16 February. Eilat and the southern Arava Valley.
Having arrived in Eilat well after dark the evening before, I was up at dawn to begin the explorations. A couple of hours before the car rental opened, so started the day with a stroll down to Eilat seafront (North Beach). A couple of Tristram's Starlings flying over, plus a mix of House Crows, Laughing Doves, Ring-necked Parakeets and Spectacled Bulbuls around the palms. On the sea and beach, things were even better – a nice bunch of White-eyed Gulls lounging about on buoys, at least 35 sitting just off the beach, plus one Western Reef Heron near the Jordanian border, one Pied Kingfisher where a drainage canal enters the sea and, best of the lot, one Brown Booby that flew in from Jordanian waters, circled round a few times, did a plunge dive, then flew out into the Gulf of Aqaba to disappear beyond tankers offshore.
Picked the car up at 8.00 a.m., then barely 15 minutes later was arriving at the spectacular desertscapes surrounding Amram's Pillars. White-crowned Black Wheatears and Desert Larks almost immediately, then a couple of Sand Partridge scuttling up a rocky slope. Three hundred metres short of the end of the road, I did a double take – in a small wadi where wild camping is permitted, a small flock of passerines hopping about at the base of a low cliff. Sat myself down in the sand, the flock almost at my feet, more birds soon flitting down from the sides of the wadi. What a glorious treat, two dozen Sinai Rosefinches hopping all over the place, deep red males fortunately in no short supply. In amongst, several dainty Blackstarts, occasional Desert Larks coming in and out, plus a couple of White-crowned Black Wheatears too. Half an hour with these, a few Sand Partridge also trooping through, then decided to explore the upper wadi – nice sandstone formations, contorted reds, but bar a few Rock Martins and a Steppe Eagle hugging a higher peak, little was happening.
Checked the flat stone desert on route out, a couple more White-crowned Black Wheatears, then a bit of a purple patch in a shallow wadi – not only a most fine Hooded Wheatear perching up, but also a couple of Asian Desert Warblers in loose association. Proving to be a good day so far, I then decided to drive the 40 km or so to Hai Bar Nature Reserve, location of my main target of the trip. Hanging out in clumps of acacia scrub behind the visitor centre, the bird in question was Black Bush Robin, a species that is primarily a spring vagrant to Israel, but with the odd pair lingering – one to two birds have been at Hai Bar for a couple of years now, even breeding last season. At the visitor centre, they pointed out the favoured bushes and then I began to wait, the actual bushes off limits to wandering birders. Palestine Sunbirds zipping about, dozens of Spectacled Bulbuls, hordes of House Sparrows and Laughing Doves too. And I waited, scrutinizing every movement in the bushes, House Sparrows usually responsible. No sign of Black Bush Robin. Arabian Babblers appeared, a flock of six active in the undergrowth. And then, just as I began to wonder whether I needed to return at dawn next day, a long-tailed black shape flew from the acacia clump to an isolated acacia tree just adjacent. And there it was, Black Bush Robin in all its glory, not on the ground as I was expecting, but working through the tree a metre or so up. Then it flew to an even denser area of vegetation, settled on the edge for a short while before vanishing inside. Didn't reappear, but I was not complaining! Three Blue-spotted Arabs flitting inthe warm sunshine, a new species of butterfly for me.
Decided on spec to head to the nearby Yotvata pivot fields. Southern area pretty arid, found a large flock of Crested Larks and one Skylark, saw a few Spur-winged Lapwings, had a female Hen Harrier drift over, then found two smart Desert Finches, but not that productive overall. Northern areas far greener, a lot of agribusiness underway – still didn't see that much however, tried in vain to find wintering Dead Sea Sparrows, probably mid-afternoon not the best time for these anyhow. Did find another Hen Harrier, a male this time, plus two Isabelline Wheatears, one Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Siberian Stonechats, several Rock Martins and a flock of nine White Storks drifting north.
Stopped in a few random areas of desert thereafter – a couple more Asian Desert Warblers, a Southern Grey Shrike, a couple of Little Green Bee-eaters et al – but then decided to call it a day, heading back to Eilat. Couldn't be bothered to try for Liechtenstein's Sandgrouse at their traditional site just north of Eilat, but did stop at the lagoons at both the Israel Bird Ringing Centre and salt works at km 19 – superb contrast to the desert landscapes of the day, Greater Flamingoes mingling with assorted waders and ducks, a flock of about 60 Slender-billed Gulls a pleasing way to end the day.
Did plan to eat in town, but everything seemed closed for the Sabbath, got some junky food in a supermarket and headed for the hotel. Day one over, Dead Sea planned for next day.