantime is finding some very nice plants including many
vetches but they prove difficult to identify with certainty as does a pink flowered
silene with petals that curl back at the tips. There are lizards running around
between the scrubby bushes and eventually we get a good enough view of one
to identify it as a Spiny-footed Lizard.
Sadly there seems to be no sign of the coursers and this is confirmed by the
various people we meet who are also looking for them. One couple tell us they
had seen a Great Sand Plover so we head over to check the pool they were
watching. There are several Kentish Plovers here allowing us excellent views,
a Green Sandpiper and we flush a Short-toed Lark, then suddenly Hilary says she
may have found the bird. And there – at the back of the pool and dwarfing the
Kentish Plovers – is a very nice Greater Sand Plover. Not quite a Cream-coloured
Courser but not a bad second best. We take turns enjoying this bird through the
scope getting excellent views then spot a flock of seven Grey Herons flying in off
the sea. They are obviously migrating and spiral up on a thermal like storks!
Our next stop is a small church nearby where several Alpine Swifts circle
overhead as we arrive. We enjoy lunch before doing a bit of birding around the
outside of the wall though even as we eat we can’t help spotting Chiffchaffs in the
trees and a nice Great White Egret in the pools down below. Around the church
we find a couple of Black Redstarts and two or three Lesser Whitethroats.
We get excellent views of a cracking Isabelline Wheatear – a particularly well
marked bird, and spot several Stonechats on the tops of the bushes. But best
of all are the Cretzschmar’s Buntings – a group of five of them feeding on the
ground by the church wall and looking absolutely fantastic in the sunshine.
We drive further round towards the salt lake where there are several flocks
of Greater Flamingos. Some are swimming, kicking their legs up behind them
as they paddle along. There are several gulls out there which look at this distance
to be Slender-billed Gulls – but they are a long way off! We get excellent views
of a Zitting Cisticola which flies in and perches on top of one of the tall stems
right in front of us.
Next we drive the length of Ladies Mile but it is incredibly quiet. We make a stop
to try and find Spectacled Warbler, and try playing a little of the song. The
response is very quick with a bird flying straight towards us and perching right
on the tops of the bushes – superb! We arrive at Zakaki Lake which proves
almost birdless! This is a big surprise as this can be excellent however today all
we add here is Moorhen. There is a track that leads out to the salt flats and
we head out there to check out a pool we have heard about. There are loads
of waders here including many Kentish Plovers, Dunlins and Little Stint, but we are
delighted to find two more Greater Sand Plovers including one that is coming into
breeding plumage and looking very smart. There are lots of Ruff and five Gullbilled
Terns and we are surprised to see a Sanderling here.
Heading back towards home we make a stop at Kurion Stadium – an ancient
Roman stadium where all kinds of sports were watched including races, long jump
etc. It is interesting to stand and try and imagine what it must have been like – but
it is now quite overgrown with grass etc and surrounded by bushes. We have
a quick check of these bushes before we leave and are pleased to find a smart
male Cyprus Warbler – excellent!
Our final stop is the Kensington Cliffs where we hope to find Griffon Vultures.
They are nowhere to be seen but there are several Alpine Swifts racing around
above the cliff top and down below there are Mediterranean Shags and Yellowlegged
Gulls on the rocks. A Peregrine is perched on the cliff face but while Roy
is scanning the cliff carefully looking for any sign of Griffon Vultures perched there
suddenly there is a small bird flitting its way up the vertical cliff – a Wallcreeper!!
Although they are known to winter here on the cliffs they are notoriously difficult
to find and we are delighted to see this bird despite it being rather distant.
As we head back out to the road two Chukars are walking up the track and allow
excellent views before we head back to the hotel. Here we try to see the Scops
Owls but despite hearing them well we don’t get to see one. The Cyprus race
of Scops Owl has a different call to the rest of Europe adding a second lower call
between the louder higher pitched main calls. After our evening meal the owner’s
brother tells us he has just found one in the car park so we dash out. Sadly the
bird flies almost immediately he puts the torch on it and Hilary is the only lucky
one to get a good view. We’ll try again tomorrow.
Day 3: Another glorious day with wall to wall sunshine and before breakfast a few
of us take a walk down the valley. The only new bird is Red-rumped Swallow
near the hotel while further down the valley we spot two male Cyprus
Wheatears, several Sardinian Warblers, a pair of Kestrels that are clearly nesting
on the far ledges, a Zitting Cisticola and a nice male Cretzschmar’s Bunting.
At the end of the day yesterday Roy received an e-mail from a person we met
yesterday saying that she had managed to find the Cream-coloured Coursers after
three hours of searching and that they had moved to a new area – so armed with
new directions we decide to head back and renew our search. We are soon
there and drive slowly along the track looking carefully as we go. Somehow
we still manage to miss them and find instead a nice mixed flock of Short-toed
Larks and Tawny Pipits, but we have only just started going through them when
a very helpful lady comes running down the track to let us know that they have
found the coursers! We all jump back in the van and soon enough we are
grinning from ear to ear as we enjoy these absolutely delightful birds! They are
just so elegant and pretty and we spend ages watching them as they wander
about in a rather plover like way – a few steps then stop to look and perhaps pick
something off a bush, a few more steps then stop again and so on. They are
clearly finding plenty of insects on the vegetation and it is a real pleasure to spend
such a long time in the presence of such lovely birds.
As we watch them we also find a distant Marsh Harrier and what looks like the
same Long-legged Buzzard as yesterday. We eventually leave them behind and
slowly work our way down the track stopping to enjoy scope views of Tawny
Pipits, Short-toed Larks, Northern and Isabelline Wheatears and Linnets. A Black
Francolin is calling constantly in the background but despite a search we can’t spot
him – and we get attacked by mosquitoes as we scan which doesn’t make us want
to linger.
We are quite a way down the track when Roy spots three cranes flying around
in the distance. He quickly identifies them as Demoiselle Cranes and this
is confirmed when a single Common Crane joins them – the size difference being
very obvious indeed. Hilary spots a wader in flight coming in off the sea and
we wonder what it is, thinking perhaps a Golden Plover but being silhouetted
doesn’t help and we leave the identification open. The cranes eventually drop
down behind the ridge but we are confident that we can get to the area and set
off at speed. It does not take long to relocate them and following the tracks
round we soon are enjoying fabulous views! We decide to eat lunch while
we watch them and enjoy long views of the three Demoiselle Cranes though the
Common Cranes flies off to the reed-bed instead. Delighted with these views
we eventually drag ourselves away and head round to the church where we find
not just toilets but three species of wheatear in one tiny patch of ground -
Northern, Isabelline and Cyprus – two males and a female.
We take a drive around the tracks looking for Red-throated Pipits but with
no luck though we get good views of Crested Larks, Stonechats and lots
of Meadow Pipits and Short-toed Larks. We can’t find any Red-throated Pipits
but as we drive back towards the coast we spot a small flock of birds and stop
to check them. Immediately a bird catches Roy’s eye – perhaps it is the plover
we saw fly in off the sea? He is completely shocked when he raises his bins
to discover it is an immature Sociable Lapwing!! This is a seriously rare bird here -
well anywhere!! Trying not to say too many expletives he gets everyone on the
bird which is easily close enough to get some semi-decent shots then enjoy
watching it for a few moments before suddenly our fun is brought to an abrupt
stop by a military guy who pulls up and taps on the window of the van and asks
what we are doing. It has to be admitted that we are parked beside a great big
sign that says ‘No stopping’!! Oh dear – there isn’t much we can say in defence
and after a brief discussion in which we try to explain that we have just found the
rarest bird on the island, he is unimpressed and tells us to move on! This
is incredibly frustrating but at least we had already had a fabulous view of the bird
and got photographic evidence so it could have been a lot worse.
We drive back to the coast where we stop and let it sink in – we have just found
an incredibly rare bird and need to tell someone! Roy phones the chairman
of the Cyprus rarities committee who sounds completely astonished – apparently
it is only the second ever on the island, the last being in 1986 – wow!!
It is an even better record than we thought! Now we are really, really pleased
we got the photos.
Unable to go back for another look we work our way slowly along the coast again
checking all the Tawny and Meadow Pipits, Short-toed Larks and Wheatears
before again arriving at the Cream-coloured Coursers. We are delighted to find
them in even better lighting than earlier and enjoy a good half hour or more just
watching them feeding and wandering around – even trying to steal a caterpillar
off an Isabelline Wheatear!
Finally with time moving on we head back towards the main road pausing at the
reed-beds for a quick check of the shallow pools. We are very pleased to find
five Ferruginous Ducks. The Northern Lapwing and Black-winged Stilts are still
here and a couple of Little Grebes are at the back of the open water. A Green
Sandpiper flies in but there is little else so we decide instead to head into the
nearest village and celebrate with an ice-cream!
We now head back to the hotel where after a short break we meet outside
to have another try for the owl. At almost exactly half past six it appears flying
into the trees and flitting restlessly from branch to branch calling constantly.
At one point Roy lights it up with his torch allowing for an excellent view.
A Stone Curlew calls overhead and we head in to enjoy a drink at the bar before
our evening meal – what a day!
