After our stay in Cyprus, we flew directly to Tel Aviv, met up with Michael Holdsworth (who has also ringed with us in Portugal and Georgia in the past) and travelled to Yeruham in the Negev desert. For the next fortnight we will be ringing with Darren and Yoram, with additional help from Eyol, Ronnie and Francis.
Day 1 11/04/2016
Revivim Wadi and lake side.
After a 4.15am alarm we met with Darren, Francis and Yorum at a site by Yeruham Lake to set up the nets. It was quite hard as we had never seen the site in daylight and half the nets were partially or completely in the water - but everything was up by 6am as the daylight dawned.
There had been a thunderstorm the evening before and the number of birds around seemed to have dropped. The locals had not been sure how the storm might affect the birds and apparently there had been a clear out.
Totals: 60 (15)
Nightingale - 1
Cetti's Warbler - 0 (3)
Sedge Warbler - 6
Reed Warbler - 9 (8)
Great Reed Warbler - 2
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 3 (1)
Eastern Orphean Warbler - 0 (1)
Lesser Whitethroat - 9
Blackcap - 29 (1)
Pied Flycatcher - 1
Spectacled Bulbul - 0 (1)
In addition we saw Night, Squacco and Purple Heron, single Little and Spotted Crakes, single Gull-billed Tern, two Wryneck, Syrian Woodpecker, Graceful Prinia, Palestine Sunbird and Tristram's Grackle.
In the afternoon we met with Darren to try a catch at Yeruham Garden, a site that is in the process of development. There is irrigation and Darren has been adding new plants and trying to get them established.
We did have though a couple of Pale Crag Martins flying round and a Masked Shrike, plus a few non-native Common Myna.
Day 2 12/04/2016
The next day we were back at the lake, just a short distance along the shore. We had seven nets outside the perimeter of tamarisk with several more closer to the lake, with some partially or completely over water.
There were lots of crakes around the lake margins although none were caught. Highlights were three Collared Flycatcher, four Common Sandpiper, Masked Shrike and Hoopoe with an extremely early Upcher's Warbler.
Scops Owl -1
Common Sandpiper - 4
Masked Shrike - 1
Kingfisher - 1
Hoopoe - 1
Day 1 11/04/2016
Revivim Wadi and lake side.
After a 4.15am alarm we met with Darren, Francis and Yorum at a site by Yeruham Lake to set up the nets. It was quite hard as we had never seen the site in daylight and half the nets were partially or completely in the water - but everything was up by 6am as the daylight dawned.
There had been a thunderstorm the evening before and the number of birds around seemed to have dropped. The locals had not been sure how the storm might affect the birds and apparently there had been a clear out.
Orphean Warbler
Pied Flycatcher 5M
Totals: 60 (15)
Nightingale - 1
Cetti's Warbler - 0 (3)
Sedge Warbler - 6
Reed Warbler - 9 (8)
Great Reed Warbler - 2
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 3 (1)
Eastern Orphean Warbler - 0 (1)
Lesser Whitethroat - 9
Blackcap - 29 (1)
Pied Flycatcher - 1
Spectacled Bulbul - 0 (1)
In addition we saw Night, Squacco and Purple Heron, single Little and Spotted Crakes, single Gull-billed Tern, two Wryneck, Syrian Woodpecker, Graceful Prinia, Palestine Sunbird and Tristram's Grackle.
In the afternoon we met with Darren to try a catch at Yeruham Garden, a site that is in the process of development. There is irrigation and Darren has been adding new plants and trying to get them established.
Yeruham Community Garden
As unpromising as the area looked, we captured 30 birds, mostly Greenfinch and House Sparrow, but with no Desert Finch, a species that have been caught here in the past.
Totals: 30
Nightingale - 1
Lesser Whitethroat - 2
Blackcap - 3
House Sparrow - 12
Greenfinch - 12
We did have though a couple of Pale Crag Martins flying round and a Masked Shrike, plus a few non-native Common Myna.
Day 2 12/04/2016
The next day we were back at the lake, just a short distance along the shore. We had seven nets outside the perimeter of tamarisk with several more closer to the lake, with some partially or completely over water.
Nets sited by the lake.
There were lots of crakes around the lake margins although none were caught. Highlights were three Collared Flycatcher, four Common Sandpiper, Masked Shrike and Hoopoe with an extremely early Upcher's Warbler.
Masked Shrike 5M
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler aged 4
Wood Warbler aged 4
Orpean Warbler 5F
Suspended moult of 5F Orphean Warbler
Ortolan Bunting 6M
Collared Flycatcher 5M
Common Sandpiper aged 5
Upcher's Warbler aged 4
Totals: 109 (5)
Scops Owl -1
Common Sandpiper - 4
Masked Shrike - 1
Kingfisher - 1
Hoopoe - 1
Nightingale -1
Sedge Warbler -2
Reed Warbler -7 (2)
Great Reed Warbler -2
Upcher's Warbler - 1
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 0 (2)
Wood Warbler - 3
Willow Warbler - 1
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler - 1
Eastern Orphean Warbler - 1
Lesser Whitethroat -13
Blackcap - 74 (1)
Collared Flycatcher - 3
Ortolan Bunting - 2
After a bit of lunch we headed out to a nearby kibbutz with some fields. By this time it was raining and the sand had become wet and claggy. We decided not to risk a walk due to threatening clouds so drove around looking for birds. At Mildreshet Ben Gurtion we had a flock of c15 Bee-eaters and around Sde Boker there was little to see other than sparrows, Spectacled Bulbul and Crested Lark. Our best birds were Montagu's Harrier, Hobby, Southern Grey Shrike (aucheri) and two Desert Finches plus a rather sandy coloured Red Fox.
Day 3 13/04/2016
Heavy rain at 4am seemed much more persistent than the showers that were forecast. After a quick call to Darren we all got a few more hours sleep. The rain continued until early afternoon. We took the opportunity, once the rain finished, to get out into the desert and do some birding in the cooler tempertures. Birds seen at Great Makhtesh included Little Green Bee-eater, Desert Lark, Blackstart, Eastern Mourning Wheatear, Scrub Prinia and Brown-necked Raven.
Day 4 14/04/2016
A great day at the Upper Matash site with 213 birds in total. Most were Blackcap (163), with a good range of other species including Nightjar, Hoopoe, Masked Shrike and Graceful Prinia.
Nightingale -4
Graceful Prinia - 2 (2)
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 17 (1)
Lesser Whitethroat - 6
Blackcap - 163
Collared Flycatcher - 9
Pied Flycatcher - 1
Spanish Sparrow - 1
Greenfinch - 2
Masked Shrike -2
We also saw Cuckoo and Wood Warbler, plus another two Masked Shrike.
In the afternoon we set out for Mitzpe Ramon to see Makhtesh Ramon. The landscape was stunning - and we added White-crowned Wheatear and Sooty Falcon to the trip list.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makhtesh
Sedge Warbler -2
Reed Warbler -7 (2)
Great Reed Warbler -2
Upcher's Warbler - 1
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 0 (2)
Wood Warbler - 3
Willow Warbler - 1
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler - 1
Eastern Orphean Warbler - 1
Lesser Whitethroat -13
Blackcap - 74 (1)
Collared Flycatcher - 3
Ortolan Bunting - 2
Yeruham Lake
We had a fly over Black Stork and Short-toed Eagle, two Spotted plus a single Little Crake,Water Rail, two Common Terns and a Wryneck.
After a bit of lunch we headed out to a nearby kibbutz with some fields. By this time it was raining and the sand had become wet and claggy. We decided not to risk a walk due to threatening clouds so drove around looking for birds. At Mildreshet Ben Gurtion we had a flock of c15 Bee-eaters and around Sde Boker there was little to see other than sparrows, Spectacled Bulbul and Crested Lark. Our best birds were Montagu's Harrier, Hobby, Southern Grey Shrike (aucheri) and two Desert Finches plus a rather sandy coloured Red Fox.
Southern Grey Shrike aucheri
Camels on the skyline
Day 3 13/04/2016
Heavy rain at 4am seemed much more persistent than the showers that were forecast. After a quick call to Darren we all got a few more hours sleep. The rain continued until early afternoon. We took the opportunity, once the rain finished, to get out into the desert and do some birding in the cooler tempertures. Birds seen at Great Makhtesh included Little Green Bee-eater, Desert Lark, Blackstart, Eastern Mourning Wheatear, Scrub Prinia and Brown-necked Raven.
Eastern Mourning Wheatear giving a quick flash of white primary bases.
Laughing Dove
Little Green Bee-eaters
Desert Lark
Blackstart
We also saw a Red Fox as we headed back to the apartment.
Red Fox
We expected that the lake level would be higher so went to see what the situation was. All the dry rides were now wet and the level had risen to the point that water was now flowing over the dam. With four streams flowing into the lake we don't expect the sites to become useable until after we leave.
Water flowing over Yeruham Dam with onlookers
The previous day we have walked up this track, made our base
round to the left and been some 25 metres from the lake.
round to the left and been some 25 metres from the lake.
Site of two 12 metre nets that had been dry.
Whilst checking the site out we manged to flush a Brown Hare.Day 4 14/04/2016
A great day at the Upper Matash site with 213 birds in total. Most were Blackcap (163), with a good range of other species including Nightjar, Hoopoe, Masked Shrike and Graceful Prinia.
6F Nightjar
Male Hoopoe
Graceful Prinia 5F
Fat Sand Rat
We saw our first Fat Sand Rats. The animals were busily attending to their burrows after the flash flooding - but mostly feeding. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_rat
Totals: 210 (3)
Nightjar - 1
Hoopoe - 1Nightingale -4
Graceful Prinia - 2 (2)
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 17 (1)
Lesser Whitethroat - 6
Blackcap - 163
Collared Flycatcher - 9
Pied Flycatcher - 1
Spanish Sparrow - 1
Greenfinch - 2
Masked Shrike -2
We also saw Cuckoo and Wood Warbler, plus another two Masked Shrike.
In the afternoon we set out for Mitzpe Ramon to see Makhtesh Ramon. The landscape was stunning - and we added White-crowned Wheatear and Sooty Falcon to the trip list.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makhtesh
Wadi Havarim