Israel 10 – 17 March
2013
Introduction
After a gap in 2012 (which was a shame because it was a
vintage year for spring migration in Israel) my brother Rod and I joined up
once again for a week of intensive spring birding.
Since this was our fourth campaign we decided to focus on a
number of Northern species we had missed on our previous trips – Black Francolin, Pallas’s Gull, Little
Swift, Long-Billed Pipit, Calandra Lark, Penduline Tit and Striolated Bunting (if you can call it
a Northern species!). This turned out to
be a stroke of luck as passage in the South was poor while we were there.
Two sorties into the Negev also gave us Desert Warbler and Lesser
Short-Toed Lark, a long-awaited lifer for both of us. Along the way we collected Black-Shouldered Kite and Hill Sparrow, also long sought after.
Overall it turned out to be our most enjoyable week yet largely
due to the great variety of habitats we visited and the expert help of Lior
Kislev (
http://www.tatzpit.com), who guided us for a day. Lior’s field skills are superb and the total
of 192 species for the trip was our second best so far (beaten only in 2009
when we had 196 species in 10 days).
Special mention must go the enormous swarms of locusts we
encountered – once near Nizzana and once at HaBesor near Urim – although in
fact everywhere we went in Israel we encountered locusts in varying
quantities. The swarm at HaBesor must
have been a kilometre wide and many kilometres long as it flew over our heads
in a seemingly un-ending stream – an awe-inspiring sight.
We hope that you enjoy reading this trip report and find it
helpful when planning your trip. Please
note that some of the best places for birding in Israel are very close to the
borders and we strongly recommend that you are accompanied by a local guide if you
want to go there, particularly at times of heightened political or military tension.
Summary of Itinerary
Date
|
Locations Visited
|
10 March
|
Meishar Plateau, Yeroham Reservoir, Ezuz
|
11 March
|
Nizzana, Ezuz, Urim
|
12 March
|
Maa’gen Michael, Kfar Ruppin
|
13 March
|
Kfar Ruppin, Golan Heights
|
14 March
|
Hula Valley, Mount Hermon
|
15 March
|
Jordan Delta, Golan Heights
|
16 March
|
Wadi Mishmar (Dead Sea), Mount Amasa
|
17 March
|
Mitzpe Ramon
|
Detailed Itinerary
Sunday 10 March
Where would you start a trip to Israel in March? Larks were high on our target list so dawn on
our first morning found us on a very cold but sunny Meishar Plateau in the high
Negev. Desert Warblers had been present for some months and as we worked
along the roadside bushes in the early morning sun we were pleased to find that
4 or 5 were still there.
But what about the larks?
The Temminck’s Larks from earlier in the winter had obviously gone but
in their place were at least 4 Bar-Tailed
Larks close to the road and a few Short-Toed
Larks flying around. Other desert
specialists were 85 Spotted Sandgrouse
settling on the plain, a calling fly-over flock of Crowned Sandgrouse and many Desert
Wheatears. Migrants were represented
by several Ruppell’s Warblers and Cretzschmar’s Buntings
and our only Ortolan Bunting of the trip. Fifteen Spanish Sparrows cavorted in some of the bushes near the road, no doubt ‘resting’ on their way north.
This was our southernmost stop and we started our journey back
north with a stroll along Wadi Terashim on the northern rim of the plateau
(west of the road). Summer-plumaged male Rock Thrush
and Trumpeter Finch both gave excellent views as the temperatures climbed.
Continuing north we stopped for a fantastic shwarma for lunch in Mitzpe Ramon and
carried on to Yeroham Reservoir, picking up two roadside White-crowned Wheatears on the way. The
grassy areas around the boating lake held large numbers of Water Pipits and Cretzschmar’s Buntings and two Pallid Swifts flew through. It was great to see that the main reservoir
is once again full of water and when the reeds and trees have re-established
themselves the full wildlife value will no doubt be restored.
In 2010 we had missed Hill Sparrows several times so we were
really keen to see them. Our final stop
of the day was therefore at Ezuz near Nizzana, from where the recently-reported
flock had sadly departed. As the sun set
we worked along the wadi running west from the old railway bridge towards the
old cistern and encountered a male Pallid
Harrier, two Black Redstarts, two
Black-Eared Wheatears and a couple
of Stonechats. A flock of 7 Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse flew fast over our heads uttering their
distinctive rook-like calls.
