After a very rewarding day off I once again found myself at
Low Mountain. The high numbers of the previous week had somewhat subsided but
there were still a few raptors moving, and a good variety again. I had three
Pallid Harriers, one of which was a stunning adult male, plus two Booted
Eagles; one dark and one light phase bird. Then there was the usual; Black
Kites, Steppe Eagles and Steppe Buzzards. There was a very nice pair of
Trumpeter Finches in the valley below as well.
Because it was a much slower day we left the mountain a little
early, giving me enough time to head into Holland Park and there try once again
to see the Semi-collard Flycatcher. This time though I finally struck lucky
with a very smart male showing for just a few minutes in late evening light
before flying off into the park where I was unable to refind it.
-Egyptian Vulture & Black Kite
-Semi-collard Flycatcher
Species List:
Low Mountain: Booted
Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Steppe
Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Striolated Bunting, Tristrams
Starling, Lesser Whitethroat, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Pale Crag
Martin, Sand Partridge, Egyptian Vulture, Pallid Swift,
Holland Park: Afghan
Babbler, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat,
Semi-collard Flycatcher, Quail, Sand Partridge, Palestine Sunbird, Spectacled
Bulbul, Little Green Bee-eater, Steppe Buzzard, Laughing Dove, Collard Dove,
Feral Pigeon,
Day 43 20.03.2018
The High Mountain was once again poorer than the previous
day, with ‘only’ 1000 Buzzards and a handful of other species. A pale phase
Booted Eagle was always a highlight and an Egyptian Vulture was also nice.
Sadly most of the birds we had were very distant and as a result the day felt
very slow after the last week of excellent passage.
As a result of the passage being slow we were able to get
off a little early and we headed into Holland Park again. There were small
numbers of common migrants still but nothing exceptional until we had almost
left. I was waiting near the road for the other guys to catch up when I spotted
a raptor heading towards me. Within seconds of me picking it up I could see that
once again I had before me a Crested Honey Buzzard, only this time much lower.
If only the light had been good, the bird flew so close over me, it was an
amazing encounter as it checked me out as it flew over. We saw it a couple more
times before it seemed to roost for the night. An Arctic Skua flew over, which
also a new Israel tick! What an excellent end to the day.
-Crested Honey Buzzard
Species List:
High Mountain: Desert
Lark, White-crowned Black Wheatear, Hooded Wheatear, Egyptian Vulture, Booted
Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Steppe Buzzard, Black Kite,
Holland Park: Eastern
Bonelli’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sardinian Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Palestine
Sunbird, Little Green Bee-eater, Spectacled Bulbul, Sand Partridge, Collard
Dove, Laughing Dove, Arctic Skua, Crested Honey Buzzard,
Day 44 21.03.2018
High Mountain was once again my destination for the day. The
morning was sluggish despite a promising start, but at around 15:30 the sky
absolutely exploded with birds! Three streams of birds were travelling
overhead, with a few thousand Steppe Buzzards and Kites passing in just two
hours. There were moments in the passage where there were just too many birds
streaming through the scope. It was some of the best passage I have got to
witness since arriving. Other birds included 19 Marsh Harriers, a couple of
Egyptian Vultures and my first ever European Honey Buzzard. I was scoping
through hundreds of Steppe Buzzards, when a close soaring bird caught my eye.
It was so barred it had to be a Honey Buzzard, although I was initially
skeptical, but the tail clearly confirmed it. It then turned to show dark
carpals, European Honey, the first of the season and an extremely early record.
-Gecko
Species List:
High Mountain: Marsh
Harrier, Black Kite, Steppe Buzzard, European Honey Buzzard, Steppe Eagle,
Short-toed Eagle, Osprey, Egyptian Vulture, Desert Lark, Black Stork, Hooded
Wheatear, White-crowned Black Wheatear, Pallid Swift, Alpine Swift, Eurasian
Crag Martin,
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