Paul Chapman
Well-known member
Last edited:
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2017 Western Palearctic Big Year (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter JeroenVanheuverswyn
- Start date
DanielDoer
Well-known member
What species is this?
https://klacke.smugmug.com/Big-Year-WP-2017/Israel/i-Dtd3NdM
I have no idea!! That happened several times when looking at pictures by Arjan or Noah. But really depressing that it happens during a WP year in a country I used to visit :-(
Pollen-stained Blackcap. Tired migrants in the Med often feed on pollen, so we are used to seeing such birds
although purely academic as far as the thread is concerned. I revisited the link and I believe, although I would need Yoav to confirm, that his point was that the assumption was that all were Scopoli's (at least in the Med), yet he was finding birds that showed characteristics of Cory's off Ashdod. I think by implication these were the exceptions. In the Gulf of Aqaba, they should be Cory's anyway - far too confusing.
Sounds a similar story line to the small black and white shearwaters off Eilat - based on whose list you follow I think that this record (s) started as Audubon's, went through Persian and is now Tropical. I certainly cant keep up.
Brian J Small
Well-known member
Confusing indeed as in Shirihai's Birds of israel he talks of birds migrating north inland at Eilat...
B
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
They are up to 490 now with a nice Saker in Hungary!
Jon Turner
Well-known member
Not exactly on the way to Kuwait!
Paul Chapman
Well-known member
Bateleur 20th bird I've not seen in the Western Palearctic and Saker 21st! :-C If they squeeze in Rock Partridge before Kuwait, then that would be 22....... I'm hoping to get one or two back next week.
Jon - yes I know that I should go to Hungary!
Levant Sparrowhawk, Semicollared Flycatcher and Saker are all really good news aren't they? Not difficult but otherwise could have been time-consuming or disruptive?
All the best
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Does Kuwait have a problem with passports containing an Israeli stamp? Many Arabic countries won't admit people with them, and I'd suspect even fewer are accessible by direct flights.
Jon Turner
Well-known member
We saw them in Turkey. Hint: go to Turkey!
A comment on Farcelook mentions BB Albert too. Not sure if it was a comment from them or a suggestion from someone else. The Saker looks like a one-off stopover.
Paul Chapman
Well-known member
dan pointon
Can't Stop
Apparently not, tho Israel stopped stamping passports in 2013.
Captain_of_Crunch
YVdpep_re64
I guess they are going for the 'Bird Race' rules, and I think they mentioned at the start of their blog that a species was only countable if seen by all three. Reading their birding accounts, they do seem to take the approach of spreading out over a large area, presumably to cover more ground, which inevitably results in missed birds.
Other than the Caspian Plover maybe, most of their 'missed birds' seem to be gettable at a later stage.
The American Herring Gull saga in Portugal took another twist: The original AHG wasa distinctive individual with a damaged wing. A few days ago, a 'Herring' Gull with a damaged wing was photographed, but showed some several features contra AHG (e.g. red eyering). It seems likely that this is not the bird initially reported but purely another gull with a very similar distinctive injury so it seems AHG is still safe (-ish) on their list. They may want to see another just to be sure
Could have been easy in Georgia - I got all three in 2011. Including Levant SH in Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) itself, SC Fly right by the main road from Tbilisi, only Saker needed a diversion. But you are right to say better in the bank.
There are limited flight options out of Israel and to go to Kuwait there is really no choice but to go back into Europe and then on. You could try a land crossing to Jordan, Egypt (maybe even Lebanon now) and then picking up connection I guess. I've done via Istanbul or Frankfurt in the past - sometimes wondered if it was easier just to come back to blighty even though it looks crazy on the map. Wonder if they did the logistics first and then looked for what was there - or targeted the Saker?
Jon Turner
Well-known member
If they thought it was a difficult bird and already had the logistics in place to go via Hungary, and someone in Israel told them of a nailed on Saker then it's a no-brainer. Can't find any news anywhere yet today.
Helgoland or Kuwait!!!?
Paul Chapman
Well-known member
Still no news? I may go to Kuwait to look for them.
All the best
All the best
Selsey Birder
Well-known member
ronaldnuiver
Well-known member
I think they went to Helgoland for black-browed alba
