EGYPT Deember 2007 (1 Viewer)

[Sandra (Taylor)]

Just spent a week at the Sofitel Hotel, Karnak. Here's our bird list as I can remember it!

Monday
House sparrow

Tuesday (hotel grounds)
Willow warblers
Commun bulbul
Whoopoe
Little egret
Kestrel
Black kite
Pied kingfishers
Pelican sp. (5 over-flying)
Flamingo (8 over-flying)
Pied wagtail
Palm doves
Blue tit
Great tit

Wednesday (en route to Valley of the Kings)
Spur-winged plover
Moorhen
Feral pigeons
(Desert) wheatear

Thursday (Dendara temple)
Hooded crows

Friday (Crocodile Island and the Movenpick hotel which now seems to be the Jolie Ville)
Pied kingfishers by the dozen
Purple gallinule
Grey wagtail
Yellow wagtail
Cattle egret
Black-shouldered kite
Squacco heron
Blue throat
Spur winged plover
Coot
Cormorant
Grey heron
Purple heron
Marsh harriers

Saturday (Abu Simbel & Aswan)
Swifts
Swallows
House martins
Crag martins
White crowned black wheatear

Monday (waiting for pick-up to airport)
Nile valley sunbird in the hotel grounds

If anyone is interested in reading the whole report i.e. temples & tombs, accommodation etc. please ask and I'll e-mail it.

All our trips were well organised by Abdel Naby who has a shop in the main street opposite the entrance to the Hilton Hotel (which is expected to open after refurbishment October 2008). Abdel's charges are much less than those of the tour company. The guide he provided (as last year) worked at the Karnak museum and was excellent. Again, please ask if you want Abdel's e-mail address or phone number.

Sandra

 

[cheshirebirder]

Hi , Sandra. Was interested to read your report because we're off to Crocodile island at the end of January. Already have a good idea of what's going to be around the resort but I wondered what the Aswan trip was like ? Did it involve a lot of time travelling - if so was it worthwhile ?

 

[Sandra (Taylor)]

Hi , Sandra. Was interested to read your report because we're off to Crocodile island at the end of January. Already have a good idea of what's going to be around the resort but I wondered what the Aswan trip was like ? Did it involve a lot of time travelling - if so was it worthwhile ?

The whole trip took c7 hrs. to get there including 3 hours from Aswan to Abu Simbel thrugh the Western desert. The car was a new saloon so very comfortable. We had purposely missed the convoy back from Aswan so Abdel, our trusty man in Luxor, had arranged 1st class train tickets for the rest of the journey which took 3 hrs. The car beat us back by over an hour and was at the station to return us to the hotel. We spent about 1.5 hrs. at Abu Simbel and it was worth it. Abdel had also arranged a guide to meet us there. We had the white-crowned black wheatear there, and crag martins near the temples.

The gardens of the hotel on Crocodile Island have loads of birds and cover different habitats.

I have to add another couple of birds to my report. Will do that separately.

If you want the whole report do please PM me with your e-mail address and you can read the lot!

Sandra

 

[Sandra (Taylor)]

Another two bird species seen on the trip :

Little green bee-eater
Crested lark

Sandra

 

[Richard Klim]

Hi , Sandra. Was interested to read your report because we're off to Crocodile island at the end of January. Already have a good idea of what's going to be around the resort but I wondered what the Aswan trip was like ? Did it involve a lot of time travelling - if so was it worthwhile ?

You will certainly have great birding at the Mövenpick on Crocodile Island (I spent a week there with the family in December 2005).

We visited Luxor again in May 2006, and also travelled to Aswan (and Abu Simbel). Some alternative travel options are detailed in my brief trip report at www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/egypt/egypt-21/egypt-may-2006.htm.

Train fares are ridiculously low, and taxis also very reasonable.

 

[cheshirebirder]

Thanks for the replies. Am really looking forward to the trip but as I'm with the (non-birding ) family will probably restrict myself to Crocodile island plus a couple of the archeological sites. There is apparently a bird-guide based at the hotel.I won't need his services around the resort ,but did wonder about a short birding trip out to try for some of the desert species. I mean within a few miles of Luxor. Any one have any advice on this ,please, in terms of who to use,cost and viability ?

 

[Richard Klim]

The local guide at Crocodile Island is Abdo Youssef. He will almost certainly find you if you wander into the village/agricultural area. He has a good eye for birds and will offer to show you around the island, but a guide really isn't necessary. However one morning we did arrange for him to take us in his rowing boat to some of the less accessible marshy areas and mudflats at the south end of island for great close-up views of the wildfowl, waders and herons.

Abdo can also take you (by taxi) to a site he knows for Namaqua Dove, but we didn't take up his offer as we had seen the species in other places.

Some other suggestions:

1. Walk (c30 mins) or take a taxi 1-2km south on the main road for better views of the mudflats immediately south of Crocodile Island.

2. From the West Bank, it is easy to hire a motor launch, e.g. one day we hired one to travel back from town to Crocodile Island, via a detour further south to the road bridge for a close view of the mudflats. We also found that when using the hotel's courtesy boat to town, the crew were happy to slow down or make diversions to give better views of riverside birds.

3. To visit the West Bank, avoid the organised tours. It is very easy and much cheaper to arrange a day or half-day trip with a taxi driver, either directly from the hotel (and via the road bridge), or from the ferry terminal after crossing by the local ferry from Luxor (an experience in itself). I recommend getting the taxi driver to drop you off at the Valley of the Kings, and to be met later at the Temple of Hatshepsut after a hike over the hills (great views of the Nile Valley). Don't miss Medinat Habu.

4. A late-afternoon beer at the terrace bar of the Sonesta St. George Hotel is enlivened by large numbers of Pied Kingfishers streaming in to roost at dusk under the adjacent pier.

5. Look out for Barn Owl during the sound-and-light show at Karnak.

6. Lunch at the Africa Restaurant on the West Bank makes for a tranquil contrast to Luxor / the East Bank.

[Note that the Mövenpick provides a leaflet detailing taxi fares to most destinations, so you have no fear of being ripped-off.]

 

[Mick Sway]

't Egypt - booked it, packed it and ................

You're back, can't believe its come and gone.
Do send us the whole report.
Merry Christmas
Mick & Tina

 

[Sandra (Taylor)]

Thanks for good wishes, Mick. Will send the report this afternoon.

Hope you both have a smashing Christmas.

(Our Spanish spring birding trip has been cancelled, I'm afraid, so we might - just might have to go to Lesvos again............... Bob wants Pyrenees though)

Sandra & Bob

 

[cheshirebirder]

Thanks again for the info. Richard.
Sandra , we're returning to Lesbos early May so maybe we'll bump into you there ? We are staying in Anaxos again but birders do tend meet up at certain sites !

 

[Sandra (Taylor)]

Yes, I love the atmosphere there early May seeing the same old faces. I missed that on the plane to Luxor - standing up on the plane and looking back over so many familiar faces - this time I knew nobody! Love renewing friendships at the airport and tavernas.

Sandra

 

[gareth_blockley]

I'm glad someone knows the area. I may be going to Luxor in March so i'll be back asking for your advice.

A good read either way, cheers

Gareth