Tropical Birding Trip Report Israel March, 2018 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected]Tropical Birding Israel Tour March 10– 22, 2018 TOUR LEADER: Trevor Ellery Report and photos Trevor Ellery, all photos are from the tour. Green Bee-eater. One of the iconic birds of southern Israel. This was Tropical Birding’s inaugural Israel tour but guide Trevor Ellery had previously lived, birded and guided there between 1998 and 2001, so it was something of a trip down memory lane for the guide! While Israel frequently makes the international news due to ongoing tensions within the country, such problems are generally concentrated around specific flashpoints and much of the rest of the country is calm, peaceful, clean and modern.
Ourtourstartedontheafternoonofthe10thwhere,afterpickingupthegroupatBenGurionairportnearTelAviv,weheaded north along the coastal strip, collecting our local guide (excellent Israeli birder Chen Rozen) and arrived atKibbutzNasholimontheshoresoftheMediterraneanwithplentyoftimeforsomelocalbirdinginthenearbyfishponds.
We soon managed to rack up a good list of the commoner species of these habitats. Wildfowl includedNorthernShoveler,Greenwinged(Eurasian)TealandMallard.ThepoolsalsoheldseveralLittleGrebes,plentifulEurasianCootandEurasianMoorhenandsomeimpressiveflocksofGreaterFlamingos.GreatCormorantswerecommonbutwealsofound several Pygmy Cormorants, a much desired species. Little and Cattle Egrets were common as were plentifulGlossyIbisandascatteringofGreyHerons.AreonlyraptorofthedaywereseveralEurasianMarshHarrierscruisingoverthereedbeds.ThisisacommonwintervisitorandpassagemigrantinIsraelandweweretoseethemonmostdaysduringthetour.Severalofthefishpondsweresemidrainedandheldgoodnumbersofwaders includingPiedAvocet,Black-winged Stilt, Common Ringed Plover, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Stint, Common, Wood and MarshSandpipers, SpottedandCommonRedshanksandGreenshank,whilethenoisyandaggressiveSpur-wingedLapwingwereomnipresent.AquicklookatthebeachaddedRuddyTurnstoneandBlack-belliedPlover.Ifyou’reawaderfanitwas certainly a great place to get to grips with the identification of a good variety of species. Gulls were also wellrepresentedwith good numbers of Slender-billed andBlack-headed Gulls plus a single Little Gull on the fishponds.Armenian and Lesser-black-backed Gulls were also seen passing overhead and Sandwich Terns were seen offshore.FeralPigeonswereabundant(hereandthroughoutthetrip)andwealsofoundgoodnumbersofCollardandLaughingDoves. CommonSwiftsarriveandbreedearlyinIsraelandcouldbefoundhawkingaerial insectsalongwithplentifulBarnSwallows.Our firstdazzlingHoopoes (Israel’snationalbird)werea realhighlightwhile several largeandgaudyPied Kingfishers were also present around the fish ponds. Eurasian Kestrels gave good views,Hooded Crows wereabundantandafewJackdawsflewthrough.TheovergrownfieldsalongsidethefishpondsheldseveralsubtlybeautifulCrested Larks. The reed beds and scrubwere excellent habitat forWarblers, Common Chiffchaff (a commonwintervisitortoIsrael)wereplentifulandwealsomanagedgoodviewsoftworeedbedskulkersEurasianReedWarblerandthemuchlargerClamorousReedWarbler.Thelatterspeciesliveduptoitsnamewithitscallswhichcouldbedescribedas resembling grunts and bellows. Subdued LesserWhitethroats and the much more attractive SardinianWarblersskulked in the scrub but both eventually yielded good views.Graceful Prinia, (another ubiquitous species in Israel),showedextremelywell singing fromatop smallbushesand showingoff theirblack innermouths,a feature thatonlyappearsduringthebreedingseason.WealsogotbriefviewsofseveralBluethroats,anothercommonwintervisitortoIsraelwhichespeciallyliketoforageonthegroundatthebaseofthereeds.EuropeanStarlingswereabundantbutevenmoresotheinvasiveCommonMyna.SeventeenyearsagothisspecieswasconfinedtotheenvironsofurbanTelAvivbutwe found it to be commoneverywherewewenton the tour, fromMtHermon in the far north, to Eilat, on theshoresoftheRedSea, inthesouth.Thiswasanimpressiveandsomewhatworryingexpansionofthisaggressivenon-nativespecies.AsistypicalofthishabitatWhiteWagtails (anothercommonwintervisitorandpassagemigrant)werecommonandwealsohadgoodviewsof severalMeadowPipits in the coastalmattoral. Finally therewereplentyofHouse Sparrows (a common native here) and far more interestingly our first Palestine Sunbirds. The Sunbird is acommonspeciesinIsraelbutoneitishardtogetboredoffwiththemales’iridescentpurpleandblueplumageandeventhedull femalesappearingcute,with theirdowncurvedbills.Wealsomanagedour firstmammalof thetripwithanEgyptianmongoosecrossingbetweenfishponds.WefinishedthedaywatchingthesunsetovertheMediterraneanandthenenjoyedthefirstofmanysumptuouskibbutzbuffetswhilegoingovertheday’slist.
