Day four of the trip (24th) - day two in the south - was, after a pretty hectic first day in the desert (see last post), spent acclimatizing in and around the Eilat area.
Caspian Tern, IBRCE
Our first order of business was soon to become one of the stand-out highlights of the whole trip - a morning session snorkelling in the clear waters off South Beach, the first of three such adventures in the shallows near the Egyptian border. No photos, just amazing memories.....
A little later saw our first visit of the trip to the mighty IBRCE (International Birdwatching and Research Centre, Eilat - or alternatively just the Bird Park or Bird Sanctuary), one of our favourite birding locations in Israel; since our last visit, it's got even bigger and better, thanks to the hard work of Noam and his team. What a place, and what a inclusive, relaxed atmosphere; no wonder it's an award-winning international model, and no wonder great things are happening here.
Black-winged Stilt, Flamingo Pools
Our hotel in the heart of the city overlooked Ofira Park, a small, overly-manicured but bird-filled urban greenish-space (green space might be pushing it a little) in the centre of the hotel district; I've birded here before on several previous trips and it's a magical place, and so easily overlooked - you could walk right past it, thinking it's just House Sparrows and Parakeets, but it's always so much more.....
An evening session there on day four and a from-dawn session to start day five were as entertaining as ever, with highlights including Masked Shrike, Eastern Olivaceous Warblers, clouds of Lesser Whitethroats and Blackcaps, Sedge Warblers, Common Whitethroats, Spanish Sparrows, Common Redstart, Eastern Bonelli's Warblers, Tree and Red-throated Pipits and plenty more in the flower beds, on the lawns, and in the scant ornamental bushes and trees.
Bluethroat, IBRCE
Day five (25th) continued with another lengthy visit to the IBRCE, this time to guide to the good folk of the Eilat Bird Festival again; it was their last day, and we were able to send them off on a high with tons of migration and a wide range of species on tap.
Masked Shrike, Ofira Park
Highlights included great views of Spotted Crake, incoming flocks of Spoonbills and Collared Pratincoles, Steppe Gull, all three Bee-eater species, four Eagle species (Imperial, Steppe, Short-toed, Booted), Citrine Wagtails, Caspian Tern, Namaqua Dove, Bluethroats and much more.
Red-throated Pipits, Ofira Park
An evening at Eilot Kibbutz for the opening ceremony (the, er, biblical downpours dictated a last minute venue change) of Champions of the Flyway 2023 rounded off a fine first few days in the south - and those downpours would bring us better fortune in the morning....
Redstart, Ofira Park
Lesser Whitethroat, Ofira Park
Spotted Crake and Spoonbills, IBRCE
Black-winged Stilt, Flamingo Pools 
Redstart, Ofira Park
Lesser Whitethroat, Ofira Park
Spotted Crake and Spoonbills, IBRCE
