Israel - Dead Sea Sparrow (1 Viewer)

Hallo everybody

I want to go to israel and I want to see/photograph the dead sea sparrow.
Do you know where I can find the best places to see this species?
Time: 2nd week oktober 2018

1. Best places for finiding the dead sea sparrow
2. Best locations to see them easily
3. Best book: Finding birds in Israel
4. other good hints for generaly birding

Thank you very much.

Greez from switzerland

fink

We saw Dead Sea Sparrow at Lot's reservoir, by the Dead Sea, this April. It is near the turn to Arad. They were rather timid. Although we quickly saw one on our first visit, and eventually say 3, the views were brief. A second visit failed to produce any.

The best book is still https://www.nhbs.com/series/a-guide-to-the-birding-hotspots-of-israel

although it is rather dated now. Other tips: we found having a SUV (a Dacia Duster) worth the extra money.

Dead Sea Sparrows nest in the Beat Shean Valley around the fish ponds, especially where there are Tammarisks. I’ve found them in spring at the Kfar Ruppin, Neve Etan and Tirat Zvi fishponds with little effort. Whether they will still be around here in October I don’t know but by late autumn there will be a few in the Eilat area, small numbers winter at the IRBCE and at Km19 but they are variable in numbers and can be difficult to find so best ask at the info centre at the IRBCE if they are around.

If you try for them in the north at the fishponds this area can also provide excellent birding and the far north with Agamon Hula only a couple of hours away.

Plenty of information from trip reports at www.cloudbirders.com to help plan a trip.

When I was at the fish ponds at Beit Shean, I also saw them at the end of October, so they should still be around. It was a single flock of DSS at 8-10. Desert Finch were also there. I cannot remember if I saw Graceful Prinia there, but I know I definitely saw them at the fish ponds at Ma'Agan Mikhael.

I did not do a trip report, although I can check my photographs on what else was there if needed.

Dead sea sparrows

Hello!
Beit shean valley is still good in certain places for dead see sparrows, though it might be difficult to find them.
Another good spot is the area of Kalia fields (northern dead sea area) and Einot zukin nature reserve.
You can try having a look in field reports via the israeli birding portal to find more info - http://www.birds.org.il/en/index.aspx
Carmel