From the snowy peaks to the desert finch at Geroskipou

Eight days after we left Cyprus last December, a desert finch was found on Paphos headland. I was disappointed to have missed it, especially since it hung around for over a month. However, it was seen regularly and it got to the point where I was beginning to hope that it might stick around long enough for me to see it on this holiday. Sadly though, a week or two before my arrival in the middle of March it went missing and was thought to have gone.   

Obviously I thought that was it, my opportunity to see it had gone. Amazingly though, right out of the blue, it was relocated yesterday at Pioneer beach, Geroskipou. So following my trip to Troodos today, I headed straight there to try to at last catch up with the bird. 

When I arrived it hadn't been seen for about five hours but I joined a group of other birders and very soon after I arrived a flock of greenfinches flew into a bush and we managed to pick out the desert finch, much to my relief. Unfortunately though, they didn't settle and flew off north up the coast.

The other birders drifted off content with having seen the bird, but I wanted a better look, so followed the promenade north for about 400m until I came to a small grassy headland outside the Ivi Mare hotel where I could see that a few woodpigeons were feeding. Sure enough, my hunch paid off and there was the greenfinch flock on the ground and the desert finch was with them. Now I had some great views and I watched it for about 15 minutes before the flock was spooked by a passerby and they headed off back south.