Israel - update 5 (the final two days and lots of gulls!)

The final two days in Israel (Friday and Saturday) were spent staying in the centre of Tel Aviv. I actually quite liked the place - a nice crumbly exterior to most of the place with a pleasant cycle way along the seafront. Also nicely cosmopolitan. And, importantly, well located for a bit of gulling - with Ashdod to the south and then Ma'agan Michael to the north. So it was Friday at the former (very much possible due to the kindness of Amir Ben Dov) and then Saturday at the latter. With a brief interlude of a male Black-eared Wheatear, a couple of Hoopoes and copious numbers of Common Mynas along Tel Aviv's seafront on Saturday morning - nice to see migration still happening in the urban Med: -

male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear Tel Aviv, Israel 2nd April 2016

Hoopoe Tel Aviv, Israel 2nd April 2016

So back to normal service, with the rest of this post dedicated to the gulls that I saw. I was privileged to have been able to hook up with Amir Ben Dov at Ashdod on Friday, one of Israel's only dedicated gullers - and sharp as nails when it comes to reading metal rings from vast distances. Really impressive! The site itself isn't public access, and consists of settling lagoons near a small waste site. Here it was great to get some good experience of Baltic Gulls, with at least a couple of hundred present; very low numbers here this year according to Amir and he isn't too sure exactly why the marked decline in gull numbers. Anyway, I was pretty content so here are a selection of adults (note the small mirror on P9 on the image down): -

adult Baltic Gulls Ashdod, Israel 1st April 2016

And as well as the fuscus above, a bird I'd not really seen too many of previously was Heuglin's Gull. In fact, the adults were quite obvious in this Middle Eastern context though further west, they would probably be extremely hard to clinch. Anyway, those second calendar year birds were very Casp-like and kind of distinctive.

Heuglin's Gulls Ashdod, Israel 1st April 2016

There was also this nice Crested Lark in the dunes at Ashdod, as well as a few European Bee-eaters and Northern Wheatears. Typical Mediterranean birding at its eastern limits!

Crested Lark Ashdod, Israel 1st April 2016

Saturday was spent to the north of Tel Aviv, and having got a spot from Mick S at Ma'agan Michael, I headed there for a couple of hours. The birds were quite skittish on the beach, not really allowing close approach. However, this lingering lump was the most showy of any of the gulls and was a bit of a bonus considering the lateness in the season: -

Great Black-headed Gull Ma'agan Michael, Israel 2nd April 2016

Compared to Ashdod, Ma'agan Michael has a lot more Armenian Gulls. Again due to the date, the adults had largely headed off so I was left with some scraggy immatures. Being honest, the second calendar years are not too obvious with little distinguishing plumage tracts - pale underwing, dark tertials and a clean cut tail band with a relatively unmarked uppertail. The thick set bill was obvious on most: -

Armenian Gulls Ma'agan Michael, Israel 2nd April 2016 - note the near adult in the last photo

Israel - update 4 (heading north)

On Thursday, I woke up to very windy conditions in Eilat. It almost felt as though it was time to leave. I'd spent this trip pottering about, just doing some general birding with the obvious listing targets. There were so many more places and birds I could have seen this year, if I'd had more time and the inclination. But for once, it was thoroughly satisfying just to dude about and see bits and bobs. And again this morning, Ofira Park held (the same) Semi-collared Flycatcher and a couple of Cretzschmar's Buntings while North Beach allowed me my last views of White-eyed Gull for a while.

Cretzschmar's Bunting Ofira Park, Eilat 31st March 2016

Heading north, I stopped off at Shizzafon (again an old favourite from previous trips) where there were a couple of Squaccos, Redstart and lots of Red-throated Pipits and flava wagtails of all sorts. Lovely stuff...

Black-headed Wagtail (feldegg) Shizzafon 31st March 2016

Grey-headed Wagtail (thunbergi) Shizzafon 31st March 2016 

Yellow Wagtail ('dombrowskii' type) Shizzafon 31st March 2016

Yellow Wagtail (feldegg intergrade) Shizzafon 31st March 2016

Squacco Shizzafon 31st March 2016

Red-throated Pipit Shizzafon 31st March 2016

The rest of the day was spent heading into Tel Aviv, and then having a quick walk about doing some non-birding stuff. The amount of Common Mynas all over the place was ridiculous, as I remember on my first trip to Israel over a decade ago they were by no means widespread.

