Northern Egypt 3rd – 10th April 2009

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General

This is the first part of a double-barrelled trip to Egypt. The trip was devoted to the northern parts where we spent one week birding and photographing. The second part will be to southern Egypt in the summer of 2010 or 2011. For SC it was the first visit to Egypt. PAB had been to Sharm El Sheikh quite recently. We flew with Aeroflot from Copenhagen to Moscow. Here, we had to wait three hours (one hour delayed) for the flight which eventually took us to Cairo. The flight Moscow - Cairo took 3 hours 15 minutes. For transit in Moscow visa is not needed. We had booked a room at the good Hotel Novotel at the airport in advance. This was the only pre-booked accommodation during the trip.
   At the airport tourist visa was bought at the bank offices just prior to the passport checking. At the bank office we also exchanged our US$ to Egyptian £. A car booked in advance was picked up at Europcar at the airport the second day. Signing all documents for this took a little more than one and a half hour!
   For planning the tour we used several trip reports on the Internet, mainly from travellingbirder.com and Club 300 Sweden. We had bought Insight Fleximap 1:930 000 at home but also printed several detailed aerial maps in A3-format from Google Earth. These more detailed pictures were really useful on our different localities visited in Egypt. We also used GPS-navigation utilising mobile telephone and purchased a local telephone card to keep the costs at a low level. In this report we give the coordinates for every locality visited and recommend checking them up on the Google Earth. (The view-marks for Google Earth can be downloaded from our homepages (see below).
   Our first distance was driving via Suez to the Feiran valley on the Sinai Peninsula. On Sinai we also visited St Katherine before going back to Ain Sukhnah, on the western side of the Gulf of Suez, via Suez. We then drove via Giza to the Natrun valley, NW of Cairo. The last two days we spent in the Abbasa area east of Zagazig city, NE of Cairo.
   International driver’s license is necessary in Egypt, but the only time we had to show these was at Europcar when renting the car, even though we were frequently stopped at check-points, however here the police was only interested in seeing the passports. Driving in Egypt isn’t easy. Often, or most of the time, drivers try to overtake you, and frequently on the wrong side of the car. Honking in every possible and impossible situation is obviously obligatory; this is just their way of communication, saying I’m coming, get out of the way! The roads were mainly quite good but often there were bumps without any prior warning. People would often also completely fearlessly walk out just in front of the car. Finding petrol was no problem and the price was also very low, about 2 Egyptian £ per litre (0.23 € per litre).
   The food was good in most hotels. We were cautious not to eat risky ice-cream, vegetables and fruits in the beginning of the journey. We also brought bottled water with us.
   Literally all birds and animals were noted during our trip, and in total we observed 139 species of birds. In total, we drove 1880 km.

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Itinerary

Friday 3 April

We flew from Copenhagen airport to Sheremetyevo airport, Moscow with Aeroflot. A little more than three hours transit in Moscow went well. The flight to Cairo took 3 hours 15 minutes and we arrived at Cairo international airport late in the evening. After some negotiations we got a very old (but cheap) taxi which took us the 500 m to Hotel Novotel. Air temperature in the Egyptian night was 21 °C.

Saturday 4 April

We had a fairly comprehensive breakfast at Novotel. Before leaving we took a short walk in the hotel garden. A few warblers were seen but nothing else of interest. We picked up the car at Europcar at the airport in the morning. The procedure of signing all documents and inspection of the car took a little more than one and a half hour!
   We took the Cairo-Suez road through a desert landscape with rather few birds and no actual stop for birding. The distance is 120 km and took 3 hours and 20 minutes to drive. We had a much more lush landscape closer to Suez. We took the Nafaq Ahmad Hamidi tunnel under the Suez Canal to the Sinai side, paying a small toll to pass. Driving along the Gulf of Suez was easy on pretty good roads. Along the gulf a flock of Pintails and some Caspian Terns were seen. Some 45 km N of Abu Zeneihma (Zenima) we noticed a few Buzzards coming in from the sea, so we made a short stop. Besides the Steppe Buzzards, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Short-toed Snake-eagle, Black Kites and a Booted Eagle were seen heading north-east at this point. We reached the turning away from the coast and up to the mountains just after 4 pm. Then we had only a little less than an hours drive before we arrived at Feiran village. We had planned to stay at the Nun's Monastery. After some confusion we finally found the monastery. Luckily there were available rooms at a cost of 300 Egyptian £ per person and night, including dinner and breakfast. The dish was simple but very tasty. In the late evening we tried pretty hard to hear Hume’s Owl, using play-back from many places along the village. There are a few records from the village some years ago.

Nun's Monastery, Feiran. Photo SC.

