Israel Trip Reports

Israel 2001

Dave Murdoch

This is a very brief summary of my week in Israel, 24-30 November 2001.
A big thank you to everyone who gave Web advice re where to go - especially for Saker - and a sustained gloat to all the friends stuck back in dank, cold England.

Day 1
(1) Urim (at dawn). Several Imperial Eagles amongst a variety of raptors + 2 jackals.
(2) Steppes south of Moshav Dekel (till lunchtime). Superb area of wilderness with lots of Finsch's and Isabelline Wheatears; 4 HOUBARA about 3 km. away through the haze + 11 Gazelle.
(3) Urim (afternoon). Lots more raptors, including several Imperial Eagles, but no Saker or Sociable Plover.

Day 2
(1) Urim. Plans to hit Nizzana at dawn scrapped as main target species there (Houbara) in the bag and Saker still not found. Good decision: excellent views of juv. SAKER on pylons (in an area I hadn't checked the previous day, ~5km. west of the road). Left late morning with seven Imperials on seven consecutive pylons visible at once; what a place!
(2) Dropped in to Nizzana but no Sandgrouse (much too late for them to be drinking); Desert + Mourning Wheatears and Scrub Warblers as consolation. To Kibbutz Lotan (very highly recommended) for the night.

Day 3
(1) Shizzafon at dawn with James Smith - a superb field birder who showed me one of his recent finds, the (?wintering) female Menetries's WARBLER, a smashing little beast, surprisingly distinctive, with some nice late migrants (Tree Pipit, Lesser Whitethroat etc.), Hooded Wheatear and Syrian Serin overhead.
(2) Km. 19 Sewage Works for Israel's second RED-WATTLED LAPWING, with Penduline Tit, Steppe Eagle, Pallid Harrier, Hooded Wheatear and lots of Red-throated Pipits to distract me.
(3) ICBRE, Eilat, to inspect another of James's recent finds, Israel's sixth PIED STONECHAT,
an immature female which showed well at 15 feet.
(4) Km. 20 Saltpans 'quiet' - Dead Sea Sparrow and Greater Sand Plover fairly mundane for this hotspot.
(5) Wadi Schlomo empty except for noisy Israelis.
(6) Pumping Station - no water, missed the 3 Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse.
What a day!

Day 4
(1) Lotan at dawn looking unsuccessfully for the Chestnut-shouldered Petronia (=Yellow-throated Sparrow) or Hume's Warbler recently on site.
(2) Nahal Quetura. Three hours of hard flog up harsh desert wadi rewarded at far end by superb views of roosting STRIATED SCOPS OWL at 15 feet. How those eyes glowed!
(3) Amram's Pillars empty except for noisy Israelis.
Drive north to Kfar Ruppin (KR).

Day 5
(1) ringing till 1100 with Kobi Merom in date palms at KR - nil special.
(2) Flogging fishponds and fields round KR. What an area! 90 spp. in (half) a day without trying. Thousands of herons and Black Storks on one fishpond; several thousand duck on the one round the corner; and several thousand waders 10 minutes further! Goodies: 2 Citrine Wagtails; Wryneck (!); 6 Silverbills; >20 Marsh Sandpipers; 3 Pallid Harriers. Plus superb views of Moustached + Clamorous Reed Warblers, Dead Sea Sparrows. Couldn't find Sociable Plovers, Buff-bellied Pipits or Small Skylarks (not knowing calls).

Day 6
(1) Wadi Ammud at dawn; Little Swifts and Hyrax but no Wallcreepers or Long-billed Pipits.
(2) Hula for the morning (not remotely doing the area justice). At least 5 GREATER SPOTTED EAGLES, flocks of 300 Black Kites, 100 White Pelicans, and many flocks each of a thousand Common Cranes give an idea of the riches of the area. 11 Ruddy Shelducks and 20 Temminck's Stints were a surprise. Loads of Swallows.
(3) Quick afternoon whizz through a dank, windy, cold Golan; Barbary Falcon well seen and wonderful views of Griffon and Bonelli's Eagle at Gamla (with Alpine Swift!!) but none of the rare wintering passerines such as Radde's or Red-fronted Serin.

Day 7
(1) Lake Tiberias: Whiskered Terns seen well.
(2) Climbing Mt. Arbel for almost three hours; hard work with scant reward
(3) Tishlovet Reservoir (too briefly). Thousands of duck including hundreds of White-headed Duck and one pair of Ferruginous.
(4) Ma'agan Michael in heavy rain.

Phenomenal birding, both in terms of numbers and species (163 without trying; >200 would be possible in 10 days). Remarkable number of wintering 'summer' visitors - for instance Swallows still common in the north. HUGE numbers of birds of prey - Black Kites by the hundreds; 18 species seen and >20 would be simple. 22 species wader, 6 wheatears, 12 warblers etc. Many thanks to James Smith for taking me round Shizzafon; he is a VERY impressive field man and a couple of days spent with him is well worth it as you will come away with a much better grasp of how to identify difficult groups - a tour leader's real aim.

Cheers, Dave - further info is available if anyone wants.

P.S. Don't worry about terrorists - you are more likely to be mown down by a crazy Israeli….

Contact info

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