Back from Israel

I just returned from an amazing trip to Israel, where I stayed for approximately 7 weeks. Aside from the fact that the exchange program I was a part of was incredible and life-changing, I had a great time birding-wise too. For the first six weeks, I was at a school in Gush Etzion, a political region in the beautiful Judean Hills, just a 20 minutes’ drive from Jerusalem. As I was quite busy with studies and integrating myself into the school’s unique culture, I really had very little time to bird. I was, however, able to notice some species on the many excursions I went on during my tenure as a exchange student. Around the school, which was on a kibbutz, I had:
-Eurasian Jay
-Eurasian Blackbird
Many White-spectacled Bulbuls (often in clusters of 5 or 6)
-White Wagtail
-Hooded Crow
-Laughing Dove
-Palestine Sunbird
-European Robin (probably the best bird I had there)
As you can see, the list is not very impressive. After the program had ended, though, I accompanied my family, who had just arrived, on their vacation. The first time I had the opportunity to do some birding was at the Dead Sea, where I had around 30 or 40 Tristram’s Grackle. They were an easy catch and very approachable. Otherwise, the beach was very quiet. On the way out, though, I caught note of a Blackstart, spreading out its diagnostic black tail.
We then trekked down to Eilat, at the southern tip of Israel, famous for its role as one of the most critical stopping-off point for migratory birds in the world. In the winter, it is not as overflowing with birds as in the spring, but it is still a great season. The first couple days were quiet--all I had were White-spectacled Bulbul and White Wagtail (both, fortunately, beautiful birds and fun to watch). I did get another lifer, a Spanish Sparrow in the hotel courtyard.
The highlight, though, of our stay in Eilat (for me, at least), was a outstanding birding tour of the Eilat area. My father and I were led by an expert guide from the Eilat Birding and Research Center who knew the local birds like the back of his hand, despite the fact that he is only 19! In two and a half hours, we tallied more than 50 species!
Here is a summary:
We started off at the northern Salt Ponds, about a 10 minute drive from the Eilat hotel area. Our first bird was a Black-winged Stilt, of which we would see many later on. White Wagtails picked along the banks of the salt pools, while Common Redshank and Little Stint foraged in the shallow areas. Perhaps the highlight of the salt pools, we saw around 200 Greater Flamingo hanging out in the salt ponds. Ducks were represented only by Common Shelduck, while Black-headed Gull was the only Larid present. Many Dunlin foraged alongside the Little Stints on the sandbars, along with a few Northern Lapwing. My favorite wader there, however, was the Avocet, which fed alongside the Stilts.
As for passerines, our eagle-eyed guide pointed out a lovely Isabelline Wheatear, and a first-year female Hooded Wheatear, which gave awesome looks. Also, African Rock Martins soared above the pools. As a final treat, we got amazing looks of 2 Little Green Bee-eater, a definite, colorful highlight of the tour.
Species List for the Salt Ponds
3 White Wagtail
40+ Black-winged Stilt
3 Common Redshank
150+? Greater Flamingo
100 Common Shelduck
Black-headed Gull
5? Little Stint
50+ Dunlin
3 Northern Lapwing
1 Avocet
1 Isabelline Wheatear
1 Hooded Wheatear
2 Little Green Bee-eater
3+ African Rock Martin

Afterwards, we headed to the Eilat sewage pools, a short drive away. Immediately after we got there, our guide spotted a Bonelli’s Eagle, perched on a tall fence. The grand bird gave short but nice looks. The sewage pools themselves offered several flavors of ducks: Shoveler, Pintail, and Teal. It was fun to see birds from back home! Among the long-legged waders were a cluster of (Great) Grey Herons and a single Little Egret. Also present were a large raft of Eurasian Coot and many (Greater) Cormorant. In addition, 3 Spur-winged Plovers foraged along the banks. A nice surprise was an overwintering White Pelican, who was left behind by his friends who migrated to Africa. Finally, our guide pointed out an elegant Marsh Harrier gliding over the pool, its wings held in a dihedral. Our guide also saw a Eurasian Sparrowhawk which we could not locate afterward. He also was pretty sure he heard a Water Pipit, which was not seen either.

