Dotterels

This morning I visited Loess Park NR in the northern Negev, in hope of catching up with the Dotterel flock that winters there, just before they leave us to who knows where.

Eurasian Dotterel distribution map from BirdLife Datazone

This winter has been very dry in Israel. However, that section of the desert received some local downpours and looks nice and green, relatively. Good annual germination will produce arthropod abundance and likely attract more migrants this spring.

It was cold early in the morning, and the plains seemed lifeless at first. After a few minutes I spotted the dotterel flock at a distance, tucked away in one of the corners, all puffed up. As I approached them the sun rose and they looked very pretty in the golden light.

I counted 62 birds in that flock. I knew that they are quite shy and that there's no point chasing them with the car, they will fly off quickly. I noticed that they started foraging quite directionally, so I positioned myself where I predicted they would pass, and waited quietly in the car. Indeed, after a few minutes, the first birds started approaching me.

Most birds kept a safe distance away from the car. A few individuals were a bit bolder and foraged close to me. I held my breath.

The boldest individual was one the few that started to develop some breeding plumage, just few chestnut feathers on the underparts. Very gorgeous nevertheless. I felt very fortunate to get so close to these shy birds.

I think this is a 2nd-cal bird, based on the retained scapulars

After the flock walked past me and away, I backed up and looped around them. I tried the same strategy again. This time I lay on the ground behind the car, to improve the angle for photography. I noticed they were quite tense because of that. I retreated back to the car and left them in peace.

Eurasian Dotterel is a localised and rare winter visitor to Israel. Loess Park NR is the only site in Israel where they winter regularly. 

Apart for the dotterels, there were some other nice birds. Migrants included Greater Short-toed Larks and Northern Wheatears. Breeding species included many Isabelline Wheatears and a few Mediterranean Short-toed Larks. Pallid Harrier and Merlin flew by. Spotted and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse flew over. eBird checklist here.

March rambling and scrambling

March is my favourite month for birding in Israel. Everything is so green, flowering, singing and wonderful. I wish I could spend every day out in the field, but work and family commitments reduce my fieldwork time to 2-3 mornings a week... guess I can't complain. I have seen some nice stuff in recent days, nothing worthy of a solo blogpost IMO. therefore, here's an accumulation of habitats, birds, mammals and butterflies from recently.

A visit to Lahav Reserve in the northern Negev with Meidad was slightly quiet on the bird front (eBird checklist here) - maybe too early still? Too cold? But the reserve, with its batha habitat, is so beautiful now, which made up for the relative lack of birds. Still, many Spectacled Warbler busy breeding, Finsch's Wheatears, Long-billed Pipits - not too bad.

Finsch's Wheatear

A few mornings ago I visited the hills west of Hatzerim, where Dotterel normally winter. Only 20 kilometers southwest, but so different and dry. 

I was hoping to catch up with the Dotterel flock they before they depart, the one single flock in Israel. Are they already wearing their spectacular summer dress? 

Another cold desert morning, scanning the plains for tiny dots. I picked up the flock quite early, and kept a safe distance from them, not to flush them. They were rather sleepy - I was expecting them to be more restless before migration. Only few birds started developing some colour - most were still in winter plumage.

A bit closer through my Swarovski scope:

Three Dotterels snoozing in a cold desert morning. I was expecting more zugunruhe - they're leaving us in a few days. Taken through @SwarovskiOptik ATX85@BirdLifeIsrael pic.twitter.com/9kMyAVF2rv

— Yoav Perlman (@yoavperlman) March 5, 2021

Other birds seen were two Pallid Harriers, a few Cream-coloured Coursers, some singing 'Mediterranean' Lesser Short-toed Larks, Finsch's and many Isabelline Wheatears. eBird checklist here.

On Sunday I worked in the western Ramon crater, searching for breeding raptors with the local INPA ranger. There was very little activity on the cliffs. A brisk northerly didn't help. What we did have was stunning desert scenery and some mammals - Onager and Dorcas Gazelle. 

Compared to last year (see here for example), this part of the desert is very dry this breeding season - I am expecting to find much fewer breeding birds. Down in a sheltered wadi I found a tiny butterfly that's on the most-wanted list for many butterfly enthusiasts in Israel - False Baton Blue. Because of where and how I work (I walk in remote parts of the desert), I have seen them a number of times. Forgive me for the awful photo.

Raptors

Repeated the raptor census transect in the NW Negev today. Good weather and much less mud. Didn't get bogged today! Had a good day with lots of good raptors, especially falcons. I had three young Sakers, which brings the total for this winter to four at the NW Negev- an adult has been seen recently. Also had four Peregrines and two Merlins.

Saker - 2cy 

Also had four Eastern Imperial Eagles - three adults and one 4cy:

Fewer buzzards today compared to December. So difficult to photography anything not perched on a pylon.

Long-legged Buzzard

Didn't really count kites - I estimated something like 15000 today, and I wasn't even close to their core of activity (Dudaim dump). Other raptors I had were two Booted Eagles, and some harriers.

One or two Black Kites

Not too much other than raptors. A flock of fourty Dotterels was nice. Couldn't find the sociables anywhere near my transect. About 50 Swifts on the move north (spring already!). 40 Stock Doves at the same place like last time.

Stock Dove - Israeli rarity

Better late than never

My photoshop license expired a few days ago and I am still unable to edit my images. Hope to get that sorted soon. Gal Shon edited these images for me - thanks Gal! Find a White-tailed Rubythroat soon!

Anyway, on Tuesday I had a few hours in the morning to check the famous powerline and its surroundings in the NW Negev. The whole area received very little rainfall and is still exceptinally dry. Birding was OK but a bit on the slow side.
I began with a search for Dotterels. Barak and Eyal found a large concentration a few weeks ago when I was in Kenya. It took my some time to find a group of 39, but as I found them a group of bastard Brown-necked Ravens flushed them, and they flew out of sight:

This is one of the rascals:

I continued birding in the general area and had 4 Eastern Imperial Eagles, 3 Peregrines, 2 Merlin and 1 distant Saker. As usual, lots of Saker food around - skylarks, starlings and pigeons.

Among the commoner stuff had a few hundred Calandra Larks, several Tawny Pipits, 2 Finsch's and good numbers of Isabelline Wheatears:

Later on I found another small group of nine Dotties, tht were a bit more coopertive. They are superb plovers, so deliacte and sweet. Of course compared to how they look like in summer they're brown jobs at the moment, but I'm quite happy with such brown jobs: