ISR - owl mania

 Long-eared Owls - selection of images featuring three of at least five individuals seen on Kibbutz Gevulot, Western Negev, Israel. November 16th, 2012. 

Pallid Scops Owls - three images featuring two individuals from the recent Birdfinders autumn tour of Southern Israel. Upper two images feature a bird from Lower Nahal Ketura, whilst the image below features a bird found in Upper Nahal Grofit, both sites in Eilot region, Israel. Late November 2012.

Israel - Owls in March

The Birdfinders week in Southern Israel (March 12th-19th) was typically excellent with migration in full flow, and a superb range of 'classic' key species making for a very successful tour. We also had a great week for owls, tallying five species, though in theory we might have seen as many as eight with a bit more luck. A personal favorite was Pallid Scops-owl, a species which I've surveyed twice in the southern Arava Valley in 2002/03 and again in 2003/04 with Susannah Lerman . Traditionally thought of as a rare winter visitor to the Southern Arava, my extreme late date in spring was March 5th (2003) so I became especially intrigued when Itai Shani spotlighted a foraging bird several times in the Yotvata fields between March 4th and 7th. Then, remarkably, the Birdfinders tour came up with two more individuals - one at Yotvata (Km 50) on March 15th, and one in the Hiyyon Plains on March 17th.  Both of these came from sites where I'd found birds on winter territories during the surveys so it would be impossible to determine whether these were on passage or late winter visitors. Either way, the presence of these birds added an exciting and otherwise unexpected element to the tour, especially with respect to the (more likely) possibility of migrant European Scops-owl occurring in the same habitat. I would have put my money on European rather than Pallid Scops on those dates!

 Pallid Scops-owl - Hiyyon Plains, Arava Valley, Israel. March 17th, 2012.

 Barn Owl - Neot Hakikkar, Southern Dead Sea region, Israel. March 14th, 2012. 

 Long-eared Owl - Gevulot, Western Negev, Israel. March 14th, 2012. 

JPS

Israel - a few more rarities - Nov 2011

 Olive-backed Pipit - one of a small flock of four, the flock also including a single Tree Pipit. Eilot Date   Plantation, Eilat. November 24th, 2011. These birds were initially found by Barak Granit on November 19th. Nice to see them in autumn looking so fresh and 'olive'. 

   

Blyth's Pipit - Yotvata southern fields, Eilot Region, November 23rd, 2011 - subject to ratification by the IRDC. This bird was initially discovered by flight call, flight shape and size in direct comparison to several Richard's Pipits in the same field.  Apparently seen again by Rami Mizrahi on November 25th. In addition, we have more images and some video footage which will go towards documenting the record. About the 5th for Israel if accepted.

Pallid Scops Owl - Nahal Ketura, Eilot Region. November 24th, 2011. Rare, low density winter resident and passage migrant mostly in Acacia wadis in the Southern Arava Valley. A true denizen of the desert and often very difficult to find.

 

Little Bunting - Yotvata southern fields, Eilot Region. November 23rd, 2011. We also saw the same bird at the same location on November 26th. Extremely rare migrant, and only my second in Israel, the first being way back in October 1992 at Kefar Ruppin in the Bet Shean Valley. First found by Birdfinders tour participant Richard Patient.

 Steppe Grey Shrike - Yotvata, Eilot Region. November 24th, 2011. Rare migrant from Central Asia. 

 Red-breasted Flycatcher -  Ofira Park, Eilat. November 19th, 2011. Scarce autumn late autumn migrant, rather rare in spring.