Quick look late morning around Bet Kama - the complex of small, smelly sewage ponds and alfalfa field, turned out to be quite productive. At the ponds I had a nice selection of breeding birds, including three families of Mallards and four active nests of Little Grebe.
Mallards etc.
Quite many shorebirds were present (good numbers for this tiny site) - 25 Ruff, 10 each of Wood Sand and Little Stint. Highlights included one Curlew Sand and a flyover Collared Pratincole.
Curlew Sandpiper
Collared Pratincole
Two Montagu's harriers cruised over the fields:
The alfalfa was rather quiet with few Red-throated Pipits, some Ortolans and one Whinchat. Five male Zitting Cisticolas were zitting over the field. Just as I was about to leave I first heard and then saw six Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. They came in to drink in a small puddle. They must breed nearby. First time I see them here.
The huge wave of shrikes has moved on, and very few were seen today. Unfortunately, many of them will end up like this. I wish these bastards terrible hunting accidents.
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