Sunday 5 April

After breakfast we spent some hours birding and photographing in the monastery garden. PAB had a short sight of a Namaqua Dove, but it couldn’t be rediscovered. We made a short stop at a palm groove in Feiran village before continuing towards St Katherine, where we arrived just after 11 am. It was roughly a one hour drive between the two villages. Some check-points before St Katherine were passed without any problems, but we tried to hide binoculars and cameras when passing these places. In St Katherine we first stopped at the monastery where the Pale Rosefinches were easily found just above the monastery. We checked in at Daniella Village Hotel, where we also got a good dinner with real beer! In the afternoon we drove to the nearby Arbaein wadi. The valley is an old locality for Hume’s Owl, even though we had not heard of any recent sightings. We parked at a small turning area close to a small olive-tree plantation. A flycatcher, first identified as a Pied, was photographed, but home in Sweden, we realised that it obviously was a 2nd cal-year ♂ Semi-collared Flycatcher! We walked back in the valley after sunset without hearing any Hume’s Owls, despite frequently playing the call.

St Katherine monastery. Photo SC.

Monday 6 April

Before breakfast we walked down in Wadi Itlah, which starts from the northern part of the village of St Katherine. One more Pale Rosefinche was seen, but quite few birds in the wadi – more in the village where the wadi starts. At 10:20 we started the pretty long drive to the western side of the Gulf of Suez and Ain Sukhnah via Suez. We made two more stops on the Sinai Peninsula. The most fruitful was at a small cultivation 52 km N of the crossroads in St Katherine (or 5.5 km E of the monastery in Feiran). The cultivation was guarded by two quite obtrusive boys, which we had some problems avoiding. At this place we quite unexpectedly discovered and photographed a White-throated Munia. At the cultivation we also saw the only Striped Bunting of our journey.
   Along the Gulf of Suez we had a few raindrops, the only ones on our trip. We arrived at Ain Sukhnah 17:40 after some 7 hours driving including three shorter stops for birding. We checked in at Hotel Portrait and got a suite on upper floor in the southern most part of the hotel. The price was 120 $ for two persons including dinner and breakfast. Our plan was to get permission to bird from the hotel roof the next morning. It was no problem and a short stairs, almost directly from our room, took us to the roof. The hotel is perfectly situated to observe the migration of raptors passing the mountains to the west of the hotel, meaning that we had them just above our heads and no problems with the sun during the morning. From the roof we also had excellent opportunities to check birds moving north along the Gulf of Suez. At the same time we were not disturbed by the nearby traffic.

Tuesday 7 April

We started at the hotel roof early in the morning before breakfast. The roof offered excellent views over the Gulf of Suez as well as over the mountains to the south-west, where the migrating raptors should pass. A few Steppe Buzzards were seen immediately and the first Black Kites were discovered 6:52. We had a marvellous morning with thousands of migrating raptors as well of passing sea-birds. It’s highly recommended to use this hotel as a watch-point for the fantastic migration of raptors along the Gulf of Suez as well of migrating terns and wildfowl. After midday we did some birding in a wetland just north of the hotel, before we headed for Saqqarah and Giza in Cairo.
   We eventually got to the Saqqarah pyramid which took us 3.5 hours of driving on superb toll roads. At the pyramid we were the only tourists and were firstly met by two nice Egyptians. Though it turned out that they demanded 150 $ to let us even approach the pyramid! We refused and drove further to the Giza pyramids. Our reason to get to the Saqqarah pyramid was that it is a well-known place for Pharaoh Eagle-Owl. At Giza it was crowded with tourists and heavy traffic congestions, so we decided not to stop and instead continued to Natrun valley and Kittlitz´s Plover.
   We arrived in the middle of the night. We tried to find a hotel in the heavy industrialised Sadat city which we didn’t succeed in. It ended with a sleep in the car at a very good lay-by (30°23'41.54"N, 30°22'28.52"E) with some restaurants and petrol station in Wadi Natrun city along the A1 road between Cairo and Alexandria. Observe that Wadi Natrun city (near the A1 road) is wrongly labelled Sadat city in Google Earth! We first tried to sleep in the car at Al Buhayrah, but were very much disturbed by some locals so we had to move on. We also experienced some difficulties to find the place due to the closing of the normal turnings from the A1 road (see below). In Wadi Natrun city an Egyptian tried to cheat us when filling petrol as well as someone else that wanted  to “help” us by fixing a room for a very high cost.

Ain Sukhnah. Photo PAB.