Thenextmorningwe startedwith somepre-breakfastbirding in the fishponds. Weaddedanumberofnewspeciesincluding someCommonPochard the ubiquitousGreat Egret and the rareSquaccoHeron, plus some flybyEurasianSpoonbills.AhuntingEurasianSparrowhawkflewthroughwhilewealsoaddedmorewaderswithWhimbrelandGreenSandpiper.AnexcellentfindinthereedbedwereseveralveryattractivePendulineTitsandgoodviewsofGreatReedWarbler and Cetti´s Warbler, which we had only heard on the previous day. The scrub added a smart European
After leaving the coast we began journeying NW towards eastern Israel and the Golan heights. We made severalimpromptustopstoaddourfirstBlackStorks,Short-toedSnake-Eagle,EurasianGriffon,BlackKitesandLong-leggedBuzzardswhichwereallpickedupsoaringfromthecar.
WebrokeupthejourneywithanimpromptustopatMtArbel,atraditionalwinteringsiteforWallcreeper.Wehadnoluck with the Wallcreeper and in all honesty we were probably too late as this species may well migrate north inFebruary.OurstopwasfarfromawastedthoughaswehadgreatviewsofseveralofBlueRock-Thrushes,includinganobliging male in the parking lot. Finches were well represented and as well as our first European Goldfinches andCommonChaffinches,wehadbriefviewsofaEuropeanSerin.Perhapsbestofallthoughwasoutfirstrealmigration.Whilewe had seen a couple ofBlack Storks soaring near the coastwe picked up the beginnings of a streamwhichturned into a flood. We estimated one long flock of a thousand individuals passed north over head at one pointstretchingasfarastheeyecouldseetothesouth.WhileBlackStork isacommonpassageandwintervisitortoIsraelflocksofthissizeareexceptionalanditwasagreatintroductiontothemigrationspectaclethatmakesIsraelsoexcitingatthistimeofyear.StandingonthetopofMtArbelwiththeSeaofGalileespreadoutbelowinadeepvalley(whichisreallyanortherextensionofthegreatriftvalleyofEAfrica)andwatchingthesehugeflockspassdirectlynorthoverheadwasveryimpressive.InallprobabilitythesestorkshadprobablywinteredmuchfurthersouththanIsraelsomewhereinAfrica,andwerenowheadingnorthtotheirEurasianbreedinggrounds.Itfelt likebeingstoodbeneathagreataerial,avian motorway and in fact that feeling was to be repeated daily throughout the tour as we frequently witnessedmigrantspouringoverhead,orsimplyflittingfrombushtobush,allseeminglyinahurryandeagertogetnorth.MixedinwiththeBlackStorkswereourfirstWhiteStorks,aspeciesweweretoseealmostdailythroughoutthetour.AsidefromthebirdsweenjoyedfantasticviewsofsomeobligingandtameRockHyraxandalsoseveralsunbathingAgamaLizards.WealsoaddedacoupleofimpressiveAlpineSwiftswheelingoverheadandsawourfirstRed-rumpedSwallows.AfinalsurprisebeforeweleftMtArbelwasasmartBlackRedstart(ofthewesternform),againvirtuallyintheparkinglotandwealsoenjoyedgreatviewsofrotundCornBuntings,singingtherejanglingsongfromroadsidewires.
We ended the day at some fishponds near our Kibbutz accommodation in the Hula Valley. The ponds were veryproductiveandwewereable toaddGadwall and thegloballyendangeredMarbledTeal toourwildfowl list. SeveralBlack-crownedNightHerons (whichwehadonlyseen in flight in themorning)posedsuperblyandasoaringGreaterSpottedEaglewasmuchappreciated.AsemidrainedfishpondsheldagoodselectionofwadersbutmostexcitingwasaWaterRail(anoftenskulkingspecies)feedingoutintheopenallowingprolongedviews.AmongstthewaderswereourfirstLittleRingedPloversandseveralCommonSnipewhichagainshowedwellforwhatisnormallyashyandskulkingspecies.HavingalreadyseenanumberofPiedKingfishersitwasnicetocompletethehattrickaswefoundbothWhite-throatedandCommonKingfishers.WewereluckytoseetheCommonKingfisherasitisanotherwintervisitortoIsraelandbythistimeofyearmosthadalreadymigratednorth.WealsoenjoyedmoreviewsofPygmyCormorant
ThenextmorningwemadeourwaytoMtHermonafterashortspellofpre-breakfastbirding.ThemorningwalkintheKibbutzgroundsaddedour firstSyrianWoodpeckerandEurasianBlackbirdplusa flyoverPeregrineFalcon.Wealsoenjoyedgreat viewsofRed-rumpedSwallows as they landed to collectmud fornesting. The journeyover theGolanHeightswasbrokenupwithimpromptustopsforperchedLong-leggedBuzzardandShort-toedSnake-EagleandbestofallourfirstGreatSpottedCuckoo,whichperchedbrieflyonoverheadwires.
