My second to last day of raptor counting was nothing special,
less than 2000 birds but as usual a nice selection including a very nice Honey
Buzzard that flew distantly past us at High Mountain, allowing some nice views
through the scope. The Hooded Wheatear was still around, and for the first time
there was an adult White-crowned Black Wheatear. Even better was that it was
rather confiding, allowing me to get quite close to it and finally get some
photos of an adult bird, rather than the regular young ones.
-European Honey Buzzard
-White-crowned Black Wheatear
-Hooded Wheatear
Species List:
High Mountain: Steppe
Eagle, Steppe Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Black Stork, Booted Eagle, Long-legged
Buzzard, European Honey Buzzard, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Hooded Wheatear,
White-crowned Black Wheatear, Alpine Swift, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, Barn
Swallow, House Martin, Crag Martin,
Day 63 10.04.2018
My last day counting in the mountains! It’s hard to believe
that my counts are already over, and that in less than a week I will be
returning to the Britain. Sadly my last day was nothing species, barely even
reaching 400 birds, all of which were extremely high. The most frustrating
aspect of this was that we had 9 Sparrowhawk sp. up so high that we stood no
chance of identifying them. A shame really as it seems likely from the behaviour
that at least some of them were Levants…
But the day was not a complete loss, as I saw two of the
best birds of the entire trip. During the mid-afternoon lull we stole a trip up
to Yotvata to have a look at a gorgeous male Caspian Plover which had been found
the previous evening. We were wondering where we would find it, when we spotted
it sat right next to the road. We spent about half an hour watching and
photographing the bird. We were able to get stupidly close, the most discomfort
that it showed was when it stood up. Without doubt the best bird I have seen in
Israel so far.
Also up there was the second bird of the day; Cinereous
Bunting. One had been found the previous evening in the middle of Eilat but by
the time we found out about it the sun had already set. We checked in the
morning but with no joy, so when it was refound late evening during our time in
the mountain it was a little frustrating. We headed straight there once we
finished counting and after a little search the bird performed better than I
could have possible imagined. A really smart little bird, and one that I was
not expecting to see on the trip.
-Sparrowhawks
-Caspian Plover
-Cinereous Bunting
Species List:
High Mountain: Eurasian
Sparrowhawk, Black Kite, Black Stork, Steppe Buzzard, Steppe Eagle, Osprey,
Common Swift, Pallid Swift, Red-rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow, House Martin,
Rock Martin, Desert Lark, Hooded Wheatear,
Yotvata: Caspian
Plover, Namaqua Dove, Collard Dove, Laughing Dove, Red-throated Pipit, Barn
Swallow, White Wagtail,
Day 64 11.04.2018
First day of desert raptor breeding survey! Can’t say I
enjoyed the early start but still, it was nice to be out in the desert
mountains so early. A beautiful area to be sure but sadly lacking in birdlife!
A single tree full of Blackcaps and a small overhead passage of Buzzards and
Storks was about the best we could manage. A few Gazelles and Ibex were also
nice, and I had a trip tick of Roller which is always an outstanding bird to
see.
In the afternoon I paid a quick visit to the bushes of
Liebzi but sadly there was nothing doing there other than more Blackcaps. Onto
Ofira park where I had one of the best few hours birding I have had for some
time. There were a few nice birds on the lawns which were generally quite
approachable; Ortolan Buntings, Red-throated Pipits and Wryneck, but the
highlight was finding a Little Bunting feeding on the lawns. I saw the bird briefly
on the deck, before it flew out of sight round the corner from me. My brief
views were enough to clinch the identification (Although the lack of ear spot
was noted even in my brief views). Ragnor was watching the same lawn so I called
to him that I’d had a Little Bunting, unsure of how rare it was. Turns out it’s
pretty rare, and after the third time saying it the message got through and the
excitement ensued; everyone we had with us rushed over, soon followed by every
birder I know of in Eilat. It was a very placid bird, feeding out in the open
without a care, allowing us to get very close. Not a species I have seen very
often, but definitely the best looking individual I have seen. In all the excitement
its easy to forget I actually had a lifer in the park; Thrush Nightingale. A
particularly elusive individual, as they tend to be, but the views I got were
good through the dense shrubbery.
In the evening we headed down to North Beach for a bit of Seawatching,
although there was not a great deal moving. A pair of Crested Honey Buzzards
that flew over were a nice surprise, especially as it seemed to be an adult
male and adult female. Other bird included Caspian Tern, Pied Kingfisher and
the regular White-eyed Gulls.
-Sinai Agama
-Little Bunting
-Red-throated Pipit
-Wryneck
-Crested Honey Buzzard
Species List:
Raptors Breeding
Survey: Mourning Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, White-crowned Black
Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Scrub Warbler, Roller, Desert Lark, Eurasian
Sparrowhawk, Short-toed Eagle, Common Kestrel, Black Stork, Steppe Buzzard,
Black Kite, Ortolan Bunting, Spectacled Bulbul, Little Green Bee-eater, Turtle
Dove, Laughing Dove, Collard Dove,
Ofira Park: Red-throated
Pipit, Tree Pipit, Ortolan Bunting, Little Bunting, Wryneck, Thrush
Nightingale, House Sparrow, Ring-necked Parakeet, Collard Dove, Laughing Dove, Blackcap,
Reed Warbler, Spectacled Bulbul,
North Beach: Caspian
Tern, Common Tern, White-eyed Gull, Heuglins Gull, Baltic Gull, Caspian Gull,
Slender-billed Gull, Pied Kingfisher, Crested Honey Buzzard, Osprey, Hen
Harrier, Black Kite, White Stork, Little Stint, Black-winged Stilt, Spur-winged
Plover,