Wednesday 8 April

Very early in the morning we drove to Al Buhayrah where we had a wonderful morning with excellent birding. In total we saw about 30 Kittlitz´s Plovers and even a few pulli. Greater Painted Snipe was also seen and ticked off the wish-list. We made a lame attempt to find some more of the soda lakes that are to be found in the area, but gave up after a while. Instead we headed for Zagazig and the Abbasa-area. Just south of village Alqam we made a stop by chance and discovered another target species of the trip: Streaked Weaver. We arrived at Zagazig city at 5 pm and asked around for a good hotel. It turned out to be the Marina Hotel where we stayed for 175 Egyptian £ for a double room, including breakfast and dinner, a very good price and a good hotel! It was not allowed to park and drive the street close to the hotel because of some military and political headquarters nearby.

Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun. Photo PAB.

Thursday 9 April

It took us a little less than one hour to reach the Abbasa area (c. 25 km). Due to our printed Google aerial maps we easily found the fishponds east of Abbasa village and parked where the road crosses a small canal (30°32'20.95"N, 31°44'2.93"E). We birded in the area until early afternoon and when driving back we by pure luck found a Senegal Coucal in the small village of Baalwa. The locals were a little bit worried over our presence, but eventually we were accepted and were even offered tea, which we accepted! At first we were “interrogated” by the local English teacher but this ended in a very interesting discussion on Egypt and educational systems! After this we headed back to Zagazig for a second night at the Marina hotel.

Abbasa fish-ponds. Photo SC.

Friday 10 April

The whole day was devoted mainly to the fishponds south of village Abu Hammad near Abbasa. It took not more than half an hour to reach the fishponds, driving from Zagazig. We spent nearly three hours at this very good birding site with a fantastic heronry. The best find was perhaps two Purple Swamp-hens chasing each other. The fishponds also gave Collared Pratincole and a pair of Greater Painted Snipe. When driving towards Abbasa SC noticed a small dark-winged heron flying shortly along the canal outside Abbasa (30°32'23.13"N, 31°42'24.77"E). We couldn’t stop immediately but turned back and eventually found a Striated Heron hiding under a tree. It was quite a remarkable find outside its normal range in southern Egypt where it is mostly found along the coasts.
   The early afternoon was spent in the fishpond area S of village Tell el Kebab, east of Abbasa. Before driving back to Cairo we devoted a few more hours of birding at the Abbasa fishponds. Luckily we now discovered the final target species of the trip: Red Avadavat. They were found in small bushes and reeds in the small canal north of the bridge where we parked (30°32'40.02"N, 31°43'57.29"E). We also got some more views of Senegal Coucal displaying at each other at the same locality.
   We headed back to the Cairo airport in twilight and arrived, after some minor detours, a quarter to 8 pm, with plenty of time to return the car and to check in. We had some problems finding the entrance ticket to the airport, which turned out to be crucial for the car dealer. We had to pay extra for this but, when SC later found the ticket in his backpack, we got the expenditures back.

Saturday 11 April

We arrived at Sheremetyevo Airport in time, in the early morning. We had some extremely expensive coffee at a bar and due to lack of sleep; PAB left a camera behind in the transit hall. He couldn’t locate the camera during the transit, but luckily after some contacts back home, he got the equipment sent for free from Moscow.

List of Birds

1.         Common Teal Kricka Anas crecca
20 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th.

2.         Mallard Gräsand Anas platyrhynchos
1 shy ♂ sitting in the middle of a pond Abbasa 9th.

3.         Northern Pintail Stjärtand Anas acuta
70 migrating N along the Suez bay, Suez - turning to Feiran valley 4th, and 1 ♂ Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th.

4.         Sand Partridge Ökenhöna Ammoperdix heyi
2 Wadi Arbaein 5th and 1 Wadi 18.8 km NW Feiran village 6th.

5.         Chukar Berghöna Alectoris chukar
2 displaying from slopes near the monastery Feiran 5th, and 1 singing Wadi Arbaein 5th.

6.         Grey Heron Gråhäger Ardea cinerea
13 Abu Hammad 10th.

7.         Purple Heron Purpurhäger Ardea purpurea
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th.

8.         Little Egret Silkeshäger Egretta garzetta
3 in wetland just N of the hotel Ain Sukhnah 6th, 2 Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th, 4 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 200 Abbasa 9th, 100 Abu Hammad 10th, and 200 Tell el Kebir 10th.

9.         Cattle Egret Kohäger Bubulcus ibis
50 Saqqarah 7th but also very numerous along the canals in the outskirts of Cairo, 50 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 10 Alqam 8th, 30 Abbasa 9th, 10 passing by Hotel Marina, Zagazig 10th, 1000 at nests Abu Hammad 10th, and 10 Tell el Kebir 10th.

10.     Squacco Heron Rallhäger Ardeola ralloides
2 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 4 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 40 Abbasa 9th 10 Abu Hammad 10th, and 10 Tell el Kebir 10th.

