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Birding in Egypt (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter juhana
- Start date
Bumping this one up, because I have not visited the locations you ask about. Remember to check access, there are reports that the Egyptian police really dont like people driving south out of Cairo.
I did have a few days in late september/early october a few years ago (2001). We rented a car, drove from Cairo through the delta to Ismailia, next day down to the Sinai peninsula and stayed at the Sct Katarina monestary, and finally 1-1/2 day at Sharm-el-Sheik and Ras Mohammed. We saw several good birds in the delta, but the best experience probably was around the monestary. Ras Mohammed was quite good too, as were the sewage farms in Sharm-el-Sheik. Total of 4 days where we flew back out of Sharm-el-Sheik.
Cairo itself had good numbers of Black Kite, but few other birds.
Renting a car in Egypt is not for the faint of heart
Niels
I did have a few days in late september/early october a few years ago (2001). We rented a car, drove from Cairo through the delta to Ismailia, next day down to the Sinai peninsula and stayed at the Sct Katarina monestary, and finally 1-1/2 day at Sharm-el-Sheik and Ras Mohammed. We saw several good birds in the delta, but the best experience probably was around the monestary. Ras Mohammed was quite good too, as were the sewage farms in Sharm-el-Sheik. Total of 4 days where we flew back out of Sharm-el-Sheik.
Cairo itself had good numbers of Black Kite, but few other birds.
Renting a car in Egypt is not for the faint of heart
Niels
Darrell Clegg
Well-known member
Gebel Asfar used to be all the rage about 10 years ago. it is basically the main sewage area for Cairo so you can imagine what it is like! Actually, having said that, you soon get used to the smell and there were lots of orange groves to walk around, as well as various pools and pits!
I don't know what access is like these days, I don't see it in any of the trip lists any more. We went there three days in a row, and only had trouble accessing it once - when someone had put the barrier down, preventing us driving up the road.
All the normal birds you would expect to see are there, Cattle Egrets, Wood Sands, Red-throated Pipits, Zitting Cisticolas, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Senegal Thick-knee Purple Swamp-hen, Little Crake etc. more interesting birds include Senegal Coucal, White-breasted Kingfisher and Painted Snipe.
I don't remember too many birds in Cairo itself - Senegal Thick-knee outside the airport, Spanish Sparrow, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Laughing Dove, Hoopoe and Black Kite being about the best things we saw.
If you have a couple of days to spare, I advise getting a taxi (very cheap) to Suez for the raptor migration (House Crow for your Western P list too!)
Darrell
I don't know what access is like these days, I don't see it in any of the trip lists any more. We went there three days in a row, and only had trouble accessing it once - when someone had put the barrier down, preventing us driving up the road.
All the normal birds you would expect to see are there, Cattle Egrets, Wood Sands, Red-throated Pipits, Zitting Cisticolas, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Senegal Thick-knee Purple Swamp-hen, Little Crake etc. more interesting birds include Senegal Coucal, White-breasted Kingfisher and Painted Snipe.
I don't remember too many birds in Cairo itself - Senegal Thick-knee outside the airport, Spanish Sparrow, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Laughing Dove, Hoopoe and Black Kite being about the best things we saw.
If you have a couple of days to spare, I advise getting a taxi (very cheap) to Suez for the raptor migration (House Crow for your Western P list too!)
Darrell
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Thank you for the tips. I contacted one travel agency and they promised me to arrange private car and driver together with a quide. One-day trip to northern coast (Lake Burullus area) will cost 95 US$ (without tips). It is not too much, to my mind. I think that they are ready to drive me wherever I ask. Anyway, If somebody knows futher tips about sites, I'm grateful to hear.
Juhana
Juhana
Juhana, try this stunning report from our very own Rich Bonser.....
http://www.freewebs.com/richbonser/egyptmarch2006.htm
John.
http://www.freewebs.com/richbonser/egyptmarch2006.htm
John.
John, many thanks for your excellent advice! With the aid of this site I found also many other interesting addresses (especially www.travellingbirder.com).
Juhana
Juhana
Rich Bonser
Well-known member
juhana said:
Hi Juhana
Glad you found my site useful. If there's any unanswered questions, please feel free to privately email me (either through this site or my private email address that can be found on my website). Navigating yourself through Cairo is interesting to say the least... trust me. A driver certainly would have its uses.
Three of my mates are off out to Egypt (including the Cairo area) in mid July (could be hot!) so I should have some more up to date info by the time you depart.
Cheers and good birding
Rich
Hello Rich! Thank you for your friendly message. I will read reports on your and other web sites in detail and contact you later if there appears to be further questions. By the way, your fine website made a considerable impression to me! I also noticed that you just visited also Finland. I hope you had a nice trip.
Best regards
Juhana
Best regards
Juhana