Israel - update 3 (third time lucky)

I woke up as usual early on today, and had a quick look in at Holland Park. It was a bit breezy, and I quickly decided to go back down to my old favourite - Ofira Park - to see what was about. I parked up and in quick succession a couple of Wrynecks, a Hoopoe and two Cretzschmar's Buntings hopped out. Not bad at all, and though the buntings were skittish, I did manage something on this cracking male.

Cretzschmar's Bunting Ofira Park, Eilat 30th March 2016

Wryneck Ofira Park, Eilat 30th March 2016

Walking around the park even more, and I spotted something black-and-white whizz past in the wind. Thankfully it quickly settled, and it was a cracking (1st-summer) male Semi-collared Flycatcher. Some nice views perched and flycatching, where the extensive white tail sides were nicely seen.

1st-summer male Semi-collared Flycatcher Ofira Park, Eilat 30th March 2016

Picking up Karen from the hotel, we headed up into the Eilat Mountains for an hour or so of raptors - more than yesterday admittedly but largely confined to Steppe Buzzards with the odd Steppe Eagle and an Egyptian Vulture thrown in. Eastern Mourning Wheatear and Tristram's Grackle up there on Mount Yo'ash too.

Steppe Buzzard Eilat Mountains 30th March 2016

After another good breakfast, with a Tristram's Grackle for company, it was off back up route 90 for me. The unfortunate 'need' to see what conceivably is a mega Afrotropical vagrant (or dodgy duck?) meant that the third trip for the Red-billed Teal had to be done. Armed with a bit more info of other sites to check (thanks Yoav!), I pulled up at Iddan sewage works and was greeted by half a dozen Mallard, and with them... half a Red-billed Teal. One of a couple of hybrids that have been in the area.

hybrid Red-billed Teal x Mallard Iddan, Israel 30th March 2016

So I was getting closer... and so to Hatseva again and those two stinky sewage ponds. Nothing, predictably. And it was back towards the main road and taking a track northeast on the east side of the field school to a couple of irrigation ponds. Last throw of the dice for the day. As I got out of the car a couple of ducks flew about - both Teal. This gave me the impetus to start walking and no sooner had I started, and on the first scan, there was the target - the Red-billed Teal! Roosting on the bank, with such an exposed location, it quickly took flight and did a few circuits with five Teal before ditching down where I was able to get some nice views through the heat haze. Whatever the origins, it was a pretty smart bird and those 300km round trip drives from Eilat were all worthwhile. The joys of WP listing!

Red-billed Teal Hatseva, Israel 30th March 2016

Back in Eilat, after a bit more time with the Semi-collared Flycatcher and other bits in Ofira Park, Karen and I headed up to km20 salt pans for the last hour of light. A decent flock of Glossy Ibises cruised in from the south and three Red-necked Phalaropes were new in, but apart from that it was the same line up as yesterday.

Glossy Ibises km20 salt pans, Eilat 30th March 2016

Kentish Plover km20 salt pans, Eilat 30th March 2016

Israel - update 2 (still dipping that teal)

Champions of the Flyway day today (not participating myself) and Eilat was heaving - North Beach in the evening and then the salt pans mid afternoon were gridlock too. Up until then though, I didn't see anyone really... but a decent part of the middle of the day was spent up at Hazeva dipping the Red-billed Teal again. Yoav gave me the gen where he saw it at the weekend, but Idan sewage works didn't deliver either. Six Teal, a Garganey, a Squacco and a few flava wagtails were all I got out of it.

Slender-billed Gull Eilat km20 salt pans, Israel 29th March 2016

However, all wasn't lost as early morning I had a drive about km20 pools, where there'd been an increase in Marsh Sandpipers since yesterday as well as a couple of Collared Pratincoles and a Caspian Tern. A group of Black Storks that had roosted in the desert took off on the first thermals of the day.

Marsh Sandpiper Eilat km20 salt pans, Israel 29th March 2016

Collared Pratincole Eilat km20 salt pans, Israel 29th March 2016

Back south into Eilat, this Little Bee-eater posed in the warm early morning light.

Little Bee-eater Eilat, Israel 29th March 2016

Eilat Mountains were disappointing mid morning, with a couple of Steppe Eagles along with the Steppe Buzzards - with the cool northerly wind, I was probably a little too early in the day for the thermals and so had to do with an impressive flock of White Storks early rising.

