Trevor's Tweet

(Remember to click on the photos to enlarge the image) Who can fail to be captivated by the sight of of a Kestrel as it hovers for minutes above you or stands on the wind, searching the ground below for prey species? No other bird of its size has the ability to hang in the air, motionless, with such deadly powers of observation and sudden stooping plunge to the ground. Male Kestrel, hovering Male Kestrel, stooping on prey The Kestrel is one of the commonest members of the Falcon family of raptors, and is distributed throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. It is not the smallest, nor the fastest flier, but is clearly one of the most successful predators of small mammals and birds, lizards and larger insects. Male Kestrel, ready to swoop Kestrels are seen all year round at Secret Valley and there are usually a few pairs nesting in the trees alongside the golf course. There are two frequently used nesting sites - one in the trees by the 13th fa...

(Note: click on Photos to enlarge the image) It's a sure sign of summer when we hear the arrival of the European Bee-eater. The bird's soft but distinct fluting call is often heard long before we are able to see them, but we can usually get sightings of individuals, or even large flocks, by the end of April or early May. European Bee-eaters - brightening up the power lines There are two species of Bee-eater that are seen in Cyprus as they make the annual migration trips between Africa and Central and Eastern Europe. The commonest and most frequently seen species is the European Bee-eater. The plumage is exotic with a blue underbelly, chestnut/red head, golden brown back, yellow and white throat and black eye stripe. The beak is black, long and curved. European Bee-eater - waiting for lunch The second species is the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. This is a bright green bird with rusty-red underwings, red-brown throat patch and pale blue markings above the black eye...

(Note: Click on photos to enlarge image) The Common Kingfisher is one of the most spectacular birds that we are occasionally lucky enough to see by a riverside or lake, or even at the seashore. Its vivid flash of turquoise-blue can be suddenly glimpsed as the bird darts across the water surface or as it dives almost vertically to catch small fish with its disproportionally large bill. It is harder to see when it sits motionless on a waterside perch as it can easily merge into background shadows. Sometimes a Kingfisher can be seen hovering briefly before diving, and the attached photo shows this from a bird I saw at Paphos Headland. In 2018 there were a pair of Kingfishers that were frequently seen hunting, feeding and flying around the ponds and stream by the 12th hole at Secret Valley, and one was also recently reported by the river at the 6th hole. The bird has a very distinctive shrill call ("peep"),  which is often the first clue that there is a Kingfisher near...

There are four species of Heron that are resident or regular visitors to Cyprus:  the Grey heron, the Purple Heron, the Squacco Heron and the Night Heron. The most frequently seen species is the Grey Heron. This is the largest individual (can be just over a metre tall, with a wingspan of nearly 6 feet) and is frequently seen standing or slowly striding along the edges of the ponds by the 11th and 12th holes at Secret Valley. Occasionally they can be seen roosting in the trees by the ponds. The Grey Heron is resident in Cyprus and usually breeds in groups. It has a very distinctive flight with its long neck drawn in to its body and a slow, languid wing beat. A spectacular bird when it takes off close to you! (Note: Click on photo to enlarge image) Grey Heron - waiting.... Grey Heron - just landed at Secret valley ponds The Purple Heron is nearly as big as the Grey Heron but is slightly slimmer with a slightly longer bill. From a distance it usually ...

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...