Southern Israel Birding news – mid April 2008

With the spring migration's first major wave now over, April rolled in with its selection of interesting migrants.

March 2008 was one of the best we had in southern Israel for several years. Besides some rare winterers still lingering around (Oriental Honey Buzzard, Olive backed Pipits), some significant birds continued the great spell of rarities right into April.

A 1st year male Pine Bunting was found by Netanel Yarkoni at the K19 cowsheds on April 3rd, and a Pied Wheatear was also found nearby. Pine Bunting is a rare and localized winterer in Israel with very few records during migration and even fewer records in the south.

The irregular "eruption" of Cyprus Wheatears continued well into April, with at least 2 more Cyprus Wheatears seen in the south. A nice adult at Eilat Museum Park till the 7th and a 1st year bird around the Zihor Junction on road 40 at least till the 18th of April, a late record indeed for this species.

The Meishar plateau on road 40 continues to be interesting. All throughout spring there have been nearly regular sightings of Thick-billed Larks from this area. On the morning of April 11th Lior Kislev and Shachar Altermans thorough scan of the area was rewarded with an exceptional group of 19 Thick-bills feeding, singing and collecting nesting material. It is more than likely that these highly nomadic and opportunistic Larks will breed (or are already breeding) in the area.

Small numbers of Lesser Short-toed and Temminck's Larks are regularly seen at the Meishar. On the morning of the 18th I also saw a male Hoopoe Lark deep in the Meishar in the same area a bird (or 2) were seen several times this spring.

North beach is quite steady and small numbers of Sooty Shearwaters and Arctic and Pomarine Skuas are seen regularly from early April. Kris De Rouck reported a Brown Booby off the beach on the 11th. The Yelkouan Shearwater first seen in late march is apparently also still around, I saw it on the 8th and 10th of April and visiting Belgian birders also saw it on the 15th. Single White-cheeked Terns are also seen amongst the more numerous Common and Little Terns.

On the 14th of April a Blyth's Reed Warbler was apparently caught and ringed at Sdeh Boker in the Negev by the local ringing team. We await the images of this rarity.

On the 15th we recorded 2 Cinereous Buntings at KM 34 in the southern Arava, both of the nominate subspecies. On the 16th 2 Daurian Shrikes were found, 1 adult male at km 64 and a female type at the Lotan bird reserve. That same day a Baillon's Crake and several Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters were at Neot Smadar.

A very interesting find was a Caspian Tern fledgling on an island in the Eilat lagoon. The fledgling is quite large and "nearly ready" but still has a rather short bill and is unable to fly. The record was confirmed by Noam Weiss and the IRBCE team and the chick was ringed. This is the first ever breeding record of Caspian Tern is Israel, and a very odd choice for a nest site.

And on the same note, the long staying male Black-bush Robin at the Birdwatching Park was joined on the morning of April 18th by a female yielding a brood patch. Since the early 90's there have been several late records of this species in southern Israel, but breeding has never been confirmed. If the pair in the park successfully breeds it will be another Israel first. At the K20 pools north of Eilat Wader numbers are slowly growing and some interesting migrants are recorded. Single Broad-billed Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalaropes, Greater Sand plovers and Curlew Sandpipers can be found.

A few Golden Orioles have made an appearance on Lotan as well as some Thrush Nightingales, Red-backed Shrikes and Corncrakes.

And finally on the morning of April 21st 2 White-throated Robins were found at Kibbutz Samar by Noam Weiss. Noam followed up on a report of a Black-bush Robin by a kibbutz member, the Black-bush Robin was not found but 2 White-throated Robins were. These are the first records of this species from the Arava, since the influx of mid April 2004, when over 25 White-throated Robins were seen.

We would like to thank all our friends for their excellent images.

Good birding and stay posted.
Jonathan Meyrav /// Lotan

Contact info

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