We began the day at Shizzafon sewage pools, timing our visit for the potential viewing of drinking sandgrouse. Unfortunately, there were no sandgrouse of any kind but while we waited an interesting variety of species was logged, the highlight being an astonishing flock of 17 Temminck's Horned Larks seen only in flight just before 9am. A female Hooded Wheatear was in the area for much of the morning and we were all lucky enough to have good views of a couple of wintering Spectacled Warblers.

Again we headed south for the afternoon, stumbling across a beautiful afternoon flight of Steppe Eagles over Eilat Cemetery where we also saw Short-toed Eagle and Long-legged Buzzard. Finishing off the afternoon at Eilat's north beach, we recorded over 60 White-eyed Gulls, Caspian and Baltic Gulls, Caspian and Whiskered Terns, and a Cory's Shearwater. However, a fly-by dark-morph Western Reef Heron gave such wonderful views in the afternoon light that it was voted the bird of the day!

Good birding,

James Smith