EGYPT - THE NILE VALLEY DAYS 6 - 8

We bid our farewells to Ismael, who had been a fantastic guide and took the first flight at 04;40 back to Cairo and hooked up with our next excellent local guide Alfred Firo, before driving a couple of hours to Abassa. 

The local race of Barn Swallow (Savignii)

Everyone loves a Hoopoe!

Red-throated Pipit

This area of fishponds is rather famous as THE place to see Senegal Coucal, but it wasn't easy! The first good sighting was of 4 Greater Painted Snipes sitting quietly at the edge of the first pond and those females looked really impressive in the scope! There were many Eurasian Hoopoes, Red-rumped Swallows, Zitting Cisticola, and lots of European Bee-eaters present. 

Senegal Coucal

We walked out into the middle of this huge area searching for councils without seeing any, finding yet more Greater Painted Snipes (7 in all) which never disappoint. Returning to the minibus, we walked another side road and after a bit off a wait a Senegal Coucal began calling nearby. Somehow we had walked right by it and it was behind us. Slowly it made its way to the top of a roadside tree and began giving a fantastic display as it bowed his head each time he called and didn't seem the least bit perturbed by us.

Greater Painted Snipe

The following day began at Wadi Degla where we hoped to find Hooded Wheatear. it was less than an hour's drive and we arrived really early, so began walking through the arid wadi with overcast skies and relatively cool temperatures which made for a nice change. We saw numerous White-crowned Wheatears, a brief Mourning Wheatear, whilst frustratingly only heard Sand Partridge and Scrub Warbler. Migrants were on the move and we saw several Masked Shrikes, Woodchat Shrike, a female Ruppell's Warbler, Common Nightingale and a stunning male Common Rock Thrush. But alas no hoodies! 

From here we drove across to Faiyoum and checked out some pools where in the midday heat our best find was a pair of Black Storks. We searched in vain for Red Avadavat, and this proved frustratingly to be our only dip of the tour.

Black Stork

However, we saved the best for last as our final day saw us driving nearly four ours south of Cairo towards Minya and our quest to see one of the rarest Western Palearctic species - Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse. After parking the minibus and leaving our police escort behind, we walked some distance out into the semi-desert towards a cultivated area where we eventually picked up this fabled species, thanks to Vince's sharp eyes. In fact there were a number of sandgrouse present, mainly hiding in the grass. Over time we enjoyed fantastic flight views as they came and went from this favoured feeding area and needless to say, everyone was highly delighted at seeing this species, which was thought extinct in the WP until it was relocated in this small area in 2012. 

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse - mega!!

We also saw many Crested Larks, a Tawny Pipit and a superb male Montagu's Harrier quartering the fields as well. And that was pretty much our birding over with. W head another delicious meal before heading back to Cairo where yet another meal was taken, as we enjoyed watching the light show at The Pyramids of Giza before retiring for the night.

All that remained was to say our goodbyes to Alfred, who had been an excellent guide and set out on our journeys home and preparations for the next WP adventure!