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Monthly Summaries
December 2010Barak Granit (Photogrphic editor: Eyal Shochat) Below is a summary featuring the most interesting observations from this month, based on reports from the ISRABIRDNET mailing list and other sources. | |||||||||
| Unidentified Diver (Gavia sp.): One seen at Ashdod on the 11th (A. Ben-Dov) | |||||||||
| Unidentified Storm-Petrel: One at Betset Beach on the 12th (R. Segali) | |||||||||
| Cattle Egret: 50 birds were seen entering land at Ashkelon Beach, arriving from sea in small groups on the 18th (R. Shaish) | |||||||||
| Ruddy Shelduck: A total of 54 wintering birds recorded from Jezrael, Heffer and Hula vallies, Judean Plains and Beer Sheva area (Asaf Weiller, B. Granit, R. Ram, L. Koplewich, E. Hadad and E. Shochat) | |||||||||
| Cotton Pygmy-Goose: A female was seen at Revadim reservoirs, Judean plains on the 17th (E. Hadad). The 1st record for Israel if accepted. The bird was not relocated on the next day although searched by many birders.The possibility of an escape bird is not clear | |||||||||
| Ferruginus Duck: 60 birds at Tishlovet Reservoir on the 24th (B. Granit) | |||||||||
| White-headed Ducks: 1058 counted at both Kfar Baruch and the Tishlovet reservoirs on the 24th and 1027 at Judean Plain reservoirs (E. Hadad, S. Agmon and B. Granit) | |||||||||
| Osprey: birds were counted at Beit-shean and Harod vallies on the 21-23rd (B. Granit) as a part of national wintering raptors survey (IOC). This is a new winter record for any area in Israel | |||||||||
| White-tailed Eagle: 1 Juv bird at Maoz Haim on the 19th and 21st (L. Kislev and B. Granit) | |||||||||
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| Greater Spotted Eagle: 67 birds were counted at Beit-shean and Harod vallies on the 21-23rd (B. Granit) as a part of national wintering raptors survey (IOC). This is a new record for the area, more than triple than previous one, and matching the higest ever record of GSE from the Hula in winter 1997-8 | |||||||||
| Short toed Eagle: 1 was seen during active migration south, at Urim on the 3rd – a new rearguard status (B. Granit). Also1 bird at Maoz Haim on the 21st (B. Granit) | |||||||||
| Black-Shouldered Kite: A 1st winter vociferus bird at Maagan Michael on the 3rd (C.Rozen). and adult vociferus at Zora on the 18th (B. Granit and S. Alterman). The latter could be one of the birds found earlier in the season | |||||||||
| Marsh Harrier: 292 were counted at the roosting site at Maoz Haim on the 21st (B. Granit, L. Kislev and A. Ben-Dov). This is a new national record per roosting site | |||||||||
| Merlin: 1 feamle of ssp pallidus was seen at Hatzerim on the 4th (B. Granit, E. Shochat). A very rare winter visitor | |||||||||
| Little Bustard: 1 at southen Joudean Plain on the 7th (E. Hadad) | |||||||||
| Black-winged Pratincole: 1st winter bird at Urim on the 5th – the latest autumn record for Israel or perhaps a first ever wintering record (B.Granit and E. Shochat) | |||||||||
| Dotterel: A flock of 470 birds (and 490 birds in total) were counted near Urim on the 4th, representing the largest flock ever recorded in Israel (B. Granit & E. Shochat). In addition a flock of 30 birds at southern Joudean Plain on the 7th (E. Hadad) | |||||||||
| Sociable Plover: A total of 8-9 scattered birds around Urim (E. Banker, B.granit, E. Shochat, JBO team). Four birds at Maoz Haim on the 21st (B. Granit, L. Kislev) | |||||||||
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| Pectoral Sandpiper: 1 was photographed at Samar sewage on the 1st (I.Shani, Magnus Nordmands & Rami Metsaranta). The 10th national record if accepted | |||||||||
