Got back just over a week ago along with Howard Bunn, Alan Daws & Bill Sterling from a weeks birding based in Eilat, Israel. 150 species were seen on the trip. Specialities like Macqueens Bustard, Brown Booby, Striated Heron, Western Reef Heron, White-eyed Gull, Brown-necked Raven, Arabian Babbler, Palestine Sunbird & Tristram's Starling were seen. 18 species of raptor including 3 eagle sp. - Steppe, Booted & Short-toed. Levant Sparrowhawk inc one flock of 50 birds, 4000+ Honey Buzzard, hundreds of Steppe Buzzards, Barbary Falcon, Lanner & Lesser Kestrel. Waders included Cream-coloured Courser, Spur-winged Plover, Collared Pratincole, & Broad-billed Sandpiper. Desert, Mourning & White-crowned Black Wheatears. Lark highlights were Thick-billed, Bar-tailed + Temminck's feeding young. Star warblers were Olive-tree, Arabian & Spectacled. Also seen: Little Green Bee-eater, Black Stork, Sand Partridge, Spotted Sandgrouse, Namaqua Dove, Blackstart, Masked Shrike, Trumpeter Finch & Collared Flycatcher. Other highlights were flocks of up to 140 Little Stints, a count of 300+ Slender-billed Gulls, 500 Turtle Dove together & 19 Red-necked Phalarope on a single pool. A thoroughly enjoyable and productive trip!
Regards
Chris
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