Species List for the Sewage Pools
3 Teal
15-20+ Pintail
5-10 Shoveler
~75 Coot
1 White Pelican
3 Spur-winged Plover
6 (Great) Grey Heron
1 Little Egret
Cormorant
1 Bonelli’s Eagle
1 Marsh Harrier
(1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk)
Rock Dove

Our third stop was the Eilat Birding Center. Right upon our arrival, we were greeted by a White-spectacled Bulbul, a Stonechat, and a female Bluethroat at the entrance. Common throughout the park was Laughing Dove, and we heard it all along the trail.
Next, we passed a nice-sized man-made lake of sorts, where there were Black-winged Stilts feeding and lounging on the rocks. Alongside the stilts were a fluffed-up Ruff, a Marsh Sandpiper, and a Common Redshank. Our guide then spotted a cute little Chiffchaff flitting about in the reeds, and also pointed out a Graceful Prinia, which we only heard. We then moved on to a blind, which was alongside a large, tranquil pond. On an island in the pond were some Cormorant, a Grey Heron, and a Little Egret. Swimming around the island were a bunch of Little Grebe and a single Moorhen which went on to hide in a marshy corner of the pond. We were also treated to a beautiful Pied Kingfisher who perched out in the open and gave wonderful looks from Reya’s scope. Another slightly distant bird was a Spanish Sparrow, who didn’t stay for long.
Above the pond were some more Rock Martins and at least one House Martin, which our guide said is one of the first migrants to reach Israel. On the way out, we spotted a Eurasian Sparrowhawk making its way over the border towards the Jordanian mountains, as well as a Eurasian Kestrelperched on a power line.

Species List for Eilat Birding and Research Center
1 White-spectacled Bulbul
1 Stonechat
1 Bluethroat
Laughing Dove
Collared Dove
3-5 Black-winged Stilt
1 Ruff (female?)
1 Marsh Sandpiper
1 Common Redshank
1 Chiffchaff
1 Graceful Prinia
8 (Great) Cormorant
1 Grey Heron
1 Little Egret
4 Little Grebe
1 Moorhen
1 Pied Kingfisher
1 Spanish Sparrow
African Rock Martin
1 House Martin
1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk
1 Eurasian Kestrel

Our final stop was the North Beach, our guide’s favorite birding spot in the area because of its rarity-producing potential. Just across the road from the beach, there was a small canal that had another Black-winged Stilt, a Redshank, and 1 or 2 Ringed Plover. Another Ringed Plover was lounging on the beach. Out on a distant buoy, we found three species of gulls: Black-headed, White-eyed, and Steppe, the latter considered by most ornithological authorities to be a subspecies of Caspian Gull. To our delight, there were two more a pleasant surprises among the gulls on the buoy: a Brown Booby, which is an uncommon visitor to the Gulf of Eilat, and a White-cheeked Tern, an even rarer occurrence! Another treat was a Kentish Plover right on the shoreline, though we only could see its head. To end off on a high note, we had amazing looks at a beautiful Common Kingfisher, who perched photogenically on a nearby fence. I also though I saw some sort of wheatear, but I could not get good looks at it.

Species List for North Beach
1 Black-winged Stilt
1 Redshank
2 Ringed Plover
1 Kentish Plover
Black-headed Gull
White-eyed Gull
1 Caspian “Steppe” Gull
1 Brown Booby
1 White-cheeked Tern
1 Common Kingfisher
1 House Crow (introduced; Indian subspecies)

After that awesome trip, I wasn’t expecting much birding-wise for the rest of our stay in Israel. I did, though get one more lifer: an immature White-crowned Black Wheatear in the Negev desert of southern Israel. I also saw two new year birds in my cousins’ neighborhood--Eurasian Jay and Common Mynah, as well as a quick glimpse at a possible Eurasian Wren. I certainly can’t complain, after getting 40 lifers in two and a half hours!
Good Birding!