11.     Striated Heron Mangrovehäger Butorides striata
A small heron was seen flying along the canal. After a while we found quite unexpectedly a Striated Heron that eventually got well documented Abbasa village 10th

12.     Black-crowned Night-heron Natthäger Nycticorax nycticorax
1 ad Alqam 8th, 20 Abbasa 9th, 150 Abu Hammad 10th, and 10 Abbasa 10th.

13.     Little Bittern Dvärgrördrom Ixobrychus minutus
1 ♂ at the same spot as the Thick-knee Abbasa 9th.

14.     Black Stork Svart stork Ciconia nigra
2 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

15.     White Stork Vit stork Ciconia ciconia
1 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th, 10 Abbasa 9th, and 56 furaging Abu Hammad10th.

16.     Glossy Ibis Bronsibis Plegadis falcinellus
30 Abbasa 9th, 20 passing by Abu Hammad 10th, and 20 Abbasa 10th.

17.     Black-winged Kite Svartvingad glada Elanus caeruleus
2 Alqam 8th, and 2 Abbasa 10th.

18.     Black Kite Brun glada Milvus migrans
20 crossing the Suez bay in north-eastern direction 45 km N Abu Zeinehma, Suez - turning to Feiran valley 4th, 95 (minimum) flying N. The first was 6:52, Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th, 10 Abbasa 9th, 2 Tell el Kebir 10th, and 10 Abbasa 10th.

19.     Egyptian Vulture Smutsgam Neophron percnopterus
1 ad flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

20.     Short-toed Snake-eagle Ormörn Circaetus gallicus
1 crossing the Suez bay in north-eastern direction 45 km N Abu Zeinehma, Suez - turning to Feiran valley 4th, and 4 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

21.     Western Marsh-harrier Brun kärrhök Circus aeruginosus
1 ad ♂ Feiran 5th, 1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, and 1 ♀ Abbasa 9th.

22.     Pallid Harrier Stäpphök Circus macrourus
1 2nd cal-year ♂34 km S Suez 6th, and 1 ad ♂ flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th

23.     Eurasian Sparrowhawk Sparvhök Accipiter nisus
1♀ hunting at Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th.

24.     Steppe Buzzard Stäppvråk Buteo buteo vulpinus
20 crossing the Suez bay in north-eastern direction 45 km N Abu Zeinehma, Suez - turning to Feiran valley 4th, 1 migrating St Katherine monastery 5th, 5 resting in trees for the night at Ain Sukhnah 6th, and 840 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

25.     Long-legged Buzzard Örnvråk Buteo rufinus
1 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

26.     Lesser Spotted Eagle Mindre skrikörn Aquila pomarina
1 ad crossing the Suez bay in north-eastern direction 45 km N Abu Zeinehma 4^th, and 12 flying N Ain Sukhnah 6th.

27.     Steppe Eagle Stäppörn Aquila nipalensis
46 (minimum) flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

28.     Booted Eagle Dvärgörn Aquila pennata
1 ad light morph crossing the Suez bay in north-eastern direction 45 km N Abu Zeinehma 4th.

29.     Osprey Fiskgjuse Pandion haliaetus
1 Abbasa 9th.

30.     Common Kestrel Tornfalk Falco tinnunculus
1 Suez6th, 1 Alqam 8th, 5 Abbasa 9th, 2 Abu Hammad 10th, and 1 Abbasa 10th.

31.     Red-footed Falcon Aftonfalk Falco vespertinus
1 ♀ passing by Abbasa 9th.

32.     Barbary Falcon Berberfalk Falco pelegrinoides
1 adult Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

33.     Common Crane Trana Grus grus
26 flying N just over the sea surface, even touching the water with the wingtips, Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

34.     Water Rail Vattenrall Rallus aquaticus
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th.

35.     Common Moorhen Rörhöna Gallinula chloropus
2 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 2 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 40 Abbasa 9th, and 50 Abu Hammad 10th.

36.     Purple Swamphen Purpurhöna Porphyrio porphyrio madagascariensis
2 at the reed fringe to the south of the herony at Abu Hammad 10th.

37.     Greater Painted-snipe Rallbeckasin Rostratula benghalensis
2 in a pair Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, and 1 pair Abu Hammad 10th.

38.     Black-winged Stilt Styltlöpare Himantopus himantopus
8 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 10 Abbasa 9th, and 35 Abu Hammad 10th

39.     Senegal Thick-knee Senegaltjockfot Burhinus senegalensis
2 birds 780 m E of the bridge along the road E of Abbasa 9th, 8 Abu Hammad 10th, and 2 Abbasa 10th.

Senegal Thick-knee Abbasa 9th. Photo SC.

