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Birding Report First half of March

Our winter visitors are all still here – last Sriated Scops Owl, Sinai Rosefinches, Asian Desert Warblers, Yellow – browed warblers, Oriental Skylarks, Richards, Red – throated,  Buff – bellied and olive - backed Pipits, Pallid Hariers, Imperial and Greater – spotted Egles, The first year Oriental Honey Buzzard and a lot more. The Cyprus Warblers are peaking their migration and the commener birds like the lesser and greater whiththroates, Balkan Warblers and Chifchafs are in thousands,and tens of Ruppel's and Subalpine Warblers and Siberian Stonecahts. Pale Rock Sparrows were seen here and there.

 At night, the Hume's Tawny Owl and the Pharaoh Eagle Owls showed well most of the month. 2 Short – eared and 1 Long – eared Owls joined them in Yotvata, and Steppe Eagles in thousands are passing over head.

Some rarities are also showing up:

A Menetries's Warbler Ringed at the IBRCE o the 8/3 and another one was seen on the 15/3 in Maale Eilat road, by the first army camp.

On the 6/3, Thomas Krumenacker found a beautiful Kurdish Wheatear in Neot Smadar's sewage.

On the 11/3 the first of up to 20 Cyprus Pied Wheatears was found at the IBRCE birding park and an Egyptian Nightjar was seen in Yotvata. Two first White – tailed Lapwings were at Yotvata (Lior Kislev).

A Booted Warbler (Caligata) was at Maale Eilat first army camp on the 12/3 with a beautiful Steppe Grey Shrike there too.

On the 15/3 a First Daurian Shrike for the season (many more will follow) was ringed at the IBRCE ringing station and in the evening 21000 White Storks left an impressive impression on many of the common people of the town of Eilat. With them some 1500 Black Storks and some 2000 Common Cranes passed too.

In the ringing station a Chiffchaff was caught with a Lithuanian ring, and an Italian Lesser Whitethroat was controlled.

On the 16/3 the number of Egyptian Nightjars in Yotvata rose to 3, and the first Thick – billed, Temmink's Horned, and Bumaculated Larks appeared.

Looking forward to the end of the month, and the forthcoming Spring Migration Festival

Noam Weiss and the IBRCE staff