After exceeding 10000 during my last shifts in the mountain
it made a change to only manage 6000 birds with absolutely no evening movement.
The change in the wind was probably the cause, but its difficult to tell for
sure. There were still some nice birds; a healthy Swift passage was really nice
as the birds flew low overhead, including a nice Little Swift which banked a
couple of times over our heads. A flock of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters also flew
past the mountain, but into the sun so we couldn’t really appreciate the
colours. The raptors were made largely the same as the previous few days. A
couple of Sparrowhawks gave us a start but sadly both showed well enough to be
confirmed as Eurasian.
-Steppe Buzzard
-Little Swift
-Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Species List:
High Mountain: Steppe
Eagle, Booted Eagle, Steppe Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Eurasian Sparrowhawk,
Black Kite, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Desert Lark, Hooded Wheatear, Blue-cheeked
Bee-eater, Pallid Swift, Common Swift, Little Swift, Barn Swallow, House
Martin, Red-rumped Swallow,
Day 60 07.04.2018
I actually decided to take the day off today, so spent the
day chilling out in the field school. I did take a morning stroll to the bushes
of Liebzi where there were a few nice birds but nothing amazing. The highlight
was a cracking male Semi-collard Flycatcher which perched up on the hotel
fence, although it was not approachable. A very showy Olivaceous Warbler was
also nice, as was a Striolated Bunting on the hotel lawns.
-Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
-Semi-collard Flycatcher
Species List:
Bushes of Liebzi: Reed
Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Palestine Sunbird,
Spectacled Bulbul, Striolated Bunting, House Sparrow, Little Green Bee-eater,
Semi-collard Flycatcher, Common Swift,
Day 61 08.04.2018
My last day counting on Low Mountain! It’s hard to believe
how quickly the end has come round, but here we are. Sadly it did not end
spectacularly, with just short of 2000 birds, but most of those were beyond
distant, little more than dots even through the scope. A few birds came close,
four Eurasian Sparrowhawks had me scrambling but alas, still no sign of the
elusive Levants. A small flock of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters flew over high
overhead, calling all the while. The regular Sand Partridge and Blackstarts
were still putting on the usual show, reminding me why I love Low Mountain.
-Steppe Buzzard
-Blue-cheeked Bee Eater
Species List:
Low Mountain:
Booted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Steppe Buzzard, Hen Harrier, Black Kite, Eurasian
Sparrowhawk, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Blackstart, Sand
Partridge, Blue-cheeked Bee Eater,
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