Monday 11 March
We didn’t have long to wait.
The next morning, following advice from Meidad Goren and Yoav Perlman,
we tried Nahal Lavan north-east of Nizzana which following the winter rains in
the area was as verdant as a wadi can be,
the air thick with birdsong and the calls of Quail. The access is limited
here due to it being a military area and initially we saw ‘only’ two more
Pallid Harriers, our only Tawny Pipit
of the trip, a family of Arabian Babblers,
20 Skylarks, lots of Cretzschmar’s
Buntings and a female Desert Finch.
After a while though we heard the distant
song of a Hill Sparrow and with a
little patience and a lot of luck we had great views down to 5 meters,
along
with a Spotted Flycatcher and a Siberian Stonechat.
Flushed with success we made a tour of the other main
Nizzana sites and apart from three
McQueen’s
Bustards flying near Ezuz saw little of note.
In fact the rest of the day was rather quiet
as we worked our way northwards, picking up just a
White-Breasted Kingfisher
at Wadi Besor and
Hen Harrier and
Peregrine
at Urim fields. Even so we were pretty
satisfied with our two days in the Negev as our thoughts turned to the North.
Tuesday 12 March
Our first port of call was Ma’agan Michael on the Mediterranean
coast. This time we decided to tour the
fish ponds in the hire car, which was far better than on foot because the car
acted as a mobile hide allowing close approach. The highlight was a 1st summer Pallas’s Gull sitting on the mud in a
drained fish pond,
along with many
Black
Storks,
Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis,
Temminck’s Stints,
Armenian Gulls,
and
Slender-Billed Gulls (this one with Black-headeds).
Then to the Beit Shean valley, which we approached via the
scenic Mount Gilboa road where we caught a passage of
Steppe Eagles,
Short-Toed
Eagles
and one
Alpine Swift. We were surprised to hear a
Scops Owl calling amongst the pine
trees during broad daylight.
Finally, to Kfar Ruppin which handsomely lived up to its
reputation. In the hour before sunset we
checked out the fish ponds south of the kibbutz and saw 12 White Pelicans flying in,
250 Black Storks, an Osprey,
a Merlin,
another 20 Pallas’s Gulls, more Temminck’s Stints, 3 Garganey
and our first White Storks.
Pelican, Spoonbills and Grey Herons.
Wednesday 13 March
After a very comfortable night at the Birdwatching Centre,
we rose at dawn and toured all the known sites in the area for Black Francolin
without seeing or hearing a single one.
Undeterred, we then worked the adjacent arable fields which held
good numbers of Water and Red-Throated
Pipits, 2 Woodchat Shrikes, some
late Starlings, two more Ospreys
perched on irrigation booms, another Hen Harrier, hundreds of Black Storks, our
first Red-Rumped Swallow and a Stone Curlew. Back at the fish ponds we found Pygmy Cormorant, Moustached Warbler, Bluethroat,
more Garganey, 50 Tufted Duck and
the Pelicans had increased to 35.
We then headed up Route 98 onto the Golan Heights and in lovely
sunny weather worked our way north stopping at various places en route. In this way we picked up Great Crested Grebe, several Griffon
and Egyptian Vultures, Linnet,
Black Redstart and huge numbers of Short-Toed Eagles.
By the time we had got to Tel Hazeka close by the Syrian
border, the sunshine had given way to cool and misty weather conditions with a
strong westerly wind and seeing birds became virtually impossible, so a Great Spotted Cuckoo singing near the
entrance track was a bonus.
Thursday 14 March
This was our Hula Valley day and we repeated the pattern of
our previous visit with one crucial difference.
The Hula Reserve was our first stop but because it does not
open until 8 a.m. we checked out the complex of former fish ponds by the access
road just outside the boundary. No
Bee-eaters this time but huge numbers of Clamorous Reed Warblers,
Pygmy
Cormorant, Black Francolin singing
and two adult White-Tailed Eagles
perched in a nearby tree (presumably part of the re-introduction scheme).
