March 2004 - first half

Eyal Shochat

Northern Israel
In Gamla - Golan Heights, one of the 2-3 Black Vultures that spent the winter was still present. On 8/3 a young Bearded Vulture stopped by for 5 minutes (V. de Boer).

Central Israel
A male Cyprus Pied Wheatear was seen on 7/3 in Emek Ha'ela (between Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem) (N. Weiss).

Southern Israel
In late February J. Smith and S. Lerman found a new colony of Lesser Kestrels Near Beer Sheva. By 9/3 ten pairs were present (Rony Livne).
Y. Perelman et al. ringed a male Subalpine Warbler nearby on the same day. Two other birds of this species were seen on 13/3 in the southern Arava (Y. Perelman, J. Meyrav). At Revivim, one Oriental Skylark was present on 12/3 (Y Perelman).
The possible Persica Mourning Wheatear, found by J. Smith and S. Lerman, was still around near Mizpe Ramon in early March with 40 Syrian Serins nearby (Y. Perelman et al.). On 13/3 there were three Cyprus Pied Wheatears in the southern Negev/Arava at Paran, Ketora (Y. Perelman), and Lotan (J. Meyrav).
In the Northern beach, Eilat, the young Brown Booby continued through early March, joined by a Crested Tern on 4/3 (J. Alto et al.). On 6/3 seventeen Red-breasted Mergansers flew in and landed in the saltpans at km 20 (T. Landsberger et al.).
At km 33 there were 2 Thick-billed Larks on 8/3 (J. Meyrav). A bit farther north near km 77 along the Arava road there were 15 Bimaculated Larks and one Pale Rock Sparrow among many other common passerines on 7/3 (D. Gelbart). Six days later Y. Perelman saw at this spot one Oriental Skylark and eight Bimaculated Larks.