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<\/a><\/p>\nRichard’s Pipit – believe me…<\/p>\n We continued working through the common migrants, some of them beautifully lit in the golden early morning sunlight.<\/p>\n Blackcap<\/p>\n Spotted Flycatcher<\/p>\n Tree Pipit<\/p>\n Whinchat<\/p>\n flava Yellow Wagtail<\/p>\n One of a few acredula-type Willow Warblers<\/p>\n Then things picked up quite rapidly. First we spotted a finch flying around – big bill, long tail, then heard the call – Common Rosefinch! About a minute later I heard a familiar soft ‘Tzik’ and immediately exclaimed – ‘Little Bunting!!’.<\/p>\n Soon we saw the bird flying towards us and down the valley. It landed for a few seconds at some distance, but we obtained good enough views to confirm it wasn’t a rarer bunting. Then it flew up and down the valley a few more time – it was very mobile and didn’t give itself up.<\/p>\n My camera didn’t cope well with these pass-bys.<\/p>\n We were very happy with this find, and continued walking. Back at the wetland, activity was excellent. The grass and reeds were whopping with acros, crakes, Bluethroats and hirundines.<\/p>\n At least four Spotted Crakes, five Water Rails and one or two Little Crakes were at the wetland:<\/p>\n Spotted Crake<\/p>\n Always good to bathe in smelly sewage<\/p>\n Water Rails (1cy and adult?)<\/p>\n Re’a and me continued working the olive groves that were OK, while Rony and Eran remained at the wetland. We had a brief Red-breasted Flycatcher, and more common migrants and residents.<\/p>\n Bluethroat<\/p>\n Marsh Harrier – stunner<\/p>\n Mourning Wheatear of the nominate lugens group, probably 1cy<\/p>\n There were two large falcons working the site. One adult Barbary was straightforward to ID, but this 1cy is more challenging. In the field it felt tiny and very lightly built, unlike Peregrine. It is rather heavily streaked on the breast and flanks, possibly a bit too much for a Barbary.<\/p>\n But the ground colour of the breast is buffish, and the upperparts feel more Barbary to me with browner tones rather than lead-grey.<\/p>\n Not 100% sure about this one – happy to learn.<\/p>\n Out of focus, sorry<\/p>\n