Day 4: Today we feel like a change of scenery and head up into the hills. It is another
glorious sunny day with wall to wall blue skies as we start our drive keeping our
eyes on the skies as we travel in case of raptors. A couple of Chukars cross the
road in front of us and then further up an Eastern Festoon flutters across the road
so Roy stops and we all jump out to try and get a better look. It is a nice spot
and we enjoy good flight views of this lovely butterfly as well as Eastern Dappled
White, Orange Tip and Swallowtail. There are some very nice flowers here too
with orange and scarlet flowered vetches, a species of salsify and some Purple
Roman Squill which looks rather like a big Grape Hyacinth. On our way again
we spot a couple of Cleopatra butterflies and as we gain height the view really
opens out.
We are now in an area of scrub covered limestone hills and a good area to look
out for Bonelli’s Eagle – and Hilary is the first person to spot one! A pair is circling
above the hillside and we soon get the scopes set up to enjoy these fabulous
birds. They put on a good show flying right past us and even display a little
as they cruise around together. At times the white patch on the upper back
shows very well. We see several Kestrels from this spot as well and a single Redrumped
Swallow plus a few Alpine Swifts fly through.
We continue on our way pausing to scan occasionally but it seems rather quiet.
We make a stop when Roy spots a couple of large orchids at the side of the road
and investigating the surrounding area we soon discover that as well as the tall
specimens first spotted – which turn out to be impressive Giant Orchids – there
are also Naked Man Orchids, two species of Tongue Orchids, Umbillicate
Woodcock Orchids, Ophrys attica and Ophrus flavomarginata – a great collection
of species! The area seems to abound with Sardinian Warblers as well.
We continue on our way, pausing for a moment when a Great Spotted Cuckoo
flies over the van, continuing until we reach a junction where we have to decide
whether to try and look for Griffon Vultures which are sometimes in this area.
They have a breeding programme as a way of trying to increase the population
of this species which was shot out some years ago. There are now several
breeding pairs on the island but there are still some here in cages. Some of the
wild birds often hang around here and we soon find one – perched on top of the
cage! It demonstrates it is free to come and go as it pleases by flying away
to a large expanse of cliff nearby where we also see another couple of birds. The
whole area is covered in delightful Crown Anemones in every shade from white
through various shades of pink to deep purple and blue! It is a lovely sight.
We also find Yellow Star of Bethlehem (Gagea villosa), Naked Man Orchid and
a whole host of little flowers that are too tricky to name. We have lunch here
scanning for raptors as we sit and chat and eat, but see nothing different, though
it is a lovely place to just sit and enjoy the warmth of the sunshine and the
tremendous views.
We move on again towards a reservoir where we make our next stop. From the
dam we scan the water finding just three Little Grebes and a couple of Mallard.
However a raptor overhead is far more exciting – a Pallid Harrier! It flies right
overhead allowing us to see the details of its plumage – it is clearly a young male
just beginning to moult into adult plumage with a pale belly, dark secondaries and
the first of the long black primaries moulted in. We watch as it gains height
soaring above us and then lose it momentarily in the bright sky – and when
we think we have relocated it we are surprised to discover that it is now
a Bonelli’s Eagle!! It is bizarre that we had not seen this bird appear and now can’t
find the harrier at all. We are not complaining though as it is a great view of this
superb adult. Before we set off again a scan from the car park reveals a Cyprus
Wheatear, a couple of Cretzschmar’s Buntings and yet more Sardinian Warblers
while both Black Francolin and Quail call from the fields.
We drive on, taking a quiet track into the forest close to the reservoir. From here
we check the water again finding very little – Little Grebe, Moorhen and Grey
Heron but nothing else however we do find some great flowers including Friars
Cowl which is a very strange hooded flower that looks insectivorous, and more
orchids. Here there are lots of Roman Orchids, a lovely primrose yellow species
and further on a small number of Green-winged Orchids, lots of Bornmueller’s
Orchids and a small patch of Dense-flowered Orchids. It is quite quiet for birds
though we do get good views of a Coal Tit. The Cyprus race looks very different
to those in the UK with the black from the bib coming right down onto the flanks.
There are a few Chiffchaffs and a couple of Chaffinches but little else.
We decide to start heading back and drive back the way we came. We make
a stop when ‘hawk-eye’ Hilary spots another raptor – this time a Long-legged
Buzzard. It is a very smart adult with a lovely pale head and slightly orange tail and
as we watch it soaring in circles above us it is joined by a male Hen Harrier!
We have hardly gone any distance on when Roy spots another Long-legged
Buzzard dropping down below the bank up ahead. We look down the slope and
there it is perched quite close in the trees looking superb, a lovely rufous
coloured bird.
We drive on down to Nata Ford where we take a stroll in search of Black
Francolins. It is very quiet though we do find a couple of Crested Larks, see more
Kestrels and a Buzzard carrying a snake that is twisting around in its talons.
We spot a nice Hen Harrier quartering the ground the other side of the river.
There are at least three or four Black Francolins calling but none are visible
despite scanning the entire area very carefully indeed. We drive across the ford -
which is exciting given the rains before we arrived – then as we drive up the other
side towards the main road we pause to watch a hunting Short-eared Owl -
a very nice surprise.
Day 5: Today we are heading up into the Troodos Mountains in search of beautiful
scenery and endemic sub-species. We have only been driving for ten minutes
or so when we make our first stop as Roy has heard a Black Francolin calling
through the open car window. Not only that but even before he has stopped the
car he has spotted it perched right out in the open on top of a long water trough!
It is with great delight and some relief that he gives directions and soon everyone
is watching the bird calling from its vantage point. Shortly it drops to the ground
and we get out to see if we can relocate it. By chance there is a track from which
we can see the ground the other side of the pipe and there running down the
track is not just the male but also a female Black Francolin! They run then stop
and look round allowing us excellent scope views. In fact we watch the birds for
the next five minutes or more getting almost constant views and the male even
jumps back up onto the pipe. The whole area seems to be alive with birds and
over the next fifteen minutes or so we add Spanish Sparrow, Linnet, several
Sardinian Warblers that keep perching on the tops of old thistles like Stonechats,
a Red-rumped Swallow, a couple of Blackcaps and a Chukar. A great start
to the day.
We continue on our way pausing here and there to scan the surroundings and
look at flowers and butterflies. We find several Orange-tips, Clouded Yellow,
Cleopatra and Large Whites and the flowers are beautiful with lots of vetches and
Crown Daisies etc. We find plenty more Sardinian Warblers – they seem
to be everywhere this year – and a single Cyprus Warbler. Circling over the hills
we spot Common and Long-legged Buzzards circling together which makes for
a very useful comparison. We see Common Swifts and several Kestrels. There
are some beautiful patches of the pretty Arabis purpurea – an endemic flower
of the Troodos area that grow in clumps on rock faces.
Eventually we arrive at Troodos and before taking a walk enjoy our lunch in the
company of a particularly well coloured Cyprus Wheatear. The track we want
to walk however proves too covered in snow! It is incredibly thick here with
more than a foot over the forest floor so instead we take a different rather
shorter track. This does a short loop but we are soon watching several Coal Tits
and commenting on how different they look to their British counterparts – and
also how different they sound! While they can call just like the ones back home
they also make a variety of other calls, buzzing like Willow Tits and singing like
Great Tit and Marsh Tit! Next we try playing a little Short-toed Treecreeper call
song. There is no immediate response but a couple of minutes later one calls
very nearby as if it has been working its way in to check out the intruder. It turns
out there is a pair and over the next ten minutes we get excellent views of them
both. We are keen to see Crossbills as well but there doesn’t seem to be any
around despite listening and scanning all the tree tops so we decide to drive and
stop to scan at intervals. This we do but sadly with no luck though we do enjoy
the spectacular scenery.
We gradually work our way downwards and slowly the snow gets thinner and
eventually disappears completely. We make a stop at a very nice looking area
with a lot more understory and try listening for Jays. Again we try a bit of call and
soon two birds fly in – surprisingly not calling much at all but having a quick look
at us then moving on. To be honest they look very like the Jays back home!
There are plenty of Coal Tits here too, lots of Chaffinches, a Wren and another
Short-toed Treecreeper.
We decide to head back via the Cedar Valley which makes for a much longer
drive but better scenery and we enjoy the views as we make our way down this
incredibly windy road. The Cedars are beautiful – the only ones left on the island
- but bird-wise it is remarkably quiet with the odd Jay flying across the road and
plenty more Coal Tits but little else.
Eventually we are heading rapidly down the hills and with time flying by heading
for home but it is in the last few minutes of our return journey that we add
a couple more good birds with brief views of Hen Harrier and Pallid Harrier
hunting in the fields by the road.
Day 6: After hearing of a Ruppell’s Warbler down the track we have a look for it before
breakfast but sadly to no avail. It is astonishing that we have not seen one yet this
trip and entirely down to the weather being far too nice!! (Not a complaint most
visitors to the island are likely to be heard saying!) Sardinian Warblers are around
and we get good views of the usual Cyprus Pied Wheatear but see little else
of note before heading back for breakfast.
Well fed we are soon on our way to Larnaka. It is a bit of a drive, so we head