The reserve itself held surprisingly little
apart from one dark-phase Booted Eagle,
a Spoonbill and some Common Cranes
and an Alpine Swift flying around.
Next we went to the Hula Agamon re-flooded area just up the
road. The big difference from last time
was our decision to hire an electric buggy to get around the reserve – worth
every shekel! First up was an adult
(Greater) Spotted Eagle sitting on a
bush by the access track.
Then we saw a
couple of Marbled Ducks on the main
lake,
a good selection of waders and many flocks of Cranes flying north calling
loudly. Finally, we were delighted to
find a pair of Black-Shouldered Kites
perching in trees by the eastern extremity of the reserve.
Not a lifer for either of us but great to see
in Israel. Hopefully they will become a
widespread species in years to come.
We couldn’t resist an afternoon visit to Mount Hermon,
looming temptingly to the north. We had
been warned that birding would be slow in March and indeed it was, but Blue Rockthrush,
three Rock Buntings and a Serin were nice to see near Neve
Atif. As on our previous visit we
followed the track from the road just east of Neve Atif as it winds up the hill
above the village until it joins the road between Majdal Shams and the Mount
Hermon ski lift. A nuthatch-like call
tantalised us but was not repeated. This
is a very beautiful walk whether birds are seen or not so it still felt like time
well spent.
Back at Park HaYarden we fell asleep in our tents to the
calls of Cranes as they flew north in the darkness and Tawny Owls hooting nearby.
Friday 15 March
This was our day of being guided by Lior. We met at 6am at Ramot and immediately headed
for an interesting area nearby known as the Jordan Delta, where the River
Jordan empties into the Sea of Galilee. Black
Francolin calls abounded and we had great views of two males, one of which
perched obligingly on a rock.
We also
found our first Turtle Dove, two
singing Olivaceous Warblers, a male Dead Sea Sparrow at its nest and a
record Desert Lark well north of its
normal range. The best birds in this
area were two wintering Penduline Tits
still occupying a thin strip of reeds around a sewage pond.
The wintering Steppe Grey and Isabelline
Shrikes had already left.
Then to Mount Susita, commanding fabulous views of the Sea
of Galilee and occupied by the Romans, the remains of whose town are very
visible on the top of the hill. Vehicular
entry past the barriers across the access road is now not possible without a
high-wheelbase vehicle.
Our targets were Little Swift and Long-Billed Pipit but a hot
north-westerly wind blasting the hill top did not help us. Lower down there were many Cretzschmar’s
Buntings and a Siberian Stonechat by the road
and two Common Cuckoos were flying around singing in the bottom of the wadi,
looking for Long-Billed Pipit nests. A
male Desert Wheatear was, again, well north of its usual range. Is there a northward movement of desert
species in Israel, perhaps in response to climate change? After several slow passes along the road a Long-Billed Pipit finally flew up and
perched conveniently on a rock by the roadside giving excellent views.
We next went in search of Little Swifts and Lesser
Kestrels and Lior drove us to a spot near Meitsar close to where the
borders of Israel, Jordan and Syria meet.
Overlooking the deep valley separating Israel from Jordan, we quickly spotted
several of the former with some Alpine Swifts and one male of the latter. This looks like an amazing place to watch
raptors later in the spring.
We then drove down into the astonishingly green and leafy Wadi
Meitsar, where we found Little Owl,
many Woodchat Shrikes, Orphean Warblers and Cretzschmar’s
Buntings singing (all breed there). This
is a very remote and beautiful area and would repay a visit at any time of
year.
Back at Ramot we swapped Lior’s Jimny for our hire car and
sped north up on to the Golan Heights, past our previous northernmost point at
Tel Hazeka, to the Btecha Valley. Lior
took us to a spot very close to the Syrian border where Calandra Larks breed and we were treated to several birds flying,
singing and perching giving great views.
In flight they are more reminiscent of waders than larks!
We ended the day working the orchards and hills in the
area. Several mixed flocks of finches
contained Bramblings (an Israeli tick
for both of us) and Serins and almost the last bird was a migrating Imperial Eagle, a fitting end to a
fantastic day.
