Special post - summary of 2019

As 2019 drew to a close, it's a good opportunity to look back at what I've done, from a birding and wildlife perspective, in the past year. It was a bird-filled year, maybe the most intensive birding year I have ever had. I experienced so much, in Israel and worldwide, that a monthly summary will be too lengthy. This year I will try a new format - thematic summary. So here we go.

#checklistadaychallenge

In 2019, eBird completed its total takeover of my life. I decided to participate in eBird's  'Checklist-a-Day' challenge, and upped the game by two levels. Once, rather than the checklist-a-day average required by the challenge rules, I decided to submit checklists each and every day. In 2019, I submitted 671 checklists. However, I birded only 364 days this year: On August 14th I was in the UK. The weather was truly awful, and family commitments prevented me from doing any birding. I could have ticked a few Blue Tits in the garden, but I felt that was pointless. So he'res to a perfect 2020!
My second personal condition was that I need to go birding properly every day. Like at least 30 minutes of meaningful birding, with bins and everything. The challenge rules accept even five casual minutes in the garden - that wasn't enough for me. In this I succeeded - every day I went out birding, it was proper. Birding became a daily routine, and this felt very good. I birded locally, nationally and globally. I birded for work, for recreation, for listing purposes. Can't think of a better lifestyle.

Fieldwork

Lucky me, my job includes a fair amount of fieldwork. This takes me to some of the best habitats in Israel, where I get to see the rarest breeding birds of Israel. In 2019 much of my fieldwork included work in Batha habitat north of Jerusalem, breeding raptors, winter census and stuff like that. I participatd in birdy events such as Champions of the Flyway and IBOC. Many kilometers walked, hundreds of point counts, some mammals, endless fun.

Long-billed Pipit

Calandra Lark

MacQueen's Bustard

Golden Eagle

Rüppell's Warbler

Common Dolphins

Arabian Wolf

International birding

In 2019 I traveled to Cyprus (April), Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (May-June), UK (August) and USA (September). Additionally, I submitted checklists from Moscow Airport and from Istanbul Airport.
My first visit to the island of Cyprus was defined as a family holiday, but I connected with local birds and wildlife too, with the great companionship of Robin Chittenden.

Cyprus Scops Owl (finally recognised as a full species by BirdLife)

Cyprus Wheatear

Eastern Festoon

In May-June I led my first Rockjumper tour, to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. It was a fantastic tour, full of birds, stunning landscapes and fascinating histories. Trip report here. Looking forward to more Rockjumper adventures in 2020!

And a couple more that didn't make the cut - Black Lark

Pallid Harrier

UK visit in August was again defined as a family visit, therefore birding opportunities were limited. So limited in fact that I missed my only day of birding there (see above). Just a few bits and pieces.

Dartford Warbler

Orange Swift, for the sake of good old days in James Lowen's garden

USA visit in September was a speedy work trip, but we timed our visit to Cape May right, to experience my first morning flight on the dyke there. It was awesome. 

So. Many. Birds. Check my new blogpost: https://t.co/TXUSCCPm3A@cmbobirds pic.twitter.com/6lwm8ZmpUS

— Yoav Perlman (@yoavperlman) September 26, 2019

Local birding

To be able to bird every day, much of my birding had to be local. Much of my birding effort was put into my patch - Nahal Ekron, near my house in Mazkeret Batya. It was my first full year there, and it was great to experience the complete annual cycle on patch: Arrival of first migrants, summer visitors, autumn migration, winter visitors. In 2019 I submitted 178 checklists there, recording 164 species, bringing the patch list to 173 species. Unlike autumn 2018, I had no exciting highlights in 2019, at least less than I had expected with all this effort. The Common Rosefinch I found in autumn 2018 remained on site all winter, I had a couple more brief birds in autumn, a Richard's Pipit hung around for a few days, and that's all. I added several new species to the site, including Caspian Stonechat, Bittern and Semicollared Flycatcher.

