 |
|
|
Home /
Bird Festival /
News /
Hula Valley
/
Birds Checklist
/
Birding Sites /
About Us /
Contact Us |
|
|
The first ever Western Reef Heron to the Hula
and to the North of Israel!
10.6.06 It is already the beginning of June and the Hula Valley is very hot now. The few birds that have stayed behind or those who stayed for the summer to breed are enjoying from huge amount of available food (insects are in the air, flowers are still blooming and there are much seeds all over. In this time of the year there are not too many unusual sightings but still here is a summery of the latest: Breeding Great Reed Warbler – this species is well known from the area. It is a regular migrant in the Hula during migration but very few records of it as a breeding bird in Israel. Last Sunday (June 4th), our Ringing team caught a bird with a brood patch that seemed very fresh. The fact that we were hearing birds singing in the last few weeks joins perfectly and now we can easily say that once again that Great Reed Warbler are breeding around the Hula Lake. Coloured Pratincoles – so far' we've counted at least 40 individuals feeding in the fields. Many are being seen sitting on the ground in the same 2 fields, but in order not to disturb the breeding we haven't got any closer yet to count breeding pairs. 'feldegg' Yellow Wagtails – at least 3 pairs were found so far' but probably there are more far from our reach/ Marbled Teals – at least 35 individuals are being seen regularly around the Lake. Some of these seems to be very pale (big ducklings?!) Black Tern – one very strange record during the last weekend; a Juv' bird was seen flying on the northern parts of the Lake. The bird had no signs of moulting feathers (all were juv' feathers) and yet the closest breeding population is in Turkey! Eurasian Nightjar – a female type was found today as a road kill on the way to the Hula Nature Reserve. This species is known to pass through Israel till June, but there are very few records of it at this time. We'll keep our eyes and ears open to try and find a nest. Eleonora's Falcon – one dark morph individual was seen by 3 visiting birders (Nir Sapir et al.) at the entrance to the Hula Nature Reserve.
Apart from these records, Long-eared, Tawny , Barn and Scops Owls are all calling every night. Young birds are being seen on many of the nights throughout the Hula Valley. And last (but surely not least) a White Stork with what seems to be an African arrow/ spear at the back of its body. The bird was seen during the last weekend (June 2nd) but never since. Here is what Yoav Perelman (head of our Ringing Scheme) has to say: "While doing our annual Barn Owl breeding survey, I came upon a White Stork with an arrow. Apparently shot by an African hunter, piercing its body. I managed to get a few quick images of the bird before it took off north and disappeared. It seemed to be bothered by the arrow, and didn't fly very well, so it must have joined the couple of hundred other storks that remained in the valley. I couldn't relocate the bird later that day and in the following days." Keep checking us for more updates, Itai
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