Thanks Lior!
Saturday 16 March
Our last full day was focused on the Dead Sea and nearby
sites.
We had decided to visit Wadi Mishmar in case a late Cyprus
Warbler or Sinaii Rosefinch was still present (they weren’t) and so rose early
to complete the walk-in from the car park to where the cliffs begin by dawn at 6
a.m. The temperature at that point was 25
degrees but mercifully the day was cloudy so the three hours we spent ascending
and then descending the wadi gave us some high-quality birding in comfortable
conditions.
Almost the first bird was a Lesser-Spotted Eagle flying north, which neatly filled a gap on the
trip-list although that is not where we would have expected one. We then saw good numbers of many of the
area’s resident specialities – Fan-Tailed
Raven,
Blackstart, Tristram’s Grackle, Sand Partridge,
Scrub Warbler and Little Green Bee-eater.
Migrants included a Bluethroat, many Orphean Warblers and a
couple of flocks of Cretzschmar’s Buntings.
And it was associating with the latter that we found two Striolated Buntings.
The first was high up the Wadi and was very
approachable, allowing good views as it fed on grass seeds. The second was near the entrance and was much
warier.
After this success we then toured our favourite sites in
the area but saw little, except for another Dead Sea Sparrow at Neve
Zohar. The drive up to Arad provided a Mourning Wheatear by the road but the Arad-Massada
road was quiet.
Our final stop was at Mount Amasa northwest of Arad, where
the strong westerly had cooled to just 9 degrees. We therefore didn’t stay long on top although
a couple of Woodlarks were nice, the
male in his song flight. Lower down the
slopes we found a nice male Spectacled
Warbler and a late female Finsch’s
Wheatear but the Hill Sparrows had not yet arrived (see 'Lesser Kestrels
etc' post).
Sunday 17 March
On our last half day we were keen to end on a high. We headed down to Mitzpe Ramon and turned
right onto Route 171 heading south west into the remote Negev. Imagine our delight when we eventually
decided to stop, walked out on to a gently sloping stony plain and quickly
found a Lesser Short-Toed Lark
singing its heart out in the crisp air over our heads (it was 6 degrees!), its
slow wing-beats instantly confirming the id.
In fact there were at least two males holding territory in
the area, which also contained several pairs of Black-Bellied Sandgrouse, many Stone Curlews and several singing Isabelline Wheatears. Great desert birding and a fabulous end to
the trip.
Systematic list
No
|
Name
|
Comments
|
1
|
Egyptian Goose
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
2
|
Mallard
|
Very common on fresh water bodies
|
3
|
Wigeon
|
10, Hula Agamon 14/3
|
4
|
Shoveler
|
Common on fresh water bodies
|
5
|
Teal
|
Very common on fresh water bodies
|
6
|
Garganey
|
5, Kfar Ruppin 12-13/3
|
7
|
Gadwall
|
2, Hula Reserve 14/3
|
8
|
Marbled Duck
|
2, Hula Agamon 14/3
|
9
|
Tufted Duck
|
50, Kfar Ruppin 13/3
|
10
|
Pochard
|
10, Yekutsa Reservoir, Golan Heights 15/4
|
11
|
Black Francolin
|
Hula Reserve 14/3; 2 Jordan Delta 15/3
|
12
|
Chukar
|
Widespread and common
|
13
|
Sand Partridge
|
Common in Wadi Mishmar 16/4
|
14
|
Quail
|
Common in flat grassy habitats
|
15
|
Little Grebe
