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Reports

South California Trip Report, December 2010 for Download in PDF format (Hebrew)

By Oz Horine.

Latvia, Finland & Norway Trip Report, 27.05.2010 - 07.06.2010

By Rami Mizrachi.

Participants: Rony Livne, Oz Horine & Rami Mizrachi.

The report is written in Hebrew, but includes a summarising species list and maps in English.

Bonelli's Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciata) breeding in the Dead sea
by Hadoram Shirihai

I had some amazing encounter with the breeding pair of Hieraaetus fasciatus at the Dead Sea area: at about 10.00 the male preyed on a Rock Dove, just below my position, and as usual it passed the prey to the female that fed the two 4-5 weeks old chicks...

ISRAEL, 15-29th March 2008
A trip report by Daniel V. Lopez.



After having read so much about the quality of spring migration in Israel, a team of Spanish birders decided to visit the country in March 2008. ....

Egypt, 11-21.09.2009
A trip report by Rami Mizrachi.



The report is written in Hebrew, but includes a summarising species list and maps in English.

ISRAEL 14 – 28 March 2009

A trip report by Owain Gabb and Tim Sykes


Southern Israel Desert, 14-17/Oct/08
During September and first half October Peter Kinsella & Lee Gregory from the UK and myself participated in the annual count of the soaring birds migration survey in the northern valleys conducted by the IOC. Once the survey was over the three of us went to refresh our tired spirits in the tranquility of desert birding in the 'brown & peacful' southern Israel...

Shore Lark nest at the upper Hermon mountain
Though Shore Lark can be seen at the Hermon mountain (altitude 1900 +) year round And though few nesting birds can be easily found in the upper Hermon every year, I think it is still right to describe this Ssp. E.a. bicornis, as a rare resident in Israel The Hermon Shore Lark habitat as seen in the following picture is a bare low bushes scenery...

Western Rock Nuthatch nest at the upper Hermon mountain
The nest discussed was found by me back in May 2003 and was observed to be active on that year. I did not follow this nest till 25.5.07 but in that year I found it to be active as well...

Eilat, 16-17/May/2008
My trip to Eilat started on the 16.5.08 from Tel Aviv at 02:30 early mourning, passing through Mitzpe Ramon Crater at around 04:30. On the road somewhere in the mid way inside the crater 5 Wild Ass passed the road and a single wolf (not the first time I have seen both Sp. in the same spot)...

Early Spring Gallery - March & April 2008 by Rami Mizrachi
During end of March and the beginning of April, Rami Mizrachi spent the days in southern Israel, photographing and birdwatching.
His visit coincided with good number of interesting species....

Hadoram's visit to Israel - February 2008
Hadoram Shirihai, a leading ornithologist in today's birding world, visited Israel during February 2008 in an attempt to catch up with some missing species for the soon to be published - 'Photographic Handbook of the Birds of the Western Palearctic'.
This short report includes some of his images that were never published before accompanied by Hadoram's comments regarding the specific subspecies seen in Israel.

Trip Report for Israel February 17th– 24th 2008
The purpose of the trip was to see as many of the resident and wintering species as possible so that any future visits could concentrate on migratory species. As such it was fairly successful with only Oriental Skylark departing a week or so before we arrived....

Seawatching @ Eilat - 24-26/Jul/07
Some news from Eilat 24-26/7/07, reported and photographed by Rami Mizrahi and Rony Livne.

Southern Israel, 04-05/May/07
Barak Granit and I spent the weekend of 4-5th May birding in southern Israel. The other birders who attended the Arava, namely Rony Livne, Lior Kislev, Yoav Perlman, Amir Ben Dov, Markus Craig, Avner Cohen and Marcel Holyoak, all took part in the cumulative effort...

Israel, 10-14/Jan/07
This winter, I endeavored to see as many of Israel’s wintering species as I could in 5 days. The pace was a bit hectic at times and I would definitely allot more time for this small but ecologically diverse country. The birds were first rate, in terms of both quantity and quality...

