Besor continues to delight and surprise. This morning's surprise came in the form of seven or eight Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. Never seen sandgrouse flying over reed beds before. They were out of sight very quickly but later on I managed to catch a few seconds of a distant pair as they headed off to the fields.
Not exactly the best photo but a record shot for the patch. Pin-taileds used to be relatively common here in the NW Negev but have declined in recent years (see Barak Granit's article: http://www.birds.org.il/en/article-page.aspx?articleId=250 ). I'm very pleased to have seen them here!
Even though its mid-summer there's still a lot of movement. The Purple Herons appear to have gone but this juvenile has arrived.
Lots of Black-winged Stilts about, a single Glossy Ibis, about 20 newly arrived Green Sandpipers, Night Herons seem to be increasing with 25-30 now, Squacco Herons by the dozen (many in full breeding plumage),
Little and Cattle Egrets,
a single Grey Heron, ditto Marsh Harrier and Buzzard, several Roller, Barn and Little Owls (very well camouflaged),
Bee-eaters all over the place,
and Clamorous Reed and Cetti's Warbler (below) newly fledged birds are feeding openly.
Back on the kibbutz, this Long-eared Owl chick is constantly calling for food.
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