Cyprus - Day 5: Bird of the trip...

Me and my dad spent the morning of the fifth day of our early-April holiday birding in the south-west of the island, with the small town and river of Agia Varvara being our first stop. We had heard reports of a Baillon's Crake there over the previous few so we couldn't resist a look, despite thinking we didn't have much chance.

When we got there we were unable to find the bird, nor were we sure exactly where to look, but thanks to another very helpful birder, we were shown the way down to the tiny patch of the stream it had been favouring. A short wait later and the Baillon's Crake came out in the open and treated us to some great scope views. We were able to watch it for several minutes, and I took some video which can be seen below. With such unexpectedly good views of a really smart bird, this was our highlight of the trip.

Other sightings around Agia Varvara included Ortolan Bunting, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Great Reed Warbler and Purple Heron.

After this, we headed back to Mandria to try and improve on the views we had last time. We arrived to find a recently cut field, and this proved extremely attractive to wagtails with probably 50+, mostly Black-headed Wagtails, but also Blue-headed and one Grey-headed. There were also 20+ Red-throated Pipits which looked good in their summer plumage, and a single Isabelline Wheatear.

Moving to the cafe, a look here gave good views of the flock of Short-toed Larks with over 45 today, sharing the same area with 5 Northern Wheatears. Offshore, 4 Baltic Gulls moved west and 3 Shags and 3 Little Egret were on the rocks.

Baillon's Crake - please view video in HD at 1080p

Purple Heron 

Red-throated Pipit

Probable 'Dombrowski' Yellow Wagtail

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Mega distant Ortolan Bunting!

Teesside Twitching...

With a host of birds being reported from Teesside we decided that would be our destination on Saturday...

Our first stop was the outer bowling green on Hartlepool Headland where the stunning male Red-spotted Bluethroat was giving superb views down to just a few metres at times. Only my second in Britain and first view on the ground after one in song flight at Welney in 2011.

Before the reserve at Saltholme opened we had a look at the flooded fields on Seaton Common north of the east of the Zinc Works Road where a male Grey-headed Wagtail had been present for a view days. The very smart Wagtail was still present and showed well through the scope before flying off south with a White Wagtail.

Next was the RSPB reserve at Saltholme. We were quickly onto one of the adult Whiskered Terns sat on a tern raft in front of the visitor centre. We walked around the edge of the lake and the two Whiskered Terns were giving some very close fly-bys. I was surprised how inconspicuous they were sat in among the Common Terns yet they really stood out in flight.

Also on the reserve were 5 Spoonbills (including a bird with German colour-rings), 2 first-summer Little Gulls, my first Common Sandpiper of the year and at least a dozen Avocets.

Once we reached Danby Beacon on the North York Moors it took a while for the trip of 10 Dotterels to be found but once they were the birds were very confiding if you sat still.

Back in Northumberland Druridge Pools felt very quiet apart from a drake Garganey from the south facing hide.

We had a brilliant day on Teesside with my second-ever Bluethroat, Whiskered Terns and Dotterel along with my first ever Grey-headed Wagtail being the highlights.

Male Red-spotted Bluethroat

Whiskered Terns

Dotterel

Grey-headed Wagtail - record shots!

Spoonbills

Common Sandpiper