Paul Sterry and I made the long drive out to the Western Negev for two whole days of birding and photography.

We began at Nizzana and moved onto the large arable fields of Ze'elim, Urim and Re'im. As usual on our Negev trips we spent the night in the delightful surroundings of Kibbutz Gevulot.

Here's a summary of the main species of the trip:

White Pelican - 600 flew south low over Urim on 8th.
Eastern Imperial Eagle - 10 plus.

Long-legged Buzzard - 15 plus at Urim. 1 dark morph at Nizzana.
Pallid Harrier - 6 on 7th, none on 8th!
Hen Harrier - 5.
Marsh Harrier - 6.
Black Kite - c.150 Gevulot/Urim.
Merlin - 6 plus.
Peregrine - 5.
Lanner - 1 adult Ashalim on 7th, 1 juv Urim on 8th.
Houbara Bustard - 2 briefly at Nizzana.

Common Crane - c.90
Northern Lapwing - c.35
Golden Plover - 1 juvenile.
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse - 1500 plus on the Re'im road near Tal Or.
Little Owl - 5 (2 Ashalim, 3 Nizzana)
Long-eared Owl - 1, superb views at Gevulot.
Barn Owl - 1 - 2 at Gevulot on the evening of 7th.
Calandra Lark - 1 on 7th.
Lesser Short-toed Lark - 1.
Desert Lark - 1 singing at Nizzana.
Eurasian Skylark - c.6,000 in the fields at Urim.
Finsch's Wheatear - 1 female Nizzana, 1 dark-throated female near Hatzerim.
Desert Wheatear - 3 Nizzana, 1 near Hatzerim.
Southern Grey Shrike - c.10 at Nizzana.