Common Rosefinch, February

Patch gold#patchtick #patchbirding #hemprichii #digibinned #leftcameraathome pic.twitter.com/Nt95G16VAR

— Yoav Perlman (@yoavperlman) October 11, 2019

I thoroughly enjoyed frequent birding in quality sites within 15 minutes drive of home, including Hulda Reservoir and Tal Shahar. The advantages of living and birding in Israel.

Imperial Eagle at Hulda

Montagu's Harrier at Tal Shahar

Rarities

2019 was not the best year ever in the number of megas that made me jump into the car. However, there was enough quality to keep the adrenaline running. The big stars were two unexpected firsts for Israel, arriving in short procession, of similar geographic origin:

White-throated Bee-eater (Eilat, August)

Broad-billed Roller (Karmiya, September)

The only other Israel tick I had in 2019 was Swinhoe's Storm Petrel, seen during a pelagic off Eilat in early September. Additional megas that stuck around and performed well were the first Barnacle Goose in Agamon Hula:

And the Persian Wheatear at Har Amasa:

Not a mega anymore, I just like this photo of Basalt Wheatear

Year listing

Until about September I wasn't really planning to do a year list. I was very busy birding for the above reasons. and didn't really think about my year list as such. However, come September, I noticed that my year list is accumulating quite well. I decided to give it a good shot, and add species to my year list. I didn't go crazy after each and every species, but did what I can, within reason, to add some species here and there. I ended the year with a respectable list of 370 species in Israel, according to eBird taxonomy and geography. My final species added to the list was Sociable Lapwing, yesterday:

This blog

In 2019 I celebrated 10 years of writing this blog. In a way, I rediscovered blogging, after the four semi-dormant years in UK. In 2019 I posted 84 times on this blog, less than the glory years of 2010-2013. Yet I was happy to interact again with my followers here and on social media, and I hope to keep the blog running for at least a few more years.

View this post on Instagram

Exactly 10 years ago, 1st Oct 2009, I posted the first post on my blog: http://yoavperlman.com/2009/10/my-first-post-birding-tsora.html 965 posts later, more than 1.5m pageviews, it still keeps me going. I hope I have inspired some young naturalists to do more wildlife stuff, care more about conservation and write more. #birds #birding #birdblogger #wildlifeblogger #blogger #wildlife #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #conservation #wildlifeconservation

A post shared by Yoav Perlman (@yoavperlman) on Oct 1, 2019 at 1:45pm PDT

Thanks

As always, I am thankful to my family - my loving wife Adva, and wonderful kids Uri, Noam and Libby. Your support (and tolerance) keeps me going. You guys are amazing. Bamba, my loyal dog, continued to escort me whenever she could - woof!

Basalt Wheatear, Bamba and me

My friends and colleagues are always an integral part of my birding experiences. Thank you boys and girls for all the laughs, drinks, highs and lows - you rock!

Finally, I thank Swarovski Optik for their continuing support. I am proud to represent Swarovski Optik, and look forward to try out some new products soon 😉

If you're reading this, all the way down, so you deserve my deepest thanks for your support too...

I wish all of us a wonderful, bird-filled 2020. May we do better in protecting our wildlife and environment. Peace.

Wheatear-fest

This morning I birded with Meidad in the far south. We started birding the purple patch of Upper Wadi Hayun, which is practically the northern end of Ovda Valley. This section of the valley is lush and green after some rain a few weeks ago.

This productivity attracts caterpillar-eating birds, and indeed wheatear densities were exceptionally high. White-crowned, Mourning and Black-tailed (AKA Blackstart) Wheatears were present in unusually big numbers. Among the rare wheatears, first up was the Kurdish Wheatear found a few days ago, a fine 1cy male. Very nice plumage, but he didn't want to play ball. When we first found him, he flew towards us, as if checking whether we had mealworms on offer. We didn't, so he kept his distance and was usually in a bad angle. Yet, a great bird to watch.

