Army Birding

It was great to meet some of you during my R&R especially as we were on the Plain and within earshot of Quail. R&R passed quickly as always. The trip out via Kandahar produced several European Bee-Eaters, four Clamorous Reed Warblers, three Citrine Wagtails, two Pied Bushchat and three Red-Wattled Plover. All these birds were found around a sewage outflow near to the runway. A brief stop over at RAF Akrotiri found me watching two Cyprus Pied Wheatear at the terminal; a welcome year tick.

I managed to see David V at Kandahar on my return yesterday. He's doing well as a civilian and is making a big difference to the infrastructure of Kandahar Airfield. I'll book a flight down to Kandahar soon to try and get out when he is not busy. The airfield was swamped with Blue-cheeked Bee-Eaters which confirmed earlier sightings.

I am now on my final leg of Op HERRICK VI. Bastion is quiet birding wise although I did run past a Crested Lark yesterday afternoon. I await the migration.

For those UK listers amongst you my UK year list is extremely poor at 157 although I do have a excuse having stopped birding on 1st April. I look forward to a more productive year in 2008. It was bizarre to be getting common birds as year ticks in July!

Take care, keep your head down and move fast!

Richard

Rich,

Who have you nominated as your replacement?

David is not on line but can he be persuaded to drop us the odd report after you have returned? It would be really interesting to continue the reports from this neck of the woods (bad choice of words).

He is one of the 186 members of the Society who do not use the message board!

KB

I have spoken to David - he is aware of the site and the intention is to go to Kandahar next week for a day out of the desert. Hopefully I will meet up with him and encourage a continued record of sightings from Afganistan. He is in a cracking area which is worth continued monitoring.

Rich