Undoubtedly this is the best site we visited and well worth a second day. We headed back to the village of Arhbalou but this time went straight through to pick up a track to the right. Once again here you can drive as slowly as you like and no one bothers you, the road sides are full of Thekla Lark and the occasional Northern Wheatear, we also saw Spectacled Warbler and Laughing Dove (which are local to this particular area). 
We soon reached the river where numerous Coots were loitering along with Little Grebe and we could hear Water Rail. Two Purple Herons fished for a while before moving deeper into the reed bed, then a Hirundlinidae flew over and was immediately identified as a Plain Martin.
In the trees around there were also Moussiers Redstart, Serin and Chaffinch, commuting around in the reeds were a few warblers but we only managed to positively identify Reed Warbler.
We drove back to the village the way we had come but turned south to head in to more hilly areas. The road follows the river in some places and here Turtle Dove were evident and appeared not as illusive as normal. Up on the hill side we come across two Little Owls and they allow a prolonged close view.
Eventually heading back before joining the main road we stop to take in the terrain and to finish the day we find a small colony of Bar-tailed Lark scurrying around the scrub not far from the road side, a Lesser Kestrel on a wire and two very confiding Woodchat Shrikes. T’end
Life bird count: 387 Year bird count: 188 Month bird count: 137
We soon reached the river where numerous Coots were loitering along with Little Grebe and we could hear Water Rail. Two Purple Herons fished for a while before moving deeper into the reed bed, then a Hirundlinidae flew over and was immediately identified as a Plain Martin.
In the trees around there were also Moussiers Redstart, Serin and Chaffinch, commuting around in the reeds were a few warblers but we only managed to positively identify Reed Warbler.
We drove back to the village the way we had come but turned south to head in to more hilly areas. The road follows the river in some places and here Turtle Dove were evident and appeared not as illusive as normal. Up on the hill side we come across two Little Owls and they allow a prolonged close view.
Eventually heading back before joining the main road we stop to take in the terrain and to finish the day we find a small colony of Bar-tailed Lark scurrying around the scrub not far from the road side, a Lesser Kestrel on a wire and two very confiding Woodchat Shrikes. T’end
Life bird count: 387 Year bird count: 188 Month bird count: 137
Posts
