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Israel sites - info required (1 Viewer)

Allen

Allen

Well-known member
All

I am currently planning a weeks excursion to Israel next March and have gathered a number of trip reports as well as the Gosney guide. However there seem to be a few good sites that are consistently mentioned which I am struggling to find details on location etc. If anyone can help with this for the below sites then I would be very grateful:

-Wadi Mishmar
-Mieshar
-Sites around Neot HaKikar
-Shezaf Nature Reserve (specifically where to look for Arabian Warbler)
-Up to date info on where to look for MacQueens Bustard on Nizzana/Ezuz road (some trip reports seem to have different areas noted v Gosney guide)

Thanks in advance
 
Wadi Mishmar
-Mieshar
-Sites around Neot HaKikar
-Shezaf Nature Reserve (specifically where to look for Arabian Warbler)
-Up to date info on where to look for MacQueens Bustard on Nizzana/Ezuz road (some trip reports seem to have different areas noted v Gosney guide)

Wadi Mishmar does not offer any species you would not find readily elsewhere; the Meishar is a desert area about 80 minutes drive north of Eilat (along the Mizpe Ramon road) but is a military area and only best viewed from the main road (it is regularly patrolled by the army and you will be asked to leave)

Neot Halkkikar is a private kibbutz at the extreme south end of the Dead Sea and is the ONLY site for the last few remaining breeding pairs of NUBIAN NIGHTJAR. You will require an escort to visit and a guide - most Israelis charging at least £75 per visit

Shezaf Nature Reserve is one of the best sites for breeding ARABIAN WARBLER in the Negev - it is situated on the main Eilat-Jerusalem road about two hours drive north of Eilat (at around Km 182 from memory). Just before the turning for the Field Study Centre, turn east towards the Jordanian border through an easily missed gated entrance and drive 2.8 kms to the car park. Both south and north of the car park is a wadi full of Acacia bushes and trees and 1-2 pairs of Arabian Warbler can be found here after an exhaustive search (beware of Eastern Orphean and Cyprus Warbler lookalikes - check the tail-pumping action)

McQueen's Bustards are in steep decline in the Negev but the most reliable site remains that at Nizzana - either side of the road between 1 and 3 kms beyond the end of the old runway and perimeter fence. The population in this area has declined to about eight birds in recent years. It is essential to visit either first two hours of daylight or last hour
 
Lee

Thanks for all the info. Its very helpful and appreciated. A few trip reports had Wadi Mishmar as reliable site for Mountain Bunting and Sinai Rosefinch. Do you suggest better sites for those? (I also have noted Wadi Salvadore north of Ein Gedi somewhere)

Allen
 
One other area that I forgot to mention is Neot Smadar. Does anyone know of particular areas there to explore?

Regards
 
Lee Evans said:
Shezaf Nature Reserve is one of the best sites for breeding ARABIAN WARBLER in the Negev - it is situated on the main Eilat-Jerusalem road about two hours drive north of Eilat (at around Km 182 from memory). Just before the turning for the Field Study Centre, turn east towards the Jordanian border through an easily missed gated entrance and drive 2.8 kms to the car park. Both south and north of the car park is a wadi full of Acacia bushes and trees and 1-2 pairs of Arabian Warbler can be found here after an exhaustive search (beware of Eastern Orphean and Cyprus Warbler lookalikes - check the tail-pumping action)

McQueen's Bustards are in steep decline in the Negev but the most reliable site remains that at Nizzana - either side of the road between 1 and 3 kms beyond the end of the old runway and perimeter fence. The population in this area has declined to about eight birds in recent years. It is essential to visit either first two hours of daylight or last hour
Click to expand...

I have the entrance for the track to Shezaf Nature Reserve noted as km 152 (off route 90) in my notebook. The gateway is indeed easily missed and the track not well marked (but it is in fair driving condition) - we went past a couple of times before taking that turning. The fence runs parallel to the road but set back from it (maybe 20 m or so from memory) and there is little in the way of an obvious track from the road to the gateway (though again easy ground to drive over). If I remember rightly, the start of the track is a short way south of the brow of a shallow hill (but don't rely on that for directions - could be wrong). The track then leads straight east for a couple of kms across flat stoney desert - there is a parking area just as you reach the shallow north-south running wadi. In late April this year (2010) I walked north and found a male Arabian Warbler singing and showing well after maybe 400 m or so. Namaqua Dove there too.

At Nizzana, we had ver little time as were heading north back to Tel Aviv. Also it was middle of the day. Nonetheless we found a single MacQueen's Bustard almost straight away at km post 7 on the Nizzana to Ezuz road (marked as route 2022 on my map).