Southern Arava, 02/Feb/07
I was planning to spend the weekend at Eilat, and on the 1st of February, I started the (relatively) long drive south. On my way there, I made a stopover at a known site for Arabian Warbler, my personal nemesis, at the Northern Arava...

Southern Arava, 29/Dec/06
On the 29th Dec, I traveled south to the Arava valley following a report by Noam Weiss of a juvenile White-Tailed Eagle at the K19 sewage pool...

Arava and Shizzafon, 07/Nov/06
I spent November 7th birding in the southern Arava and Shizzafon with Rony Livne and Barak Granit. Overall, the area was quite desolate. A nice find though was a 1st winter male Pied Wheatear at Neot Smadar's sewage pools...

Negev, 21/Oct/06
On the morning of October 21st... at Mitzpe Ramon sewage... 3 Red-breasted Flycatchers and a Yellow-browed Warbler... at Yeruham... The observation ended with an extra 4 Red-breasted Flycatchers, which brought us to a daily total of 9 birds - a record count for 1 day in Israel...

Southern Israel, 20-21/Oct/06
On the 20th of October I started the day birding at the Sde-Boker area. At the loan of Ben Gurion's grave I had a slow morning, with tens of Common Redstarts, Spotted Flycatchers and the other resident birds. Later, I went up to a spot overlooking En Ovdat gorge, where I saw two adult Lanner Falcons...

Autumn Migration sights, Sep-06
In mid September, I spent a day birding at Bet Shean valley. By this time of Autumn, an abundant of migrants are already present in the valley, and it's virtually impossible to look at the sky without either a Raptor or a Stork blocking your view....

Ein Salvadora, 26/Jun/06
Ein Salvadora is a small spring in the Judean desert, which attracts many birds during the day. On the 26/6, the four of us - Yaki Setti, Tom & Ron Haran and I, spent a few hours around the spring. About 150 House Buntings ....

Summer birding at Ne'ot Hakikar, Jun/06
Even though day-time temperatures at Ne'ot Hakikar soar over 40C almost daily, and birds are few and quiet during the hot hours, nightwatching and birding during the cool evening and early morning hours provide some excellent birding....

Southern Arava and allies 26-27/May/06
A Slow but enjoyable birding weekend around the south. Passerine migration was almost over, though some of the rearguard, especially Barn Swallows and Sand Martins, can still be seen around in good numbers....

Southern Arava, 07-10/May/06
Overloaded with re-traps of Cetti's Warblers, the Hula ringing team decided to go birdwatching in the southern Arava. During the 7-10/05/06, we visited most of the traditional sites between Km 77 in the north and the north beach down south...

Special report - An invasion of Pale Rock Sparrows, May/06
Pale Rock Sparrow is a rare autumn and a rare to common spring passage migrant, particularly through eastern parts... This year, flocks of hundreds invaded southern Israel deserts... may result in breeding taking place in these areas during the following months...

Southern Arava, 28/Apr/06 - 1/May/06
On the 28th Apr, I traveled south to the Arava, The day started of quietly at the Km 77 green patch, a place that proved fruitful this year. On the ground I saw several tens of Steppe Buzzards getting ready to continue their migration...

Southern Arava, 14-16/Apr/06
According to the weather forecast, southernly winds were due in the gulf of Eilat all weekend. Avishay Shoresh and I followed that report and arrived to the north beach at afternoon, hoping to finally catch up with the Red-billed Tropicbird...

Southern Israel 22-29 March 2006 - A dream fulfilled
After long preparations, study and high expectations, the five of us (Jan Westhuis, Sjaak Lobs, Wim Harmsen, Wies van Onselen and Pim Stins) arrived to Southern Israel for the first time...

