Israel 9th - 19th December 2011 (1 Viewer)

[FXM]

This is my first visit during the winter period ... or perhaps very late autumn so I'll put down my daily sightings that I feel might be of interest. I was in the north last November for a week and it was very good at Hula and Be'it Shean as you might expect. This time, however, I'm going to gamble a little and head south into the Arava to start with and see if I can manage to winkle out a couple of eastern vagrants. Probably wishful thinking but you never know.

There are a few Israel rarities up north at the moment: Bean Goose and Whooper Swan - I've seen the former here (in 2007 I'm told) at the Eilat Football Stadium. I'm also aware there's been Little Bunting, Red-flanked Bluetail, Grey Hypocolius and a possible Blyth's Pipit among the Richard's Pipits; also Olive-backed Pipits here and there.

I want to take it pretty easy and just see what happens.

So long as I can get access to a PC I'll keep you updated.

Cheers

Frank

 

[Paul Higson]

Nice.

 

[rockfowl]

Good luck Frank..

Plenty happening at the moment, the latest the Bean Goose, is the 2nd record for Israel, you obviously saw the first. Go out and find a monster chap, a certain Mr Perlman and team will be very happy!

Any good mammals, let us know..

 

[FXM]

Hi Folks,

Flights all on time etc. and went smoothly. Collected Nissan Micra from airport and away 0315 hrs.

Day 1 10th Dec 2011
Drove down through the night fromTel Aviv so a long tiring day. Started birding at the Meishar at first light and then a little at Ne'ot Samadar and finally Yotvata. Weather, bright and sunny, dry, cold early and late but pretty pleasant during the day. Gloves not needed so perhaps a good indicator. Wind 3-4 from NW kept temps down.

Early signs are encouraging with a surprising amount of birds around:
Meishar:
Mouring Wheatear 2 males
Desert Lark 10+
Sardinian Warbler 3+
'Southern' Great Grey Shrike 1 - must have a close look at these.
Scrub Warbler 6+
Crowned Sandgrouse 30+

Ne'ot Samadar - perimeter vegetation only and sewage area.
Common Stonechat - 8+ (lots on individual variation... as usual)
White Wagtail c.35
Laughing Dove - common
Collared Dove - common
Spectacled Bulbul - common
E. Robin 1
Chiffchaff - 4+
Willow Warbler 1 - sounded like one and the views suggested it was this species but not ideal views etc.
Spannish Sparrow c.60
E. Sparrowhawk 2
Spur-winged Plover 8+
Cattle Egret 1
Ringed Plover 1
Redshank 2
Greensand 1
Black-winged Stilt 4+
Hooded Wheatear 1 male
White-crowned Black Wheatear 3
Rock Martin 8
Bluethroat 1 imm/fem

Yotvata - circular fields & Sewage area
White-fronted Goose 2 (seen in both areas)
Hen Harrier 2 Male and female
Kestrel 1
Namaqua Dove 2
Collared Dove - common
Laughing Dove - common
Cattle Egret 6+
Spur-winged Plover 30+
N. Lapwing 12
Red-throated Pipit c.50
Water Pipit 6+
White Wagtail c.125
E. Skylark c.25
Oriental Skylark - 1 possibly. Sounded like one but couldn't get it on the ground
Bulbul - common
Coot c.20
Black-winged Stilt c.10

Not bad for my first day.

Cheers

Frank

 

[FXM]

Hi Mark and Paul,

Yep. Saw the first Bean Goose. Hot off the press: Barak found a Radde's Accentor up near El Rom in the Golan today. Spent a week up there last Nov without managing a sniff of one.

Cheers

Frank

 

[FXM]

Day 2 - 11th Dec 2011
Slept in! Unheard of. But still up and out around 0600 hrs. Conditions similar to yesterday except wind stronger from NW F5-6 keeping temps down and creating sand storms in exposed areas. Yotvata circular fields were too dusty. Gloves still not needed however.

Lotan:
White Wags c.100
Red-throated Pipit 10+
Water Pipit 20+
Black Redstart 1
Laugh Dove - C
Collared Dove - C
Bluethroat 3
Chiffchaff 15+
Spannish Sparrow c.50
House Sparrow c.20
Feral Dove c.750 (somethings living off them)
Ringed Plover 2
Green Sand 1
Palestine Sunbird 2+
Stonechat 3+
Blackstart 2+
Brown-necked Raven 2+
Hoopoe 2+
Spur-winged Plover 20+

Yotvata.
Tristram's Grackle c.60

Wadi near Lotan:
White-crowned Black Wheatear 5-6
Desert Lark c.20
House and Spannish Sparrow - C
Collared and Laughing Dove - C
Palestine SUnbird 12+
Sardinian Warbler 16+
Chiffchaff 4+
Hoopoe 3+
Black Redstart 1