to the big salt lake first as there are toilets here! Here we get fabulous close
up views of Slender-billed Gulls – many of which are a lovely pink colour now they
are coming into breeding plumage. In the distance there are flocks of Greater
Flamingos and also some big flocks of Shoveler and a couple of Shelduck.
We find a Great Crested Grebe and three Black-necked Grebes in breeding
plumage. Apart from that there is very little else so we head round to the
other pools.
We make several stops in places beside the various pools and soon start to amass
a good list of birds. There are plenty of Black-winged Stilts, a few Little Egrets and
a nice flock of Avocets and a very smart looking Baltic Gull (or Lesser Blackbacked
Gull of the Baltic race if you prefer). A Marsh Harrier is hunting over the
wetter areas and as we drive round further we notice that there are lots of wet
areas amongst the scrubby plants along the roadside. This is a result of the rain
before we arrived and the waders are loving it! There are well over a hundred
Ruff here and a few Redshank and we are delighted to find two Marsh Sandpipers.
There are Northern Wheatears on the bushes and lots of Crested Larks, then
a lovely male Spectacled Warbler appears on top of one of the bushes and sings
for several minutes allowing us great views through the scope. We find our first
Spur-winged Plovers on the top of the bank in the background and then spot
a flock of Teal wheeling around in the sky. Roy scans out to sea hoping for
a passing Shearwater or something and is surprised to spot a big flock
of Flamingos out near the horizon!! They look very incongruous indeed but better
still, while watching them, Hilary spots a group of four or five Bottle-nosed
Dolphins.
Our next stop is the hide overlooking the water treatment ponds. This looks
incredibly sterile with no vegetation around the edge at all but there are
a surprising number of birds including the big flock of Teal we saw earlier, now all
relaxing on the bank with at least two Garganey amongst them. There are several
Little Grebes, a couple of Black-necked Grebes, Coots, Mallards and several Spurwinged
Plovers on the banks, some very close and looking very smart. Right
in front of us is a mixed flock of gulls which prove very interesting indeed. There
are several Yellow-legged Gulls which form our starting point and it is interesting
to compare the large headed shape of the adults with the young birds that are
there. From this we surmised that some of them are also Yellow-legged – but
others look slimmer, longer necked with rather elongated looking faces and long
slim bills typical of immature Caspian Gulls. There are also some smaller looking
gulls similar to the Yellow-legged that we suspect may be 1st winter Armenian
Gulls but then we find a couple of gulls that really stand out. They look darker
backed than the Yellow-legged and have a yellow bill with a big black tip! The
head is small and rounded and the eye dark – a combination that can only fit
Armenian Gulls! We are very pleased with all this detective work even if a few
gulls have to remain unidentified for certain. There are also three beautiful adult
Baltic Gulls – gorgeous long winged birds with almost jet black backs and easy
to identify! The Black-headed and rather pretty Slender-billed Gulls are also
a doddle in comparison to all these.
As we move on we pause to enjoy great views of a couple of Isabelline
Wheatears before driving round past some more wet pools amongst the scrubby
salt-marsh bushes. Here there are loads of waders feeding amongst the bushes
including large numbers of Ruff, a good dozen or more Wood Sandpipers and
several Green Sandpipers. It is a real pleasure to be able to enjoy such incredibly
close views and they continue to feed right beside the van as we compare the
identification features. We add Redshank and at least two more Marsh
Sandpipers much to our delight and then find a few Snipe. We hear
a Greenshank as well but then start to work through the small birds flitting about
there too. There are plenty of White Wagtails, and amongst them we find our
first Black-headed Wagtails. These really are stunning birds in immaculate
breeding plumage. Then a Blue-headed Wagtail appears followed shortly
by a very smart Grey-headed (thunbergi). Hilary says she has just seen one with
a yellow head!! This rings alarm bells and we spend an agonising time trying
to relocate it – then after what seems like an age it appears again – a stunning male
Citrine Wagtail! What a fantastic find!! It proves rather elusive and we have
to work quite hard before finally managing to get some good views but its well
worth the effort. We are very pleased to have the chance to compare all these
wagtails but we are still puzzled by one more that seems to have a nice bluish
grey head and the small thin supercilium. It stands out as different to the others
and after much deliberation (and even study of photos from the internet back
at the hotel) we decide it is a dombrowskii race – a nice find. In amongst all these
wagtails and waders it seems odd to find a Corn Bunting!
Hilary comes up trumps again a few minutes later when she finds a Bluethroat
which perches up on the scrub briefly. A second one is found later with much
less blue on the throat so we are confident there are at least two here. There are
also a few pipits and while some are definitely Meadow Pipits Roy is suddenly
alerted by the call of a Red-throated Pipit that flies right over his head. We watch
it circle round and drop back in and over the next half hour have to work hard
to get glimpses of this and at least another two birds in amongst the vegetation.
But in the end we manage a few good looks and certainly good enough to make
out the brick red throat – excellent!!
It really has been a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon working through all these birds
and making some quality finds amongst them but time eventually runs out and
we head back to the hotel for our evening meal and run through the checklist.
It seems from the reports on the internet and the bird-line later that we have
without doubt had the best days birding of anyone on the island. There really
is not very much else around!
Day 7: Yet another glorious day with sunshine and blue skies as we walk down the track
to the river for our pre breakfast walk. Highlights this time include a lovely male
Cyprus Pied Wheatear, Green Sandpiper, a brief Cyprus Warbler and more
surprising – a Merlin! We also get wonderful views of a very pretty Fox that
comes dashing across the river bed, then out onto the shingle and up onto the
path. It turns to head down the path but spots a group of people there and
almost falls over its own front legs as it stops before vanishing in to the tall
vegetation.
After breakfast we are soon on our way to Paphos Headland. Before we get that
far we make a stop at an Olive grove that has proved productive for Stone
Curlew in the past. It comes up trumps again today and as we scan below the
trees we gradually find more and more until our total reaches fourteen birds!!
They look great through the scopes and we watch as they slowly wander around
between the trees and a couple even take a small fly around and call – sounding
like shrill Curlews. There are several Serins feeding on the weed seeds here
as well as Chaffinch and Greenfinch. There are plenty of Sardinian Warblers here
but not much else as we walk round towards the mosaics. Two Black Redstarts
are flitting around the ruins, one a beautiful male in breeding plumage. There are
Lesser Whitethroats and a few Spanish Sparrows amongst the House Sparrows
and a few White Wagtails. The mosaics themselves are well worth a visit and
some depict some interesting wildlife even! There are Tigers, Bears, Wild Boar,
deer and more! The detail is quite extraordinary.
We head next up towards the lighthouse and find a few Blackcaps and another
Black Redstart as well some very impressive Starred Agamas clambering around
on the buildings. We meet a couple of other birdwatchers here who tell us they
have been watching a Ruppell’s Warbler and so we head round to the area they
point out. On the way we pass several Northern Wheatears, a couple
of Isabelline Wheatears and a few Meadow Pipits and Corn Buntings before
arriving at the trees. Here we find several Sardinian Warblers and a couple
of Blackcaps all of which get us momentarily excited in hope they are the
Ruppell’s but frustratingly we just cannot find the bird. Suddenly Roy gets a brief
view of a Wryneck! It flies almost straight away and we spend a while trying
to relocate it. There is no sign and still no Ruppell’s either. In the end we try
playing recordings of both – one gets no response but the Wryneck immediately
starts calling back and then appears right at the top of one of the trees allowing
us wonderful scope filling views – fantastic!
Eventually with the time now approaching lunch time head back to the van but
not wanting to eat lunch in the car park we drive instead to a spot where we have
been told a Little Crake was seen a week or so ago. It feels a bit of a long shot
but at least we can watch out for it while we eat. These small pools look very
nice and have a few Moorhens wandering around and swimming, a pair of Little
Grebes and to our delight a pair of Kingfishers. These hang around the whole
time we are there giving the most wonderful scope views. We have only been
there about ten or fifteen minutes when suddenly Hilary spots the Little Crake
coming out of the dense vegetation at the water’s edge. It is a smart adult with
dark grey chest and beautiful brown streaked back. We take turns to watch
it through the scope getting excellent views at times when it comes right out then
it dashes back into cover again. We are thrilled! Over the next hour
or so we enjoy more views of this bird and the Kingfishers plus a couple of Spurwinged
Plovers, two Green Sandpipers and a superb Purple Heron that flies right
past us, drops down to the edge of the stream and then proceeds to catch
a snake!
Eventually we drag ourselves away and head up into the hills for a change
of scene. This large area of scrubby limestone hillside with rocky outcrops
is usually excellent for wheatears if various sorts so we are very surprised when
there are none to be found! We see a few Kestrels, large numbers of Corn
Buntings, our first Hoopoe of the trip (which is crazy!) plus some very nice plants
in the form of large clusters of the Iris known as Barbary Nut and incredibly
masses of Field Gladioli looking almost like poppies as they are all in amongst the
barley crops.
We then find a pair of Great Spotted Cuckoos. First a single bird then a second
comes in to join it – the first one flying off noisily. It returns shortly carrying
a caterpillar which it passes to the female (well we are assuming that now
