Another day at the office

Well, if you call this work - then I probably have the best job on earth. Went with my kids raptor censusing once again, in the N Negev. This time there were no interruptions and it was a nice day. Weather was not good for raptors - cold and grey, but towards noon the sun eventually came out for a while and there was pretty good activity. 6 Eastern Imperial Eagles were nice - two juvs (born 2013), two 3cy (born 2012) and two adults. It is important to be able to recognize them individually - each individual has its personal moult pattern, something like fingerprints. Here are two eagles of similar age class (3cy) but note the different notches and moulting feathers on each:

My brother Gidon joined with his kids. He was more into raptor ringing, and caught some stuff:

Raptors, routine

Another day of wintering raptor census, today in the Judean Lowlands. I was in a bit of time pressure so cruised through the transect rather fast. Had average numbers of raptors - three Greater Spotted Eagles, many buzzards (common and long-legged) and harriers (marsh and hen), tons of Kestrels etc.

Greater Spotted Eagle - just after brunch - feather still stuck to its bill

Hen Harrier

I know that in most European countries such totals would have been phenomenal, but for me it was a rather slow morning.

Stone Curlew

Little Bustard-chickens

Had a very nice morning at Kfar Ruppin in the Bet Shean Valley. My first assignment was Little Bustards - after a lone individual was first seen there on December 21st, numbers slowly grew and now the flock contains 21 birds! The largest flock of this rare and endangered species recorded in Israel in recent decade. Anyway, I met up with Amir who was already on the birds when I arrived. At first they were far away and deep inside a field, only their heads sticking up above the alfalfa. Then a harrier flushed them, they took off and landed very close to us. They were suprisingly friendly for such tasty birds. First they were hiding in the wet field, but slowly walked out onto a track, dried up, preened, shook their feathers and wings and stretched.

Very charismatic birds. Incredible details on each feather. Peculiar vertical tail structure.

Stunning wing pattern. This bird has a moult limit in PC and primaries - suspended moult? Anyone knows something about their moult?

  

All these images are large crops - we kept distance from them.

After I had enough of the bustards I moved on for some other stuff. In the fields near the kibbutz there were some Black Storks, including this Slovakian-ringed adult (thanks Kobi for the speedy reply):

Then I went to look for one of the 5-6 'Isabelline' Shrikes wintering in the area. This beautiful, gingery Daurian Shrike was shy and mobile, shame about the branch across the eye:

Lots of birds in the fishponds - ducks, shorebirds, gulls, herons etc. 6 Greater Flamingos were in one of the ponds:

Big gull roost in one of the empty reservoirs. I counted 8 Pallas's Gulls in this image, part of about 50 in that group. Also in this image one Caspian Gull. Can you see it?

Osprey - refused to jump

pallidus Merlin

Started my second session of wintering raptors census today. Did the Urim transect in the NW Negev again. Fine weather, less mud than last time, slightly fewer birds but still a great day out. Had more Merlins today - a total of five birds including a stunning male pallidus - haven't seen one of these C Asian birds in Israel for many years. This was my personal highlight of the day. Unfortunately only got these crap shots in the shade. I missed it when it flew out and away, and managed to get nothing at all from it in good light. Shame - it was so pallid, almost like a Pallid Harrier. Here you can see it is pale and relatively poorly marked, but it was most impressive in flight in full light.

pallidus Merlin - is there a proper name for this? Maybe Asian Merlin?

Had better photography success with 'standard' Merlins:

Saw again the Saker from last month. Better views this time - moulting a few scapulars and coverts - OK for 2cy (hatched 2013). Tips of TF still fresh.

This must be a female - see how huge it is - here attacking an adult Eastern Imperial Eagle that landed on 'her' favourite pylon! Of course there is an optical illusion here but the falcon was really impressive (and bold).

Other than that the usual suspects - 3 Eastern Imperials, 5 Hen and one Pallid Harriers, 1 Peregrine, many Common and Long-legged Buzzards, and one Steppe Buzzard.

Towards the end of the transect had six Stock Doves exactly on the same pylon where I had them last year. Stock Doves are becoming more and more rare in Israel every year. Last year I had fourty.

 Crop of the image above

 On the way back home had a quick look at Re'im Reservoir - one male Red-crested Pochard (not plastic!) - here's my awful phonescoping attempt: 

There was at least one very happy dog today:

Bamba 

 Spanish Sparrow - just because they're so pretty

Spanish roast

Went ringing with Arad this afternoon at a large Spanish Sparrow roost near my house. Quite an amazing sight, several thousands doing murmurations and making so much noise. We ringed 82 sparrows and a few other bits and pieces.

(This image is from Feb 2012)

Spanish Sparrows are great birds. They migrate in winter - we have many controls of our birds getting lime-sticked in Cyprus... Spanish pickles. 

WHile waiting for the sparrows we had an Imperial Eagle and a Merlin flying around.

Fine bunting

This morning I went birding at Wadi Kos which is in southern Jerusalem, near the neighbourhood of Gilo. Avner Rinot found there last week two Pine Buntings among a nice flock of Yellowhammers. Arrived there in the morning and was joined by Ron Haran. Together we worked our way down the wadi birding the slopes covered with almond and olive trees. Took us some time to get onto the bunting flock but eventually we found a flock of 15. They were very very shy and mobile, like they usually are here in Israel. Took me a while to scan through them but eventually managed to get only brief views of a female Pine Bunting - no image. 

Yellowhammer

Other than lots of common finches and thrushes, one Fieldfare was the only other bird of note.

So common that Ihave never bothered photographing them before - Hooded Crows:

This was quite a sentimental morning for me. I grew up in Jerusalem, very close to where we were birding this morning. I used to bird this area as a kid almost daily. In winter we had a regular flock of about 100 Yellowhammers and 25-30 Pine Buntings in that area, but since the huge developement in that area, buntings went missing from this area for some years. So it was really good to be back in the area, bird in the habitat I know so well from childhood.

Wadi Kos