40.     Collared Pratincole Rödvingad vadarsvala Glareola pratincola
4 passing by Abu Hammad 10th

41.     Spur-winged Lapwing Sporrvipa Vanellus spinosus
1 at pond near Suez Cairo airport - Suez 4th, 10 Suez 6th, and 2 Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

42.     Little Ringed Plover Mindre strandpipare Charadrius dubius
1 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th.

43.     Common Ringed Plover Större strandpipare Charadrius hiaticula
6 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, and 2 Abbasa 9th.

44.     Kittlitz's Plover Kittlitzpipare Charadrius pecuarius
30 including 2 pulli Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th. Many of the birds were displaying.

45.     Kentish Plover Svartbent strandpipare Charadrius alexandrinus
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, and 4 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th.

46.     Spotted Redshank Svartsnäppa Tringa erythropus
4 Abbasa 9th, 20 Abu Hammad 10th, and 30 Abbasa 10th.

47.     Common Redshank Rödbena Tringa totanus
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th.

48.     Marsh Sandpiper Dammsnäppa Tringa stagnatilis
4 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 2 Abbasa 9th, and 2 Abu Hammad 10th.

Marsh Sandpiper Abbasa 9th. Photo SC.

49.     Common Greenshank Gluttsnäppa Tringa nebularia
2 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th.

50.     Green Sandpiper Skogssnäppa Tringa ochropus
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, and 1 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th.

51.     Wood Sandpiper Grönbena Tringa glareola
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 10 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 20 Abbasa 9th, and 4 Abu Hammad 10th.

52.     Common Sandpiper Drillsnäppa Actitis hypoleucos
1 Abbasa 9th and 2 Abu Hammad 10th.

53.     Common Snipe Enkelbeckasin Gallinago gallinago
2 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, and 2 Abu Hammad 10th.

54.     Little Stint Småsnäppa Calidris minuta
4 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 400 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 800 Abbasa 9th, 10 Abu Hammad 10th, and 400 Abbasa 10th.

55.     Temminck's Stint Mosnäppa Calidris temminckii
3 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, and 10 Abbasa 9th

56.     Dunlin Kärrsnäppa Calidris alpina
1 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th.

57.     Curlew Sandpiper Spovsnäppa Calidris ferruginea
5 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th

58.     Ruff Brushane Philomachus pugnax
2 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 4 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 500 Abbasa 9th, 100 Abu Hammad 10th, and 800 Abbasa 10th.

59.     White-eyed Gull Vitögd mås Larus leucophthalmus
150 (60 flying N + 90 resting at sea) Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

60.     Yellow-legged Gull Medelhavstrut Larus michahellis
20 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

61.     Lesser Black-backed Gull Silltrut Larus fuscus
20 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

62.     Slender-billed Gull Långnäbbad mås Larus genei
40 (10 flying N + 30 resting at sea) Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

63.     Whiskered Tern Skäggtärna Chlidonias hybrida
2 Abbasa 9th.

64.     Caspian Tern Skräntärna Sterna caspia
1 migrating N along the Suez bay Suez, N turning to Feiran valley 4th, and 40 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

65.     Common Tern Fisktärna Sterna hirundo
20 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

66.     Great Crested Tern Tofstärna Sterna bergii
3 (1 ad + 2 2nd cal-year) Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

67.     Sandwich Tern Kentsk tärna Sterna sandvicensis
1 Suez - turning to Feiran valley 4th.

68.     Rock Pigeon Klippduva Columba livia
100 St Katherine monastery 5th, and 10 Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

Feral Pigeon Tamduva Columba livia (domest.)
2 Novotel hotel garden 4th, 2 Cairo airport - Suez 4th, 4 Suez - turning to Feiran valley 4th, 2 Wadi Arbaein 5th, 15 Wadi Itlah 6th, 10 Alqam 8th, 20 Abbasa 9th, 10 Hotel Marina, Zagazig 10th, 200 Abu Hammad 10th, and 50 Tell el Kebir 10th.

69.     Eurasian Collared-dove Turkduva Streptopelia decaocto
1 Turning to Feiran - Feiran 4th, 1 Feiran 5th, 2 Wadi 18.8 km NW Feiran village 6th, 10 Abbasa 9th, and 6 Abbasa 10th.

70.     Turtle Dove Turturduva Stigmatopelia senegalensis
1 Feiran 6th.

71.     Laughing Dove Palmduva Stigmatopelia senegalensis
10 Novotel hotel garden 4th, 10 Cairo airport - Suez 4th, 15 Feiran 5th, 20 St Katherine monastery 5th, 10 Wadi Arbaein 5th, 10 Wadi Itlah 6th, 2 St Katherine monastery 6th, 2 Saqqarah 7th, 2 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 10 Alqam 8th, 30 Abbasa 9th, 10 Baalwa 9th, 4 Abu Hammad 10th, and 10 Tell el Kebir 10th.