WhenwearrivedatMtHermonwefoundEurasianJaytobecommon,withanumberofflocksseen.WealsohadgoodviewsofHawfinchandRockBunting andaftermuchsearching foundavocalWesternRockNuthatch.A lovelymaleRuppell’sWarblershowedwellandwealsoenjoyedthespectacularearlyspringfloweringofvarioustreesandflowersthat carpeted this impressive mountain. Another Black Redstart was seen – this time a nice male of the attractiveeastern race. As we returned toward the Hula valley and began to drop down from the Golan Heights a Black-ShoulderedKitewaslocatedonroadsidewiresandshowedwell.ThisspecieswaspreviouslyararevagranttoIsraelbuthasnowestablishedasmallbreedingpopulationinthenorthofthecountryandwasanewbirdfortheleader.
IntheafternoonwevisitedtheAgmonLake intheHulaValleywhichprovidedoneofthegreatspectaclesofthetrip.ThisareaishometooneofthegreatestconcentrationsofwinteringandstagingCommonCranesintheworldandweweretowitnessthousandsofbirdsastheynoisily foragedandmovedbetweendifferentfeedingsites.Wealsohadaflock ofGreatWhite Pelicans soaring high overhead andwatched the arrival of hundreds ofmigratingWhite Storkswhichpromptlywhiffleddown to join the concentrationofCommonCranes. TheseWhiteStorks hadprobablybeenmigratingoverthedesertsofJordanalldayandtheoasisoftheHulavalleyanditsvastconcentrationsofwaterbirdsmust have seemed like an excellent site to pause during the long migration. We also heard Black Francolin callingdistantlybutwerenotabletolocateany.SeveralGreaterSpottedandImperialEagleswereseeninflightandweevenmanagedtoscopefourGreaterSpottedandasingleImperialEagleastheytussledoverthecarcassofadeadcrane.ThereedbedsproducedanicemaleSiberianStonechatofthehemprichii race.WeaddedanothermammalintheformofseveralCoypuanon-nativespeciesfromSouthAmericawhich iscommoninthewaterwaysof Israel.WefinishedthenightatKfarBlumwereashortwalkafterdinnerproducedgoodviewsofaTawnyOwl,ascarceandlocalizedspeciesinIsrael.
Thefollowingmorningafteranotherbriefpre-breakfaststroll,whichaddedlittlenewasidefromourfirstHenHarrier,wequicklyheadedsouth.OnceagainafewimpromptustopsweremadewhichaddedouronlyTuftedDucksofthetrip.We then visited a site called Susita where they rocky, grassy hillsides proved very productive allowing us to adddisplayingLong-billedPipits,someobligingChukarsandourfirstBlackstarts.WealsohadabriefCinereousBuntingandouronlyCretzschmar’sBunting,whileanobligingWoodlarkandasingingGreaterWhitethroatwerenice.
After thiswe continued south stopping rather briefly in the Beit Shean valley fishpondswerewe enjoyedwonderfulcloseupviewsofsomeGreatWhitePelicansandfoundouronlyDeadSeaSparrowofthetrip.Otherhighlightsincludeda singleNorthern Lapwing, our firstWater Pipits and a single Caspian Gull mixed in with a late flock of sub adultArmenianGulls.Wealsoenjoyedgoodnumbersofwaders,heron’s,storksandourfirstOsprey.OnthemammalfrontacoupleofGoldenJackals foragingondiscardedfish inthefishpondswereonlysightingofthetrip.TheafternoonwastakenupwiththefairlylongdrivesouthtothedeadseabutafewbirdingstopsproducedouronlyDesertFinches,somegoodviewsofPallidSwiftwheelingalongthecliffshighabovethedeadseaandacoupleofdistantEgyptianVultures.WearrivedatEinGediKibbutzatduskbutafterdinnerwemadealongishdrivesouthtoNeotHakikarwhereaftersomesearchingwehadbriefviewsofaNubianNightjarinthefield’sandalsospotlightedourfirstCommonHare.
