ISRAEL - The Golan, Hula, Bet Shean and Harod Valleys (1 Viewer)

Hi Folks,

I'll be out here 14 - 25 November 2013.

My plan is to spend the first night in the Harod Valley then I'll head up into the Golan for nights 15th - 20th inclusive.

It seems like the Golan, especially Mt. Hermon, is a good place to be at the moment with Red-fronted Serins showing well this week at one of the pools up near the lower cable car on the ski slopes of Hermon. There was also a Black Vulture seen passing over the latter plus a couple of Radde's Accentors not too far away.

Will also venture down to the Agamon Hula which has been hosting its 3rd Festival. Always full of birds and a fantastic spectacle. Plus a general exploration of some of the many great birding spots in the area.

Then it's back to the Harod Valley for nights 21st - 23rd and the final night at Kfar Ruppin before my return flight early evening 25th. Anyone that's been to these areas will know how fantastic they are. Always loads of good birds and always the chance of a few rarities turning up.

So I'll give it my best shot and see what happens. Hopefully I can keep a daily diary on here but I struggle up in the Golan so bear with me.

I'll be back in touch. Just waiting for flight at Manchester airport.

Cheers

Frank

Hope those Red-fronted Serins aren't "weighed down" with expectation . . .

Have a good one.

Hi Folks,

Arrived just about on time, EasyJet from Manchester. Collected car and headed north up route 6 then the 65 and 71 into the Harod Valley. Problem with the roads:so many new ones going in, repairs etc. that you can expect a diversion at any time and it might throw you, especially in the dark. Anyway more or less got here without error except for a detour in and around Afula.

Decided not to gallop on to Mt Hermon and took things easy and had a bit of a lie in. Birded around Kibbutz Ein Harod early morning then had breakfast with Tuvia and headed off mid-morning.

Birded the Gesher Reservoir and then up to Tiberias where I had a short look at the Lake befor continuing on to El Rom.

Dropped off gear in room and said hello to Daniel and did some birding around the Kibbutz and the orchards opposite.

Gesher held c.150 White Pelicans and numerous Black Storks and a group of 7 Namaqua Doves was nice.

The place was full of Great and Little Egrets, several Grey Herons, single Pygmy Cormorant. I'll produce a more comprehensive list when I've a little more time. But things are off to a good start. This is my first opportunity to make use of local wifi.

Was invited to a lovely meal at Daniels self build palace (just the finishing to go. One heck of a job but he'll do it. Respect) in the evening. Nice family gathering plus his friend Miri and little old me.

More to come.

Frank

Sat 16th Mt Hermon

Weather was superb so after a tour of the Kibbutz and orchards nearby me and Miri headed to the Hermon. In position just after 1000. King of the Golan, Lior was there with his junior birders and they'd just had 5 Red-fronted Serins.

A patient wait was rewarded with 3 more Red=fronted Serins! Superb. An Israel 'tick' for me. Supporting cast of Woodlark, Rock Bunting, Chaffinch, Linnet, Brambling, Robin, E. Sparrowhawk was excellent value. The birds were coming in to a largish pool near the lower cable car to drink. The weather has been dry for months so this has become a valuable source of water for animals and birds.

For one or two lucky individuals the Radde's Accentor was seen again. Big bonus.

More to follow.

Frank

Great stuff.

Hi Paul,

Finally caught up with RFS. Only taken me 24 years and around 30 trips. There are a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers and 2-3 Little Buntings hanging around but I think I still have the capacity to remain level headed and 'leave them alone'.

It's just a bird! Hmmm.

Cheers

Frank

You still in Trap 3 Frank ????

I'll be in Israel beginning of December. Couple of days work, but will take some days off to look for wildlife. I just hope it'll be dry and sunny so I can head North. Otherwise the desert is nice as well.
I look forward to reading what else you find. It'll help me decide where to go

Hi Folks,

Sorry I didn't get chance to record my daily sightings. As I mentioned earlier it can be tricky to gain access to WIFI in Golan unless I stopped birding during the daylight hours and paid a visit to the local cafe. Plus I had far too many things going on during my last few days to find the time to update.

The Golan was different again. Lots of birds up there: highlight for me was Red-fronted Serin. Saw several over a period of 4 days, often alongside or close to: Rock Sparrows, Serin, Syrian Serin, Water Pipit, Chaffinch, Woodlark, Yellowhammer (occasional), Linnet, Robin, Mistle Thrush, White Wagtail, Goldfinch, Corn Bunting, Rock Nuthatch, Dunnock (occasional). A Radde's Accentor was also nearby (didn't see), Black Vulture overhead (didn't see), Long-legged Buzzard and E. Sparrowhawk.

