20th March - Lotan & The Southern Arava

After the southern storm of the 19th March had done its worst, the way was paved for several excellent days of birding. Indeed, impressive numbers of migrants began to show up along the Arava from March 20th onwards.

20th - For my guests this week, the timing of their visit couldn't have been better. Paul Bohre and Roef Mulder arrived late on the 19th with our driver/tour guide, Ido Heruty. The traditional early morning walk around Lotan found migrants present in good numbers including 2 Wrynecks, Ruppell's Warbler, Reed Warbler and a Bimaculated Lark that flew over with some Short-toed Larks, and several Cretzschmar's Buntings. After breakfast we headed down to Ye'elim holiday village and similarly found migrants present in good numbers including at least a dozen Wrynecks, Masked Shrike and 2 Redstarts. Remaining in the Yotvata area we also tried the Acacia scrub at Km 51 which we found teeming with birds, including no less than 6 Ruppell's Warblers and at least 10 Eastern Bonelli's Warblers as well as more Cretzschmar's Buntings. Roef found one of the most unusual birds of the day in this area- a Penduline Tit, usually found in or near reed beds in the Arava and almost certainly a displaced migrant. A fine morning was rounded off by good local desert birds such as Sand Partridge, Scrub Warbler and Arabian Warbler.

During our lunch break a further 3 Ruppell's Warblers were found at Lotan-- definitely one of the best days I've ever seen for this species in the Arava. It really felt as though the 'floodgates' had finally opened and migration was in full swing and heading for the first really big day of the spring. With that in mind, we drove down to the Eilat area and quickly checked on the Pied Bushchat at the birdwatching park before beginning the real birding at Eilat's north sewage pools, otherwise known as Km 19. The birding was so compelling here that we remained until dusk as the awesome spectacle of migration had rooted us to the spot. During ninety, all too short, minutes we noted the following;

Black-crowned Night Heron - 4
Glossy Ibis - 23
Garganey - 4
Collared Pratincole - 43
Ruff - 250+
Marsh Sandpiper - 5
Great Black-headed Gull - 1 (first year)
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - 11
European Bee-eater - 21
Yellow Wagtail - 40+
Citrine Wagtail - 1 male
Bimaculated Lark - 5
Sand Martin - 60+

This just happened to be Paul's first day of birding in Israel and I got the impression that it would be one that he would remember for a while! There were certainly plenty of smiles as we returned to Lotan for supper.

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)