Tuesday 10 March 2009

March 6th

Bit of manic day, but we scored.

Drive to the M4 from Raqqa produced not a lot out of the ordinary, bar Gt W Egret, R R Swallow, 100+ Rooks (scarce in Syria). Checked Ewia et al for Sociable. Saw nowt to start. Got bogged in muddy track. Nearly an hour to get out. Took habitat shots. Got call from Sharif to say rumours of hunters having shot 100+ birds and seen 600. Later found hunters at Ar-Ruweria, camping. Say they had 15 days to go. Seen six Soc ½ hour before we arrived and may have eaten three! We chatted. Shotgun at skylark.


Later on way home having checked all M4 sites found 3 near Ewia at road side pool. 2 male and female. Watched for 20 mins then they ran up a swallow damp creek onto the Steppe.