72.     Namaqua Dove Långstjärtsduva Oena capensis
1 seen briefly, but adequately, by PAB Feiran 5th.

73.     Senegal Coucal Senegalsporrgök Centropus senegalensis
1 discovered in Stone Pine ( 30°32'53.96"N, 31°51'44.66"E) Baalwa 9th. Also displaying and photographed before flying off, 1 heard Abu Hammad 10th, 1 heard at the same place as for the Southern Grey Shrikes Tell el Kebir 10th, and 3 displaying (two ♂s 800 m N of the bridge at the canal and one ♂ 100 m S of the bridge at the canal) Abbasa 10th.

Senegal Coucal Baalwa 9th. Photo SC.

74.     Common/Pallid Swift Tornseglare/blek tornseglare Apus apus/pallidus
4 Feiran 4th, and 3 flying SE Hotel Marina, Zagazig 10th.

75.     Pied Kingfisher Gråfiskare Ceryle rudis
2 Suez 6th, 1 Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th, 1 Abu Hammad 10th, and 2 Abbasa 10th.

76.     Common Kingfisher Kungsfiskare Alcedo atthis
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, and 1 Abbasa 9th.

77.     White-throated Kingfisher Smyrnakungsfiskare Halcyon smyrnensis
1 Alqam 8th, 25 Abbasa 9th, and 1 Abu Hammad 10th.

78.     Little Green Bee-eater Grön dvärgbiätare Merops orientalis cleopatra
2 visiting probable nest in cement wall Saqqarah 7th, and 2 Bridge between Tell el Kebir and Abbasa 10th.

79.     Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Blåkindad biätare Merops persicus
15 were calling "prre-prre-prre" Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 4 Alqam 8th, 50 Abbasa 9th, 40 Tell el Kebir 10th, 2 Bridge between Tell el Kebir and Abbasa 10th, and 20 Abbasa 10th.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Abbasa 9th. Photo PAB.

 

80.     Eurasian Hoopoe Härfågel Upupa epops
1 Feiran 4th, 4 with a nesting pair in stone wall Feiran 5th, 4 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 4 Abbasa 9th, 10 Abu Hammad 10th, and 2 Abbasa 10th.

81.     Eurasian Wryneck Göktyta Jynx torquilla
1 Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th, and 1 calling Baalwa 9th.

82.     Desert Lark Stenökenlärka Ammomanes deserti
5 St Katherine monastery 5th, 3 Wadi Arbaein 5th, 1 Wadi Itlah 6th, and 4 Wadi 18.8 km NW Feiran village 6th.

83.     Greater Short-toed Lark Korttålärka Calandrella brachydactyla
2 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, and 1 singing Abu Hammad 10th.

84.     Crested Lark Tofslärka Galerida cristata
10 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 20 Abbasa 9th, and 1 Abu Hammad 10th.

85.     Blue-headed Wagtail Sydlig gulärla Motacilla flava flava
1 ♂ Tell el Kebir 10th.

Black-headed Wagtail Svarthuvad gulärla Motacilla flava feldegg
1 ♂ Feiran 5th, 3 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th, and 11 including one juvenile Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, and 1 Abu Hammad 10th.

86.     White Wagtail Sädesärla Motacilla alba
1 Feiran 5th, 1 Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th, 10 Abbasa 9th, 1 Abu Hammad 10th, and 20 Abbasa 10th.

87.     Tawny Pipit Fältpiplärka Anthus campestris
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th

88.     Tree Pipit Trädpiplärka Anthus trivialis
1 Hotel Daniella village 6th, and 1 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th.

89.     Red-throated Pipit Rödstrupig piplärka Anthus cervinus
5 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 10 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 10 Abbasa 9th, 3 Abu Hammad 10th, and 2 Abbasa 10th.

90.     Water Pipit Vattenpiplärka Anthus spinoletta
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, and 1 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th.

91.     Sand Martin Backsvala Riparia riparia
1 Suez - turning to Feiran valley 4th, 1 Turning to Feiran - Feiran 4th, 4 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 4 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 10 Abbasa 9th, 20 Abu Hammad 10th, and 10 Abbasa 10th.

