Golden Oriole, Nikokleia, Cyprus

May 8, 2010:
For several days there had been reports of Golden Orioles in the area with three seen by Gerrit near the hotel early one morning. However, they were very mobile never staying in one place for long and so difficult to photograph. The opportunity came one evening when watching from a high vantage point over an orange grove. A bird approached and settled in a tree about 40 metres away but was partly obscured by the leaves. When it changed position slightly there was just time for a couple of shots before it flew off disturbed by a dog barking in the village nearby.



Golden Orioles are mainly passage migrants in Cyprus but have been known to nest occasionally in the Troodos range. When perched in orange trees they can easily be confused with the bright orange fruits.



Nikokleia village with the Oriole orange grove in the middle distance right of centre.



Another bird was seen and heard singing near the Avagas gorge, Akamas.