|
Very common on fresh water bodies
|
16
|
Great Crested Grebe
|
2, Bnei Israel Reservoir, Golan 13/3
|
17
|
White Pelican
|
Up to 35 Kfar Ruppin 12-13/3
|
18
|
Great Cormorant
|
Common at Ma’agan Michael 12/3
|
19
|
Pygmy Cormorant
|
Several, Kfar Ruppin 12-13/3
|
20
|
Grey Heron
|
Very common on fresh water bodies
|
21
|
Night Heron
|
Abundant at Kfar Ruppin 12-13/3
|
22
|
Little Egret
|
Common on fresh water bodies
|
23
|
Cattle Egret
|
Common on fresh water bodies
|
24
|
Great White Egret
|
Common on fresh water bodies
|
25
|
Glossy Ibis
|
Strong passage north Ma’agan Michael 12/3
|
26
|
White Stork
|
Small numbers flying N at many locations
|
27
|
Black Stork
|
Large numbers flying N at many locations
|
28
|
Spoonbill
|
Small numbers on fresh water bodies
|
29
|
Griffon Vulture
|
Several, Golan Heights 13/3
|
30
|
Egyptian Vulture
|
2, Golan Heights 13/3
|
31
|
Osprey
|
2, Kfar Ruppin 12-13/3
|
32
|
White-Tailed Eagle
|
2 adults Hula Reserve 14/3
|
33
|
Steppe Eagle
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
34
|
Imperial Eagle
|
1, Btecha Valley 15/3
|
35
|
Lesser-Spotted Eagle
|
1, Wadi Mishmar 16/3
|
36
|
Spotted Eagle
|
Adult, Hula Agamon 14/3
|
37
|
Booted Eagle
|
Dark adult Hula Reserve 14/3
|
38
|
Short-toed Eagle
|
Common
|
39
|
Steppe Buzzard
|
Single birds seen most days
|
40
|
Long-Legged Buzzard
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
41
|
Black-Shouldered Kite
|
Pair Hula Reserve 14/3
|
42
|
Black Kite
|
Abundant
|
43
|
Marsh Harrier
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
44
|
Hen Harrier
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
45
|
Pallid Harrier
|
2 adult males near Nizzana 10-11/3
|
46
|
Sparrowhawk
|
1, Kfar Ruppin 13/3
|
47
|
Kestrel
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
48
|
Lesser Kestrel
|
Male near Meitsar 15/3
|
49
|
Peregrine
|
1, Urim fields 11/3
|
50
|
Merlin
|
1, Kfar Ruppin 12/3
|
51
|
Moorhen
|
Common on fresh water bodies
|
52
|
Coot
|
Very common on fresh water bodies
|
53
|
Common Crane
|
Common on passage in North
|
54
|
McQueen’s Bustard
|
3, Ezuz 11/3
|
55
|
Avocet
|
20, Hula Agamon 14/3
|
56
|
Stone Curlew
|
1, Kfar
Ruppin 12/3; several R171 17/3
|
57
|
Black-Winged Stilt
|
Common on fresh water bodies
|
58
|
Spur-Winged Plover
|
Common near fresh and saline water bodies
|
59
|
Ringed Plover
|
Common at Ma’agan Michael, Kfar Ruppin
|
60
|
Little Ringed Plover
|
2, Ma’agan Michael 12/3
|
61
|
Kentish Plover
|
10, Ma’agan Michael 12/3
|
62
|
Wood Sandpiper
|
10, Kfar Ruppin 13/3
|
63
|
Green Sandpiper
|
Common on fresh water bodies
|
64
|
Common Sandpiper
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
65
|
Marsh Sandpiper
|
15, Kfar Ruppin 13/3
|
66
|
Temminck’s Stint
|
Common at Ma’agan Michael, Kfar Ruppin
|
67
|
Little Stint
|
Common at Ma’agan Michael, Kfar Ruppin
|
68
|
Redshank
|
Common on fresh water bodies
|
69
|
Spotted Redshank
|
1, Kehemin Sewage Pools 11/3
|
70
|
Greenshank
|
1, Ma'agan Michael 12/3
|
71
|
Black-Tailed Godwit
|
60 at Hula Agamon 14/3
|
72
|
Ruff
|
Common on fresh water bodies
|
73
|
Snipe
|
A few on fresh water bodies
|
74
|
Black-Headed Gull
|
Abundant on fresh water bodies
|
75
|
Slender-Billed Gull
|
Small numbers Ma’agan Michael 12/3
