Spring catch-up

It's been a very strange spring for me. On the one hand, how can one enjoy the beauty and thrill of bird migration spectacles when all of *this* is going on in my country. On the other hand, what else can I do other than go out birding, enjoy the healing power of nature, appreciate every little bird hero that makes it despite all the troubles. As I have been doing for over five years now, I am out birding every day. During migration seasons this habit offers me even more thrill and excitement, to detect the seasonal changes in the sites I visit often, and enjoy impressive migrations. In recent weeks I have been all over, but often my motivation to photograph and to write is low. This damn war.

In any case, I am still trying to bird hard and see as many birds as possible, without doing a Big Year. This is quite enjoyable actually, and liberating, seeing news of rarities show up in far-flung corners of the country and not going for them! Still, I am doing OK, I think. Here are some of the birds I saw and the few photos I took:

Luckily, fieldwork and site visits take me to places with loads of good birds. While monitoring our restoration site in Maagan Michael I was dazzled by the variation in Western Yellow Wagtails - in this composite are (I think) dombrowskii, superciliaris, feldegg, thunbergi, flava and a hybrid Citrine X Yellow, all in one small flock.

superciliaris

Striated Heron in Tel Aviv

A work visit to Eilat Birding center rewarded me with this gorgeous, deadly Painted Saw-scaled Viper:

Our restoration sites in Kfar Ruppin are exploding with birds now, so much quality too:

When a flock of tired White Storks drops out of the sky after a day of migration and rests on a wetland you've recently restored, you guess you did something right pic.twitter.com/LMfaiiEGg4

— Yoav Perlman (@yoavperlman) April 20, 2024

Clamorous Reed Warbler

Not only birds enjoy our restoration project - also invertebrates. Here are Black Percher and Ivory Featherlegs.

In May, when much of the country clears out of migrant passerines, the relatively cool and lush Jerusalem Mts. still host large numbers of migrants. Mulberry trees are especially attractive to Sylvias, also favoured by Golden Orioles. This photo was taken out of my friend Rami's window:

The Jerusalem Bird Observatory is at its best in early May, with huge numbers of common migrants using the habitat to refuel. Among the common warblers also good numbers of Olive-tree and Barred are seen; I have seen also River, Marsh, Icterine and Upcher's there in recent dats. Also plenty of European Nightjars this year.

One of the Eurasian Sparrowhawks that visit the JBO regularly

Triple double

So it was a false alarm the other day and my wife hasn't given birth yet. Any day now. Thanks to all those who sent me greetings in advance!

So, still living on my borrowed time, I ringed lots of birds over the last two days, with the help of my good friends and helpers.

Tuesday morning it was Bet Kama alfalfa. It was a mega morning, with huge numbers of Willow Warbler (108 ringed) and big numbers of Short-toed Lark (64) and Yellow Wagtail (only 43). Good to have three dominant species. Other goodies were three Tree Pipits, five Isabelline Wheatears, and a Cretzschmar's bunting. We worked very hard especially since at 08:00 it became very hot and we were catching in too great speed. But eventually everything went smooth.

During the morning we saw lots of raptors over the field including Peregrine, Booted Eagles, Montagu's Harriers etc. The Oriental Skylark I found the previous day was still present.

Thanks to Ron, Meidad, Netanel and Hila for their hard work.

Greater Short-toed Lark

See my nets down in the bottom?

Wednesday morning I ringed at my site in Ashdod. After the flood of Willow Warblers I had there on Monday, I stocked my ringing box up with tons of 2.0 mm rings, but unfortunately this huge wave moved on and we had only about 50 willows this morning. But all in all it was a fine morning - I arranged a good team so we worked in good speed and enjoyed the 100 birds we ringed this morning. Highlights were a 1cy Eurasian Nightjars, some shrikes, Savi's Warblers etc.

Re'a with the nightjar - girls he's single!

Masked Shrike - 1cy

 Common Redstart - 2cy+ male, European form. Ehrenberg's gone now.

Some good birds we had in the field were two Little Crakes, some Grey Wagtails, and one Rueppel's Warbler (dodged my net).

Thanks to my team this morning - Arad, Re'a, Ady, Miriam and Oren.

JBO iz da best!

The JBO is really at it's best these days. An early start produced two goodies - first this fine adult Long-eared Owl:

Yotam is still half asleep:

And then a 2cy male Eurasian Nightjar - what a terrific bird:

It agreed to pose for a minute on a stump before it flew to roost:

Later in the morning a good and varied catch, with birds of note being two Savi's and four Barred Warblers:

This Garden Warbler was nice too:

Other good stuff included a Balkan Warbler, many Sprossers, a few Masked Shrikes and lots of other stuff.