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Ringing in May- Agmon ha'Hula Every week in the Spring migration has a different taste. In my opinion, the first couple of weeks in May are the icing on the cake, or, in birdwatchers language- the spotting on the Crake. There is no escape from the very sad fact that May is the last month of migration, a prologue to a long and painful summer (Have you ever tried ringing the last Reed Warblers of the day using a head torch, and only then realizing how attractive white light is to the local Mosquito? sometimes I think about my self as a combination between a lighthouse, a blood-bank and a fast food diner…). Still, despite the decrease in the number of most birds, some sought after species are easily observed in May, offering better views than anywhere else in Israel; Flocks of Rose coloured Starlings are an annual sight, Marbled Teal numbers usually increase greatly towards the end of April… Ringing wise, colourful birds such as Golden Orioles, Bee-eaters and Turtle Doves are abundant and occasionally caught. Even better, May offers a nice variety of 'sylvia' warblers; Blackcap is very common, with small numbers of Garden Warbles, Lesser and Grater Whitethroats, and this year, even a single Barred Warbler- probably the first to be ringed in the Hula in the last few years. Apart from the usual constant effort ringing scheme, special effort is made to catch migrating Swallows. Large flocks (which contain mainly Sand Martins who replaces April Barn Swallows), roost in the reed beds along the shore of the lake and mist nets are being erected in the evenings in order to trap as many birds within the last minutes of light. Success in not promised, as we are in a fierce competition with a couple of Hobby's, which always seem to chase the birds away just when they start to settle down in the area of the nets. Well, I guess Hobby chicks need the Swallows much more than we do. But can't they at least leave us the birds which carry the foreign rings?! In a week or two we will sadly say goodbye to the last Blackcaps and Sand Martins. The cycle of life will continue as cute, fluffy Reed Warbler fledglings will be the most common bird in our nets. Shhh… can you hear the wing beats of migrating White Storks? Autumn migration is around the corner, and all we have to do is to be patient and hope that the air condition hasn't broke since last summer.
Amit Geffen On behalf of Francis Argyle, Gev Galili and Jonathan Halevy
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