Terrific news broke this morning - Frank Moffat (UK) and Tuvia Khan found a female Firecrest on Mt. Bar'on in the Golan Heights - the same site holds also two Radde's Accentors at the moment. Due to family commitments today (celebrating 10 years with my lovely wife) I couldn't go, otherwise I would not have celebrated 11 years. It was twitched by quite many birders today, and hopefully it stickes around for tomorrow.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1K_q_w7AwXBto0zNwrWq_qffccAwl526Iovq5T-8aJhpNZl2QlX0y9KcXxAEakyuQX9ipV7scANwveiM6id9rU34LrYNtNBaKy7k1ZP9rUZmBKX9WAvi4GfAz-DZ-bzYhyvXkQpiqNheI/s400/Firecreast+female+AE4F3431+Har+Baron+Golan+17.12.11.jpg)
This is the first 'first' for Israel since the American Golden Plover in 2008. I was hoping for a good sibe thrush, but this is not bad anyway. It is one of those species that are common and widespead in Turkey but never make it down here: Dipper, Eurasian Nuthatch, Coal, Blue and Long-tailed tit, and a few others. I know these are trash birds for European birders, but as you can imagine it's (almost) as exciting for us here as a White's Thrush. Almost.
Many thanks to Amir Ben Dov for this great image. Wish me luck for tomorrow.
Well, good luck!
ReplyDeleteWould be a national first here on the Faroes too!
Laila tov!
Silas