20th February 2002 – The Lotan Chapters

This morning got off to a very cold start, so much so that I delayed my early outing until 15 minutes after sunrise! It was just as well, bird activity was quite slow for half an hour or so until I saw 2 Swifts migrating north, our first of the year. Two calling Red-throated Pipits also flew north and a Tawny Pipit dropped in to feed on the soccer field. Close by a Quail and a Whitethroat fed amongst some blooming desert flowers (both of them were fresh migrants) and again most green patches around the Kibbutz were ‘bouncing’ with feeding Chiffchaffs. A very pleasant start to the day.

In the afternoon I discovered a very early, possibly our earliest, Orphean Warbler feeding close to the dining room and was then treated to a fine passage of Steppe Eagles over the Negev plateau. Twenty three birds passed north-east in a relatively short period around 3pm. At the same time, a ‘flurry’ of House Martins passed north over the Kibbutz, about 14 in total, and again they were our first of the spring.

There was also an immature Barbary Falcon cruising over the mountains this afternoon, and again I had great views of the White-breasted Kingfisher and Northern Wheatear. Several of our over-wintering Song Thrushes were in song today adding a touch of the bizarre! We don’t usually hear them singing on Lotan and they’ll probably be heading north for Europe any day now.

Good birding to all,

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)