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News from the Swamp
As autumn progresses, more birds arrive in
the Hula. Since our last update the number of Common Cranes in the Valley
has risen to 7,000, and flocks of Pelicans are now moving through, from a
few hundred, up to more than a thousand birds are regularly seen.
Hundreds of Black Kites are also in the area. They are very useful as pest
controllers in the fields, using the irrigation system as their
observation posts for hunting.
Our bird ringing work has produced a good number of birds in the last
week, some 1500 birds were caught. Reed, Great Reed and Clamorous Reed
Warblers together with Barn Swallows in big numbers, and also many
Bluethroats, Shrikes, Wagtails, Savi's and Cetti's Warblers. A few
Moustached Warblers and Kingfishers which were a nice addition to our
weeks' total, and a single Ruff (a reminder that there are plenty of
waders around).
On the rarities side:
One single male Caspian Stonechat (S.(t). variegate) in a cotton field
north of the lake, 4 different Namaqua Doves (3 males and a female) were
seen around the lake and in the nearby fields and at least 2 Black-winged
Pratincoles were still around yesterday.
Hope to get some more records soon,
Itai Shanni on behalf of the Hula Birding Centre.
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