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>> Monthly Summaries
May 2006Tomer Landsberger Early and mid May are still regarded as excellent for spring migration, with many species peaking at that period - Raptors like Crested and European Honey Buzzard and Eleonora's Falcon, Waders like Red-necked Phalarope and Broad-billed Sandpiper, passerines like Golden Oriole, Barred Warbler, Olive-tree Warbler, and this year's bonus - an unusual fall of Pale Rock Sparrows in southern Israel. Below is a summary featuring the most interesting observations from this month, based on reports from the ISRABIRDNET mailing list and other sources. |
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| Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan): 1 late individual off Rishon LeTzion coast, 24/May (A. Cohen). | |||||||||
| Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster): the one first seen in March was still present off Eilat's beach at least till the 14th (A. Ben-dov). | |||||||||
| Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus): Off the Gulf of Aqaba, same 2 birds were seen on the 3rd (R. Beunen), 4th (R. Mizrachi, B. Granit) and 9th (N. Israeli, Y. Perlman, A. Geffen, T. Kahan), joined by another on the 5th (R. Mizrachi, B. Granit). | |||||||||
| Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonora): 1 over Ramot, Golan heights, 02/May (L. Kislev); 1 over Yodfat, Carmel, 10/May (A. Ben-dov). | |||||||||
| Black-winged Pratincole (Glareola nordmanni): 1 at Eilat's southern saltpans, 01-05/May (N. Weiss, R. Mizrachi et al.); 1 at Samar's turf field, 05/May (J. Meyrav). | |||||||||
| White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus): 1 at Km 20 saltpans, 05/May (J. Meyrav); 1 at Km 19 sewage pools, 14/May (A. Ben-dov). | |||||||||
| Broad-billed Sandpiper (Limicola falcinellus): 26 at Eilat's and Km 20 saltpans, 04/May (B. Granit, R. Mizrachi), a relatively high number. | |||||||||
| Bar-tailed Godwit (Limoza lapponica): 1 at Acre north beach, 03-06/May (S. Haham et al.); 1 at Eilat, 01-04/May (N. Weiss et al.). | |||||||||
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| Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius): max. 7 at Eilat's salt pans, 14/May (A. Ben-dov) | |||||||||
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| White-cheeked Tern (Sterna repressa): 1 off Eilat's north beach, 30/May (J. Meyrav). | |||||||||
| Black-crowned Finch-Lark (Eremopterix nigriceps): 1 male and 2 females seen in flight at Km 76, southern Arava, 03/May (R. Mizrachi). | |||||||||
| Black Bush Robin (Cerotrichas podobe): 1 at Ne'ot Smadar's Apricot plantation, 08/May (J. Meyrav et al.). | |||||||||
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| River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis): 1 at Km 76, 06/May (R. Mizrachi); 1 at wadi Ayun, near Metula, 13/May (B. Granit); 1 ringed at the Jerusalem bird observatory, 11/May (S. Agmon et al.). | |||||||||
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| Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina): 1 at Sde-Boqer area, 03/May (A. Tsairi). | |||||||||
| Upcher's Warbler (Hippolais languida): 1 at Neot Semadar, 10/May (Y. Perlman et al.); 1 ringed at the Jerusalem bird observatory, 17/May (S. Agmon). | |||||||||
| Daurian Shrike (Lanius isabellinus): 1 adult near Yotvata, 16/May (J. Meyrav); 1 at Eliphaz's sewage pools, Arava, 27/May (A. Mayrose). | |||||||||
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| Rose-coloured Starling (Sturnus roseus): about 20 around the Hula reflooded area during mid May (A. Geffen, F. Argyle et al.). | |||||||||
| Common Rosefinch (Carpodachus erythrinus): 1 at wadi Ayun, near Metula, 13/May (B. Granit). | |||||||||
| Pale Rock Sparrow (Carpospiza brachydactyla): an invasion started on the 3rd, with 400 seen at Km 76 (R. Mizrachi, B. Granit). Click here for the full report. | |||||||||
Escaped Species: | |||||||||
| Black-collared Starling (Gracupica nigricollis): This species is known to have escaped in Israel in the past several years, but remained restricted to the Yarkon Park area. On the 17/May, a bird of this species was seen at Kibbutz Ga'ash (Y. Wasserlauf). | |||||||||
| Bank Myna (Acridotheres ginginianus ): A single bird seen at the IBRC Eilat, 01/May (A. Cohen). This is apparently the first documented sighting of this Myna species in Israel, which is known as an escape in some of the near by Arabian peninsula countries. |
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 Sociable Plover (Vanellus gregarius) Lotan, Mar.06 |
 Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) Yotvata, Mar.05 |
 Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus) Western Negev, Feb.06 |
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