anyway!) But they have drawn too much attention to themselves and a pair
of Magpies come in to see them off. We watch them fly and follow them as they
have not gone too far and over the next half hour or more we get the most
incredible close up views as they continue their courtship, the male hopping
around on the floor hunting for caterpillars then taking them to his mate. We see
them mate, him feeding her again, and all the time the Magpies are on the lookout
and at times come in to chase them away again. It is just wonderful to watch all
this action until in the end they fly much further away and we decide to leave
them be.
We have enough time left for one last place and head to Asprokremnos Dam -
but above the dam in case any Masked Shrikes have arrived yet. We can’t find
any, though there are Chiffchaffs and some very smart male Spanish Sparrow.
We find some beautiful Pyramidal Orchids amongst limestone outcrops and
a selection of other lovely flowers. We get a brief view of a male Pallid Harrier
which frustrates us by vanishing behind a large mound of earth and never coming
out the other side!
Finally we head back to the hotel for our evening meal including a round of happy
birthday as a cake is brought in for Barbara. She looks really delighted. Then
we do a final run through the checklist before our usual last evening round
up of the week. This allows each member of the group to select a species and
a place they liked the best and also a ‘magic moment’ – something perhaps they
will always remember from the trip.
It is soon clear that two species are getting the votes – one being the Great
Spotted Cuckoos from this afternoon. They certainly did put on a wonderful
show for us – but it is the Cream-coloured Coursers that get the most votes
giving these beautiful birds first place. There are also other species that people
mention that they found it hard to ignore and Hilary in particular was struggling
to choose from six species! Demoiselle Cranes, Sociable Plover, Little Crake,
Citrine Wagtail and others all get a mention. The favourite place is also a two
horse race with Akrotiri Plain scoring well – and perhaps might have scored more
were it not for the mosquitoes!! The place that took the rest of the votes
however was the delightful spot at Larnaka where we worked through all the
waders and found Bluethroat, Citrine and four races of Yellow Wagtail plus Redthroated
Pipits – a wonderful selection of birds and all so close in such a lovely
habitat! Magic moments are always harder to predict and true to form everyone’s
was different! Identifying her own Short-toed Lark on call was a great one from
Ann while Stewart makes us all laugh as he admits he is choosing our personal
display by the Red Arrows!! The waders and wagtails was the choice of a couple
of people while Roy just had to choose that astonishing moment when he first set
on eyes on the Sociable Lapwing and knew straight away he had found something
really good! Barbara was allowed two as it was her birthday and one was getting
her birthday cake! We are all agreed on one thing however and that is that
we have enjoyed the most remarkable week with some fantastic birds. Every day
has had something excellent and considering the lack of general migrants
it is incredible what we have actually seen. And we still have one morning to go!
Day 8: Blue skies again are the order of the day as those of us up early head out for
some pre-breakfast birding. It is very quiet this morning and apart from a high
Merlin we see just Sardinian Warbler, Kestrel and Cetti’s Warbler. There is also
a very interesting spider like creature with long ‘pincers’ on the front like
a scorpion which later research identifies as a species of solifugid or Camel Spider
of which there are five species in Cyprus. They are generally found in arid areas
of southern Europe.
Once we have enjoyed breakfast we head out for a couple of hours birding and
make our first stop at Asprokremnos Dam. It is astonishing, the difference a year
makes!! Last year the well known pool where people go in search of Little Crakes
was a tiny puddle with algae growing all over the surface and the whole area
below this was covered in bushes. Now the little pool is part of a fast running
river! The water has clearly been a torrent at some point and the bottom end
of the pool has been completely washed out and all the grass and bushes
downstream have gone too! There is now a mass of shingle and debris and the
whole place looks different. Not surprisingly there is nowhere here that looks
suitable for crakes and we see little here of note, though we are surprised to not
even find any Cyprus Warblers here. We see a couple of Kestrels and several
Sardinian Warblers but little else bird-wise though there is lots of the lovely Salsify
- tragopognon hybridius. We are also delighted to find a couple of Paphos Blues -
an endemic species of butterfly.
From here we head down towards the coast and scan the fields as we drive
through some nice agricultural ground. A ringtail Hen Harrier flies through and
there are Crested Larks right by the road. At the coast we check the area
of short turf just inland of the road and soon find a few Meadow Pipits, a single
Skylark and both Northern and Isabelline Wheatear. A Short-eared Owl appears
hunting over the ridge a little further back and we have a couple of gulls fly past
including a lovely Baltic Gull. We find Short-toed Larks of a very sandy coloured
race. A Marsh Harrier appears and hunts along the back edge of the field
scattering pipits and larks as it goes and another flock of gulls fly past. These are
mainly Baltic Gulls again but there is a single bird that looks exactly like a Lesser-
Black-backed gull from the UK – but since they don’t occur here we assume it has
to be a Heuglin’s Gull. A single Shag is resting up on the rocks off-shore. But
time is now flying and we need to get back so to get sorted and eat before
heading to the airport.
Back at the hotel we have time to freshen up and pack before meeting up for
lunch in the sunshine outside the bar. It is all very pleasant and perfect timing
as after we have eaten we head off to the airport arriving at exactly the right time
to check in for our flight and our journey back home to London.
BIRDS
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Cormorant
Shag
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Great White Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Greater Flamingo
Shelduck
Mallard
Teal
Shoveler
Garganey
Ferruginous Duck
Griffon Vulture
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Pallid Harrier
Goshawk
Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Bonelli’s Eagle
Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine
Chukar
Black Francolin
Common Quail (heard)
Common Crane
Demoiselle Crane
Little Crake
Moorhen
Coot
Stone-curlew
Cream-coloured Courser
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
Spur-winged Plover
Sociable Plover
Northern Lapwing
Greater Sand Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Marsh Sandpiper
Greenshank
Redshank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Little Stint
Dunlin
Sanderling
Ruff
Common Snipe
Curlew
Yellow-legged Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Baltic fuscus race)
Heuglin’s Gull (or LBB Gull L f heuglini)
Caspian Gull
Armenian Gull
Black-headed Gull
Slender-billed Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Scops Owl (endemic subspecies)
Short-eared Owl
Alpine Swift
Common Swift
Kingfisher
Hoopoe
Short-toed Lark
Crested Lark
Skylark
Barn Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
House Martin
Tawny Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Yellow Wagtail – Blue-headed race Motacilla flava flava
Yellow Wagtail – Grey-headed race M f thunbergi
Yellow Wagtail M f ‘drombrowskii’ race
Black-headed Wagtail Motacilla feldegg
Citrine Wagtail
White Wagtail
Nightingale
Wren (heard)
Robin
Black Redstart
Bluethroat
Stonechat
Siberian Stonechat
Isabelline Wheatear
Northern Wheatear
Cyprus Pied Wheatear
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Zitting Cisticola
Cetti’s Warbler
Blackcap
Lesser Whitethroat
Common Whitethroat
Spectacled Warbler
Sardinian Warbler
Cyprus Warbler
Chiffchaff
Coal Tit (endemic ssp)
Great Tit
Wallcreeper
Short-toed Treecreeper (endemic ssp)
Jay (endemic ssp)
Magpie
Jackdaw
Hooded Crow
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
Chaffinch
Serin
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Corn Bunting
Cretzschmar’s Bunting
Reed Bunting
MAMMALS
Bottlenose Dolphin
Fox
REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
Starred Agama (endemic ssp)
Snake-eyed Lizard
Spiny-footed Lizard
Levant Water Frog
BUTTERFLIES
Swallowtail
Small White
Large White
Eastern Festoon
Eastern Dappled White
Orange-tip
Clouded Yellow
Cleopatra
Paphos Blue
Painted Lady
Red Admiral
OTHER INVERTABRATES
Camel Spider
SELECTED PLANT LIST
Nos. refer to Mediterranean Wild Flowers, (Grey-Wilson & Blamey) where they are found in this book
Black (or Austrian) Pine Pinus nigra 4
Calabrian Pine Pinus brutia2
Cedar of Lebanon Cedrus libanii 10
Golden Oak Quercus alnifolia
Crown Anemone Anemone coronaria 211
Turban Buttercup Ranunculus asiaticus 257
Cyprus Rock-cress Arabis cypria (syn. A.purpurea) 323
Hoary Stock Matthiola incana 327
Paronychia Paronychia argentea 136
Sun Spurge Euphorbia helioscopia 799
Wild Pea Pisum sativum 555
Common Vetch Vicia sativa 531
Asparagus Pea Tetragonolobus purpureus 682
Blue-leaved Wattle Acacia cyanophylla 439
Bermuda Buttercup Oxalis pes-caprae 735
Sage-leaved Cistus Cistus salvifolius 965
Tamarisk Tamarix tetrandra 1021
Prickly Pear Opuntia ficus-indica 1040
Giant Fennel Ferula communis 1141
Scarlet Pimpernel (blue form) Anagallis arvensis 1198
Persian Sowbread Cyclamen persicum 1210
Winged Sea-lavender Limonium sinuatum 1220
Narrow-leaved Bugloss Echium angustifolium 1382
Cyprus Thyme Thymus integer
Crown Daisy Chrysanthemum coronarium 1895
Eastern Salsify Tragopogon sinuatus 2058
Common Asphodel Asphodelus aestivus 2089
Purple Roman Squill Bellevalia trifoliata 2198
Bellevalia nivalis 2200
Garlic sp Allium cassium
Barbary Nut Gynandiris sisyrinchium 2305
Hairy Star of Bethlehem Gagea villosa 2106
Field Gladiolus Gladiolus italicus 2307
Friar’s Cowl Arisarum vulgare 2377
ORCHIDS
Roman Orchid Dactylorhiza romana 2394
Green-winged Orchid Orchis [morio] syriaca 2403c
Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis 2447
Naked Man Orchid Orchis italica 2409
Dense-flowered Orchid Neotinea maculate 2393
Bornmueller’s Orchid Ophrys bornmuelleri 2427
Umbilicate Woodcock Orchid Ophrys umbilicata 2435
Mt Carmel Orchid Ophrys attica 2435a
Yellow-margined Orchid Ophrys flavomarginata
Giant Orchid Barlia robertiana 2446
Ploughshare Tongue-orchid Serapias vomeracea 2450
Long-lipped Tongue-orchid Serapias laxiflora 2450b

