This morning I spent some time with Amir in the Nizzana - Ezuz area. Our main mission was to photograph dancing MacQueen's Bustard. Of course we failed - we found three dancing males but they were all very distant and were impossible to reach - many of the tracks were washed away by the huge floods a couple of weeks ago. We had another bird not too far away, but still too distant for any reasonable photography. I apologize for the amateur level of photography I will demonstarte in this post - it was one of those days that nothing works.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hVDMf-9vwgH_Mt4j1Dg0o_9-EEWXPGGym20dSYylR5cm1MQY7ExrMNE4_wDaSKXSrqcX_8NkU9B0vXALZBImblJ946uFbMzUhzeEMI1fmoZm-WrdLBP64yPODx_LlA1UZ3YN5arolJm1/s400/macqueeni.jpg)
The whole area was in beautiful desert bloom, and the smaller passerines were having a ball. Many of the breeding species seem to be in full activity already. Spectacled Warblers were present in good densities. This female-type was rather close:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zo8AxmCbXPJqUi7_B933pqdvM1YIxSBWH6kmWq9psEYlbFn4-TuQkWgzVo70rOArmrmaiggCSty-bHzUclSx33_5xwoLFwTJxG-OVDD4_QW5iLIKleKQM8RyzxSeDL53vl4qpUkJ7fFj/s400/spectacled2.jpg)
Sardinian Warblers were present also in good numbers. This is a
momus-type:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzc-Urmuv79hYT9oPmRG6gH9hOxqG8JyYuqGpW-IcFs3drJxTN5BpIkqqHPQuyQ7wLX2XU6nQPKsLoHZYMped9hpEwUIqIMH1r1fgxKrIvl38gizFsZ3_V1gF6OD1Fy919C-HNYcoKv-q/s400/sardinian.jpg)
We were pleased to find a group of 150 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse feeding north of Ezuz. This is a good record for Nizzana during this time of the year - they're seriously declining in the Nizzana region and this record is a good indication that perhaps something positive is happening to their population. They are such cracking birds, for sure one of the best birds in Israel. This is the male:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_1e2kp_S8s0iV06WmrfP4y2dbyKJLfqWuKZTICw8Moq8SmIbh-le68mpTrgbae7DqSl3CH3pLAXdDZ1BNVw_JuU0bTHZQjso_Jedy_nUnLPDuQ8tUru4tv2Ozc3T24o4KHd0VZoKmms4/s400/pintailed_m.jpg)
And a female:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKE1VRASrufSoKLbKFuiPJuQ3olxU4Zw3IQh6sEue4Ax5M2C6gxWXrNw3-P6eU5K1ehxk6EYXSVdVVyMxpdWPMJdEVURfx1pTTHqumADQRHR_H3qxIE9ecDIc76gxhdU5kWN4aibd1ZmxM/s400/pintailed_f.jpg)
We had several pairs of Little Owls, of the desert race
lilith:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwCiaJLZBmCa9CbXdy6BY5yvcowhV93a6EERh5W8IMmmAuCCA7rRQhSdzvwnjM8xamrhaNNjJaUESXs3ZZq6MSiVgu36iF51BNcWLILyhmfUL5jGi_EnwdKGEQYIjP4kEuORFBBQjWI7c/s400/littleowl.jpg)
Other good birds in the area were Desert, Finsch's and Isabelline Wheatears, and one Bar-tailed Lark heard singing.
A quick visit to Lahav reserve on the way back produced one Long-billed Pipit, some Finsch's Wheatears and again many Spectacled Warblers. This pretty male would not approach:
Yoav, your blog is steadily becoming the best web-birding resource in Israel. Great stuff, and on a consistent basis. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete