James Smith's Daily Sightings Reports Fall 2001

7th December 2001 - Southern Arava

It was another beautifully still morning with just a thin blanket of cloud in the sky. I drove up the western fields of Shizzafon this morning reaching the site by 06:50 hours. It was already quite busy with birds especially in the alfalfa fields, indeed it was the conditions were so still that I was able to use sound to help me identify the many small passerines in flight that were leaving their roosting places. Many Chaffinches, Eurasian Skylarks, White Wagtails, Red-throated Pipits, Song Thrushs and Corn Buntings were in the area, but the pick were 12 Syrian Serins in groups of 2, 7 and 3. Along the weedy fringes of the fields were 4 Dead Sea Sparrows, while a superb male Hen Harrier frequently swept through the fields sending swirling groups of larks, pipits and wagtails in all directions.

It was about 07:30 hours when I began to make my rounds through the orchard groves and a casual scan towards neighbouring Kibbutz Neve Harif produced a good, but distant view of a Wolf trotting across the desert. Needless to say, I was impressed and felt that this was most likely going to be my 'bird' of the day. I scoped the desert hills again for the beast but couldn't find him, but with the naked eye I noticed that it was trotting across the open field in front of and heading straight for me. I just couldn't believe my luck, and hidden as I was in the orchard, the animal had no idea of my presence. Closer and closer it came, stopping with ears pricked up every time it heard a distant tractor or human voice, but somehow it wasn't at all disturbed. When it was just thirty metres from me, it stopped for a while looking around and listening. I didn't move and just watched amazed as this wonderful beast even found time for a 'roll' in the dust, in much the same way that a domestic dog might. After the roll, it sat up for a while looking alert and then trotted off, seemingly without any worries away to the orchard just 15 metres from where I was standing. Only then did it react to my presence and scurried behind the tree line with such stealth that I couldn't follow it and I lost track of it almost immediately.

The Wolf was in superb condition. It is quite unusual to get such superb views of an apparently healthy animal. Most of my daytime views of Wolf have been of sick or injured animals, but this time I had the impression that this 'lone wolf' was just a youngster wandering about and getting a feel for the area. Whatever the reason for those astonishing views, my day was already complete. I just couldn't wish for anything more than a close, daytime encounter with a Wolf. I felt truly privileged.

Moving on, I soon found the first-winter Menetries's Warbler in its favoured patch of bushes, again with a female Sardinian Warbler close by, providing great comparative views. The Menetries's Warbler certainly appears to have settled in for the winter. After such excitement, the rest of my stroll around the orchards produced little in the way of fresh birds, although I did see last week's Woodlark again in the alfalfa fields.

After a short rest at Lotan and some refreshment, I headed north to the very barren plains of Qa Sayidein, north of Kibbutz Yahel. Last winter I'd seen Hoopoe Lark in this area, and I felt that this particular visit wouldn't be missing something if I missed out on seeing this one of the 'true' desert larks. Desert birding can sometimes be an exercise in discipline and if you're not prepared to work, your rewards will be few. On entering my chosen area, I could see that it was going to be a day on which I would have to work! The place was bird-less as I drove the dirt tracks across the stony plains. After a while I found a Mourning Wheatear, which was nice but not quite what I 'd come to see. I stopped the car about 3km from the main road and began scanning. In seconds I noticed a couple of larks working their way through a dry, shallow wadi. Their pale sandy colour and striking black and white facial marking gave them away immediately - Temminck's Horned Lark, male and female in total glory. This most attractive lark is always scarce and somewhat nomadic in the Israel's deserts and is actually far more common in Jordan. Finding them here, while on a quest for Hoopoe Lark, was a complete surprise and I watched and sketched them down to ten metres.

With more than a decent share of luck I headed back towards the road but with just enough daylight to see a female Merlin whipping past low to the south, and apparently migrating. Merlin is another scarce species in the Southern Arava.

After a day that includes Wolf, Menetries's Warbler and Temminck's Horned Lark I know that I'll sleep well.

Good birding to all,

James Smith.

[next report ]

Contact info

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