Arava valley, 03/Apr/06
On April 3rd, Dominic Standing (UK) and I were birding along the Arava valley. We started our day at km 77 (road 90). Many migrant passerines were present, mostly Lesser Whitethroats, Blackcaps and good numbers of Tree Pipits..

Negev, 27/Mar/06
On March 27th I drove south to the dunes areas of the Western Negev desert ('Holot Agur'). Migrant passerines are present at every green spot in the dunes – mostly Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroats. Scanning the plateau I found a Cream-colored courser...

Southern Arava, 24/Mar/06
I spent most of the 24th at Eilat's north beach, waiting for something good to come by.
In the morning, Shai Agmon, Noam Weiss and I enjoyed splendid views of an adult Long-tailed Skua, rare in Israel, seen mostly in summer...

Southern Arava, 21/Mar/06
On March 21st, Rami Mizrachi, Rony Livne and I were following the report of a Lesser Flamingo at Km 20 saltpans, Eilat (click here for the full report). We found the bird in between the Greater Flamingos, feeling at home, but the closest we got to it was about 60m...

Southern Arava, 9-11/MAR/06
On our way to the Arava, Rony Livne, Barak Granit and I made a short stopover at Mitzpe Ramon Isrotel inn, to have a look at the previously reported Hume's Warbler. The bird was easily located and was active and calling frequently....

Negev, 03/MAR/06
I started my weekend at Ashalim area, about 50km south to Beer-Sheva, in a short afternoon hike in the surroundings. Most interesting birds were a single Temminck's Lark and some Lesser Short-toed Larks...

Southern Israel, 1-8/FEB/06
To escape the Dutch winter cold, a short winter visit was made to the Southern deserts of Israel. Being my third trip to Israel, the main purpose was not to see as many species as possible but doing some general birding focussed on Raptors and Sandgrouse...

Ha'Meyshar, 13/FEB/06
On the 13th I went south to the Meyshar area to search for a few species of Larks that were reported by Eran Banker on the previous week.
Earlier this winter, I saw several Bar-tailed and Desert Larks at that spot, but what triggered me into driving this time was Eran's report of Temminck's Horned and Hoopoe Larks....

Carmel coast, 10/FEB/06
Amir Ben-dov, Avishay Shoresh and I spent February 10th birding at the Carmel coast. Ma'ayan Tzvi reservoir was packed with Ducks. All together, about 3,000 birds of 10 different species were present, including Pochard, Tufted Duck, Wigeon and a single Ferruginous. Most surprising were 20 White-headed Ducks...

Ringing in the Hula valley, JAN/06
January is the first real winter month in Israel. Due to frosty mornings, casual rain and thick fog, mist netting was pretty slow, that is excluding one sunny morning in Lehavot Ha'Bashan fishponds - Saturday the 21st - when we caught 77 birds from 17 species, including 23 Pied Kingfishers!

Trip to southern Israel, 24-30/DEC/2005
Most foreign birders visit Israel in the spring, but the country has a lot to offer in the wintertime too. Different Central-Asian specialities winter in Israel and the sight of the thousands of wintering Black Kites in the NW Negev is overwhelming...

Northern Israel, 04/JAN/06
On the morning of January 4th, I met with Avner Cohen at Acre coast. The rocks along the shore inhabit large numbers of Gulls - thousands of Black-headeds, hundreds of Armenians, tens of Caspians and several Pallas's...

Hula reflooded area, December 2005
December in the Hula valley was rather quiet, as most of the autumn migrants have gradually disappeared during the first half of the month.
Still there are plenty of birds around, and here is a short summery...

Sde-Boker, 19/DEC/05
I started the day early at Sde-Zin. While driving through the orchards I noticed a beautiful male Caracal (Felis caracal) sitting by the road and holding his fresh prey - a Song Thrush! About 90 Syrian Serins were also around the orchards, together with a few Serins and a single Brambling...

North-western Negev, 15-17/DEC/05
During last Thursday and Friday me and Eyal Shochat hung around in the north-western Negev and on Saturday I hung around there with Rony Livne. We were concentrating in the Urim area in particular...