Kibbutz Sewage:
White Wag c.150
Water Pipit 3+
Little Grebe 4+
Coot 7+
Mallard 3
Redshank 2
Green Sand 3+
Stonechat 3+
Blackstart 2+
E. Swallow 2
Rock Martin 4-5
White-crowned Black Wheatear 1

Eilot Date Palms:
Drove south to outskirts of Eilat to check Eilot date palms. Headed to northern most date enclosure and found 3 Olive-backed Pipits on the west side about 10 metres in from road not far from the old white bus that sits in there - if you know the place. The OBPs have been around for a while but I'm not sure how many. Seems to be a regular occurence but in low numbers only. They were in good condition and looked like they do in the UK in autumn. Unlike some I've seen here in spring that can be very tatty.

Also:
Bluethroat 1
Chiffchaff c.50
White Wagtail c.20
Stonechat 5+
Graceful Prinia
Bulbul


Fields nearby:
Collard Dove c.50

Birdwatching Centre Eilat:
Dunlin 1 heard
Black-winged Stilt
Redshank
Moorhen
Coot
Grey Heron
Marsh Harrier - 2 imms
Swallow 2+


North Beach - quick glance
Black-headed Gull c.40
Crested Lark 6+
White Wag

KM 19 - pool
Great Cormorant c.1000
Great Egret 50+
Little Egret c.5
E Spoonbill 10+
White Stork 2
Black Stork 1
Grey Heron 10+
Pallas's Gll 1 adult wint
Black-headed Gull c.20
Coot c.60
White Wag c.150
wagtail sp. - rasping call but not seen.
Shoveler c.100
Teal c.120
Wigeon c.40
Tufted - at least one
Pintail c.50


Cheers for now.

Frank

 

[FXM]

I've been surprised by the numbers of Chiffchaffs around - plumage variable as are the calls. I feel there must be more than one ssp. involved? Some look and sound like collybita and others are peeping like sibes. Plus others that are different again. Any thoughts anyone?

Stonechats - huge variation. Again surely more than one ssp. involved? See above.

Is it just Southern Grey Shrike here in winter?

Collared Doves - common as heck.

For those that read my April- May 2011 thread and who commented on liking it quiet: I've seen two other people with bins so far!

That's all for today folks.

 

[FXM]

Mark:
Wild Ass is becoming common these days - saw 6 on my first morning at the Meishar. Also a few Arava Gazelles here and there. Saw Striped Hyena near Yotvata in spring which was my sole target for the trip but I never really expected it.

 

[rockfowl]

I know what you mean about the Chiffys Frank, had a peeping Sibe plus a mixed bag ten days ago up north. Bugger about the Radde's, we spent several mornings looking for them up in the Golan, too early I guess. Three OBP's seems very good?

Striped Hyena....Very Nice!!

We saw two very smart Wolves last week in the Golan, I think they're a bit easier where you are at the moment, healthy population and all

 

[FXM]

Hi Mark,

Wintering OBPs are expected these days and usually in the southern date palms as this winter. So yes it's good but not unexpected. I've had several very close encounters with wolf in the south but not this time... thus far. I know where to find them if I'm lucky but I've also come across one or two enexpectedly. I believe one I saw up in the Eilat Mountains visible from the raptor viewing area(s) was unusual this April/May. Jackal - common especially around Yotvata. Desert Hedgehog is a beauty also.

Chiffs: collybita, abietinus and tristis I presume but not sure about proportions. Brevirostris - does it exist?
Stonechats: these are really tricky. Presumably I'm seeing maura, armenicus, variegatus and stejnegeri but whether I could actually separate all these with certainty I'm not sure. Variegatus - yes with good views of the tail and perhaps the 'extremes' of some of the other ssp.
Southern Grey Shrike: I've seen three. I'm not certain of the identification criteria but the large amount of white in the wing and the white super meeting above the bill seems to point to elegans I think - which I believe is the desert form. More work required.

Cheers

Frank

 

[FXM]

Day 3 - 12th December
Weather: bright, clear blue skies, dry, wind reduced but still from N or NW meant that birding was much easier and not as dusty in the drier areas. Temps felt considerably warmer. Almost didn't need a fleece and definitely didn't need one in the sheltered areas.

Actually met some birders today: 3 Germans and a Finn. Saw a small party of elderly Israeli birders at Lotan late afternoon.