|
76
|
Armenian Gull
|
Common at Ma’agan Michael 12/3
|
77
|
Yellow-Legged Gull
|
Small numbers Ma’agan Michael 12/3
|
78
|
Pallas’s Gull
|
1, Ma’agan Michael, 20 Kfar Ruppin: 12/3
|
79
|
Sandwich Tern
|
1, N
Ma’agan Michael 12/3
|
80
|
Spotted Sandgrouse
|
85, Meishar Plateau 10/3
|
81
|
Crowned Sandgrouse
|
Flight calls Meishar Plateau 10/3
|
82
|
Black-Bellied Sandgrouse
|
6, Route 171 17/3
|
83
|
Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse
|
7, Ezuz 10/3
|
84
|
Feral Pigeon
|
Abundant
|
85
|
Collared Dove
|
Common by human habitation
|
86
|
Turtle Dove
|
1 Jordan Delta 15/3; 1 purring Nir Oz 17/3
|
87
|
Laughing Dove
|
Abundant
|
88
|
Ring-necked Parakeet
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
89
|
Common Cuckoo
|
2, Mount
Susita 15/3
|
90
|
Great Spotted Cuckoo
|
1 singing, Tel Hazeka, Golan Heights 13/3
|
91
|
Scops Owl
|
1 singing, Ein Gedi 16/4
|
92
|
Little Owl
|
Pair, Wadi Meitsar 15/3
|
93
|
Barn Owl
|
Pair, Nir Oz 10/3
|
94
|
Tawny Owl
|
Heard Park HaYarden 14/3
|
95
|
Long-Eared Owl
|
Heard Nir Oz 16/3
|
96
|
Common Swift
|
Small passage at several locations
|
97
|
Pallid Swift
|
Small passage at several locations
|
98
|
Alpine Swift
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
99
|
Little Swift
|
Small numbers near Meitsar 15/3
|
100
|
Hoopoe
|
Widespread and common
|
101
|
White-Throated Kingfisher
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
102
|
Pied Kingfisher
|
Several at Ma’agan Michael 12/3
|
103
|
Little Green Bee-eater
|
Small numbers in suitable habitat
|
104
|
Syrian Woodpecker
|
Widespread in suitable habitat
|
105
|
Woodlark
|
2, Mount Amasa 16/3
|
106
|
Skylark
|
Small numbers in several locations
|
107
|
Crested Lark
|
Abundant
|
108
|
Desert Lark
|
Small numbers in suitable habitat
|
109
|
Bar-Tailed Lark
|
4 ,Meishar Plateau 10/3
|
110
|
Short-Toed Lark
|
Small numbers in several locations
|
111
|
Lesser Short-Toed Lark
|
2, Route 171 17/3
|
112
|
Calandra Lark
|
3 pairs, Btecha Valley Golan Heights 15/3
|
113
|
Barn Swallow
|
Small numbers
|
114
|
Red-rumped Swallow
|
Small numbers
|
115
|
House Martin
|
Small numbers
|
116
|
Rock Martin
|
Common in suitable habitat
|
117
|
Red-Throated Pipit
|
Good numbers Kfar Ruppin 13/3
|
118
|
Meadow Pipit
|
Small numbers in several locations
|
119
|
Water Pipit
|
Good numbers Kfar Ruppin 13/3
|
120
|
Tawny Pipit
|
1, Wadi Lavan near Nizzana 11/2
|
121
|
Long-Billed Pipit
|
1, Mount Susita 15/3
|
122
|
White Wagtail
|
Common in suitable habitat
|
123
|
Yellow Wagtail
|
1, Kemehin Sewage near Nizzana 11/3
|
124
|
Robin
|
1, near Neve Atif 14/3
|
125
|
Bluethroat
|
1, Kfar Ruppin 13/3; 1, Wadi Mishmar 16/3
|
126
|
Black Redstart
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
127
|
Northern Wheatear
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
128
|
Isabelline Wheatear
|
Several, Route 171 17/3
|
129
|
Black-Eared Wheatear
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
130
|
Desert Wheatear
|
Common in suitable habitat
|
131
|
Mourning Wheatear
|
Two by roadsides in mountains/deserts
|
132
|
White-crowned Wheatear
|
Several, Wadi Mishmar 16/3
|
133
|
Finsch’s Wheatear
|
Female ,Mount Amasa 16/3
|
134
|
Blackstart
|
Common in
deserts and mountains
