Finsch's wheatear and the Isabelline shrike at Paphos Headland

My original plan was to stay in Mandria all day, but when a Finsch's wheatear was found at Paphos Headland followed by a masked shrike I decided to spend the afternoon there instead. I've seen a few Finsch's wheatears in winter in Cyprus, though it's never a common bird, just a handful overwinter at traditional sites, but it would be my seventh species of wheatear that I've seen on this holiday, so I was keen to see it. Also I thought that since I'd be there late afternoon, I could take the opportunity to call in for meal in a favourite restaurant on the front. That was the plan but it didn't work out that way.

The masked shrike was never seen again but I managed to relocate the isabelline shrike and it showed better than ever. It was a 1st winter when I saw it back in December but now it's really taking on some decent adult plumage. Gone is the barring on it's flanks, it now has a rusty crown and it's tail is getting redder.

Great to see and I was starting to think about food, but then I got news of something that I just could not miss back in Mandria and my plans were abandoned. A Namaqua dove had been found just 200m from my apartment. Doh! I knew that I should have stayed in Mandria! Back to the car.

I called in for brief look at Asprokromnos dam on the way to Paphos and found this Cyprus wheatear along with an eastern Bonelli's warbler and three great spotted cuckoos.