Hypocolius

Only two seen at Jasra this week-end - we now suspect the birds are currently roosting next to a vip garden where there is a large pool of water

We all managed to view Hypocolius today - in all two flocks 40 plus in Jasra and 40 in flight seen at Hamalah were this mornings counts - this evening over 130 were seen to drop in at Jasra although many were seen to move to the SE later on

Had started my day at Adhari chasing Kingfishers but with no luck - so decided to go to Jasra on the way Brendan telephoned to say he already had 60 Hypocolius, they had moved out by the time I arrived so we hung around til nine and clocked another 21 arriving in the same area plus a large numbers of Song Thrushes. Brendan went off to play a round of golf and I returned at 2-45 in the afternoon to see if any returned over sixty did. We think the area is more a staging post than a roost which seems to be itself behind the walls of one of the VIP gardens in the area.

Near Babar one bird seen very briefly with Keith Rainford - put down as a probable given the brief views

Time to get out and check old haunts to see if they have arrived or can be found - it used to be easy but the loss of the Saar roost last year has turned the task into a ghost hunt