April 2004 - first half

Eyal Shochat

Seabirds
All records from Eilat: 22 Long-tailed Skuas flew north over the northern beach on 31/3 (T. Landsberger et al.), 3 Arctic Skuas, 1 Sooty Shearwater and 1 Black Tern were present on 9/4 (D. Shapira, B. Granit).

Waders and waterfowl
Northern Israel: Two Marbled Teals were seen at the Hula lake on 8/4 (L. Kislev). At Kfar Rupin / Sede Elyahu fish ponds there were 5 Ruddy Shelducks, and about 10 Crakes of three species on 4/4 (E. Vanunu).
Central Israel: At Yesodot reservoir, a female White-headed Duck was still present on 8/4, with 13 Ferruginous Ducks (Y. Kiat).
Northern Negev: A Ruddy Shelduck was present at Nizana on 5/4 (B. Granit). Rarely found inland, a Whimbrel at the Be'er Sheva sewage ponds on 10/4 was the second record for this site, and the first since 1988 (R. Livne).
Eilat: A single Red-breasted Merganser flew in over the northern beach on 1/4. It was relocated on 2/4 at km 19 sewage ponds. Km 19 Sewage ponds and Km 20 saltpans also hosted the following birds: Red-necked Phalarope - one on 2/4 (T. Landsberger) and 2 on 13/4 (D. Gelbart). Terek Sandpiper - one on 12/4 (C. Mills) and two on 13/4 (D. Gelbart). Broad-billed Sandpiper, Whimbrel, and a pair of Caspian Plovers on 13/4 (D. Gelbart)

Passerines et al.
Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters were seen continuously from late March, mostly in the southern Arava with a daily maximum of 25 on 7/4 (Y. Dax). A few birds were also reported from Tel Aviv Be'er Sheva and Gevulot.
The biggest ever wave of Semi-collared Flycatchers passed through the area from 11/4. Birds were reported from Ga’ash, Jerusalem, Beer-Sheva, Nizana and Mizpe-Ramon. Highest concentrations were in southern Israel; North-western Negev with 11 at Kibutz Gevulot, 3 at Revivim and 12 at Sede-Boker on 13/4 and southern Arava with 20 at Lotan on 11/4 (J. Meyrav et al.), 14 on the same day at Eilat (R. Mizrachi et al.), 35 throughout the southern Arava on 12/4 (J. Meyrav et al.), 10 at Samar on 13/4 (D. Gelbart), and 20 in the southern Negev/Arava on 14/4 (J. Meyrav et al.).
11/4’s White-throated Robin (D. Shapira et al.) indicated the onset of a rare spring migration wave of this species through Israel, as it happened in 1984 and 1999. On 11-12/4 one was also seen at Lotan (J. Meyrav et al.). On 13/4 there were three at Yotvata (D. Gelbart) one at Nizana (Y. Perelman), One at Revivim (B. Granit, D. Shapira), and one in Jerusalem (still present on the next day, S. Agmon et al.). On 14/4 there were 7 birds in the southern Negev/ Arava (J. Meyrav et al.).
A most early wave of large Hippolais warblers included one Olive-Tree Warbler on 10/4 and about six Upcher's Warblers at Yotvata / Lotan between 10-13 /4 (R. Mizrachi et al.). A male Subalpine Warbler hanged at Yotvata on 9/4 (R. Livne). Also in Yotvata, a male Cinereous Bunting was seen on 13/4 (J. Meyrav).