I've just returned from a family holiday in Sharm El Sheikh, which combined a few days diving. The diving meant that I couldn't fit in any purely birding days so all of my sightings were ourely casual. I still managed to add 11 lifers to my overall life list!!
However I'm still new to serious birding so if I've placed any of these out of context I'm happy to stand correced.
We stayed at the Reef Oasis Blue Bay hotel, and in the hotel gardens I spotted Laughing Dove, Kestrel, Swift, Swallow, Rock Martin, Tree Pipit, Yellow & Grey Wagtails. On our last day I came across a very obliging flock of Indian Silverbills.
From the hotel beach I had White Eyed Gull and Western Reef Heron.A Goliath Heron flew over early one morning. I also saw a large flock of dozen heron-like birds but couldn't ID these properly - any suggestions would be appreciated.
During our 5 days diving from the boats I saw Crested Tern, Bridled Tern & Little Egret. At one point over Ras Mohammed there was an Osprey and what I ID'd as Bonelli's Eagle at the same time.
We also did a day trip to Cairo, and there I spoteed Hooded Crow, Little & Cattle Egrets, Swifts and Swallows. I also had what I believed to be a Short Toed Eagle soaring over the Great Pyramid at Giza which was a super sight.
I would definitly return to Sharm in the future & would like to explore beyond the resort, and do much more birding next time.
Richard