92.     Rock Martin Afrikansk klippsvala Hirundo fuligula
5 Feiran 5th, 10 St Katherine monastery 5th, 5 Wadi Arbaein 5th, 4 Wadi Itlah 6th, 1 St Katherine monastery 6th, 2 Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th, 2 Wadi 18.8 km NW Feiran village 6th, and 1 Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

93.     European Swallow Ladusvala Hirundo rustica rustica
1 Cairo airport - Suez 4th, 5 Suez - turning to Feiran valley 4th, 1 Feiran 5th, and 2 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

Egyptian Swallow Ladusvala Hirundo rustica savignii
1 the first dark red form we saw Saqqarah 7th, 6 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 2 Alqam 8th, 40 Abbasa 9th, 1 Hotel Marina, Zagazig 10th, 10 Abu Hammad 10th, and 10 Tell el Kebir 10th.

94.     Red-rumped Swallow Rostgumpsvala Hirundo daurica
2 Feiran 4th, 5 Feiran 5th, 50 flying N Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th, and 20 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th.

95.     White-spectacled Bulbul Levantbulbyl Pycnonotus xanthopygos
Only seen on Sinai peninsula. 5 Feiran 5th, 1 St Katherine monastery 6th, and 5 Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th.

White-spectacled Bulbul Feiran 5th. Photo PAB.

96.     Common Bulbul Trädgårdsbulbyl Pycnonotus barbatus
6 Novotel hotel garden 4th, 3 Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th, 4 Abbasa 9th, 2 Hotel Marina, Zagazig 10th, Abu Hammad 10th, and 1 Abbasa 10th.

97.     Southern Grey Shrike Sydlig varfågel Lanius meridionalis
5 around a small village near Tell el Kebir 10th.

98.     Woodchat Shrike Rödhuvad törnskata Lanius senator
1 ♀ Feiran 5th.

99.     Masked Shrike Masktörnskata Lanius nubicus
1 Wadi 18.8 km NW Feiran village 6th, and 1 Abbasa 10th.

100. Common Nightingale Sydnäktergal Luscinia megarhynchos
1 in the monastery garden, Feiran 5th.

101. Bluethroat Blåhake Luscinia svecica
1 ♀ in the monastery garden, Feiran 5th.

102. Common Redstart Rödstjärt Phoenicrus phoenicurus
1 ♀ Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th.

103. Whinchat Buskskvätta Saxicola rubetra
1 ♂ Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 1 Abbasa 9th, and 4 (2 ♂ + 2 ♀) Abbasa 10th.

104. White-tailed Wheatear Vitkronad stenskvätta Oenanthe leucopyga
2 ♂ Feiran 4th, 1 ♂ Feiran 5th, 4 ♂ Wadi Itlah 6th, 1 ♂ Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th, and 4 Wadi 18.8 km NW Feiran village 6th.

White-tailed Wheatear Wadi Itlah 6th. Photo SC.

105. Northern Wheatear Stenskvätta Oenanthe oenanthe
2 ♂ Feiran 5th, 1 ♂ Wadi Arbaein 5th, 1 Wadi Itlah 6th, 1 ♀ Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 1 ♀ Abbasa 9th, and 1 Abbasa 10th.

106. Pied Wheatear Nunnestenskvätta Oenanthe pleschanka
A rather short but close observation by SC of 1 ♀ Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th.

107. Black-eared Wheatear Medelhavsstenskvätta Oenanthe hispanica
1 ad ♂ Cairo airport - Suez 4th, and 1 ♀ Abbasa 9th.

108. Blackstart Svartstjärt Cercomela melanura
4 Feiran 5th, and 1 Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th.

109. Isabelline Wheatear Isabellastenskvätta Oenanthe isabellina
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th.

Unidentified Wheatear Obestämd stenskvätta Oenanthe sp.
1 from the car Cairo airport - Suez 4th. Possibly Isabelline Wheatear.

110. Blue Rock-thrush Blåtrast Monticola solitarius
1 ♂ Feiran 5th.

111. Eurasian Blackbird Koltrast Turdus merula
1 singing Hotel Marina, Zagazig 08 and 10th.

112. Sedge Warbler Sävsångare Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
1 Abbasa 10th.

113. Eurasian Reed-Warbler Rörsångare Acrocephalus scirpaceus
1 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 2 Abbasa 9th, and 1 Abbasa 10th.

114. Clamorous Reed-Warbler Papyrussångare Acrocephalus stentoreus
2 singing Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 1 Alqam 8th, 50 Abbasa 9th, and 5 Abu Hammad 10th

115. Melodious Warbler Polyglottsångare Hippolais polyglotta
1 Abbasa 9th.

116. Garden Warbler Trädgårdssångare Sylvia borin
1 Feiran 5th.

117. Blackcap Svarthätta Sylvia atricapilla
1 ♂ Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th.

118. Lesser Whitethroat Ärtsångare Sylvia curucca
10 Novotel hotel garden 4th, 10 Feiran 5th, 1 St Katherine monastery 5th, 4 Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th, and 2 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th.

119. Rueppell’s Warbler Svarthakad sångare Sylvia rueppelli
1 ♀ Feiran 5th, and 1 ♂ Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th.

