Israel - update 2 (still dipping that teal)

Champions of the Flyway day today (not participating myself) and Eilat was heaving - North Beach in the evening and then the salt pans mid afternoon were gridlock too. Up until then though, I didn't see anyone really... but a decent part of the middle of the day was spent up at Hazeva dipping the Red-billed Teal again. Yoav gave me the gen where he saw it at the weekend, but Idan sewage works didn't deliver either. Six Teal, a Garganey, a Squacco and a few flava wagtails were all I got out of it.

Slender-billed Gull Eilat km20 salt pans, Israel 29th March 2016

However, all wasn't lost as early morning I had a drive about km20 pools, where there'd been an increase in Marsh Sandpipers since yesterday as well as a couple of Collared Pratincoles and a Caspian Tern. A group of Black Storks that had roosted in the desert took off on the first thermals of the day.

Marsh Sandpiper Eilat km20 salt pans, Israel 29th March 2016

Collared Pratincole Eilat km20 salt pans, Israel 29th March 2016

Back south into Eilat, this Little Bee-eater posed in the warm early morning light.

Little Bee-eater Eilat, Israel 29th March 2016

Eilat Mountains were disappointing mid morning, with a couple of Steppe Eagles along with the Steppe Buzzards - with the cool northerly wind, I was probably a little too early in the day for the thermals and so had to do with an impressive flock of White Storks early rising.

White Storks Eilat Mountains, Israel 29th March 2016

Similar to yesterday, I spent the evening at North Beach where there were still a couple of Brown Boobies on the Jordanian side, as well as a Little Tern, Caspian Tern and a few Steppe Buzzards and three Purple Herons over. Not vintage but it seemed like the crowds had enjoyed their day.

Black Kite Eilat, Israel 29th March 2016