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| Red Phalarope: 1 at Jaffa port during a storm on the 12th (B. Granit). 1 at Maayan Zvi fishponds on the 22nd (S. Alterman and G. Ottens) | |||||||||
| Pomarine Skua: 1 at Jaffa Port on the 18th (B. Granit and S. Alterman) | |||||||||
| Kittiwake: 2 at Acre on the 13th (S. Agmon) | |||||||||
| Whiskered Tern: A good number of 200 birds seen at Hazorea fishponds, Jeazrael Valley. on the 13th (S. Agmon) | |||||||||
| Gull-Billed Tern: 1 at Hazorea Fishponds on the 13th (S. Agmon) – a late autumn record or an unusual wintering bird | |||||||||
| Lesser Crested Tern: A 1st winter bird at Acre shore on the 6th (E. banker) | |||||||||
| Pin-tailed Sandgrouse: 900 birds at Urim on the 5th (B. Granit, E. Shochat et al.) | |||||||||
| Common Swift: 13 at Hazerim on the 4th (B. Granit & E. Shochat). 5 birds of the pekinensis ssp, arrived from the sea inland, at Jaffa Port on the 14th (B. Granit) | |||||||||
| Pallid Swift: Following s strong western rainstorm, two birds were collected along the Mediterranean coast and brought to rehabilitation: one at Ashdod and one at Netania. A few days earlier one was photographed at Ashdod (A. Han). 3 at Yeruham lake on the 26th (Ruben & Jorrit Vlot). These are the first ever winter records of this species in Israel | |||||||||
| Calandra Lark: At least 700 birds were counted in one field at Urim on the 5th (B. Granit, E. Shochat). 20 at southern Joudean Plain on the 7th (E. Hadad) | |||||||||
| Thick Billed Lark: Birds remaining to winter in the Hameyshar and probably more suitable places, i.e. 70 birds were counted on the 8th (E. Banker). Smaller numbers seen around Ovda valley and adi Znifim at the end of the month (R. Shaish) | |||||||||
| Temminck's Lark: 45 birds counted at Hameishar on the 8th (E. Banker) | |||||||||
| Crag Martin: Up to 40 birds seen at the Eilat bird park on the 22nd (R. Shaish) | |||||||||
| Olive-backed Pipit: 1 at Mesilat Zion on the 1st (Y. Perlman) and two in a pond at Maagan Michael on the 3rd (A. Meyrose) | |||||||||
| Buff-bellied Pipit: 5 birds were found at Eilat, Batecha and Wadi OG at the 2nd half of the month (I. Shani, L. Kislev, Y Perlman and Gert Ottens) | |||||||||
| Richard's Pipit: Several birds (1-2 per place) were found in the 2nd half of the month at Hula and Beit-shean vallies, Maagan Michael and Judean Plain (S. Alterman, B. Granit, D. Yosha, L. Kislev and A. Ben-Dov) and 6 birds together found in Judean Plain (E. Hadad) | |||||||||
| Kurdish Wheatear: The bird found in November at Ein-Gedi was relocated at the field school lawn on the 17th (A. Rinot). Another bird was found at Ein Fatzael on the 30th | |||||||||
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| Goldcrest: bird at "Haarazim wood" near Zfat on the 3rd (Lior Kislev) | |||||||||
| Wallcreeper: 1 at Arbel on the 17th (S. Alterman and A. Ben-Dov) | |||||||||
| Daurian Shrike: 1 at Maoz Haim Fishponds on the 17th (E. Banker). 1 at the Hula lake on the 24th (L. Koplewich) | |||||||||
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| Steppe Grey Shrike: One at Wadi Ziv/Tzeida, Northwest of Be’er Sheva on the 25th (E. Shochat) | |||||||||
| Rock Sparrow: 500 birds at roosting site at Matzok Ramim above Kiryat Smone on the 18th (A. Rinot) | |||||||||
| Common Rosefinch: 1 at the JBO on the 25th (A. Rinot) | |||||||||
 Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys sanguinea)Mt. Hermon, Jul.03 |
 Black-winged Pratincole (Glareola nordmanni) Kfar-Ruppin turf fields, Oct.06 |
 Desert Finch (Rhodospiza obsoleta) Ein Ovdat, Jun.04 |
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