Cyprus
Since 1996 we have had several trips to Cyprus mainly in spring, April - May, but once in August, far too hot, with the most recent visits in April 2016 and early May 2017. We have never been in March and by early May migration is tailing off but you cans till bump into some unexpected species like the flock of 11 Pale Rock Sparrows that landed by the Aspro Dam pools on the evening of May 7th 1997 before flying off north or the Little Bunting, the second for Cyprus, that I found near Pissouri Bay on April 12th 2006.
Photos from my early visits were on slide film and then digi-scoped with the Blue-cheeked Beeeater at Mandria on the left being my best ever image in that genre before moving to full DSLR gear on later trips.
In 1996 and 1997 we stayed north of Paphos but from then onwards at Pissouri Bay where the headland to the south was one of my main stamping grounds searching for migrants.
Even during this period of 22 years the huge declines in migrants across the island have been progressively apparent. In two weeks in late April 1996 we saw 500 Ortolans in the last two visits I have not seen one and even species like Nightingale, formerly very common on passage, and Tawny Pipit, Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes are all hugely reduced.
