From Opus

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[edit] Overview

This dam and the surrounding valley is gaining in popularity with birders visiting Cyprus and holds a good range of the island's most sought-after species including Black Francolin, Cretzschmar's Bunting and both Cyprus Warbler and Cyprus Pied Wheatear.

The river itself is often dry but the vegetation growing along its course attracts scrub-loving birds and many migrants and the farmland near the coast has Black Francolin.

Further up the valley there are orchards and rocky slopes and at the top of the valley is a large reservoir.

[edit] Birds

[edit] Notable Species

As well as the francolin the Cypriot race of Chukar Partridge is common in the rockier parts of the valley and scrub warblers commonly seen include Ruppell's Warbler and Subalpine Warbler in addition to Cyprus.

The trees higher up the valley are excellent for Great Spotted Cuckoo and Golden Oriole. Bonelli's Eagle and Eleonora's Falcon are sometimes seen hunting over the reservoir, through the valley or along the coast. Cinereous Bunting has been seen in this area.

[edit] Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Bonelli's Eagle, Common Kestrel, Eleonora's Falcon, Chukar Partridge, Black Francolin, Yellow-legged Gull, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hoopoe, Greater Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Northern House Martin, Whinchat, Cyprus Pied Wheatear, Cetti's Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Subalpine Warbler, Cyprus Warbler, Ruppell's Warbler, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Masked Shrike, Hooded Crow, Spanish Sparrow, Cretzschmar's Bunting

[edit] Other Wildlife

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[edit] Site Information

[edit] History and Use

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[edit] Areas of Interest

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[edit] Access and Facilities

The dam is signposted to the right about 10km north of Paphos on the road to Coral Bay. The reservoir often appears virtually birdless but the valley below is well worth visiting.

[edit] Contact Details

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[edit] External Links

• Phaphos & Coral Bay marked on Google Maps

Content and images originally posted by Steve