Lotan: Organic Gardens (they are stunning at this time of year), wetland area.
Bluethroat - perhaps up to c.40
Reed Bunting 1
Common Snipe 1 (not a hint of Great, Pin-tailed or Swinhoe's... I think)
Red-throated Pipit c.20
Water Pipit c.50
Black Redstart 2
Stonechat 8+
Barbary Falcon -I think. Could be this that's hammering the millions of feral pigeons.
Steppe Buzzard 1
Crake sp. heard
Hen Harrier - a male
Little Green Bee-eater 2
Hoopoe 1
House and Spannish Sparrow - mixed; perhaps 750
Spur-winged Plover c.20
Cattle Egret 2
Green Sand 3
Chiffchaff 6+
Rock Martin c.20
Crested Lark


Yotvata: circular fileds and sewage area.
Black Kite 4
C. Kestrel 2
Red-throated Pipit c.125
White Wagtail c.150
Water Pipit c.20
Richard's Pipit 2
Tawny Pipit 1
E. Skylark c.30
Namaqua Dove 2-4
Indian Silverbill c.25
Hen Harrier 2 males
Little Green Bee-eater 4
Desert Wheatear 2
Isabelline Wheatear 1
E. Sparrowhawk 2
Desert Finch 1
Rock Martin 3
Ringed Plover 6

Haven't put everything down.

Just to add a little more flavour the finnish birder, he's been here at least a week longer than me has also seen (all in this part of southern arava):
Oriental Skylark - think he said 6+
Eastern Imperial Eagle - adult and imm with great photos
Bonelli's Eagle - one. Quite rare down here.
Buff-bellied Pipit - single
Asian Desert Warbler 2
Great-spotted Cuckoo 1

Spent quite some time trying to pin down the oriental skylark(s) but failed. Will try again.

Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Cheers

Frank

 

[Brian Beilby]

Day 3 - 12th December
Weather: bright, clear blue skies, dry, wind reduced but still from N or NW meant that birding was much easier and not as dusty in the drier areas. Temps felt considerably warmer. Almost didn't need a fleece and definitely didn't need one in the sheltered areas.

Actually met some birders today: 3 Germans and a Finn. Saw a small party of elderly Israeli birders at Lotan late afternoon.

Lotan: Organic Gardens (they are stunning at this time of year), wetland area.
Bluethroat - perhaps up to c.40
Reed Bunting 1
Common Snipe 1 (not a hint of Great, Pin-tailed or Swinhoe's... I think)
Red-throated Pipit c.20
Water Pipit c.50
Black Redstart 2
Stonechat 8+
Barbary Falcon -I think. Could be this that's hammering the millions of feral pigeons.
Steppe Buzzard 1
Crake sp. heard
Hen Harrier - a male
Little Green Bee-eater 2
Hoopoe 1
House and Spannish Sparrow - mixed; perhaps 750
Spur-winged Plover c.20
Cattle Egret 2
Green Sand 3
Chiffchaff 6+
Rock Martin c.20
Crested Lark


Yotvata: circular fileds and sewage area.
Black Kite 4
C. Kestrel 2
Red-throated Pipit c.125
White Wagtail c.150
Water Pipit c.20
Richard's Pipit 2
Tawny Pipit 1
E. Skylark c.30
Namaqua Dove 2-4
Indian Silverbill c.25
Hen Harrier 2 males
Little Green Bee-eater 4
Desert Wheatear 2
Isabelline Wheatear 1
E. Sparrowhawk 2
Desert Finch 1
Rock Martin 3
Ringed Plover 6

Haven't put everything down.

Just to add a little more flavour the finnish birder, he's been here at least a week longer than me has also seen (all in this part of southern arava):
Oriental Skylark - think he said 6+
Eastern Imperial Eagle - adult and imm with great photos
Bonelli's Eagle - one. Quite rare down here.
Buff-bellied Pipit - single
Asian Desert Warbler 2
Great-spotted Cuckoo 1

Spent quite some time trying to pin down the oriental skylark(s) but failed. Will try again.

Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Cheers

Frank

Reading every day Frank with great interest -Keep it going. Cheers
Brian

 

[FXM]

Day 4 - 14th December
Weather: clear blue skies, dry, cool start and finish but winds down again so temps up. Didn't quite need a fleece on all day. F2-3 still from N or NW. Very pleasant.

Didn't see a birder all day.

