|
>> Birding Reports
Southern Arava, 28/Apr/06 - 1/May/06Avner Cohen On the April 28th, I traveled south to the Arava. The day started quietly at the Km 77 green patch, a place that proved fruitful this year. There I saw several tens of Steppe Buzzards getting ready to continue on their migration, and a flock of 30 Lesser Kestrels, which were hunting around for insects. Also there was a female Rock Thrush and a nice group of 3 adult male Golden Orioles, sharing a bush with a European Cuckoo, while a second Cuckoo sat on another bush 20 meters away.
I continued on my way south, passing in several date plantations but seeing nothing of note. What was very obvious was the bad weather – hot and dry, with clouds of sand covering the sun - not good for migration.
The next day did not allow for much birding and I was birding again on the 30th.
I started the next day in the IBRC Eilat for a ringing session. I met up with Noam Weiss there who reported a Bar-tailed Godwit and Sooty Shearwater he saw at the sea that morning. Later on, Noam had located the Bar-tailed Godwit at the southern salt pans, along with a Black-winged Pratincole. Arriving there we noted good numbers of waders, among them several Curlew Sandpipers and Broad-billed sandpipers. We then continued to the Km 19 cowshed, where in the reeds we saw a Black-headed Bunting with a twin looking Black-headed Wagtail (M. f. feldegg). Back at the beach we had a Steppe Gull (L.c. barabensis), and a Whimbrel arriving from the sea. Also of note was a Shark, slowly swimming near the fish cages. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Back to top |
© All photos in this website are courtesy of the photographers - Please do not copy or use them without permission. Please direct comments and contributions to the: Authors |