Little Crakes

Ha Besor Reservoir is full of water and the first surprise of the day was this distant Slender-billed Gull. I don't see many gulls in this area of the Negev. This is the first one actually.

The best part of the day though was an influx of Little Crakes. Instead of their usual solitary, skulking behaviour they were out in the open and feeding within two metres of me. From where I was sitting I counted four on my left and four on my right. I've never seen so many together before or had such fantastic views.

Moving just a bit around the reservoir another three came into view. One scuttled off immediately but the other two remained out in the open. The one on the right made my heart beat a bit faster - the short primary projection made me think 'Baillon's'. When it moved round to more favourable light I could see the red base of the bill - another Little, albeit an odd one.

Lots of Squacco Herons around too, as well as two Great Spotted Cuckoos (heard one song, saw one individual), Sedge Warblers have arrived together with a large movement of Lesser Whitethroats.