Birding Hot-Spots of Israel, continued..

Bet Shean Valley, Jezreel Valley and the cross country raptor survey

Driving south from the town of Tiberias you soon reach the ancient town of Bet Shean. You can bird while visiting the Roman amphitheatre and other ruins, or drive to the fishponds and small reservoirs of the neighbouring kibbutzim scattered through the Bet Shean Valley . There are three major concentrations of fishponds: Neve Eitan, Maoz Hayhim, Kfar Ruppin and Tirat Zevi and are all well worth exploring. They are good for birds at all times of the year, but especially during winter and the migration periods of spring and autumn. The reed beds at the fish ponds hold Spotted, Little and Baillon's Crakes, and White-breasted and Pied Kingfishers are very numerous. A Pygmy Cormorant colony can be seen in the no-man's land zone on the Israeli-Jordanian border, along the banks of the Jordan River and nowadays good numbers can be seen flying over the fishponds of Kfar Ruppin during most of the year. There are also large colonies of several species of breeding herons and egrets. Hundreds of Great Black-headed Gulls and Black Storks winter in the ponds. In the neighbouring fields there are Little Bustards and Pallid Harriers in winter, and in some years the area becomes a key site for Oriental Skylark, up to 14 having been seen in the alfalfa fields.

During spring and autumn migration, massive passages of White Storks (daily counts of over 100000!) can be seen over these fields, which also pro- vide an important and safe staging area, where some individuals lingering for up to one month. Collared and Black-winged Pratincoles can be found in good numbers especially on the turf fields, which are also the haunt of small groups of Sociable Plovers. Isabelline Shrike is an occasional visitor to the valley, usually present in October and November, with several winter records as well. The scrub fringes of the fields are very good for Black Francolin and Dead Sea Sparrow, and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater summers in the area, as well as passing through in considerable numbers (up to lOO daily in September). A sewage pool at Tirat Zevi attracts several Jack Snipe and Citrine Wagtail each winter.

For the past two years the SPNI has operated a Birdwatching Centre and ringing station at Kfar Ruppin during the migration seasons. We recommend birders to coordinate their visit with the Birdwatching Centre staff here to ensure close up views of some skulking species such as Clamorous Reed and Cetti's Warblers. Increased observer coverage at Kfar Ruppin has led to the discovery of several national rarities such as Pintail Snipe, Demoiselle Crane, Pacific Golden Plover (annual), Oriental Turtle Dove, Blyth's Pipit and Paddyfield Warbler. West of Bet Shean, the Jezreel Valley stretches across the northern third of Israel. Within the valley and to the north of Afula, there are several reservoirs and fishponds, where Pink -backed Pelican and Yellow-billed Stork have occurred as rarities. The area is best known for the Tishlovet Reservoir and its wintering White-headed Ducks (up to 400) along with as many as 70 Marbled Ducks. During autumn, the fields surrounding the reservoir are good for migrant raptors especially Red-footed Falcons and Lesser Kestrels.

Annual autumn raptor surveys have been conducted in the Afula area since the late 1980' s when, owing to political unrest, the famous Kfar Qassem survey was moved to this valley. The more recent 'Northern Valleys' survey spans the breadth of Israel from the Jordanian border to the Haifa coast. Both sites have produced about the same variety of species and numbers. Honey Buzzards are the most numerous species, the first half of September producing up to half a million birds. The entire world populations of Lesser Spotted Eagle (80 000 -140 000) and Levant Sparrowhawk (45 000) pass through this area in relative]y limited periods in the autumn. The raptors survey is open to experienced volunteers and birders can coordinate their visit with the SPNI staff.

Ma'agan Mikhael

Ma'agan Mikhael is located on the Mediterranean coast between Tel-Aviv to the south and Haifa to the north. It is an excellent area with fish ponds that attract a host of wintering water birds and passage migrants, including large numbers of storks, pelicans, many species of herons and egrets and a wide range of waders. The latter are seen in large numbers and include scarcer species such as Broad-billed and Terek Sandpipers, Greater Sand Plovers with some records of Kittlitz Plover and Crab Plover, both extreme rarities in Israel. Migration periods can produce three species of crakes. Other much-sought-after wintering birds include Great Black-headed and Armenian Gulls and Citrine Wagtail are all relatively easy to find here.

Next page >>

Contact info

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