16 May 2024 - Latchi, Cyprus

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Eastern Olivaceous Warblers, Sardinian Warblers, Spanish Sparrows, Laughing Dove, Cretzschmar's Bunting, Cyprus Wheatears,Rollers, Red-rumped Swallows, Serin, Golden Orioles, Nightjar (heard)

Up at 6am with sun streaming through the windows. I heard a Golden Oriole singing briefly and then headed up to Neo Chorio. En route there were Eastern Olivaceous Warblers, Sardinian Warblers and Spanish Sparrows. There were also quite a few Laughing Doves which surprised me, but apparently they are now fairly common in the area after being (presumably) introduced. After breakfast Sam and I went to Smyggies and did the short hike, but it was rather hot and not too much to see. We heard a couple of snatches of bunting song, but I wasn't sure if they were Ortolan or Cretzschmar's, as I couldn't locate them. We did encounter a Turtle Dove, several smart Agami lizards and a huge bright green beetle. On the way back from the car I had a brief view of a Cretzschmar's Bunting but it was against the light and not very satisfactory.

While relaxing in the villa garden we had a visit from an Egyptian Locust, and then a Buzzard sp. circled over the villa, which I think was Steppe Buzzard. At around 5pm I went for a stroll down the road and saw probably 6 or so Golden Orioles, mainly females or juveniles, and the local Cyprus Wheatear performed well on the wires. I also heard a couple of Zitting Cisticola but didn't see them.

En route to the restaurant we stopped by the field where yesterday we'd seen Roller, and one was perched on the wires. It flew down into the field and then up again into a bush where I was able to get some distant photos. Nearby another bird was present. Back at the villa in the evening I could hear Nightjars churring from the surrounding countryside.

Sardinian Warbler-, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 400