This morning I went with Jonathan to bird in the Eilat area. Our first mission was to see the Grey Hypocolius found by Barak Granit a few days ago near the IBRCE. We searched for it for a long time but at first with no success. We worked the nearby date plantation, in which we had an Olive-backed Pipit. I heard a very interesting Phylloscopus calling several times. It first sounded to me like an odd humei call, but after consulting with my iPod I found it closely matching proregulus! The bird was very mobile and stayed high in the canopies. I kept losing it, even with the help of Itai and Jonathan. I had a glimpse of it flying from treetop to treetop - it was tiny but I could get no plumage details. Eventually we gave up on it, but if a pallas's gets found tomorrow then it's mine!
We returned to the IBRCE, and soon after we had a few brief encounters with this beautiful bird. Unfortunately it was very shy and jumpy, and kept disappearing in the thick vegetation of the IBRCE. lucky I managed a couple of shots. I was very happy to see it - haven't seen one for many years.
Grey Hypocolius - male
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMZkgTv9r6__Utrb5kCUqL3cZxMyZIPQrbEMLK2hcG4r2kpLPBIePjS1MKPnWuCJHiUz79WFAdcqraYxOpO4ddpJNwtG1T8ge-mMmupBbQXcctwEeqAHyqJsaKvh1wHXE5LAA2LyqS7jR/s400/hypocolius2.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyAQVdSiB8riKhYXknZr09VX2r7cUwGHXffwQbPkRS-9plx2rGRHAnKv_l4dk9ilvDeXR6_3jGkqCk0B9q7Lzvs3x-Hnk2NiMPYfMGXxYkr6J2-vUqh90XcvRRKup6FXntN_tKZTNg8Hw/s400/hypocolius1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6L1srTbNGLwxZwQNn8ZK5kb6TDktSxmbHP5F_6QpXljw3DGchPaMMAERYMLD24NRy5VmN6AvwZakY-lZv_BG4g5zoiUA6EgpaWtK8ibOI86LBXbI1ql_vcBltLN9BwZcOAFWVOzf6aAFW/s400/silverbill.jpg)
Hoopoe Lark
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnki31oigHZy2KTeIGpsA9kJ6xlCOIjupYYBNYn2Fe8DkgXSrE7CI6WEeDoWB4uBBLikjM5DuwMK5Wt21_jw1ULCTMu8gjN3YJNc3lBj_F5IX8VOcEeySJ222ErEJ0ElAlASwX5Uw2Opo/s400/hoopoe2.jpg)
White-fronted Goose
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG8iCrEpdFclqn6Jf9QW_F1DObkZtqUEW2b_0dcfWQtVVfqXY30gIcfr8pwJpJ9rKtAmuqZ3GKQfd_HxuAu22OivVR0yA5pKHnA92ZPCMf_u8JyUtdBX_USrGwCqiXPVyxMnToG8X7C_j/s400/goose2.jpg)
This seems to be a good season for white-fronts in Israel, with small groups recorded in several sites all over the country.
Yoav - do'nt forget to credit Barak Granit as the sole finder and identifier of the Grey Hypocolius, he was most insistent on the 'Eilat Birding' blog!
ReplyDeleteLaurie -
I have
ReplyDeleteHi Yoav
ReplyDeleteThe 2 young White-fronts look more Pacific like or albicans than albifrons to me
Martin