FXM
Frank Moffatt
Sunday 26 Feb.
Arrived Tel Aviv 0230 after unremarkable flight. Probably took about 45 mins or less to get through Passport Control, collect bag and pick up courtesy bus to Budget Office. Argument taking place when I arrived so wasn't looking good. Anyway, using patience and with a smile on my face, as a valued regular user I was given an upgrade to a new silver Ford Fiesta automatic; quite different from the fiestas I used to drive a few years back.
Was heading north by 0340. Clear run all the way up route 6 then east towards Tiberias then north up the 90 to the Hula.
Arrived at the gates just before 0600 ready to pile in except that it doesn't open until 0900 during week days.
Teamed up with a couple from Israel and headed the short distance to Lehavot Ha'bashan fish ponds. Got asked to leave the ponds on the north side by a gun weilding local - used to scare off fish loving birds. Headed to the ponds across the road and spent a very enjoyable couple of hours there.
Weather: Clear blues skies 2/8.Cool start but quite warm by 1000ish - fleece not needed. Light winds F2-3; can't remember the direction.
C. Teal 30+
Shoveler 25+
Gadwall 10+
Wigeon 2+
Ferruginous Duck - 1 male.
Mallard - C
Little Grebe - C
Coot - C
Moorhen 10+
Northern Lapwing 50+ in fields.
Spur-winged Plover c.30
Green Sandpiper 1-2
Common Sandpiper 1
Osprey - 1
Great Spotted Eagle 3+
C. Kestrel 3-4
Black Kite 1+
Pygmy Cormorant 12+
Great Cormorant 1-2
Grey Heron 40+
Night Heron small roost.
Great Egret 6+
Little Egret c.30
Black Stork c.40
Glossy Ibis 1+
Smyrna 3+
Pied Kingfisher 2+
E. Kingfisher 1 H
Hooded Crow C
Jackdaw 50+
C.Swift c.10
Barn Swallow c.30
Cetti's Warbler 10+
Chiffchaff 6+ in song.
White Wagtail C
Chaffinch - C
Great Tit 2+
Water Pipit 30+
Red-throated Pipit 3+
Tree Pipit 2+ (OBP??)
Skylark ??
Crested Lark C
Marsh Harrier 2 female
House Sparrow C
Y-vented Bulbul C
Rose-ringed Parakeet 8+
Common Buzzard 2-3
Graceful Warbler C
Headed to the Agamon Hula Reserve about 10 minutes or so down the road on the 90. I'm not one for targetting species but... target = Black-winged Kite... and all the other goodies of course of which there are plenty.
Failed to see the Kite(s).
Booted Eagle single pale morph.
E. Imperial Eagle single first year.
Great Spotted Eagle 5-6.
Black Kite 10+
Marsh Harrier 15+
C. Kestrel a few pairs.
Cetti's Warbler several singing.
Chiffchaff 3-4
Barn Swallow C
Common Crane 000s
White Pelican a few seen
Penduline Tit several heard. 1-2 seen.
E. Starling a few
Ruff 6+
Wigeon 60+
Black Stork 1+
Glossy Ibis 20+
Common Snipe 3+
Meadow Pipit 3+
A tiring day but plenty of good birds.
Arrived Tel Aviv 0230 after unremarkable flight. Probably took about 45 mins or less to get through Passport Control, collect bag and pick up courtesy bus to Budget Office. Argument taking place when I arrived so wasn't looking good. Anyway, using patience and with a smile on my face, as a valued regular user I was given an upgrade to a new silver Ford Fiesta automatic; quite different from the fiestas I used to drive a few years back.
Was heading north by 0340. Clear run all the way up route 6 then east towards Tiberias then north up the 90 to the Hula.
Arrived at the gates just before 0600 ready to pile in except that it doesn't open until 0900 during week days.
Teamed up with a couple from Israel and headed the short distance to Lehavot Ha'bashan fish ponds. Got asked to leave the ponds on the north side by a gun weilding local - used to scare off fish loving birds. Headed to the ponds across the road and spent a very enjoyable couple of hours there.
Weather: Clear blues skies 2/8.Cool start but quite warm by 1000ish - fleece not needed. Light winds F2-3; can't remember the direction.
C. Teal 30+
Shoveler 25+
Gadwall 10+
Wigeon 2+
Ferruginous Duck - 1 male.
Mallard - C
Little Grebe - C
Coot - C
Moorhen 10+
Northern Lapwing 50+ in fields.
Spur-winged Plover c.30
Green Sandpiper 1-2
Common Sandpiper 1
Osprey - 1
Great Spotted Eagle 3+
C. Kestrel 3-4
Black Kite 1+
Pygmy Cormorant 12+
Great Cormorant 1-2
Grey Heron 40+
Night Heron small roost.
Great Egret 6+
Little Egret c.30
Black Stork c.40
Glossy Ibis 1+
Smyrna 3+
Pied Kingfisher 2+
E. Kingfisher 1 H
Hooded Crow C
Jackdaw 50+
C.Swift c.10
Barn Swallow c.30
Cetti's Warbler 10+
Chiffchaff 6+ in song.
White Wagtail C
Chaffinch - C
Great Tit 2+
Water Pipit 30+
Red-throated Pipit 3+
Tree Pipit 2+ (OBP??)
Skylark ??
Crested Lark C
Marsh Harrier 2 female
House Sparrow C
Y-vented Bulbul C
Rose-ringed Parakeet 8+
Common Buzzard 2-3
Graceful Warbler C
Headed to the Agamon Hula Reserve about 10 minutes or so down the road on the 90. I'm not one for targetting species but... target = Black-winged Kite... and all the other goodies of course of which there are plenty.
Failed to see the Kite(s).
Booted Eagle single pale morph.
E. Imperial Eagle single first year.
Great Spotted Eagle 5-6.
Black Kite 10+
Marsh Harrier 15+
C. Kestrel a few pairs.
Cetti's Warbler several singing.
Chiffchaff 3-4
Barn Swallow C
Common Crane 000s
White Pelican a few seen
Penduline Tit several heard. 1-2 seen.
E. Starling a few
Ruff 6+
Wigeon 60+
Black Stork 1+
Glossy Ibis 20+
Common Snipe 3+
Meadow Pipit 3+
A tiring day but plenty of good birds.
