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>> Monthly Summaries

April 2010


Re'a Shaish

Below is a summary featuring the most interesting observations from this month, based on reports from the ISRABIRDNET mailing list and other sources.
Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea borealis): 1 off Eilat's north beach, 30/Apr (A. Ben Dov et al.).

Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus grisues): up to 6 individuals per day, Eilat’s north beach.

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster): 1 adult & 1 imm, Eilat’s north beach (mostly on Aqaba side of the gulf), seen throughout the month.

Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus): 1, Wadi Ze’elim, Judean desert, 7/4(O.Hatzofe&O. Yahalomi). 1, Trapped at Ahi-bar Carmel, 10/4 (O.Hatzofe).

Verreaux’s Eagle (Aquila verreauxii): seen over Eilat mountains On 1/4(finish birdwatchers), on the 7/4(Foreign Birdwatchers) and on the 10/4(L.Kislev&J.Meyrav).

Crested Honey Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus): The returning, long staying bird of eilot’s date palms groves was seen during the first week of April by foreign birdwatchers and on the 19/4(Y.Lehnardt).

Eleonora’s falcon (Falco eleonorae): 2, light morph bird migrating over Eilat area (1 over the mountains, 1 over Eilot’s fields), 30/4 (E.Banker).

Caspian Plover (Charadrius asiaticus): a few present around yotvata fields during bgining of the month, with max. 8 individuals, 5/4 (R.Lebrune et al.).

White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus): 1, Yahel’s sewage pools, Found on the 31/3 and remained for a week (J.Meyrav et al.).

Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa laponica): 1, Lachish reservoir, 17/4 (N.Primo).An extremely rare bird in this area.

Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus): 5 birds around Eilat (north beach, lagoon, IBRCE), 27-29/4(R.Shaish et al.).

Great Snipe (Gallinago media): 1, Hula lake, 24/4 (Y&N.Perlman).

Red necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus): two concentrations(k20 salt ponds&IBRCE salt pond) during second half of the month, with max 22 birds together at the IBRCE on 26/4(R.shaish). 1, Ma’agan Michael fish pools, 5/4 (T&I. Siman-tov).

Long-tailed Skua (Strecorarius longicaudus): 1 off Eilat's north beach, 24/Apr (A. Meir).

Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisea): 1, Eilat’s north beach, 10/4 (A.Ben-dov).

Short-eared Owl (Asio flameus): 1, Eilot sothern date palms grove, 28/4 (R.Shaish).

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus): 2, Mesilat Zion(Judean hills), 15/4 (Y.Perlman). Very rare in western parts of the country.

Dunn’s Lark (Eremalauda dunni): 2, southern salt ponds of Eilat, 7/4(J.Meyrav&M.Kolkowski). 1, Wadi Trashim (Meishar’s north eastern part) , 9/4 (L/Kislev). 6 singing males, in a remote firing zone in the Arava Valley, 6/4 (S.Alterman).Later on, more birds were found at the same area, with around 20 singing males noted. The larks showed territorial breeding activity, and eventually a few nests were found. This small invasion represents the second record of Dunn’s Larks large scale arrival and breeding in Israel, as the first one happened in spring 1989.

 Dunn’s Lark (Eremalauda dunni) 
Dunn’s Lark (Eremalauda dunni)
  

Bimaculated Lark (Melanocorypha bimaculata): 1, The Meishar, 2/4 (Y.Koren).

Thick-billed Lark (Ramphocoris clotbey): As expected, quite a few birds remained in the green areas and around them through the month, with several nests found in the Arava, southern Negev and Ramon crater.

 Thick billed Lark (Ramphocoris clotbey) 
Thick billed Lark (Ramphocoris clotbey)
  

Temminck’s Horned Lark (Eremophila bilopha): pairs are still present in green patches of southern Israel, some with fledgelings.

 Temminck’s Horned Lark (Eremophila bilopha) 
Temminck’s Horned Lark (Eremophila bilopha)
  

Black Bush Robin (Cercotrichas podobe): some of march birds were still Around, and a few more were found: 1, Ofira park (Eilat), 7/4 (R.Lebrune et al.), remaind at the same location for about a week. 1, Lotan, 6/4 (R.Lebrune et al.). a (the same?) bird seen there in the 28/4(J.Meyrav).1, Samar date palms grove, 10/4 (A.Ben-dov&O.Horune).

 Black Bush Robin (Cercotrichas podobe) 
Black Bush Robin (Cercotrichas podobe)
  

Western Orphean Warbler (Sylvia hortensis): a bird heard singing and seen well showing characteristics of this species, Wadi Arugot, Judean desert, 13/4 (H.Shirihai). No previous records of this species in Israel.

Subalpine Warbler (Sylvia cantilans): 1, Holland park (Eilat), 5/4 (R.Lebrune et al.). A very weak spring for this species wuth very few records.

Menetries's Warbler (Sylvia mystacea): 2 ringed at IBRC Eilat, 01 & 06/Apr (Y. Lehnardt).

Desert Warbler (Sylvia nana): 1, km 95 of the Arava road, 9/4 (a.Ben-dov). A rather late record for this species.

Turkestan Shrike (Lanius Phoenicoroides ): 1, Elifaz’s sewage pools, 3.4 (T.Krumnacker). A very rare migrant in Israel.

Isabelline Shrike (Lanius isabellinus): 1, Uvda valley, 7/4 (R.Lebrune et al.).

Rose-colored Starling (Sturnus roseus): 2, southern Arava, 28/4 (J.Meyrav).

Hill Sparrow (Carpospiza brachydactyla): as expected, many birds seen singing, nesting, and feeding fledgelings in vast distribution: southern Negev, western Negev, Negev highlands and Judean desert. besides breeding birds, flocks of tens were seen in these areas. This species usually breeds in small numbers on Mt. Hermon. The last major invasion in Israel happened during May 2006.

 Hill Sparrow (Carpospiza brachydactyla) 
Hill Sparrow (Carpospiza brachydactyla)
  


Turnstone
(Arenaria interpres) Ma'agan Michael, Jul.05

Black-throated Diver
(Gavia arctica) Eilat, Jan.05

Common Cuckoo
(Cuculus canorus) Kibbutz Samar, Apr.07
 
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