Male Rueppell’s Warbler Cultivation 52 km
NW of St Katherine 6th. Photo PAB.

120. Willow Warbler Lövsångare Phylloscopus trochilus
1 Wadi Arbaein 5th, and 1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th.

121. Common Chiffchaff Gransångare Phylloscopus collybita
1 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th.

122. Eastern Bonelli's Warbler Balkansångare Phylloscopus orientalis
1 Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th.

123. Streaked Scrub-Warbler Snårsångare Scotocerca inquieta
2 singing "tu-tu-tu-tii" Wadi Arbaein 5th, and 4 Wadi 18.8 km NW Feiran village 6th.

124. Zitting Cisticola Grässångare Cisticola juncidis
1 singing Suez 6th, 3 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 5 Alqam 8th, and 10 Abbasa 9th.

125. Graceful Prinia Streckad prinia Prinia gracilis
10 Wetland Ain Sukhnah 7th, 10 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 5 Alqam 8th, 40 Abbasa 9th, 1 singing Hotel Marina, Zagazig 10th, 4 Abu Hammad 10th, 5 Tell el Kebir 10th, and 4 Abbasa 10th.

126. Semi-collared Flycatcher Balkanflugsnappare Ficedula semitorquata
1 2nd cal-year ♂ in olive-tree cultivation just where the road stops Wadi Arbaein 5th.

127. House Crow Huskråka Corvus splendens
1 Cairo airport - Suez 4th, 2 Suez - turning to Feiran valley 4th, and 20 Suez 6th

128. Hooded Crow Kråka Corvus corone
4 Novotel hotel garden 4th, 1 heard St Katherine monastery 5th, 3 Suez 6th, 7 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 5 Alqam 8th, 20 Abbasa 9th, 2 Baalwa 9th, and 10 Abu Hammad 10th.

129. Brown-necked Raven Ökenkorp Corvus ruficollis
2 at nest in power line pole Cairo airport - Suez 4th, 3 Suez - turning to Feiran valley 4th, 1 Turning to Feiran - Feiran 4th, and 2 Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th.

130.  White-throated Munia  Indisk silvernäbb Euodice malabarica
One discovered when calling, observed and photographed for some minutes, before it moved on Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th.

131. House Sparrow Gråsparv Passer domesticus
10 Novotel hotel garden 4th, 5 Cairo airport - Suez 4th, 20 Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th, 10 Al Buhyarah, Wadi Natrun 8th, 20 Alqam 8th, 100 Abbasa 9th, 50 Hotel Marina, Zagazig 10th, and 20 Abu Hammad 10th.

132. Spanish Sparrow Spansk sparv Passer hispaniolensis
20 Hotel Portrait, Ain Sukhnah 7th, and 20 Alqam 8th.

133. Streaked Weaver Streckad vävare Ploceus manyar
4 (1 pair + 2 ♀) Alqam 8th, 4 (1 ♂ + 3 ♀) in small reeds on both the southern and northern side of the bridge on the eastern side of the canal east of Abbasa 9th, and 25 at the same spot as the Red Adavats Abbasa 10th.

Streaked Weaver Abbasa 10th. Photo PAB.

134. Tristram’s Starling Sinaiglansstare Onychognathus tristramii
40 Feiran 5th and 10 St Katherine monastery 5th.

135. European Greenfinch Grönfink Carduelis chloris
1 Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th.

136. Eurasian Linnet Hämpling Carduelis cannabina
1 ♂ Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th.

137. Pale Rosefinch Sinairosenfink Carpodacus synoicus
25 (15 ♂ + 10 ♀) on slopes just uphill the monastery St Katherine monastery 5th, 4 (2 ♂ + 2 ♀) quite intrepid Wadi Arbaein 5th, and 1 ♀ Wadi Itlah 6th.

138. Red Avadavat Röd tigerfink Amandava amandava
24 in bushes and reeds 800 m N of the bridge along the canal Abbasa 10th.

Red Avadavat Abbasa 10th. Photo PAB.

139. Striped Bunting Bergsparv Emberiza striolata
1 ♂ Cultivation 52 km NW of St Katherine 6th.

List of Reptiles

Savigny's Agama Trapelus savignii
1 St Katherine 6th.

Starred Agama Laudakia stellio
1 St Katherine 6th.

Literature

BirdLife International, http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html

Birds of the Middle East. Porter R F, Christensen S, Shiermacker-Hansen P. Christopher Helm. London 1996. Reprinted 2005, 2007.

Club 300 Sweden, http://www.club300.se/Travel/

Egypt´s Biodiversity, http://www.biomapegypt.org/biodiversity/

Travellingbirder, http://www.travellingbirder.com/