Thenextdaywestartedwithbirding in thegroundsofEinGediKibbutz– thiswasveryproductiveandwehadgoodviews of Green Bee-eater, Fan-tailed Raven, Peregrine Falcon (of the distinctive F.P pelegrinoides desert race ofPeregrineFalconwhich issometimesconsideredaseparatespeciesBarbaryFalcon.)andRockMartin.Wealso foundour firstmigrant Eastern Bonelli’sWarblers and Eurasian Blackcaps alongwith hordes ofTristram’s Starlings whichwerejustabouteverywhere.WethenvisitedanearbywadiandaswedroveintotheparkingareawewereamazedtoseesinglesofFan-tailed,Brown-neckedandCommonRavensallfeedingtogether.Itwasauniqueexperiencetogetallthe possible Raven’s in the Western Palearctic feeding in one place and great for comparison of key identificationfeatures.Awalk inthewadiproducedour firstbriefSandPartridgeandanobligingDesertLarkalongwithamigrantNorthernWheatear.AfterthiswebeganthedrivesouthtoEilatbutashortstopatsomepondsjustsouthofthedeadseaswasveryproductiveasweaddedGarganey,EurasianWigeon,NorthernPintailandbestofallFerruginousDucktoour wildfowl list. Once near Eilat we first visited Yotvata fields where we added a fly overBooted Eagle, a nice flythroughmalePallidHarrierandtwoverybriefflythroughNamaquaDoves.WealsofoundasmallflockofthreehuntingLesserKestrelswhileLarkswererepresentedbyplentifulGreaterShort-toedLarksandasingleBimaculatedLark.Thedry field’s also hosted several Isabelline Wheatears andWestern Yellow Wagtails and a small flock of TrumpeterFinches.
OnthemammalfrontwesawseveralNubianIbexonthedriveandenjoyedgoodviewsofourfirstDorcasGazellesnearKM20.WespentthelatterpartofthedayatKM20whereweaddedCommonShelduckandmostimportantlyasingleLesser Flamingo amongst the hordes ofGreater Flamingos. This species is a rare vagrant to Israel and theWesternPalearctic,with few previous records andwas another tick for the guide.Waders includedGreater Sand-Plover andKentishPloverandweenjoyedmoreCommonCranesasaflockofhundredscamespiralingdownfromhighelevationandbrieflyrestedonthebanksofthesaltpans.SomebirdinginthescrubproducedWoodchatShrikeandBlack-earedWheatear.WejustmanagedtosqueezeinaduskfinishattheNorthbeachontheGulfofAqabawherewefoundourfirstWhite-eyedGulls.
DuringthedaywevisitedAmramPillarswherewesawourfirstHoodedWheatearandWadiShlomo,wherewesawourfirstWhite-crownedWheatear.Wealsomadea repeat visit to theGulfofAqabawhereweenjoyedbetter viewsofWhite-eyedGull.AstopatOphiraParkproducedgoodviewsofaEurasianWryneckandanicemaleCyprusWarbler.We saw our first(of manyHouse Crows, an abundant species in Eilat, and obtained good views of severalWesternYellowWagtailsofvarioussubspecies.
We thenmovedon to theUvdaplainareawherewe foundour firstScrubWarblersbutaphonecall sentusup theAravavalleywherewewereabletoenjoygreatviewsofaAsianDesertWarblerandaBar-tailedLark.WereturnedtoUvda with a lunch time stop adding Common Redstart and then in the evening our first Mourning and DesertWheatearsandapairofveryniceCream-colouredCoursers.
The19thwasonceagainspentinthevicinityofEilat.TwoEgyptianGeese(ofpresumablyferalorigin)wereattheBirdPark where we also had good views of Common Quail and Tawny Pipit. A couple of winter plumagedRed-neckedPhalaropesdelightedastheyspunonthepoolsjustinlandfromthenorthbeachandweobtainedmuchbetterviewsofa pair ofNamaqua Doves at KM 19.We also enjoyed a perched sub-adultBonelli’s Eagle at the cow sheds, clearlyvisiting the area to hunt the large concentration of Feral Pigeons that were present. In the evening a dusk sojournwaiting forLichtenstein’s Sandgrousewasunproductivebutwedidenjoygreat viewsof twobarking GreatBitternswhichcircledupandheadednorthonmigration.
Themorningofthe21stinvolvedanearlymorningvisittoNizzanawherewesoonlocatedseveralMacqueen’sBustards.WealsovisitedanearbydrinkingspotwherewehadexcellentviewsofCrownedSandgrouse.AvisittoasetofsewageworksaddedlotsofLittleGrebesandsomeniceWhiteStorkmigrationoverhead,whileaSouthernGreyShrikewasonoverheadwires.ScanningthedesertwehadgoodviewsofmoreCream-colouredCoursersandDorcasGazelles.IntheafternoonwevisitedthedryfieldsofSdeBokerandwereabletolocatesomemuchmoreobligingSpottedSandgrouseand a small group ofBlack-bellied Sandgrouse along with a sprinkling ofmigrants such asNorthernWheatear andWoodchatShrike.
