The Eilat experience - Part 2

Brown Booby, North beach, Eilat

Brown Booby

Little Bittern, Neot Smadar

Little Bittern

Western Reef Heron

Blackstart, Showaddy Wadi

Short toed Lark

Caspian Tern, K 20

Mild for a November evening

Day 4

The day began with the continuing search for the mythical Striated Scops Owl at Wadi Shlomo and Wadi Roded. Reminds me of a band from Leicester back in the 70s. The wadi's were hot, very hot but good for Blackstarts, Sunbirds and the occasional Sardinian warbler but again no sign of Owls. The team moved on to the fields of Neot Smadar and a pool where we found a confiding Little Bittern.

In the afternoon we went to K20, a pool with wader appeal. We saw numbers of the more regular species but also birds like Greater Sandplover and Marsh Sandpiper rarely seen in th UK. Other birds of note included Greater Flamingo, White Pelican, Caspian Tern and Slender billed Gull.

....and then a touch of inspiration from our leader James Smith. Well, I was impressed. James was aware that the wind had gone round to the south and predicted that even with a slight southerly breeze we should be heading for the beach at Eilat. When we arrived I was chuffed to see a dark phase Western Reef Heron in the small pool, but even more chuffed when James shouted Brown Booby. The bird arced over the water trying to find a buoy to land on which wasn't occupied by a White eyed Gull. Another great end to the day.