|
135
|
Stonechat
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
136
|
Siberian Stonechat
|
Wadi Lavan 11/3 and Mount Susita 15/3
|
137
|
Song Thrush
|
Widespread in small numbers in the North
|
138
|
Blackbird
|
Common in the North
|
139
|
Rock Thrush
|
Wadi Terashim near Meishar Plateau 10/3
|
140
|
Blue Rock Thrush
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
141
|
Scrub Warbler
|
Common in suitable habitat
|
142
|
Graceful Prinia
|
Common in suitable habitat
|
143
|
Blackcap
|
Very small numbers
|
144
|
Whitethroat
|
Common on the Golan Heights
|
145
|
Lesser Whitethroat
|
Widespread and common
|
146
|
Orphean Warbler
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
147
|
Sardinian Warbler
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
148
|
Ruppell’s Warbler
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
149
|
Spectacled Warbler
|
Male, Mount Amasa 16/3
|
150
|
Desert Warbler
|
4-5, Meishar Plateau 10/3
|
151
|
Sedge Warbler
|
Heard Hula Valley 14/3
|
152
|
Reed Warbler
|
Common in suitable habitat
|
153
|
Clamorous Reed Warbler
|
Common in suitable habitat
|
154
|
Moustached Warbler
|
1, Kfar Ruppin fish ponds 12/3
|
155
|
Cettis Warbler
|
Common singing in suitable habitat
|
156
|
Olivaceous Warbler
|
2, Jordan Delta 15/3
|
157
|
Chiffchaff
|
Common in suitable habitat
|
158
|
Wren
|
Singing at Neve Atif
|
159
|
Spotted Flycatcher
|
1, Wadi Lavan near Nizzana 11/3
|
160
|
Great Tit
|
Common in the North
|
161
|
Penduline Tit
|
2, Jordan Delta 15/3
|
162
|
Palestine Sunbird
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
163
|
Southern Grey Shrike
|
Common in suitable habitat
|
164
|
Woodchat Shrike
|
Common in suitable habitat
|
165
|
Masked Shrike
|
Widespread in small numbers
|
166
|
Yellow-Vented Bulbul
|
Abundant
|
167
|
Tristram’s Grackle
|
Common in
mountains
|
168
|
Mynah Bird
|
3, Yeroham Reservoir 11/3
|
169
|
Arabian Babbler
|
Family Wadi Lavan, near Nizzana 11/3
|
170
|
Jay
|
Fairly common in the North
|
171
|
Brown-necked Raven
|
Fairly common in the Negev and Dead Sea
|
172
|
Fan-tailed Raven
|
Common near Dead Sea 16/4
|
173
|
Jackdaw
|
A few in the North seen from the car
|
174
|
Hooded Crow
|
Widespread and common
|
175
|
Starling
|
Several, Kfar Ruppin 13/3
|
176
|
House Sparrow
|
Abundant
|
177
|
Spanish Sparrow
|
Widespread and common
|
178
|
Dead Sea Sparrow
|
1, Jordan Delta 15/3; 1 Neve Zohar 16/3
|
179
|
Hill Sparrow
|
3, Wadi Lavan, near Nizzana 11/3
|
180
|
Chaffinch
|
Common in the North
|
181
|
Brambling
|
A few with Chaffinches, Btecha Valley 15/3
|
182
|
Greenfinch
|
Widespread and common
|
183
|
Goldfinch
|
Widespread and common
|
184
|
Linnet
|
Common on the Golan Heights
|
185
|
Serin
|
A few in Btecha Valley and Mount Hermon
|
186
|
Trumpeter Finch
|
Male,Wadi Terashim, Meishar Plateau 10/3
|
187
|
Desert Finch
|
Female, Wadi Lavan near Nizzana 11/3
|
188
|
Corn Bunting
|
Abundant almost everywhere
|
189
|
Rock Bunting
|
3, Mount Hermon 13/3
|
190
|
Ortolan Bunting
|
Female, Meishar Plateau 13/3
|
191
|
Cretzschmar’s Bunting
|
Widespread and common
|
192
|
Striolated Bunting
|
2, Wadi Mishmar 16/3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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