MEGA – Bean Goose- Anser fabalis (rossicus), at Eilat

On the morning of March 14th James Smith met me at the K19 sewage pools and reported that he had just seen a Bean Goose and that it flew inland from the sea due north and must have landed somewhere in the area. Of course this was big news as there are no records of Bean Goose in Israel in modern times. We set out and thoroughly searched all the areas where a Goose might land, a real Goose chase…

Although we had combed the area the Bean Goose was not relocated that day or the next.

On the morning of March 16th, Peter Cartwright, a British birder staying on Lotan called me up saying he is at the Eilat football field and he is looking at the Bean Goose! I told him I am on my way.

I arrived at the football field and met James who had just arrived. We both set up and watched the bird through the fence. After a while we decided to enter the field from the stands. Shortly after we were taking pictures of from the grand stand…At this point the word was put our on the rare bird alert.

After a while I decided to ask a maintenance worker to let us on the pitch, he obliged happily and here we were face to face with Israel's first Bean Goose.

We watched the bird for the next 90 minutes or so as it actively fed and rested, and took numerous pictures. The Bean Goose seems to be in good shape, strong, lively and alert. Around 10:30 the Goose suddenly took to the air, flew over the fence and continued due north east. We followed it as it dipped beyond the Jordanian border, probably towards the Aqaba sewage plant.

The Eilat Bean Goose is of the rossicus form of the Siberian Tundra. Notice the small orange ring on the bill, the bright orange legs and the relatively faint white edges to the tertials and the upperwing coverts. The Goose is probably a first year bird.

When approved this will be the first record for Israel, and for Jordan.

We hope the Bean Goose will stick around a little longer so more birders could enjoy this beautiful and impressive bird.

All the images were taken on the morning of March 16th.

Enjoy!

Jonathan Meyrav   

Contact info

Daphna Abell
Program Coordinator
lotan-programs@lotan.ardom.co.il
Tel: +972 8 6356935;
Toll Free: 1800 2000 75 (when in Israel)