James Smith's Daily Reports, Southern Israel, Fall 2002

25th October

The hot conditions continued today, and I decided to try birding in the date plantation just north of the Kibbutz. Walking out I came across a very confiding White-crowned Black Wheatear and marvelled at its stark, contrasting plumage, perhaps the most striking of our three resident 'black and white' wheatears. The date plantation itself held relatively few migrants with just a handful of Redstarts, Chiffchaffs and Northern Wheatears.

White-crowned Black Wheatear

Three Reed Warblers were a little more surprising but settling for the fact that it appeared to be a quiet day, I headed back to the Kibbutz having nice views of Blackstart along the way.

26th October

I made an effort to be out early this morning, before the sun lifted over the Edom mountains. It was quite misty early on, with a light north-eastern breeze and being a Saturday morning the Kibbutz was quiet and sleepy.

A Wryneck was the first migrant to give good close views quickly followed by a juvenile Red-backed Shrike (see Digiscoping), Blackcap and Spotted Flycatcher, all in the residential area. Small parties of Red-throated Pipits (see Digiscoping) migrated south overhead, and the first migrant raptor of the day was a juvenile Marsh Harrier.

Wryneck, Lotan, 26 Oct, 2002

Lotan's organic gardens held about 30 Red-throated Pipits, 6 Bluethroats (see Digiscoping), a Sardinian Warbler, Corn Bunting, at least 300 Spanish Sparrows and 3 Desert Finch. Close by, a male Namaqua Dove was again feeding by the dairy barn.

By 8:30 am, the heat of the day was already setting in, but a flurry of activity by the swimming pool just before noon had some of the best birds of the day. Here two Richard's Pipits were flushed by a juvenile Barbary Falcon, and a light morph Booted Eagle drifted south. Also, a Quail was accidentally flushed by the date plantation and there were nine Little Green Bee-eaters (see Digiscoping) along Lotan's perimeter fence all morning.

Here's hoping for some cooler days ahead!

Good birding,

James Smith

Contact info

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