August and September.

August saw me back again in Libya. What was supposed to be a fairly relaxed assignment in the Jebel Nafusa became a full scale assault on Tripoli and the complete downfall of the regime. It was coming and we had an intense month. Not much time for birding.

Birds: Lesser crested tern, Little, Pallid, Alpine and Common swifts, Sardinian warbler, Bee-eaters, Hoopoes (abundant), Linnets, Raven, Spanish sparrow, Crested lark, Black wheatear, wheatear sp plural, Woodchat and Southern grey shrike (the most common bird in Tripoli, certainly the most visable).

The best bird for me was the Rufus-tailed bush robins at the hotel in Tatouine, Tunisia, where I overnighted on the way into Libya.
They were very confiding and joined the guests for breakfast.

Rufus bush robin, Tatouine, Tunisia.
Southern grey shrike, Tripoli zoo, Libya.

R&R in Cley (September).
A lazy week from the 12th September, sticking pretty much to the Cley, Salthouse and Blakeney patch.
Winds weren't great, though strong. Westerlys throughout which was surprisingly good for sea watching. Others saw much more than I, though I did see Arctic and Great skuas. Given how little effort I put in generally, (I ran out of steam after a couple of days) 90 species was fair. Best birds were Pied fly and Firecrest in Walsey Hills on the 18th, Hobby over the farmland behind Cley (19th) and a cracking Barn owl over the marshes one early morning. Others of note were Spoonbill, 000s of Black-tailed godwit, Pink footed goose, Curlew sand and Little stint.

Common Sandpiper, Cley.