Spent an excellent week ( 23rd to 30th January ) at the Jolieville Hotel . Hastle-free birding in the company of one or two other guests ( cheers , Neil ! ) made this a trip to be recommended , especially if you have non-birding companions. Most of the birds listed were seen daily and all on the island ;
cormorant
little bittern - female seen twice
squacco heron
striated heron -1 imm seen twice
night heron - 2 fly bys
cattle egret
little egret
grey heron
purple heron
glossy ibis
shoveler
wigeon
black kite
black-winged kite
marsh harrier
kestrel
moorhen
coot
purple gallinule
black-winged stilt
senegal thick-knee
ringed plover
spur-winged plover
little stint
snipe
greenshank
wood sandpiper
black-headed gull
common tern
gull-billed tern - 1 individual
feral pigeon
palm dove
pallid swift
pied kingfisher
hoopoe
little green bee-eater
crested lark
african rock martin
swallow - savignii form
sand martin
red throated pipit - 1 bird
pied wagtail
yellow wagtail - including some feldegg
common bulbul
bluethroat
clamorous reed warbler - just 2 seen
fan-tailed warbler
graceful warbler
lesser whitethroat
orphean warbler - 2 birds
chiffchaff
nile valley sunbird
hooded crow
brown-necked raven - 3 fly-overs
house sparrow
avadavat
Visiting Karnak produced nesting brown-necked raven and rock martin, while a trip to the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut temple produced trumpeter finch and a single hooded wheatear.
Altogether an excellent winter break. Bill Turner.
I would agree with you as a winter's birding break but as a lone woman birder staying here I found the hassle from the Egyptian men unacceptable when I was birding alone at first light.
Sue
Sad to hear that , Sue. We had no hassle at all while on the island and my wife was happy to stroll around on her own . All the workers and guards were friendly and not overtly looking for reward. Off the island , it was a different matter , but round the resort we felt very safe and comfortable.