CYPRUSSPRING BIRDING ON APHRODITE’S ISLE

Sunday 25th March – Sunday 1st April 2012

Sunday 25th MarchWe met at 5.00am at Luton Airportwhich was pretty early, especiallyas the clocks went forward an hour!After a good flight we landed atPaphos Airport right on cue to findwarm, sunny conditions with agentle breeze from the south. Oncethe formalities of car hire were doneand dusted, we loaded up the vanand after a brief stop to pick upwater, arrived in the Dhiaroz Valleyand our base for the week.We were welcomed by Christina whooffered us a lovely fresh lemon drinkwhich went down a treat and after aquick drop of luggage and a changeof clothes we spent the afternoonexploring the general area. HOUSESPARROWS and SWALLOWS werevery numerous around the hotel and on wandering down a track, we flushed a pair of CHUKARS whichflew onto a nearby ridge and gave good views. Our walk produced plenty of HOODED CROWS and a few JACKDAWS that looked suspiciously like birds of a northern race. SNAKE-EYED LIZARDS ran acrossthe track and on a large tree sat a STARRED AGAMA. Annette found a pair of STONE CURLEWS on theriver bed which blended in rather well with the boulders and then Ernie found a male Wheatear thatturned out to be a stunning male CYPRUS WHEATEAR. We all had good views of this magnificent birdas it sat in the sunshine.The display of wildflowers included CYPRUS GLADIOLI, BARBARY-NUT IRIS, CORN MARIGOLDS anda good show of PLOUGH-SHARED SERAPIAS. Butterflies included CLOUDED YELLOW, PAINTED LADYand ORANGE-TIP.Continuing on the track, Simon picked up a distant raptor over the ridge which once scoped, was aLONG-LEGGED BUZZARD. A few FAN-TAILED WARBLERS were ‘zitting’ overhead and quite a good flockof CORN BUNTINGS were around. Several SARDINIAN WARBLERS sang and some showed quite well asdid BLACKCAPS. We also found a GREAT-SPOTTED CUCKOO flying down the valley which gave flightviews as it passed by.Our return journey produced several more BLACKCAPS which may have indicated a movement ofbirds and once back near the hotel, we stopped to see a bird that Peter and Ernie had seen with acocked tail and looking for this yielded something else, a stunning male RUPPELL’S WARBLER that wewatched for around twenty minutes. It was joined by what we considered to be a female but views ofthis were poor. A CETTI’S WARBLER sat in full view for a while and plenty of SERINS flew around.Delighted by our productive walk, we arrived back in time to have a shower and get ready for dinner.The food was quite delightful with Greek Salad and Dips to start followed by Lamb Kleftico and thena delightful Greek Yoghurt and Honey dessert. By this time we were in need of our beds, especially aswe had enjoyed a glass or two of the local red wine! Before we went to bed, we could hear the localSCOP’S OWL calling from within the garden, but he would have to wait for another time.

Monday 26th MarchOur early morning walk took us again downto the river where all the usual species wereseen including the male CYPRUS WHEATEAR.After a hearty breakfast, we loaded up thevan noting a male SPANISH SPARROW sittingin the tree nearby before heading for PaphosHeadland where walked around the outsideof the Archaeological site. Good numbersof CORN BUNTINGS were seen and we hadviews of a male CRETZSCHMAR’S BUNTINGperched on a bush before it flew away. Othermigrants included LESSER WHITETHROAT,REED WARBLER, large numbers of NORTHERNWHEATEAR and a male YELLOW WAGTAIL of the SE Russian race Superciliaris which was seen well. Outto sea were SANDWICH TERN, BLACK-HEADED GULL and two adult BALTIC GULLS. A female KESTRELdid her best, trying to catch WHEATEARS on the beach but didn’t have any success. A female BLACKREDSTART was seen briefly and the many CRESTED LARKS were slightly showier. After a good walk weretraced our steps and then entered the site taking a walk up to see the amazing mosaics.On our way we noted HOOPOE, male BLACK REDSTART and LESSER WHITETHROAT. We then enjoyedlunch back at the van before re-entering the site and walking to the northern part where again weregood numbers of NORTHERN WHEATEAR and best of all, four CRETZSCHMAR’S BUNTINGS includingtwo stunning males.With little else present we tried a couple of sites further along the coast. Firstly the Paphos Sewageworks, although it was pretty quiet with WHITE WAGTAIL and a calling northern race CHIFFCHAFFnearby. Then onto Mandria where apart from more NORTHERN WHEATEARS and a SPARROWHAWK itwas still quiet. Taking a slow drive along the river did however yield a female MARSH HARRIER and asmall party of COMMON SWIFTS.We spent the remainder of the afternoon at Asprokremmos Dam where we caught up with a stunningmale CYPRUS WHEATEAR at close range and further up the valley, was a male CYPRUS WARBLER thatposed on and off as he flitted around the area. Annette found a MOORHEN creeping through the reedyedge and several SARDINIAN WARBLERS showed well.Just as we were driving away, wehad brief views of a ringtail Harriersp that glided over the ridge. A quickstop at the amenities area produceda distant calling male BLACKFRANCOLIN and another northernrace type CHIFFCHAFF.Once back at the hotel after a showerand brush-up we met for a beerwhilst the SCOP’S OWL called in thearea. Dinner was again Greek Saladand Dips followed by Pork Souvlakiand Chips followed by a lovely cakeof Pastry with Vanilla Custard filling.

Tuesday 27th MarchOur early morning walk produced three male CYPRUS WHEATEARS, STONE CURLEW and a femaleMERLIN that motored up the valley. After breakfast we joined the A6 motorway towards Limassol andonce off the main road headed to Phassouri Reedbeds where water conditions looked ideal. New birdsfor the trip came thick and fast with good numbers of waders including COMMON SNIPE, WOOD andGREEN SANDPIPERS, BLACK-WINGED STILT, RUFF and LAPWINGS.Annette found a small bird creeping along the edge of the reeds that turned out to be a female LITTLECRAKE and over the next five minutes, we enjoyed it as it fed quite unconcerned with its audience. ASQUACCO HERON was seen briefly before disappearing and not seen again. CATTLE EGRETS and twoCOMMON STARLINGS fed amongst the cattle no doubt gorging themselves on the many mosquito’s inthe area. On the more open water were a pair of FERRUGINOUS DUCKS and several LITTLE GREBE.With time getting on we drove round to Akrotiri Gravel Pits and by chance took a wrong turn towardsthe sea but were rewarded with a flock of around 40-50 GARGANEY flying east, although those in theback of the van unfortunately missed them. Once back on the main track we came across a couplewe had met earlier who started driving south and beckoned us to follow, to where three stunningDEMOISELLE CRANES were feeding. Over the next thirty minutes we enjoyed these scarce springvisitors to the island, as they wandered around the stony ground. Luckily for us an incoming helicopterflushed them and they flew north to another position, where we managed to get better photographs.Delighted by this sighting we made a very brief stop for facilities near some bushes and found ourselvesdeluged with ‘mossies’, especially the ladies!Once back on the main road we drove to Sylvana’s Restaurant on the edge of Akrotiri Salt Lake wherewe saw up to 250 GREATER FLAMINGOS, a few BLACK-WINGED STILTS and two CURLEW. The highlighthere was a pair of GREAT-SPOTTED CUCKOO that flew around us giving quite a show and calling beforedisappearing over a ridge. We took lunch at Bishop’s Pool with amazing views of a U2 spy-plane takingoff from the nearby airbase and causing the ground to shake as it gained height. This amazing plane hasbeen in service with the US Airforce since 1955 and will continue to be until 2023. The actual pool itselfwas pretty quiet with a pair of FERRUGINOUS DUCKS, LITTLE GREBES and two GREEN SANDPIPERS.Demoiselle CranesWith a distant storm brewing over Limassol,we drove along the Ladies Mile beach whereoverhead the Red Arrows were trainingand after finding a few KENTISH PLOVERSwe found one of our main targets, a SPURWINGEDPLOVER that gave great views asit fed close-by. Further north were LITTLEEGRET, a single BLACK-HEADED GULL anda pair of MALLARD. Following informationreceived we eventually located a large poolthat held a good number of waders includingsix GREATER SAND PLOVER, some cominginto summer plumage. LITTLE STINTS werecommon and we found CURLEW SANDPIPER,DUNLIN, SANDERLING, LITTLE RINGED and KENTISH PLOVERS. Annette found a distant WOODCHATSHRIKE perched on a bush and then we moved round to the south end of the pool and almost gotstuck in the soft sand!We then returned to the main road and made a stop at Zakaki Pool where three SPUR-WINGED PLOVERS,BLACK-WINGED STILTS and two GREEN SANDPIPERS fed and at the far end of the pool stood a PURPLEHERON. With some time spare, we drove to Episkopi and Kensington Cliffs to look for Griffon Vulturebut unfortunately none were present. Compensation in the form of BLUE ROCK THRUSH, ROCK DOVE,PEREGRINE and seven SHAG of the Mediterranean form Desmarestii sat on the rocks. Our last port ofcall was Kourion Stadium where we had good views of two CYPRUS WARBLERS. Once back at the hoteland after showering we met at 7.10pm for a chance to see the Scop’s Owl and almost bang on time aSCOP’S OWL flew into a large Eucalyptus tree and started calling. With a different call, darker plumageand more heavily streaked, it is a bird that may be split in the future. Dinner was again excellent withGreek Salads and Dips to start and Moussaka for main course. Dessert was a slice of Birthday Cake asit was the birthday of a lady in the other group.

