At last this boring month is almost over and March is marching in with sexy sylvias and dancing bustards. This was my slowest month post-wise since I've started writing this blog, partially because I was too busy with office duties, and did not have enough time in the field. On Tuesday I am beginning my Nizzana survey season, and I am sure you will have more than enough of my posts with CCC's and sandgrouse.
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, May 2010
Yesterday I had an interesting tour to the Arava. I took a group of Worldbank people to discuss the possible ecological impacts the Red Sea - Dead Sea project might have on the Arava natural ecosystems. Worldbank is doing a study on the feasibility of this project, and I hope that yesterday's tour will add to their understanding of the fragility and importance of the Arava. We were there during the wrong time of day and witnessed quite a heavy sandstrom, but yet during the day I saw several Thick-billed Larks (enough of these! boring birds!), Bar-tailed Larks, Pallid Harrier, Cyprus Warbler, Egyptian Vultures and others.
The new Israel Rarities Online webpage is picking up, with daily updates on rarities. Thousands of visitors have already visited this page, and I hope that during the spring it will become a solid info source for visiting birders. Things are certainly heating up down in the Arava (Dunn's Larks today for instance), so stay posted!