Have a fab trip

Nick
 
In an average year, Sinai Rosefinch can be readily found in many of the wadis around Eilat particularly En Netaphim Springs car park in the Moon Valley Mountains and in the heavily visited tourist wadis to the north of Eilat west of the main road (at K17, 21 & 33).

At the Dead Sea sites, Sinai Rosefinch is very easy at the top end of the wadi (a 5km hike) at the Salvadori site - as is Striolated Bunting (the latter provided you have a tape of its distinctive contact note). For some reason, this species has recently retracted its range in Israel and has become a speciality of those high wadis west and SW of the Dead Sea. It tends to live in the high gorges and remains high up on the slopes.
 
some more information ....

Hello Allen
All the participants above wrote very good and correct information. I will just try to add a bit more.
Wadi Mishmar- Lee was right, the wadi doesnt offer any special bird experience. Regarding the Mieshar he was also correct. If i were you i would recomend you to go to the area near Ein Gedi and "Ein Salvadora"- which is 7 Km north of Ein Gedi- There is a good chance to find some Sinai Rosefinch and Mountain Bunting there during March.
Neot Hakikar which is in the north of the Arava is the best place for seeing the Nubian nightjar, though you will probably, as mentioned above, need a guide.
The Sheizaf nature reserve located north west to Ein Yahav and is a recomended place to visit during the spring-There is a good chance to see the Arabian warbler , and also some more desert speicies like spotted Sandgrouse, Crowned Sandgrouse and many more.
Nizana area will be the best place to look for the MacQueen's Bustard.
For Neot Smadar- the Kibutz has some lucerne fields and palm trees that can attract lots of migrating birds during March. Though, there are many other places just like that such as Lotan or places in and near Eilat that are very similar.
Hope i helped a bit.
Please dont hesitate to contact me if you need some more information. You can also have a look at my website:
http://www.carmelbirdingtours.com

Have a great time in Israel
Carmel
 
Last edited:
Carmel

Thank you for that information.

What is the name of the other site between Ein Gedi and Ein Salvadora and can you provide details?

I wonder if you could also provide some information on best sites for the below species as the trip reports are somewhat non specific on these. Thanks

Crowned Sandgrouse
Desert Finch
Dead Sea Sparrow
 
HELLO
I meant only Ein Gedi and Ein Salvadora.
Ein -Gedi- there is a nice road that goes out from the SPNI hostel in Ein Gedi towards Wadi Arogot. you can ask for some more details in the hostel which is a good place to stay also.
Ein salvadora is also recomended- its about 7 Km north from Ein Gedi, there is a parking place were you can leave your car and walk into the wadi.
Regarding the species you have asked:
Crowned sandgrouse- i dont know of a specific place to watch her, sorry, though i would go to Eilat area to track her.
Desert Finch and Dead Sea Sparrow are quite common to all the area of the desert and Jordan Valley- you can see them on Ein Gedi, Ein Salvadora, Neot Hakikar , Eilat and many more places.
Have Fun
Carmel
 
Can anyone provide contact details for Israeli guides for Hume's Owl and Nubian Nightjar? I have tried one contact gleaned from trip reports but have had no response yet so perhaps a few more contacts may be useful.

Thanks
 
Thanks Pete. I have tried Barak but have had no response hence seeing if there were any other guides known.
 
Tony,

Not sure whether you will be in Eilat during the migration festival but if you were to book through this means, joining trips to see Hume's Owl and Nubian Nightjar will be cheaper than if hiring a personal guide. - about £40 if my memory serves me right.

Robin
 
Allen,

In March 2009 I paid much less than this for the evening trips for Hume's and Nightjar so sounds like someone's on the make. I can't see individuals paying this much extra for evening trips.

Local guides won't come cheap though.

Robin
 
They are indeed being touted for $150 on the website. Barak's charging us £65 (each) for both but his sites are much further north from Eilat so we're doing it on the way down from Hula. Simples!
 
I try and do an Israel tour every March but in recent years have had to drop Hume's Tawny and Nubian Nightjar from my itinerary because of this exorbitant charge being applied (the cheapest I have been able to barter for my tour participants id £50 each per bird). If I visit away from the peak period, I have no problem seeing these birds without a guide but when the festival is on, it is not possible.

I used to joke with Hadoram when he was charging £10 per person for these birds in the 1980's but like others have commented, these charges are now ridiculous considering you are often requested to take your own vehicle (and it is a full tank's worth of fuel there and back from Eilat). It is claimed that all monies earned were ploughed directly back towards conserving the 8 pairs of Nubian Nightjars in the desert but when I checked with the guards on the gate of the kibbutz they denied any knowledge of money being devoted to any form of protection (nor of any actual protection or management going on). They talked of small bribes being paid to them to allow access.
 
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