Abu Simbel & Aswan

THE MAGICAL DAY!

One of those days that never leave you, from start to finish the day was in every sence awesome!
Early morning and we wake up to the beauty of Aswan, breath taking scenery everywhere you looked. Making our way to the coach an Egret flies by, but this one is Smokey grey/white and is bigger than Little egret with all yellow legs and feet and an obvious decurved bill. WESTERN REEF HERON! a lifer and as always when you see these new birds they are just obvious. After cracking views we get on to the coach that will take us to the airport and the flight to Abu Simbel.
At the airport EGYPTIAN YELLOW WAGTAIL is singing from the roof, a recent Wp split? and lifer No 2 for the day.
The flight is smooth and the views of the desert and mighty lake Nakuru are only over shadowed by the incredibly impressive Abu Simbel.
A short drive to Egypt’s finest and most impressive monument and we have arrived.
Only seconds out of the coach and 4 YELLOW BILLED KITES (another recent split and the third lifer of the day) are soaring very low, where they are completely over shadowed by 2
YELLOW BILLED STORKS! These birds are a real African species but often summer in small numbers here.
Overwhelmed I watch as the birds with their nerdy trailing legs, scruffy wing tips and turn downed bills slowly gather height before disappearing over the lake. (Lifer No4)
As the group visit the mighty Abu Simbel I go down to the lake, a small spit holds a Common Sandpiper, 2 Turtle Doves, 2 Crested Larks, Graceful Warbler and flushed from my feet a Short Eared Owl! It hangs in the air and looks at me in total surprise.
This pristine bird against the cloudless blue sky is the best view of this species I have ever seen.
The owl is mobbed by two Spur Winged Plovers and the commotion disturbs 4 Egyptian Geese. Hardly time to gain my breath and a WHITE CROWNED WHEATEAR (Lifer No5) perches by my side and just simply shows off! A cracking adult, this slim wheatear with its white crown also shows extensive white on the tail and rump, a stunning little chap!
On the lake a dark backed gull grabs my attention, but that is soon lost to view when 2 WHITE PELICANS (Lifer No6) fly by! Whilst distant, they are still distinctive with those black and white wings a cartoon bills!
Back to the gull and again a Pelican flies across, but this one is close and has a duller plumage, it is that other African special PINK BACKED PELICAN (Lifer No7) again to brief but jaw dropping none the less.
Time is running out and my final scans produce lots more Yellow Billed Kites and a female Desert Wheatear another top quality bird and unlike the Yorkshire bird in Jan I am watching this is in a heat wave, Oh and there is a STREAKED WEAVER (Lifer No8) sharing the branch!!
I have ten minutes at Abu Simbel and enjoy the attraction with my wife and no tourists.
Around another 4 White Crowned Wheatear are seen here before it is time to get our flight back to Aswan.
Late evening and we reflect on the day, whilst a late wagtail flies over the boat and is an AFRICAN PIED WAGTAIL (Lifer No9) This makes the wine taste that bit sweeter as does a distant hunting Egyptian Nightjar again around a floodlit monument!!! A magical, magical day!