Another highlight was the number of Great Spotted Cuckoos around. Philip has been leading this trip for many springs, and had only seen three across 20 years. We had pairs or individuals at several locations: proper nice.

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3 April 2026 Cyprus: spring 2026

In late March and early April, I was back in Cyprus for the third spring running (for 2025, see here, here and here; for 2024, see here and here). Like last year, I was helping Philip Precey lead a https://wildlife-travel.co.uk/ group – this time focusing more on ‘easy birding’ than botanising. The trip was intentionally timed for a week later: although this meant that several of the orchids were past their best, it did make for some impressive bird migration. A full trip report will appear on the Wildlife Travel website later this month. Come and join us next year!

Herps – as is always the case on Cyprus – were pleasing. Although I again failed to find Blunt-nosed Viper, we got fleeting views of a young Large Whip Snake (and some lucky folk saw an adult as well), plus all the usual lizards. A herp-focused client and I were delighted to see our first Lemon-yellow Treefrog (Hyla saivgnyi) at Ayia Varvara, though try as we might, we could not track down the several calling individuals near the hotel. We had calling Cyprus Green Toads at two sites (including one – recording here – calling alongside some Treefrogs), and at one I managed to see a pair in amplexus – another herp tick!

Orchids were excellent, even if some (as mentioned above) were past their best. I have blogged extensively about these before, so won’t post a raft of photos (even of the 22 species/subspecies/variants that we saw on our final full day). The highlight was abundantly clear, however. After Philip spotted that a Kotschy’s Orchid (the endemic Ophrys) had been found by ‘OrientButterflies’ at the unlikely location of Paphos Archaelogical Site, and the finder had pointed us towards the right field (for which, many thanks!), Philip spotted two plants growing in a quiet corner. Remarkably, neither was the plant found the previous day. On iNaturalist, at least, these were the first records of this globally Near Threatened species for the Paphos area: nowadays, you seem to have to head to Akrotiri to stand a solid chance of seeing this stunner.

Cyprus's botanical interest in not only about orchids, of course. Even the non-botanically minded can enjoy Polemi's display of the endemic Tulips cypria and the wonderful fields of Field Gladiolus.

We coincided with an impressive trio of rarities: the long-staying Desert Finch (a world tick) an hour after landing at Paphos, and Bimaculated Lark (ditto) and Trumpeter Finch at Timi Beach between checking in and going through security! The most unusual passerine we found was a Thrush Nightingale, which showed very well (when it showed) in the hotel garden, although I was shrouded by leaves so the photos were no more than record shots. This followed a subsinging nightingale sp. at Paphos that we mooted might be a Thrush: presumably the same individual was firmly claimed at Thrush Nightingale the following day.

Wildlife

Minibeasts included: Levant Freshwater Crab at its usual site, a splendid Giant African Mantis briefly at the moth trap, abundant Scolopendra, and two orthopterans endemic to Cyprus - both of which were new for me: Modigryllus cyprius (rather like a wood cricket) and the conehead Pygomorpha cyprica. Butterflies were generally poor, though Paphos Blue and Small Desert Blue were both seen (the Eastern Festoons that had emerged the previous week, and were everywhere for a few days, had vanished entirely) and there were ample Swallowtails around. Dragonflies were also poor – conditions were a bit cool – with only Vagrant Emperor, Red-veined Darter and Blue-tailed Damselfly seen. Oh for the dropwings of 2024! As for moths, as is my wont in Cyprus (see here), these deserve a separate post…

Without any shadow of a doubt, the avian highlight was impressive numbers of Ficedula flycatchers, with up to 20 in a day. Checking of photos suggests that up to four Semi-collared Flycatchers (a world tick for me) frequented the garden of our hotel near Latsi (plus others elsewhere), and the final day saw perhaps six Collared Flycatchers in this small area. Almost all of these were highly elusive, barely showing for more than a couple of seconds, which meant that getting confirmatory photos was tricky. On the final morning, however, one male Collared – presumably fresh in – bucked the trend, and showed beautifully. Remarkably, Pied Flycatcher was the rarity, with only a few seen. Here is the showy Collared, followed by mainly record shots of Semi-collared.

Wildlife

James Lowen

Sylvia warblers were good. There seemed to be more Rüppell’s Warblers around than normal, though getting photos was tricky. Cyprus Warbler was harder than normal (another wildlife tour group failed to see it at all! Imagine leaving the island without seeing one!), though one of several singing individuals eventually gave views. Sardinian Warblers showed very well, so I won’t apologise for sharing a few photos of this widespread and common species. Moving on to Phyllis's, there were plenty of Eastern Bonelli’s Warblers around, so I finally snatched a couple of shots.