The agricultural areas of the Golan were full of flocks of: Corn Bunting, Chaffinch, Woodlark, Siskin, Serin, Linnet, Skylark, Goldfinch, a few Brambling, but also male and female Finsch's Wheatear. Hard to miss Syrian Woodpecker, Palestine Sunbird, Yellow-vented Bulbul,Common Stonechat, Bluethroat, Chiffchaff and Cattle Egret. Fan-tailed Warbler and Meadow Pipit were around in small numbers. The upland Reservoirs of the Golan held decent numbers of common waders and wildfowl (nothing special noted), Little and Great Egrets, Grey Heron and good numbers of Armenian Gulls. The pale-headed middle-eastern atricapillus form of Eurasian Jay was common as was Hooded Crow and Collared Dove.

There was also a report of 4 Black Vultures among the Griffons at Gamla Nature Reserve. I had a look on my last day but no sign.

In short the place was full of birds but it was also notable for a lack of thrushes, goldcrests and hawfinch. Maybe they've yet to arrive. It's always interesting up in the Golan; the scenery is spectacular, you never know what might just turn up and this time around the weather was also spectacularly good with the exception of one day.

Have a great time there Ron.

I'll provide a single update very soon of my time spent in the Yizrael, Harod and Bet Shean Valleys. Spent a superb four days down there. Loads of goodies.

Cheers

Frank

22 November
Bet Shean, Yizrael and Harod Valleys.

South of Kfar Ruppin: at least 4 Richard’s Pipits at the rear of an isolated date plantation. Good numbers of Dead Sea Sparrows. 4-5 migrant Song Thrushes. Southern Grey Shrike. Spanish Sparrows. Several Chiffchaffs including one with a rather distinctive call. On the adjacent agricultural fields we picked out the call of an Oriental Skylark among the many larks present and managed to see it land fairly close to us. A quick blast from Tuvia's mp3 and out it came and headed straight over us. Didn’t expect it to react!

c.400 White Pelicans just above my head tonight heading to roost in the Valley. 6500 Black Kites, 200+ Black Storks, Marsh Harriers all over the place. Bonelli's Eagle. 4 Greater Spotted Eagles this morning. Bluethroats all over the shop, Pygmy Cormorants, Pied and Smyrna Kingfishers and too many others to mention. All today. How's that very small selection grab you?

23 November
Excellent morning in the Yizrael Valley: 4 Greater Spotted Eagles, 2 Eastern Imperial Eagles, Black Kite, male Hen Harrier, Osprey, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Buzzard, E. Kestrel.

Kfar Baruch Res. was packed with birds inc. G. Flamingo, White Pelican, Glossy Ibis, Marbled Teal, White-headed Duck. Common Cranes were all over the place; beautiful sight and sound. E. Spoonbills and good numbers of regular duck and waders. Great stuff.

24 November
AM
Had a nice morning with Tuvia in the north east corner of the Yizrael Valley. Nice ring-tail Hen Harrier, couple of Black Francolins, Water Rail, Marsh Sands and a good selection of other waders and wildfowl. Then it was off to Kfar Ruppin for me.

PM
Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin packed with birds: Marsh Harriers, Ospreys aplenty, at least 2 Greater Spotted Eagles, skies full of White Pelicans, Black Storks, Great and Little Egrets, Purple Heron, Pygmy Cormorants, bucket loads of Water Pipits, at least 6 Citrine Wagtails on one pool, nice mixed bag of c.200 waders consisting of Ringed Plover, Little Stints, Kentish Plovers, Marsh, Green and Common Sands, Spotted and Common Redshank, Dunlins and lots of Little Stints and at least 5 Temminck's Stints, Avocet, Greenshank, Common Snipe, Ruff, Lapwing and Spur-winged Plovers. Coot City: must be thousands here. Corking Pallas's Gull - still a little early. Smyrna and Pied and Common Kingfishers all over the shop. All the above was on (virtually) one largely dry fish pond... and bear in mind there are many more ponds to go at. Plus all the surrounding vegetation that teems with passerines inc. corking variegatus Stonechat (think they've just changed the name). The Bet Shean is a must for the visiting birder. And Kfar Ruppin isn’t a bad place to base yourself. Being sung to sleep by a large choir of Jackals. At least they sound better than One Direction.

25 November
Track south from Kfar Ruppin ringing station to isolated date plantation: At least 5 Richard's Pipits present - field to southern end. Easy to see Dead Sea Sparrows and Southern Grey Shrike. Song Thrushes seemed to have moved on. More Dead Sea Sparrows at Tirat Tsvi.

Lower fish pond at border fence at kfar Ruppin had been drained: c.300 Black Storks, good numbers Glossy Ibis, Great and Little Egret, Grey Heron; typical mixed flock of c.200 waders but nothing new. Also noted several White Storks dotted around several locations this am.

Not a huge amount of detail but it should give you a bit of an idea what was going on. get yourselves there. You wont regret it.

Cheers for now.

Frank