White Storks Eilat Mountains, Israel 29th March 2016

Similar to yesterday, I spent the evening at North Beach where there were still a couple of Brown Boobies on the Jordanian side, as well as a Little Tern, Caspian Tern and a few Steppe Buzzards and three Purple Herons over. Not vintage but it seemed like the crowds had enjoyed their day.

Black Kite Eilat, Israel 29th March 2016

Israel update part 1

I couldn't really think of anything more imaginative to be honest. I've now had a couple of days back in Israel, my first visit here since spring 2009. Little seems to have changed, though I seem to be surrounded by the global birding glitterati this year with the likes of David Lindo et al all competing for the title of Champions of the Flyway. I had my own mission, and it was a tough start yesterday...

I arrived on the Judean Plains at just after 8am, with the first Short-toed Eagles taking off soon after along with some nice sounds of Quail, Bee-eater, Red-throated Pipit, Fan-tailed Warbler and Corn Bunting. However, a lot of what this trip was planned around - a long staying Bateleur - failed to show to start off with, and Lee and Garry arrived soon after to provide some decent value and chit chat. Around midday, and I had headed to another spot to the north of Gal'on to view, when all of a sudden I got a call from Baggers saying that they'd got the bird (well, Lee and one other). Hearing it was distant and well to the east of where they were, we all descended on one spot and failed to locate it again. So getting a bit impatient and standing in a spot where some Hungarians had seen it last week, I headed back to the original location. and, within 10 minutes or so of getting back, there over the distant hillside was a bat like creature, wings held high and zero tail - the distinctive silhouette of a Bateleur! So I called the guys again, though within a minute or so it had dropped down where according to Lee it had dropped down on his sighting. And that was that, because Karen had patiently waited for over 5 hours in the car and it was time to head south - happy but not elated as views were pretty average.

migrating Black Storks Hazeva, Israel 27th March 2016

Anyway, stopped in at Hazeva and no sign of the Red-billed Teal. Probably no indicator as sounds like I got the wrong place! A group of 20 Collared Pratincoles, a couple of Sand Partridges and a dozen Black Storks overhead were nice. A load of White Storks had come down in the desert last thing, and always good to see and atmospheric with it.

Spanish Sparrows Eilat, Israel 28th March 2016

Hoopoe Eilat, Israel 28th March 2016

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler Eilat, Israel 28th March 2016

So I started to day off in familiar style, heading to Ofira Park; I've always been a sucker for this place and it didn't disappoint in the way of an introduction to migrants - among the copious numbers of Lesser Whitethroats, there were Tree Pipit, Masked Shrike, Hoopoe, Ortolan, Wryneck, Bluethroat, Eastern Bonelli's, Eastern Subalpine, a female Ruppell's Warbler and a few Spanish Sparrows. What was amazing was the presence of a couple of Tristram's Grackles - seems they've spread like wildfire since I was last here.

Tristram's Grackle Eilat, Israel 28th March 2016

After a decent breakfast and quick relax, it was back off up the road to km20 saltpans late morning. Enjoyable times here with a load of common stuff like Little Stints, Ruff, Wood Sandpipers, Spur-winged Plovers and Slender-billed Gulls - Marsh Sandpipers, Little Ringed Plover, a couple of Shelduck and Black-headed Gulls as well as a splattering of Greater Flamingos too.

Marsh Sandpiper km20 saltpans, Israel 28th March 2016

Slender-billed Gull km20 saltpans, Israel 28th March 2016

With a bit of time on my hands, I headed to Hai-bar, where in the reserve car park it seems there are some pretty faithful Black Bush Robins. And so there were, after an hour or so, one bird - great views but by the time I'd switched to the camera it didn't oblige. Incompetence on my part, though an Eastern Orphean Warbler didn't get away!

Eastern Orphean Warbler Arava Valley, Israel 28th March 2016

The late afternoon and evening were spent at North Beach where along with a couple of Brown Boobies and White-eyed Gulls offshore, eyes to the skies produced a flock of migrating Grey Herons with a couple of smaller Purples thrown in, some nice slick Baltic Gulls heading north and a group of fifty or so Glossy Ibises just prior to sunset. All this to the backdrop of the Eilat Mountains and loud voices of Champions of the Flyway contestants explaining to the media the significance of this year's event.