Wednesday 28th MarchThere was no official pre-breakfast walkthis morning although Simon wandereddown to the river where he recorded a flockof LINNETS with the usual SERINS. Oncebreakfast was out of the way, we drove northtowards the Troodos Mountains, The vanjust about coped with some steep hills andon the way we found a juvenile male HENHARRIER and several CYPRUS WHEATEARS.Simon managed to find a CYPRUS WARBLERon a stop on the way and on the roadsideverge was a GIANT ORCHID.We arrived in Troodos village to find quite deep snow covering the area, but despite this we wanderedup a small road. Several bird songs emanated from the pines and on further inspection, these turnedout to be COAL TITS of the race cypriotes with a much darker head and brown covering the top of thebreast. Our other main targets were the rest of the Cyprus endemic subspecies and Peter H did reallywell to find a COMMON CROSSBILL in the pines and a little while later we located another in the topof the tree. JAYS called around us sounding much gentler than the nominate race and looked quitedifferent! As we wandered back down the road we came to a bend and found two or three SHORT-TOEDTREECREEPERS which were greyer than European birds and have a different song. Overhead severalPALLID SWIFTS zoomed around and Ernie found a Hoopoe on a dead tree which looked strange in thesnow.

With all our targets achieved quite quickly, we drove back down to base and had lunch close to theDhiaroz valley. A few CYPRUS WARBLERS sang and overhead were COMMON SWIFTS and HOUSEMARTINS. A good number of wildflowers were seen alongside the road and the sight of Pat trying tosqueeze under a roadside barrier was for some, worthy of moment of the week!A fairly long drive took us further west and up to Nata Ford where we parked and wandered along theriver. Hawking overhead were a good number of hirundines and these included three RED-RUMPEDSWALLOWS, HOUSE MARTIN, ALPINE SWIFTS and SWALLOWS, an indication that the wind had changeddirection and perhaps more birds had arrived from the south. BLACK FRANCOLINS called from aroundbut despite playing the calls, they did not show. Peter H located a distant raptor over the hills thatturned out to be an adult BONELLI’S EAGLE and was later seen displaying over the hillside. Orchidsgrowing on the paths included LOOSE-FLOWERED ORCHID and CYPRUS WOODCOCK ORCHID.We decided to try and locate the eagle by driving further south and hadn’t driven far when in theroad stood two BLACK FRANCOLINS! The female flew over a wall but the male wandered a grassy trackgiving fantastic views, what a stroke of luck! Following the guide book we got slightly lost but thisturned out also to be lucky as we found a few SHORT-TOED LARKS that showed really well close to thevan. Eventually we took a track into the hills where we parked and hadn’t got far when we heard thecalls of a SPECTACLED WARBLER. Playing the call provided us with sightings of three birds including avery showy male.Steve returned to get the van and we drove down the track until we found some other birders parkedup. We spent the remainder of the afternoon in this area where we found a couple of TAWNY PIPITS,CETTI’S WARBLER, CORN BUNTINGS and NORTHERN WHEATEAR. A COMMON SNIPE was flushed fromthe roadside stream and Peter H and Annette heard a calling CORNCRAKE which we couldn’t locate.At least two singing COMMON QUAILS were heard and eventually one was tracked down, most of ushaving views of the bird in flight as it flew over the ridge. A GREAT-SPOTTED CUCKOO was also heardcalling nearby.We returned to the van and once south of Anarita came to an abrupt halt when Ernie spotted a malePALLID HARRIER at close range. We all jumped out and had great views of this stunning raptor as itflew backwards and forwards over the fields. Delighted, we carried on and reached AsprokremmosDam to find another PALLID HARRIER which flew east, wow!We got back 15 minutes later than planned and enjoyed our usual Greek Salads and Dips followed bya very tasty Pork Chop and Chips and then Walnuts and Grapefruit for dessert.

Thursday 29th MarchThe early morning walk produced a good bird as soon as we had left the hotel, as an immature PALLIDHARRIER flew north along the ridgeline. A HOOPOE sat in a tree opposite and the usual STONE CURLEWwas seen by the river with a CYPRUS WHEATEAR seen briefly.After a welcome breakfast we did the usual supermarket run before joining the motorway towardsLimassol and Larnaca. We reached Larnaca in good time and headed straight for Meneou Pools, whereup to 450 GREATER FLAMINGOS fed in the shallows, as did a good number of SLENDER-BILLED GULLSfantastic in full breeding plumage. A STONE CURLEW was spotted on the saltmarsh and a couple ofBLACK-WINGED STILTS were seen nearby. Another scan of the lake found us two adult AUDOUIN’SGULLS out on the water although views were distant.Moving round to the southern edge, we found more SLENDER-BILLED GULLS, SPUR-WINGEDPLOVER and much better views of the two AUDOUIN’S GULLS. In the bushes nearby was a LESSERWHITETHROAT and CHIFFCHAFF. From here we visited Larnaca Sewage Works where a good numberof SPUR-WINGED PLOVERS were seen along with 75 TEAL, 4 GARGANEY, SHOVELER, LITTLE GREBESand 4 BLACK-NECKED GREBES in full summer plumage. A scan through the gulls found us an adultBALTIC GULL and 6 CASPIAN GULLS. A MARSH HARRIER disturbed all the ducks as it flew around thepools. A short distance later we drove along the track and found several small pools that gave fantasticviews and possibly the best ever of waders and passerines that any of us had had before! The firstpool had up to 20 WHITE WAGTAILS, 2 WATER PIPITS and 4 RED-THROATED PIPITS including severalsummer-plumaged birds, WOOD SANDPIPERS, GREEN SANDPIPERS, RUFF, LITTLE RINGED and RINGEDPLOVER, SPUR-WINGED PLOVER and best of all, two summer-plumaged MARSH SANDPIPERS, all ofwhich gave outstanding views.Further along the track we came across several BLACK-HEADED WAGTAILS including some brightmales amongst the usual WHITE WAGTAILS and some RED-THROATED PIPITS. We enjoyed lunch atthe end of the track and saw our second GLOSSY IBIS of the day and a GULL-BILLED TERN flying past.Returning along the track the views continued to be incredible but the sky in the distance lookeddecidedly black so we retreated off the sandy track onto the main road and found LITTLE STINT andKENTISH PLOVER on the other side of the road, Pete found a male RED-CRESTED POCHARD with theCOOTS. By now rain had started falling heavy and soon it became torrential, so we decided to headback west and stop at Phassouri Reedbeds.Once at the reedbeds, Annette did her thing and found not one but two LITTLE CRAKES along theedge, whilst on the wet pools were around 20 GLOSSY IBIS, 8 CATTLE EGRETS, 11 PURPLE HERONSwhich flew over, 5 FERRUGINOUS DUCKS, WOOD SANDPIPER, SNIPE and 2 LAPWING. Then Pete founda male BLACK FRANCOLIN sitting in the openalthough a farmer opened his gate flushing it. Amale HEN HARRIER flew north and several MARSHHARRIERS and a COMMON BUZZARD were seen.We arrived back at the hotel in record time, whereafter a shower etc we all met to have another lookfor the owls. After around 10 minutes wait wesaw one fly in and then one flew to the bush rightin front of us where we had amazing views ofCYPRUS SCOP’S OWL before they flew off. Anothergood meal tonight, as with our Greek Saladswe had grilled Halloumi and Bacon followed byChicken and Chips and for dessert Water Melonand Banana Sorbet, a fine end to the day.