Southern Arava, 01-03/DEC/05
On December 1st, Noam Weiss and I drove all night to Eilat and arrived at first light to the north beach. It was fairly quite there, with only some White-eyed and Black-headed Gulls around, so we went to the IBRCE Park...

Western Negev, 02-04/DEC/05
I headed down to the Western Negev hoping to see the Dotterels that were reported earlier this month by Ido Tsurim. With specific directions from Rony Livne I managed to locate their favored spot in the middle of the Houbara Bustard reserve...

Negev, 29-30/NOV/05
Scanning the Negev for Sandgrouses, I started this week at Yeruham reservoir, following reports of Black-bellied Sandgrouses drinking at that spot. I then moved on to Sde-Tzin (just west of Kibutz Sde Boker) and spent the rest of the day there...

Hula reflooded area, OCT-NOV/05
There is no doubt that the Hula valley is one of the best birdwatching areas in Israel. Here is a short summery and a picture gallery from mid October to late November; most of the reports are from Agmon ha`Hula ...

Northern Negev, 9-24/NOV/05
During mid November I spent 7 days scanning the steppe and loess plateaus of the Central Northern Negev, between Fura Nature Reserve and Kibutz Revivim, with some detours to near by reservoirs and sewage ponds...

Western Negev, 26/NOV/05
The western Negev is now at its best - the fields are loaded with thousands of Skylarks, Corn Buntings, Linnets, and of course, good numbers of wintering Raptors...

Western Negev, 19/NOV/05
On November 19th, Amir Ben-dov, Ehud Dovrat, Ezra Hadad and I went birding in the Western Negev. Our first stop was at Tel-or area, were we saw 3 Imperial Eagles and a Peregrine perching on the pylons. Also there was one Namaqua Dove, quite rare that far west...

Negev, 18/NOV/05
On November 18th, Barak Granit, Eran Dvir and I were birding in the central and western Negev. We started at the "grave park" located at Sde Boker college, were we had an Olive-backed Pipit feeding on the turf with Meadow Pipits...

Mitzpe Ramon, 03/NOV/05
On November 3rd 2005, Ido Tsurim, Yoav Perlman and Arnon Tsairi went ringing at the small Tamarisk grove of the officer's school sewage, near Mitzpe Ramon...

Late autumn at the Carmel coast
Amazingly enough, the Shag is still hanging around the Pigeon Islets, accompanied by a growing number of Great Cormorants...

Kfar Ruppin, 25/OCT/05
On the 25/10, Avner Cohen, Yuval Dax and Tomer Landsberger were birding in Kfar Ruppin area, Bet Shean Valley...

Mitzpe Ramon, 17/OCT/05
n the 17th of October, I traveled down to Mitzpe-Ramon in the Negev. The sewage belonging to one of the army bases in the area has long been a known stop-over for the many migrants along that route...

Southern Israel, 12-15/OCT/05
As in every other year, some of the annual raptor migration survey team, went down south for a traditional birding trip to the Negev desert just after the survey has ended...

Early Autumn at the Carmel coast
The Ma'agan Michael/Ma'ayan Tzvi complex is a 7 Km long stretch of shore and fishponds on the Carmel coast. It has long been renowned for attracting large numbers of Waders, Gulls, Terns and other seabirds during the migration period, including the occasional rarities...

Acre shore, 14/SEP/05
On the 12th of September, Itay Shimshon reported a Red Knot from Acre shore. Knot is a rare passage visitor along the coastal strip, occasional in Eilat and a straggler in Bet Shean Valley, mainly during Autumn migration...


Brown Booby
(Sula leucogaster) Eilat, Mar.06

Wood Lark
(Lullula arborea) Latron area, Nov.04

Red-fronted Serin
(Serinus pussilus) Rosh Pinna, Jan.06
 
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