Birding IBOC2019

I am part of the organising team of IBOC2019. As such, I am expected to spend my time in the conference hall, listen to all fascinating presentations, participate in exciting workshops, mingle and brainstorm. However, all I really want to do is go birding. I lead early morning tours for IBOC participants, that are nice but too rushed and group is very big. I try to sneak out once or twice a day for a cheeky hour of birding - again not ideal birding conditions but better than nothing.
Yesterday very first thing in the morning I led an IBOC tour to Holland Park. It was quite OK with many warblers (though I expect a post-8am visit would yield more Sylvias), Barbary Falcon and a flyover Egyptian Vulture (eBird checklist here):

Not a bad start to day 3 of #IBOC2019! A group outing pre-conference to Holland Park and a friendly fly-by from an Egyptian Vulture...

Photo by Yoav 'Doctor Nightjar' Perlman @yoavperlman pic.twitter.com/zBwe3oNOoJ

— International Bird Observatory Conference (@IBOC2019) March 30, 2019

In the afternoon I went up with Amir, Mark and Annie up scenic Wadi Shlomo. Weather was quite shit, resulting in slow bird and reptile activity. We did bump into three Nubian Ibex - their population in Eilat Mts. is tiny so that was pretty cool. Also cool not to see them feeding out of rubbish bins. 

On our way out we spent a few enjoyable minutes with a pair of Sand Partridges. They are common desert birds for us here in Israel, but I sincerely appreciate their subtle beauty and uniqueness. The male was clearly in the zone - he almost certainly showed off to us - he was facing us all the time, eyeballing us, pumping up and calling. I interpret this beaviour as showing off to the female: 'Look at me, see how brave I am displaying and singing exposed to crazy predation risk from these dangerous humans!'.

Incredible structure on upper mandible covering nostrils:

This morning has been OK so far. KM20 saltpans were somewhat quiet, but birding was brightened up by a cracking flyby male Pallid Harrier, and flocks of Yellow Wagtails, Short-toed Larks and hirundines on the move north. Later on, with Jonathan, Elifaz sewage was rather birdy with many warblers and wagtails, Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin, a couple of nightingales etc.

Eilat Festival day 5 - Producing water from a rock

Here you will see how I take images from a rather slow day to create an interesting post.

Spent the morning birding with Meidad. We had high expectations after yesterday, but today materialized to be another migrant-less day. On the way to Yotvata Meidad spotted a Hooded Wheatear sat by the road. Very nice. At Yotvata few migrants, only the sewage ponds had some birds including Squacco Herons. 

Hooded Wheatear

Water Pipit

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Listen to this sound-recording of samamisicus - so distinctive. This one's for you Martin.

Lotan was very empty too, only one Red-throated Pipit there. It had a ring on - probably had been ringed there in previous years. 

A flock of 60 Black Storks going over was nice to see.

Mammals today included Dorcas Gazelle and Cape Hare.

In the afternoon checked Holland Park, which had several Rueppell's Warbler, and the clients really enjoyed this singing male Sand Partridge:

The canal south of KM20 saltpans was OK with Citrine Wagtail again, and a plexa-type Yellow Wagtail:

Citrine Wagtail