31 Jan 25 - ORCA Saga Eastern Med Cruise Day 12 - The Paphos Archaeological Park

In the previous Blog Post, I covered some of the Birds and Butterflies we saw as we walked around the outside of the Paphos Archaeological Park. Finally, we entered the town. Before I reached the entrance gate, I saw this fantastic building which turned out to be offices for a local property developer. There is a similar-themed hotel nearby which is full of similar murals depicting Paphos's history. This building helps to bring to life how the original Greek buildings might have been decorated.

A local property developer's offices

This is excellent artwork

More artwork

Another excellent painting

Paphos has a lot of decent-looking gardens within the urban area

A street view: The locals were keeping the streets clean, which was a real contrast to the filthy streets of Palermo

There were a few common species hanging around the town.

Woodpigeon: This is the nominate palumbus subspecies which occurs from Europe to West Siberia, East Turkey & Iraq. They winters in Southern Europe & North Africa

Hooded Crow: This is the sharpii subspecies which occurs from Italy to the Balkans, Asia Minor, North Iran & Kazakhstan

A map of the Paphos Archaeological Park

Perhaps the most bizarre sign on the gents toilet that I've seen: Especially, as it is so nearly spelt as Anti Pee

Sardinian Warbler: This is the nominate melanocephala subspecies which occurs in Southern Europe, the Canary & Mediterranean islands, West Turkey & North Africa

Sardinian Warbler: I was pleased with the last photo given how skulky Sardinian Warblers normally are. But this second individual was more showy

Sardinian Warbler: Then it became even more photogenic

Sardinian Warbler: Even in a bare-leaved bush, they can hide fairly well

This Troodos Lizard was just inside the Archaeological Park. It's clearly had a lucky escape when it lost its tail.

Troodos Lizard: This common and widespread Lizard is endemic to Cyprus

The ruins are excellent and well worth a visit. There are some superb mosaics inside buildings that had been constructed to protect and display them. It would have been good to have a few more signs explaining what each of the ruins are.

Without signs, it is difficult to explain much about the ruins

I suspect gravel has been laid in some areas to protect surfaces under the gravel

The remains of a water pipe

These buildings date from a period when most Ancient Britons were still living in simple wooden huts

It was well worth looking in the buildings as they contained some excellent mosaics.

Mosaic in the House of Aion: The mosaic in this building got its name from a depiction of Aion, the god of time and eternity

Mosaic in the House of Aion

Mosaic in the House of Aion: The level of detail is exceptional

Mosaic in the Villa of Theseus: This was built in the second half of the second Century AD on the ruins of older houses from the Greek and Roman periods

Mosaic in the House of Dionysus: This mosaic showed a big hunting scene

Mosaic in the House of Dionysus: The knew about Lions which still occurred in the Levant and Egypt in those days

Mosaic in the House of Dionysus: They would have known about Tigers since the days of Alexander the Great

These pillars give a sense of scale to some of the buildings

This stone container was several feet across in size

Raised walkways ensured visitors didn't damaging the ruins

Heading towards the Paphos Lighthouse

Some of the buildings had deep basements

These are presumably underground storage rooms

There are large parts of the site which look like they haven't been excavated

The Paphos Lighthouse: This was built when Cyprus was under British administration in 1888

Lexie with her ORCA parents: Some of the passengers through Karen & Terry were Lexie's parents, which became a running joke during the trip

Back on the waterfront

Another tender run from the shore

It had been a really enjoyable visit to Paphos. Overnight we sailed for Antalya in Turkey.

11 Oct 24 - Fat Pigeons

I'm sure I'm not the only Birder who rarely looks at Woodpigeons properly during most of the year. But they are good-looking Pigeons and if they were rare, then we would probably be more impressed with them. But today I decided to take some photos of them as I saw a few posing in the trees at Durlston.

Woodpigeon

Woodpigeon

However, it is getting close to time when Woodpigeons get a brief few weeks of interest from South coast Birders as large flocks gather together before moving to the coast & at some point, heading out to sea. They will winter in Southern France & Central Spain. What is surprising is we don't see these Woodpigeons returning during the following Spring. Normally, the Woodpigeons depart at the end of Oct and early Nov. However, there were over three thousand moving over St Aldhelms on 13 Oct 24, typically in flocks of one of two hundred. It looks like the movement is starting early this Autumn.

Woodpigeon: Woodpigeons on the move over Rempstone Forest (10 Nov 13)

10 Nov 13 - Hello & Goodbye

Today, the conditions were looking promising for Woodpigeons to be on the move and I was out early at South Haven: my regular migration viewpoint at the Northerly tip of Studland. Before I moved to Dorset in 1996, I had assumed that our Woodpigeons are basically a static British species that do not migrate. In the last decade, I realise that isn't the case. Locally, in early November, Dorset can get vast movements of tens of thousands of Woodpigeons heading South & West depending on the weather & wind conditions. My best day was early Nov 2011, when I had 26,800 in a 2.5 hour window moving along the Sandbanks peninsula at the Poole Harbour mouth. The bulk moved over SW over Brownsea, but smaller numbers continuing South over Studland. Flocks often exceeded 1000 on that date. Unfortunately, while the Woodpigeons were on the move today, they were moving further West through Poole Harbour & were too distant to pick up from my regular viewpoint at South Haven. I later ran into this small flock of about 250 birds.

Woodpigeon on the move: I've leave you to do the exact count

Just to confuse the situation, Woodpigeons can be seen throughout the year flying across the Poole Harbour mouth, but these are birds moving locally to feed. They fly both ways and are nice & low and in small parties or on their own. This contrasts with the birds on the move, which are in large parties and generally very high.

Woodpigeon: This one was on a local feeding trip across the harbour mouth today

The general feeling is the moving Woodpigeons are British birds which are moving South for the winter as people haven't seen big flocks arrivals on the East coast from Northern Europe. As for where they are heading, I think some head to the SW for the winter, whereas others head South to Europe & presumably also Spain. In previous Autumns, I've seen thousands of birds moving South across Swanage & observers at Durlston have seen them heading out to sea. Not all make it across the channel, as on a number of occasions when the weather has been mixed, I've seen flocks returning and dropping rapidly into the local woods & fields. I can only conclude is they have hit adverse conditions out at sea & turned back. Often on those days, as the weather improves, birds will collect up to try heading South again. So while I was disappointed to not see the Woodies on the move, South Haven was still interesting. Just outside the harbour mouth this Great Northern Diver was happily feeding close to the shore.

Great Northern Diver

While photographing the Great Northern Diver, this juvenile Red-throated Diver popped up in the same place.

Red-throated Diver: Juvenile

Popping home for some food, I wasn't surprised to see a couple of Red Admirals feeding on the ivy in the garden. Ivy is a great plant help sustain Butterflies and other insects at this time of year. Well worth growing some in your garden.

Red Admiral

What was a total surprise was seeing a warbler in my apple tree. Grabbed the bins & realised it was a Lesser Whitethroat. Most Lesserthroats pass through Dorset in mid Aug - mid Sept and it's unusual to see one in Nov. There was one at Portland Bill a few days ago, but given that's one of the best migration spots on the South coast, that is more understandable. This is only my second garden record and I only heard the first one singing. So I was very happy with this bird.

Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Given that date, there is a chance this might be one of the Eastern races of Lesser Whitethroat, rather than a late British bird. However, you need to see the wings & tail very well to try and figure out the race. Although it was side on when I first saw it, I didn't watch it with the bins as I was more interested in grabbing the camera. So sadly I will never know, unless it reappears again.