Friday 30th MarchThe usual pre-breakfast walk waspretty quiet with the usual maleCYPRUS WHEATEAR being thehighlight and it was good to beback for breakfast as the wind wasquite cold. After making the usualsupermarket stop, we drove acrossthe Asprokremmos Dam stoppingto take in the fantastic view of acalling CHUKAR perched high ona rock. After getting fuel, we drovenorthwestwards, struggling to copewith some of the hills in our van. Wemade a quick stop when Peter Hspotted a raptor over a near hillsideand although views were quite brief, it was a female GOSHAWK. Our first main stop was at EvretouDam where the wildflowers were quite magnificent. Several species of Orchid included GIANT andNAKED MAN ORCHID as well as SEVERAL SERAPIA SPECIES and YELLOW BEE ORCHID.The hills over the reservoir produced a pair of LONG-LEGGED BUZZARDS and on the reservoir itselfwe found BLACK-WINGED STILT, COMMON SANDPIPER, WHITE WAGTAIL and a single RUFF. Butterfliesincluded the Cyprus endemic, PAPHOS BLUE.On our way to the Akamas Peninsula we found both YELLOW-LEGGED and CASPIAN GULLS in theseaside town of Latchi. Once we reached the Smyies Picnic Site it seemed the birding was prettyquiet although the flowers were simply stunning with several species of ORCHID and a new butterfly,SPECKLED WOOD of a race a much warmer brown than our own in the UK.We spent some time driving around an area of mountain roads looking for raptors and succeededin finding more LONG-LEGGED BUZZARDS, PEREGRINE and a couple of PALLID SWIFTS. We roundedoff the afternoon back at Asprokremmos Dam where we found KINGFISHER, BALTIC GULL, PURPLEHERON and plenty of SARDINIAN WARBLERS.Once back at the hotel we met for another try at the owls and had brilliant views of the pair of CYPRUSSCOP’S OWLS in a tree. Dinner was again superb with Sea Bream following our usual Greek Salad andFruit Salad for dessert.

Saturday 31st MarchWe had another morning off from the pre-breakfast walk although typically it was a day when severalgood birds arrived in the valley. Simon had been out for a while and heard Savi’s Warbler and aNightingale species, so once breakfast was over we wandered down our usual track.On arrival it didn’t take long before we were enjoying brief but good views of a SAVI’S WARBLER in thebushes but there was no sign of the Nightingale sp. A female MARSH HARRIER made her way up thevalley which seemed a good sign for migration.Again we visited the supermarket and thenmade for the pools behind the Ladies Mile inLimassol. We drove along the track and hadgone around half a mile when Steve spotted amale ROCK THRUSH perched on a small concretepost. Over the next twenty minutes we enjoyedbreathtaking views of this stunning bird. Ajuvenile HEN HARRIER and KESTREL failed toflush it, so maybe it had just arrived in Cyprusand was having a well deserved rest. SeveralNORTHERN WHEATEARS sat on nearby bushesand one looked quite good for Isabelline butunfortunately flew off.We reached the wader pools to find a family with a quad bike, needless to say there were not manywaders out on the marsh, although we did see KENTISH PLOVER, DUNLIN and a SANDERLING. Carryingon we visited a site for wildflowers including PYRAMIDAL ORCHID and whilst here we saw HOOPOEand a flock of around 20 GLOSSY IBIS. We carried on our circuit and drove to the church at AgiosGeorgios where we enjoyed lunch in the church grounds, although the strong wind made birdingquite difficult.Afterwards we drove on several tracks across the area and came upon our first GREAT EGRET of thetour and then soon afterwards, a flock of 15 SPOONBILL were seen in flight close to the salt lake atAkrotiri. Moving on to Bishop’s Pool we wandered round getting good views of a PURPLE HERON anda COMMON CUCKOO. As we were leaving, Steve found a small bird in the Olive grove which turnedout to be an EASTERN BONELLI’S WARBLER and despite the irritating mosquito’s, we all obtained reallygood views. Phassouri Reedbeds was our next port of call and once again we enjoyed views of afemale LITTLE CRAKE and on the open water was a fine male GARGANEY along with five FERRUGINOUSDUCKS. Several GLOSSY IBIS showed well and a male BLACK-HEADED WAGTAIL was seen briefly.We rounded off the day back at AsprokremmosDam where we tried in vain to see the NightHerons but instead Pete W found a superb maleBLACK-EARED WHEATEAR and then Simon foundtwo CRETZSCHMAR’S BUNTING at close range,whilst several SARDINIAN and CYPRUS WARBLERSflitted about right in front of us! On our return tothe accommodation, several had a quick look forthe CYPRUS SCOP’S OWLS and noted three birdsin the garden. Our last meal of the tour consistedof the usual Greek Salad followed by Moussaka and then a delicious Coconut Cake.

Sunday 1st AprilWe started off with a relaxed breakfast for our last morning on the island and spent a few hourswandering down the valley. As usual the STONE CURLEW and CYPRUS WHEATEAR were seen and otherbirds included SARDINIAN and CETTI’S WARBLERS, a few BLACKCAPS and CHIFFCHAFFS thrown infor good measure. Five GREEN SANDPIPERS were flushed from the river and a few COMMON SWIFTShawked insects over us. Returning back to the inn, we sat in the sunshine for a while enjoying our timein the sun and beautiful surroundings before we had to head to the airport.After checking in we had lunch and then went through security and boarded our plane for the fivehour flight back to the UK. We said our goodbyes at Luton after what had been a fantastic break withfantastic company and some quality birds. Once on the M1 the first bird we saw was a stunning REDKITE and a BLACKBIRD, birds that we had failed to see all week!

But if so many people travel regularly, there sure must be something special to it. The Scandinavians for example, have traveled so much in 2010, that the distance they have traveled by car equals the distance from Earth to Neptune multiplied by 64. This is about 286 billion km. They obviously love to travel not only by car but by plane, bus and other means of transportation. All this data and more presented in a fun and interesting way you can find in this amazing infographic. Find out how many years it would take you to pay a visit to Mars by boat when those types of vacations become possible and more useful information.

Click to enlarge

Simon Jackson have been traveling around the world, exploring different countries and cultures. One of his hobbies is his travel blog - Channel Voyager.  He currently works as a cheap flight (interesting to know is that the Swedish term is billiga flygresor) consultant for Expedia Sweden.

Larnaca International Airport is the island’s largest and busiest airport, and is located almost in the middle of its southern coast. It was built in the wake of the island’s division in 1974, which temporarily closed the airport in Nicosia. It handles over five million passengers a year, a number which is expected to grow. It handles much of the tourist population as the city of Larnaca is a key transportation launching point to other parts of the island. However, this airport is growing as an international hub for travellers going between the Middle East and Europe. As such, it serves a wide array of European and Middle Eastern airlines.

The photo above shows Larnaca Airport at night.

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Larnaca_airport_by_night_Republic_of_Cyprus.jpg

With British tourists flocking to the island, many regional British airlines, like Thomson, Monarch, Jet2, and Sky Wings fly in to Larnaca. There are also a range of Scandinavian and Eastern European airlines, such as Finnair, Rossiya, Wizz Air, and Ural Airlines. From the Middle East, there is Etihad Airways, EgyptAir, and Arkia Israel Airlines. Of course, there are also the major airlines you’d expect, like Lufthansa and British Airways.

Paphos International Airport first opened in 1986 and is located on the island’s far western tip, near the villages of Timi and Acheleia. Paphos Airport is smaller than Larnaca and serves around two million passengers each year. Major air carriers don’t fly into Paphos, but many of the regional airlines do. Like with Larnaca, the regional airlines coming into to Paphos tend to be from the island’s greatest source of tourists: Britain, Scandinavia, and Eastern Europe. Paphos tends to specialise in tourists heading for the Paphos, Coral Bay and Polis districts of Cyprus.

The image above shows the check in hall at Paphos International Airport.

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paphos_International_Airport_Check-in_Hall.jpg

The airport is operated by Hermes Airports Limited. Some of the air carriers flying into Paphos are: Finnair, Germania, easyJet, Transaero Airlines, and German Sky Airlines. A number of the regional carriers that fly into Larnaca, also fly into Paphos, such as Arkia, Jet2, and Rossiya (just to name a few). Ryanair just recently announced that is opening a major base at Paphos, bringing in flights from a variety of European cities. This expansion will make Ryanair the airport’s largest carrier.

If you are visiting the most popular tourist areas, you’ll likely select either Larnaca or Paphos, depending on which area of the island you’ll be spending the most time. The island does have its own airline, Cyprus Airways, which serves both of these airports. Wherever you choose to stay, holiday accommodation is plentiful on the island and generally good value for money too.

1. Petra tou Romiou, or the Rock of Digenis – As an area with great hikes, one of the first places you might want to visit is the rock from where it is believed Aphrodite was born. This rock is located not far from the famed Paphos Harbour, making a solitary figure just north of Fabrica Hill.

2. Paphos Castle – In the harbour, it was originally built as a fort during the Byzantine Empire, but has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over by the various conquerors of the island. Today, you can walk along the quay for terrific views and enjoy fresh seafood at one of its many taverns or restaurants. You’ll need to cross a bridge to get to it, which is usually open from 9am – 5pm.

The photo above shows Paphos Castle.

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pafos_castle.jpg

3. Roman Mosaics – These beautiful mosaics have been found in a number of structures and a ticket costing roughly three Euros will admit you to see them. The oldest mosaics, in the House of Dionysus and House of Theseus, date from the second century A.D. Just a couple hundred years younger are the Houses of Aion, Orpheus, and Four Seasons. All the mosaics depict different myths in intricate levels of detail.

4. Tomb of the Kings – A necropolis with a network of tombs and caves that pre-date Jesus. This site is particularly interesting as an example of Egyptian influence in the area. The ticket price is around two Euros.

5. Saint Solomoni Church – An underground church with 12th century frescoes and catacombs. It’s also believed hanging a personal offering from the tree just above it will cure diseases.

6. Odeon Amphitheatre (Pano Odeon Paphos) – An ancient Roman outdoor theatre which is still used for musical and theatrical performances still today. There is another ancient theatre in Paphos, just diagonal from the harbour that was built into a hillside. Not as well preserved as the Odeon, it offers some interesting architectural insights into the evolution of ancient theatre design.

