Biggest year with Arjan Dwarshuis

Yesterday I joined Arjan Dwarshuis who is doing a global big year. Contra Noah Strycker who skipped Israel in 2015, Arjan made the correct decision and spent 2.5 days in Israel, clearing up local restricted-range speciaties and lots of migrants. Yesterday afternoon we met up first in Yeruham. Arjan was with Oz. We had there some new birds for Arjan's list but fewer migrants than we expected. Spotted Crake was nice. Then we headed down into the Rift Valley. First stop was in the wonderful Navit ponds, south of the Dead Se Works. The place was packed with birds. Important species for Arjan were Dead Sea Sparrow and Baillon's Crake. The sparrows were present in large numbers - more than I have ever seen there, singing, nest building and offering great views. This male was Arjan's first this year:

The crake was well-spotted by Oz. I am sure the site holds many crakes but they are difficult to see. This was the only one visible - and the scarcest of the crakes in Israel, good stuff. I also saw very briefly an African Swamphen - 99% sure. Other highlights were breeding Ferruginous Ducks, several singing Clamorous Reed Warblers and a good selection of migrant ducks.

Birding Navit ponds

Before dusk we checked a nearby wadi where we added some common desert species such as Trumpeter Finch and Sand Partridge. 

The night session was very successful. We had a great time with Nubian Nightjars, and then we had a breathtaking performance by a male Desert Tawny Owl that just wouldn't stop singing for us. Not only Arjan was in heaven.

I had a great time with Arjan, Oz and Andy, and am very happy that I contributed something to Arjan's big year.

Good luck to Arjan in the next legs of his quest. Up till now he's doing very well, and I hope he can keep up with his excellent pace until the year ends. 

Blocker at risk!

In the last 48 hours I did too much birding and had no sleep at all. So this is how it went: yesterday afternoon met up with Ian & Margaret from UK. We birded first at Lot Reservoir which was again very procuctive. Good breeding activity of Dead Sea Sparrows, three singing Clamorous Reed Warblers, Ferruginous Duck etc. Very birdy there. 

Dead Sea Sparrow

This is how it sounded like - Eastern olivaceous Warbler, Dead Sea Sparrows, Black-winged Stilt, Black-headed Wagtail, Moorhen:

After dusk we had good nightjar activity with several singing males and good views of birds on the deck and in flight. 

Got back home just before midnight, and discovered that I had a guard duty in my village. F@#k! I was dead tired but managed not to fall asleep somehow. Finished that at 3 am, and headed off to Ashdod. I met up with Arad very early - we planned to set nets up for shorebirds and crakes. Our heroic effort was fruitless and we caught our first passerines only at dawn. When there was enough light we noticed tons of crakes running under our nets, of all three species, including a stunning Baillon's Crake, but none got caught.

Baillon's Crake, adult

Only later on a Water Rail got caught. But after a disappointing start it turned out to be a very good morning - good catch and great variety. Good numbers of Lesser Whites, Blackcaps and Reed Warblers, and other species included Masked Shrike, Savi's Warbler, Willow Warbler, Redstart, and many more.

Water Rail

Cretzschmar's Bunting - female

Balkan Warbler

Alien or not - Common Mynas are lookers! Check that eye!

Other species seen but not caught were Jack Snipe, Little Bitterns, and many Tree Pipits.

Many thanks to Arad, Miriam and Roie for their help.

In the evening news arrived of a Grey-headed Gull reported at Eilat! This is one of my serious blockers - I saw one in 1989. So I am not sure whether I want it to be relocated tomorrow or not... No, just kidding, good luck to Eilat birders tomorrow, unfortunately I can't make it down there before Sunday.