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Herons and Egrets comprise several species of larger wading birds. Egrets are generally a little smaller than herons, though there are some smaller species of heron that are comparable to egrets, and there is the Great Egret which is comparable in size to the Grey Heron! Egrets There are three species of Egret that are regularly seen in Cyprus. The most common are the the Little Egret and the Cattle Egret, both of which are much smaller than the Great Egret. All three species have pure white plumage and all three feed on aquatic insects, frogs, snails, and small fish. This spring we have regularly seen both Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets, as well as Grey Herons, around the Secret Valley ponds. In addition the Cattle Egrets have often been seen walking on the main road, possibly for the easily found small lizards on the warm road surface.  At first glance the two smaller egrets are very similar in appearance, both having pure white plumage. However they a...

All Photographs and text by Trevor Fordham (Note: Click on photos to enlarge image) The position of Cyprus at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea places it on one of the major bird migration routes between Africa, the Middle East and Europe. It is therefore a vital stop-off point for many species during their Spring and/or Autumn journeys. The number of individual birds passing over Cyprus each year is impressive, amounting to millions of individuals. The Spring migration is already well underway this year, having started around the end of February and which will probably continue into May.  Some of the earliest species to be seen here are the Swallows and Martins, readily seen during March and April catching insects over the Secret Valley ponds. Other early arrivals are species of Wheatear (including Northern, Isabelline and Black-eared Wheatears) which are frequently seen on the beaches and adjoining fields at Mandria and on the rockier areas above Anarit...