Only a short way up the wadi we had a Basalt Wheatear, one of three currently present in Ovda Valley. Like Mr. Kurdish, he was disappointed that we did not provide any free protein, and punished us with relatively distant views and very skittish behaviour. Unlike some previous Basalt Wheatear fashion-show experiences (see here for example), this guy (he was singing) did not allow me proper photography. 

Note the diagnostic pale tips to primary coverts:

I got some semi-decent flight shots though, demonstrating the white wing flashes (especially prominent on underwing) and full terminal tail band. Quality bird, rubbish photographer.

Not too many birds besides the wheatear bonanza. Asian Desert Warbler, Fieldfare and Merlin worth noting. eBird checklist here.

We then continued to check the central Ovda valley, near the 'black hills' Somewhat quieter, but some Temminck's and Bar-tailed Larks were nice. On the way home checked the lower section of Wadi Hayun, where it meets the Arava valley. It was pretty damn quiet there (eBird checklist here), with another Asian Desert Warbler being one of the few birds seen.

Thanks to Meidad for a great day.

Wheatear Central

This morning Amir, Gidon and I headed down to Uvda Valley in the far south. I know we were a bit late joining the party, but the presence of two headline birds next to each other didn't leave us a choice. We left at 02:30 to get there by first light. We soon located the first star - Red-rumped Wheatear. First views were against the rising sun:

then we re-positioned ourselves, to get the bird in the golden early morning light. What a stunning bird. It was so beautifully tame. Evidently unimpressed by us, coming to hunt for beetles literally between our feet. It is difficult to personify birds, but I felt it was actively playing with us. Looking us straight in the eye, flying directly towards us while keeping eye contact, following us wherever we went. Fantastic experience.

These two are full frame:

Stunning performance by such a rarity - this is only the 5th record for Israel, found by Eilat birder Shachar Shalev and an old Finnish friend Jani Vastamäki. Not an Israeli tick for me - I saw the famous pair that bred in 1988, as a kid, so no photos back then. I was very happy to reconnect with this lovely bird, so beautifully. Amazingly, a few later Shachar found another pair in the Arava valley. We had no time to visit them today - will they stay to breed too?

Amir stayed with the Red-rumped starlet for a bit longer when I left to find the Basalt Wheatear before the light turned too harsh. After first satisfying view of this incredibly rare bird, I understood it was just as tame and 'playful' as the Red-rumped Wheatear. Again, catching caterpillars between my feet, eyeing me constantly, singing at me - what a stunner!

I failed miserably to get a decent jump shot - the normal excuse of my old camera, and probably old photographer too... These are the least rubbish shots I got:

Wow. Just wow. Again, I have positive history with this global rarity - another individual posed nicely for me back in 2012. It was a memorable experience - back then it was a mythic rarity, and I enjoyed watching it with Martin Garner. Now it has become slightly more regular in winter in Israel. But this experience was up a next level. The intimacy, the interaction between us, without 'special' aids - just the bird's will and character - magical experience. It is still unclear what is the taxonomic position of this fascinating taxon. I say - full species!

It was a lovely early morning but soon it heated up and the light became too harsh for proper photography. We birded the valley a bit - it was pretty good with Spotted and Crowned Sandgrouse, lots of larks including 80 Temminck's and some Bar-tails, Tawny Pipits etc. Most striking was the huge amount of wheatears - just everywhere. Seven species - not bad! Check out our eBird checklist.

Crowned Sandgrouse - male

and female

Temminck's Larks

We then headed to Neot Smadar for some refreshments. The fields were pretty quiet, so we spent a few minutes admiring Blue Pansies (Junonia Orithya here Lang - funny name). Lovely little butterflies. By then light was very harsh already.

Last stop was at Nafcha. It was midday, very hot and we were out of breath. We saw little, but added out 8th wheatear of the day, northern.
And then we headed back home. What a fabulous morning.