The photo above shows a view of the Odeon Amphitheatre in Paphos, Cyprus.

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PanoOdeonPaphos.jpg

7. Basilica of Panagia Chrysopolitissa – This is the largest basilica excavated on the island and dates from the fourth century. While originally a seven aisle basilica, much of it was destroyed by Arab invaders in the seventh century. After that it has been rebuilt and fortified against further destruction.

8. Paphos Archaeological Museum – Home too many antiquities, from the Neolithic Age to the 1700s, including a marble bust of Aphrodite. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday and costs around two Euros.

9. Byzantine Museum of Paphos – This museum focuses entirely on the Byzantine period. It contains many Byzantine icons from the twelfth to nineteenth centuries. The collection has a range of liturgical items, which are also detailed examples of Byzantine art. The museum is open Monday through Saturday and costs around two Euros.

10. Kato Akourdaleia Folk Art Museum – Includes items from ancient and traditional lives in Paphos, from clothes to farming equipment to rug making, and even old photographs. This museum is open Monday through Friday and costs a little more than one Euro.

These sites don’t even begin to explain the beautiful beaches and hiking around Paphos as well. If you stay in one of the Hotels/villas in Cyprus in the Paphos area, you’ll have full access to all these attractions on your doorstep. There are plenty of activities to keep you entertained in Paphos, Cyprus where legend says Aphrodite first appeared.

Χριστούγεννα

Τιμή κατά άτομο 98.00 ευρώ

Παιδιά στο ίδιο δωμάτιο με τους γονείς μέχρι 12 ετών 50% έκπτωση

Στην τιμή περιλαμβάνονται τα ακόλουθα

Δύο διανυκτερεύσεις σε δίκλινο δωμάτιο

Βραδυνό στις 24 Δεκεμβρίου

Πρωινό στις 25 Δεκεμβρίου

Χριστουγεννιάτικο Μεσημεριανό

Πρωινό την μέρα αναχώρησης.

………………………..

Παραμονή Πρωτοχρονιάς

Τιμή κατά άτομο 110.00 ευρώ

Παιδιά στο ίδιο δωμάτιο με τους γονείς μέχρι 12 ετών 50% έκπτωση

Στην τιμή περιλαμβάνονται τα ακόλουθα

Δύο διανυκτερεύσεις σε δίκλινο δωμάτιο

Βραδυνό την παραμονή Πρωτοχρονιάς

Πρωινό την 1η Ιανουαρίου

Πρωτοχρονιάτικο Μεσημεριανό

Πρωινό την μέρα αναχώρησης.

]]> http://www.vasilias.nikoklis.com/en/%cf%87%cf%81%ce%b9%cf%83%cf%84%ce%bf%cf%8d%ce%b3%ce%b5%ce%bd%ce%bd%ce%b1-%ce%ba%ce%b1%ce%b9-%cf%80%cf%81%cf%89%cf%84%ce%bf%cf%87%cf%81%ce%bf%ce%bd%ce%b9%ce%ac-%cf%83%cf%84%ce%bf-vasilias-nikoklis-inn/feed/ 0 http://www.vasilias.nikoklis.com/en/%cf%84%ce%bf-%ce%b1%ce%bd%ce%b1%cf%81%cf%81%ce%b9%cf%87%ce%b7%cf%84%ce%b9%ce%ba%cf%8c-%cf%80%ce%b5%ce%b4%ce%af%ce%bf-%ce%b4%ce%b9%ce%b1%cf%81%ce%af%ce%b6%ce%bf%cf%85/ http://www.vasilias.nikoklis.com/en/%cf%84%ce%bf-%ce%b1%ce%bd%ce%b1%cf%81%cf%81%ce%b9%cf%87%ce%b7%cf%84%ce%b9%ce%ba%cf%8c-%cf%80%ce%b5%ce%b4%ce%af%ce%bf-%ce%b4%ce%b9%ce%b1%cf%81%ce%af%ce%b6%ce%bf%cf%85/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:56:54 +0000 chrys http://rgbytes.com/vn3/?p=1047 Σε πολύ μικρή απόσταση από την ξενοδοχειακή μας μονάδα, ο επισκέπτης ανάμεσα στα άλλα μπορεί να απολαύσει και το συναρπαστικό άθλημα της σπορ αναρρίχησης βράχου.

Συγκεκριμένα στο αμέσως επόμενο χωριό  Νικόκλεια, και με κατεύθυνση  το χωριό Κυδάσι  (σε απόσταση περίπου 10-12km από τον Βασιλιά  Νικοκλή.) αντικρίζουμε μπροστά μας το αναρριχητικό πεδίο πάνω από την κοιλάδα του ποταμού Διαρίζου. Το αναρριχητικό πεδίο « Διαρίζου» είναι ένα από τα κυριότερα αναρριχητικά πεδία της Κύπρου και ο επισκέπτης – αναρριχητής έχει την δυνατότητα να σκαρφαλώσει διαδρομές δυσκολίας από 4c μέχρι 7b. Όπως βλέπετε τα βράχια από τον δρόμο,  ανηφορίζετε προς το χαρακτηριστικό μονοπάτι σε πολύ μικρή  απόσταση από τον χώρο όπου μπορείτε να σταθμεύσετε. Και θα αντικρύσετε τα βράχια (από την μέσα πλευρά). Στην μία πλευρά μπορείτε να βρείτε διαδρομές δυσκολίας 4c μέχρι δυσκολίας 5b+ πιο κλασσική και χαρακτηριστική διαδρομή είναι η παρθένα 5b+. Και στην άλλη πλευρά μπορείτε να βρείτε διαδρομές δυσκολίας από 6α+ μέχρι 7b. Αναρριχητικές διαδρομές διαφόρων δυσκολιών μπορείτε να βρείτε επίσης και στο κάτω συγκρότημα των βράχων.

Για την επανάληψη των διαδρομών θα χρειαστείτε οπωσδήποτε εξειδικευμένο αναρριχητικό εξοπλισμό ο οποίος είναι : ζώνη αναρρίχησης (μπωντριέ), αναρριχητικά παπούτσια, ένα αναρριχητικό σχοινί (μήκους τουλάχιστον 50 μέτρων), αναρριχητικό κράνος, τουλάχιστον 10 σετάκια (αναρριχητικοί κρίκοι) και μία συσκευή ασφάλισης κατάλληλη για ασφάλιση στις αναρριχητικές διαδρομές.

Αν θέλετε να δοκιμάσετε αναρρίχηση για πρώτη φορά και δεν έχετε δικό σας αναρριχητικό εξοπλισμό, αυτό μπορεί να διευθετηθεί κατόπιν συνεννόησης μαζί μας.

Αν πάλι θέλετε απλώς να πάτε βόλτα στην περιοχή και να απολαύσετε το τοπίο, τα βράχια και τον ποταμό τότε σίγουρα θα συναντήσετε αναρριχητές να σκαρφαλώνουν στα επιβλητικά αυτά βράχια (ιδιαίτερα κατά το σαββατοκύριακα )

Ευχαριστούμε την Αγνή Φιλή για το άρθρο.

ΒΑΣΙΛΗΣ ΙΑΚΩΒΙΔΗΣ

«Κενό- Γεμάτο»

Εικαστική Εγκατάσταση

Με σπουδές στη Θεσσαλονίκη και την Ακαδημία Καλών Τεχνών του Saint Etienne

της Γαλλίας, ο Βασίλης Ιακωβίδης (γενν.Πάφος, 1976), αποδεικνύει έμπρακτα

τις εκφραστικές του δυνατότητες στα πλαίσια του FlevaRes Project.

Δημιουργεί, πειραματίζεται και μοιράζεται μαζί μας καλλιτεχνικές επινοήσεις

που ευδοκιμούν στο χώρο ως «οντότητες ανεξάρτητες και ταυτόχρονα

αλληλοεξαρτώμενες», με μια «διάθεση για παιγνίδι μεταξύ κενού-γεμάτου,

φωτός-σκιάς».

Οίκημα «Βασιλιάς Νικοκλής» Νικόκλεια 8505 Πάφος

18-25 Ιουνίου 2011, 9 π.μ.- 8μ.μ.

Εγκαίνια: Σάββατο 18 Ιουνίου 2011, 8:30 μ.μ.

Τηλ: 00357-26432211

Email: arts@nikoklis.com

Ιστοσελίδα: www.vasilias.nikoklis.com www.flevares.com

VASILIS IAKOVIDIS

‘Void- Full’

Art Installation Exhibition

Having studied Interior Design in Thessaloniki and Art-Design at the the

École des Beaux Arts in Saint Etienne in France, Vasilis Iakovidis

(b.Pafos, 1976) reveals his large spectrum of expressivity in the framework

of the FlevaRes Project. He creates, experiments and shares with us his

artistic inventions, which grow in space as “entities which are independent

and at the same time, dependent on each other”, where “a playful mood

between the void – full and the light-shadow relations” is created.

“Vasilias Nikoklis” Inn, Nikoklia 8505 Pafos

18-25 June 2011, 9 am- 8pm

Opening: Saturday 18 June 2011, 8:30 pm

Τel: 00357-26432211

Email: arts@nikoklis.com

Website: www.vasilias.nikoklis.com www.flevares.com