Lotan Wetland:
Similar to previous days. Barbary Falcon (?) came in very high from Jordan, calling, and perched on the radar mast right at the top and then 'twas gone. Strange call. It sounded nothing like a peregrine. Maybe a Lanner?
Spur-winged Plover - group of 47 near wetland. Just how many are there I wonder?
Hoopoe
Black Redstart 2-3

KM76 - 77
Bar-tailed Desert Lark 4-5 very close
Linnet c.20
Southern Gey Shrike - usual tree on left side of track to border. Same bird perhaps?
Desert Wheatear
Isabelline Wheatear
Mourning Wheatear
ring-tailed Hen Harrier


Ne'ot Samadar wetland reserve
Black Redstart 3
Stonechat 6+
Chiffchaff 8+
White Wagtail C.75
Water Pipit C.20
Hooded Wheatear - male
White-crowned Black Wheatear 2
Redshank
Green Sand
Cattle Egret 2
Hen Harrier - male

Shizzafon Cafe
Robin 2


Yotvata Circular Fields
Oriental Skylark 6-7
Richard's Pipit 1+
E. Skylark c.50
Red-throated Pipit c.80
Water Pipit c.30
White Wagtail c.150
Ringed Plover 6+
Northern Lapwing 10+
Hen Harrier - male
Merlin - male
Kestrel 1
Quail 1
Short-toed Lark 1
Namaqua Dove 3

I've listed just some of the species seen duirng my four days in the Southern Arava. It's been good. Far better than I imagined it would be. Lots of birds. I could have done a lot more i.e. targetted things and dashed here and there but I've taken things easy really although I've spent virtually all my time in the field. No night birding or mammal hunting this time.

Tomorrow I'm heading up north to Be'it Shean, Kibbutz Kfar Ruppin. It's a long drive. I'll keep you informed if I can get to a PC but it's my first stay at this kibbutz so I don't know if it will be possible.

Cheers for now.

Frank

 

[rockfowl]

It will, Ruppin's pretty well organised from memory, geared to birders after all.

Nice. Not heard of any new rarities via Yoav or Jonathon anyway.

Safe drive.

 

[FXM]

Hi Mark,

Heard the falcon coming in from a long way off. Wasn't even convinced it was a falcon. Wasn't far off a wader type call. I'm pretty sure Barbary uses this Radar mast so that's the likely culprit but wasn't like any call I've noted before.

Cheers

Frank

 

[FXM]

Day 5 14th December
Set off from Lotan 0430. Clear roads all way to north end of Dead Sea then got a little busier. Had to go through a security check a little south of Bet Shean which meant I lost all the time I'd saved be setting off earlier. Checked into Kibbutz Kfar Ruffin around 1000. Good birding area. Largely flat agricultural fields and fish ponds but also lots of scrubby areas. Mountains/hills nearby so a good mix of habitats.

Weather: sunny, dry, clear blue skies. Light winds F2-3 from N or NW.
Osprey 2-3
Booted Eagle 1 pale phase
Long-legged Buzzard 1-2
Black Kite c.75 part of the 3000 that roost in a nearby date palm.
Common Buzzard 4-5
E. Kestrel 10+
Marsh Harrier 12+
Black Stork c.120
White Stork 6+
Grey Heron c.40
Litle Egret c.10
Cattle Egret 5+
Pygmy Cormorant 6+
Great Cormorant c.100
Starling c.1200
Lapwing c.20
Golden Plover c.30
Common Sand 2-3
Green Sand 2-3
Redshank 5
Pied Kingfisher c.30
E. Kingfisher 1-2
Smyrna 6-8
Water Pipit c.15
White Wagtail c.60
Jackdaw c.1200
Hooded Crow c.50
Chiffchaff
Graceful Prinia
Stonechat
Southern Grey Shrike
Greenfinch
Spannish Sparrow
Syrian Woodpecker
Armenian Gull
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull 2-3

There are actually thousands of birds around so these few counts represent just a fraction of what is actually around.

Cheers

Frank

 

[FXM]

Day 7 15th December
Weather similar to yesterday but warmer. Probably warmest day of the trip so far.

Similar mix of birds plus:
Eastern Imperial Eagle - imm
Greater Spotted Eagle 2
Peregrine Falcon 1
Indian Silverbill 6
Calandra Lark 5
Dead Sea Sparrow 5
Black Francolin 3
Osprey 1
Blackbird
Cetti's Warbler
Clamourous Reed Warbler inc 1 dark morph
Water Rail
Jack Snipe 1
Ruddy Shelduck 7


Raptors fill the skies here and pipits and larks the fields. Excellent birding. Teemed up with my good friend Tuvia who lives in the area now. Had an excellent days birding. In between radio interviews about his magnificent taiga Bean Goose find in the Israel Valley he took me to his hot spots. Superb day.

Cheers for now.

Frank

 

[FXM]

Hi Brian,

They're all asking after you and send their regards. Wondering where the top notch silver fox is.

Cheers

Frank

 

[skylark25]

Keep us posted

Interesting thread

Happy Birding

 

[Brian Beilby]

Hi Brian,

They're all asking after you and send their regards. Wondering where the top notch silver fox is.

Cheers

Frank

Hi Frank, Top notch is drooling over the raptors you are seeing and the weather!!! Enjoying the read. Cheers
Brian