Cyprus days three and four

Thursday was a write-off at the Water Park but on the way back we stopped off at Asprokremnos Dam where I managed to get the first target endemic bird- Cyprus Warbler but only brief views. List here. I was now three days into the trip and still hadn't bagged the mission birds so yesterday, with a re-newed focus I was up at dawn and went to Kouris Dam and had a great morning with Cyprus Wheatears and Cyprus Warblers HERE. 

In the afternnon we went to Troodos and took a family walk through the Black Pine forests towards the Asbestos Mine and managed to find the key Cyprus endemic sub-species of Cyprus Jay, Cyprus Short-toed Treecreeper, Cyprus Crossbill and Cyprus Coal Tit. In the evening after a meal at the Troodos hotel restuarant we waited until dusk and the surrounding Pine woods became alive with calling  Cyprus Scops Owls. List here

So basically managed to bag the bloody lot in one day in amongst a morning swimming pool session and family walk and meal. Despite some moaning about the length of the trek on the forest trail- managed to pull it off. 

Adult Cyprus Wheatears (above). The ochre coloured underparts are the most distinctive feature that seperates them from Pied Wheatear but the primary projection is also slightly shorter, there are often more extensive dark marking on the crown (moreso with females, bottom bird could be female)  and the black tail band is not as anchored shaped as Pied. There is also much less difference between the sexes in Cyprus Pied and more than anything the song is completely different - scroll down below for Cyprus Pied and Pied Wheatears here. 

First-summer Cyprus Pied Wheatear- more browner wings and less contrasting plumage than adults

Male Cyprus Warbler - what an incredibly unique bird. Calling bird in recording below (scroll down). Most of them have already stopped singing. 

Cyprus Jay- this endemic race is more uniform than other races with the head almost the same colour as rest of body. Also the bird looks slighter build with thinner bill to my eye

Cyprus Short-toed Treecreeper- this race is supposed to be paler than othe races lacking any brown wash on the flanks not that that can be seen from these photos

Cyprus Coal Tit - the black bib is much larger than other races extending much further down the breast. The calls are also different here (with Isaac shouting too) . Unfortunately no photos of Cyprus Crossbill - just heard a couple and saw one well in flight. There is no red colour in the males of Cyprus Crossbill and presumably they call different too. 

Cretzschmar's Bunting (above and below) . Two sound recordings below (scroll down) , one of a calling bird (not easy to seperate from Ortolan!) and the other recording of a singing bird which is clearly different tone to Ortolan. 

Ortolan 

Cyprus Wheatear and Warbler habitat near Kouris Dam

Black Pine forests in the Troodos Mountains- home to the Cyprus woodland endemic sub-species and Cyprus Scops Owl. Surprisingly there were also Cyprus Wheatears up here singing from the tops of the Pine trees. 

View over the asbestos mine which was restored in 1992 

 

Cyprus Scops Owls calling