May 2004 - first half

Eyal Shochat

On 4/5 there were 4 Sooty Shearwaters at Eilat Beach (Y. Kiat). Raptors On 1/5 one Eleonora’s Falcon was seen flying north at Maagan Michael (N. Sapir et al.). Another bird was seen over Eilat mountains on 6/5,and a third one at Nizana on 12/5 (Y. Perelman). Among tens of thousands of Honey Buzzards migration over Eilat there were 9 Crested Honey Buzzards with 3 on 30/4, 2 on 4/5 and 4 on 6/5. On 30/4 there was an adult Verreaux's Eagle in Eilat mountains (all records by J. Meyrav).

Waders at Maagan Michael / Maayan Zvi fish ponds included two Bar-tailed Godwits, one on 1/5 and one on 8/5 (E. Vanunu et al.). Broad-billed Sandpiper migration included 4 at Maagan Michael on 1/5 and 3 on 8/5 (E. Vanunu et al.) and 10 at km 20 saltpans north of Eilat (Y. Kiat). There were two Red-necked Phalaropes on 4/5 (J. Meyrav) and one on 8/5 (Y. Dax), at Km 20, and one at Maagan Michael on 8/5 (E. Vanunu). Yet, the best wader for early May was a Great Snipe found at the Rose Garden, Jerusalem (N. Weiss) on 7/5 and twitched by many birders.

	Great Snipe (Gallinago media)

	Jerusalem rose garden, 07-MAY

In recent years there is an increase in Namaqua Dove sightings out of their regular range. On 2/5 a male was seen at Kazerin, Golan Heights. On the same day there was a female Common Rosefinch at Nahal Ayun (A. Ben Dov), and another female a day earlier at Ezuz near Nizana (Y. Perelman). On 7/5 a Rose-coloured Starling was seen in a flock of Tristram’s Grackles in Nahal Rahaf, Judean Desert (S. Fridman), 8 more were seen in Hula on 14/5 (E. Vanunu). The early May waves of Olive Tree Warblers and Barred Warblers are quite extraordinary this year. Both species were reported from several locations in central Israel and southern Negev/Arava, with 69 Barred Warblers and 56 Olive Tree Warblers ringed at Jerusalem by 13/5 (G. Perelman et al.). Other birds ringed at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory were Icterine Warbler on 4/5 and five River Warblers by 11/5. Three other River Warblers were reported from Sede-Boker on 13/5 (Y. Perelman).