Eilat, Israel - great first day!

The opening day of Birdfinders first week in Eilat got off to a terrific start today (March 12th). The day was hot from start to finish, accompanied by a strong southern wind at times. Although migrants were in very short supply, we did well on quality with highlights including a close White-tailed Lapwing at Km20 where we also found two male Citrine Wagtails and a nest-building Dead Sea Sparrow, Desert Finches in Eilot's fields, Armenian, Steppe, Siberian and Baltic Gulls together on the southern Salt Pans, White-eyed Gulls, Pied Kingfishers and a staggeringly close Striated Heron at Eilat's north beach and four Egyptian Geese at Km19. The most obvious migrants were Sand Martins, Barn and Red-rumped Swallows, Black-headed Yellow Wagtails, Lesser Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, and there was a lone Masked Shrike in Central Park behind our hotel.

Raptors were few as might be expected in Eilat in strong southern winds, but we had great views of Spotted and Steppe Eagles today, plus multiple Steppe Buzzards and Marsh Harriers. 

Here a few pics from the day with everything to play for in the forthcoming days;

 White-tailed Lapwing - Eilat, Km20, Eilot region, Israel. March 12th, 2013. 

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

Striated Heron - Eilat north beach, Eilot region, Israel. March 12th, 2013. 

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

 Desert Finches- Eilot fields, Eilot region, Israel. March 12th, 2013. 

Egyptian Geese - Km19, Eilot region, Israel. March 12th, 2013. 

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

Steppe Eagle - Km19, Eilot region, Israel. March 12th, 2013. 

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

Greater Short-toed Lark - Yotvata south fields, Eilot region, Israel. March 12th, 2013. 

A slowish day for migrants this being the only migrant lark of the day.

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

MA - random notes from Gill - 03/10

My last post before departing to Israel for two spring migration tours. The last few days in Gill have been distinctly balmy and spring-like. On the 8th, I noted a Pied-billed Grebe at Turner's Falls, the first I've seen there since the Christmas bird count in late December. Remarkably, this bird looked and behaved much like the same lingering individual present at that time. It's hard to imagine it spent the winter in our area but that's certainly what the bird's presence suggests. 

Other notes included at least three Kumlien's (Iceland) Gulls in a swirl of gulls flushed by a Bald Eagle at Barton Cove on the 8th. There was also Cackling Goose at the end of a stream of 200 Canada Geese over our house on Main Road in late afternoon on the 9th. At least 700 Canada Geese moved NE over our house that evening. 

 Pied-billed Grebe - Turner's Falls power canal, Franklin Co., MA. March 8th, 2013. 

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

 Hooded Merganser - male, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 8th, 2013. 

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

Ring-necked Duck - male, Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 8th, 2013. 

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

MA - another Barred Owl - 03/03

I'm not getting tired of these yet! Another day-time sighting of Barred Owl, this time on my way home from watching the gulls at Barton Cove. This Barred Owl was hunting in the meadow about a quarter mile NE of Gill Fire Station on Main Road. I don't think I've seen a Barred Owl foraging quite so openly as this bird and its behavior reminded me more of a Great Gray Owl than a Barred.



Barred Owl - from Main Road, Gill, Franklin Co., MA. March 3rd, 2013.

Panasonic Lumix FZ7.

MA - Five Kumlien's Gulls - 03/03

There was a nice compact gathering of gulls on the ice at Barton Cove on Sunday afternoon. Total numbers remain small with less than 400 birds present, but the quality is still evident. I was impressed by the number of Kumlien's Gulls within this relatively small flock and wondered if some of these birds could be filtering through on spring migration? All of them were first-cycle birds, and all of them relatively pale. Despite much effort, the only other unusual gull I could find was one of the continuing adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 

Featured below are images of all five Kumlien's Gulls taken at Barton Cove, Gill, Franklin Co., MA on March 3rd, 2013;

 Bird #1

Bird #2

Bird #3

Bird #4

Bird #5

Lesser Black-backed Gull - continuing adult.

MA - First Red-wing - 02/28

 

 

 

Red-winged Blackbird - Gill yard, Franklin Co., MA. February 28th, 2013. Panasonic Lumix FZ7 (taken through living room window). First of the year and a true harbinger of spring. This bird has already started singing and is periodically coming to the feeders.

CA - Red-necked Grebe - 01/18/13

 

 

Red-necked Grebe - Off Broadway Pier, San Diego Harbor, CA. January 18th, 2013. Panasonix Lumix FZ7. A nice surprise as we boarded a whale watching boat for the morning, this bird was just swimming and preening off the stern. Not only a tour first, but interest gathered momentum as we realized that the species doesn't appear in the main bar graph appendix of "A Birders Guide to Southern California" by Brad Schram. We subsequently found it referenced in the "Birds Seldom Seen But Possible" section.

 



NM - Williamson's Sapsucker - 02/01

Williamson's Sapsucker - male, Doc Long picnic area, Sandia Mountains, Bernalillo Co., NM. Panasonix Lumix FZ7. What a treat for our group - stunning and approchable. We've seen Williamson's Sapsuckers in New Mexico before but not quite like this!



NM - Arizona Woodpeckers - 02/05

 

Arizona Woodpecker - Clanton Canyon, Peloncillo Mountains, Hidalgo Co., NM. February 5th, 2013. Panasonic Lumix FZ7. Much to our surprise, we had no trouble in finding Arizona Woodpeckers in New Mexico! As soon as we reached the first belt of Chihuahuan Pines, Arizona Woodpeckers appeared within only a few minutes of searching. This particular bird was photographed at Turkey Seep where a pair was present with the male actively drumming.



NM - Harris's Sparrow - 02/02

This long staying Harris's Sparrow was discovered at the feeders of Bosque Del Apache Visitor Center some weeks before our Birdfinders tour group arrived in New Mexico. It certainly seemed to have become more aloof in the days preceding our visit but sharp-eyed tour particpants Barry Batchelor and John Rowe found it consorting with large numbers of White-crowned Sparrows in the main Visitor Center parking lot during an afternoon visit. Ironically, the bird showed brilliantly well for many at the Visitor Center feeders the very next morning after these images were taken! Somehow I preferred seeing the bird out in the Visitor Center parking lot - it was just a better, wilder experience.



Harris's Sparrow - Bosque Del Apache NWR, Socorro Co., NM. February 2nd, 2013. Digi-scoped using Panasonic Lumix FZ7 and Swarovski HD scope. On reflection, I realized that this was the first Harris's Sparrow that I'd ever seen on a Birdfinders tour despite averaging about twelve weeks of North American tours per year - a rare sparrow indeed.



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MA - Barred Owl - 02/25

This Barred Owl was a nice find for Matan and I as we drove home from school. We spotted it sitting openly in maples in Gill Town Center not too far from the Gill Tavern.

 

 



Barred Owl - Gill Town Center, Franklin Co., MA. February 25th, 2013.

Panasonic Lumix FZ7