Consolation prize

Today was very frustrating. I had to go to Beer Sheva yesterday instead of working at Sde Boker thus missing an Olive Tree Warbler and Golden Oriole in the nets. However, at lunchtime today I went for a quick walk around the pistachia grove and saw the/a GO. Also seen was a brief view of a large grey backed warbler. I got terrible views as it skulked in the bushes but I did see that a) it was big, b) it was grey backed and pale below, c) the tail appeared black apart from white sides to the outer tail feathers. Also, it wasn't an Orphean. So, probable Olive Tree Warbler but as I missed the wing panel, strong bill and supercilium I can't claim it. This would be a lifer for me so it was very frustrating to have lost the bird in the undergrowth.

Migration-wise, things are definitely slowing down but this fiesty Red-backed Shrike was a bonus. Meidad held it up for some portraits, much to the shrike's displeasure.

Blood (not much) was drawn.

Honour satisfied - looking very pleased with himself.

A Rufous Bush-Robin sporting a ring - not sure if it's one of Darren's. It was good to finally get some non-record shots of these great birds.

Semi-collared Flycatcher (female)

Ok, so I've seen quite a few Semi-collareds this Spring but this female at Sde Boker is a very late individual and thus notable as a temporal rarity. The main waves of these should be long gone by now. I guess the large number of ticks on this bird have weakened it somewhat. Like most rarities it probably won't be joining the breeding population. . . .

Just before I arrived back home I saw this incredible flock of (mainly) Swallows feeding over the potato fields.

Roller

A great way to start May. On the way home this afternoon I spotted a Roller in a roadside tree. They are fairly common here in the summer but still fantastic birds. It stayed close to the road until I got out of the car, when it flew off and kept a 150 m distance from me, hence the distance blur. This one was circling around so may be territorial. Hopefully.

A gorgeous Wood Warbler in the pistachia grove at Sde Boker - the Old World warbler's answer to New World warblers. 

Golden Oriole and Red-backed Shrike

Over the weekend I saw at least two Golden Orioles on the kibbutz. At Sde Boker though, there had apparently been up to 12 in one Mulberry tree. Meidad Goren and I drove over this morning to see if they were still there. The tree in question was literally hopping with Blackcaps but no GOs. After a minute or so we saw a couple flying around. This male showed beautifully in a nearby tree-top. Cracking!

Back at work I saw my first Red-backed Shrike of the season. Another cracking male.

Lots of Nightingales around,

 and Thrush Nightingales.

Back to Nir Oz - plenty of Bee-eaters, various hirundines and swifts moving through as well as a single Roller.

Ha Besor reed beds

A large movement of hirundines this morning around Nir Oz - Red-rumped Swallow,

 Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martins.

Yesterday I checked the Ha Besor Reservoir area - a great morning's birding with a lot of common birds around. Blackcaps once again dominated the scene - they are everywhere at the moment,

White-breasted Kingfisher,

and a lot of waders - Black-tailed godwit (below), Little Ringed Plover, Little Stint, Ruff, Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, Black-winged Stilt.

I found a quiet spot away from the road where a stream enters the reed beds, forming a pool. The warblers were out in force. Reed warbler,

Great Reed Warbler keeping low to the waterline,

Sedge and Reed Warblers, this Sedge had a very white supercilium,

 more Reed Warblers,

 this one included because it's the first time I've seen a reflection of water on a wing,

 Bee-eaters - plenty of these around now.

The light was very glaring by now, making photography difficult - didn't put the birds off though. The first Rufous Bush Robins I've seen this year,

 and a Thrush Nightingale.

Lots of Squacco Herons around and a single female Collared Flycatcher completed the morning.

An Ichneumon or Egyptian Mongoose wandered along the reservoir shore. As a non-birdy aside and for a really good laugh read Whittier's 1832 elegy for an ichneumon - truly awful! Bear in mind that this is written by someone who thought that a poem about a brick was 'fine and fitting'. He never actually saw the beast as it died and was buried before he arrived to view it. Here's the first stanza as a taster . . . 

     Stranger! they have made thy grave 

     By the darkly flowing river; 

     But the washing of its wave 

     Shall disturb thee never! 

     Nor its autumn tides which run 

     Turbid to the rising sun, 

     Nor the harsh and hollow thunder, 

     When its fetters burst asunder, 

     And its winter ice is sweeping, 

     Downward to the ocean's keeping.

Collared Pratincole

Continuing on 'collared' theme, I've started checking the sewage pools at Revivim. As I approached the gates today I immediately noticed a pratincole fly up. In the short time it took to get out of the car the bird was away and flying fast. I did manage a couple of record shots - this one shows the reddish brown underwing nicely. Collared Pratincole - one of my favourites!

The pools are quite birdy - Dunlin,

Squacco Herons (adult and juv.)

Greenshank, Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, Ruff, Little Stints. Yellow Wagtails, Bee-eaters etc. A good movement of House Martins and Swallows going through and a Peregrine keeping everything on its toes. This is definitely a place to keep an eye on.

In Sde Boker there are still many Ortolan moving through, Collared Flycatchers, Thrush Nightingale and Nightingale, Garden Warblers and hundreds of Blackcaps. Garden Warblers are really dull but still good to see so close up.

Collared Flycatcher (male)

I was working in the kibbutz this morning and noticed this superb male Collared Flycatcher flitting from tree to tree. I collected my camera after work finished and took a few pics. This one was rather wary and kept its distance but no matter - makes a great addition to the female from Wednesday. Huge white collar, white primary patch,

 very pale grey rump

and large white forehead patch.