Israel Trip Report

Here is the list of things I saw in Eilat and the rest of Israel between 25 Feb and 21 May 1996 when I was working as a volunteer for the International Birdwatching centre in Eilat. I have had several requests from people about it so I decided to put up the whole list for reference if people want any sites.

Little Grebe
1 at K20 and common in the north

Great crested Grebe
2 off North Beach 5th March

Black necked Grebe
Up to 6 on the saltiest salt pan in March. Several on the sea.

Sooty Shearwater
Singles off North Beach, late April and May

Cormorant
Common in Eilat in March

Pygmy Cormorant
1 in the Bet She'an Valley 13th April. 2 in the new flooded area of the Hula 6th May.

White Pelican
2-3000 birds in the Hula flew north, 14th April. 4 there 6th May.

Bittern
1 in the palms at K40 26th March. 1 in the canal, 3rd April and 1 rehab bird was ringed and released

Little Bittern
1 in the canal 3rd April. A curious flock of 28 was off north beach 1st May.

Night Heron
Scarce in Eilat but common in the North.

Striated Heron
Often seen on the fish farms off North Beach - Max 4

Squacco Heron
Common. Another unusual flock of 28 was off north Beach 8th May.

Cattle Egret
Common until mid April

Western Reef Heron
Up to 8 seen together.

Little Egret
Common

Great White Egret
2 in Eilat 30th March. More in the North.

Grey Heron
Common Migrant max c.120

Purple Heron
Uncommon migrants

Black Stork
Common. max 350

White Stork
Common max. 3000

Yellow billed Stork
One briefly over the north fields on 18th April was the 3rd Eilat record.

Glossy Ibis
Fairly scarce

Spoonbill
As above

Greater Flamingo
Present at the north ponds. Between 12 and 35 birds.

Shelduck
2 at the north ponds(k20) in march

Wigeon
Common in duck flocks

Gadwall
Small numbers in duck flocks

Teal
Present: scarce

Mallard
A few in the Jordan sewage ponds, viewable from the border fence. Common in the north.

Pintail
Common in duck flocks

Garganey
By far the commonest duck.

Shoveler
Common. Lots in the Hula, 14th April

Marbled Duck/Teal
A pair in the Hula, 14th April and also 2 at some ponds on the south side of Kiriat Shmonah in May

Pochard
Common in duck flocks

Ferruginous Duck
Some seen in Jordan in late April

Tufted Duck
Common

Honey Buzzard
Many seen after 28th April. c.25000 over Mt. Yoash in 3 hours 4th May

Black Kite
Reasonable numbers.

Egyptian Vulture
Often seen. Best places, Sde Boker and Gamla

Griffon Vulture
As above

Short toed Eagle
Common

Marsh Harrier
Often seen over Jordan. max 7

Hen Harrier
1 juv male at K33 21st March

Pallid Harrier
Quite a few seen. Easy at Nizzana

Montagu's Harrier
Several seen

Goshawk
1 at the bird park 6th March, 1 at K40 in the palms 26th March

Sparrowhawk
Scarce migrant

Levant Sparrowhawk
Many sen and ringed. c. 3000 rooosted in Jordan 15th April

Steppe Buzzard
V. common

Long legged Buzzard
Some over Eilat, common in the north.

Lesser spotted Eagle
Several seen over Eilat

Spotted Eagle
1 in the Hula 6th May

Imperial Eagle
Some seen

Golden Eagle
Some seen, a pair was over Gamla 7th May

Steppe Eagle
Many seen

Booted Eagle
Common

Bonelli's Eagle
1 over Gamla, 7th May. Can also be seen at Mazerka Dragot on the Dead Sea

Osprey
A scarce migrant

Lesser Kestrel
Lots seen. 7 together at K33 21st March

Kestrel
Common

Red footed Falcon
2 over Afula 14th April

Merlin
A dark race bird was at Nizzana 22nd March

Hobby
Several seen

Eleonoras Falcon
1 over Jordan 25th April and 1 over Egypt 2nd May

Sooty Falcon
1 over the ringing station 8th April was early

Lanner
1 over the north fields 8th March, 1 at Nizzana 22nd March

Barbary Falcon
Regular around Eilat

Chukar
Common in Wadi's

Sand Partridge
As above

Black Francolin
Easy in the Hula and Kinneret

Quail
Common Migrant

Little Crake
1 at the north ponds 26th March (The best place for crakes and Clamorous and Moustached Warbler is Neot Hakikar at the south end of the Dead Sea)

Corncracke
Ominously only 1 in the Sport Hotel Garden 30th March

Moorhen
1 in Jordan, common in the North

Coot
Common in the north

Crane
2 in the Bet She'an valley 13th April

Houbara Bustard
2 at Nizzana 22nd March and 1 on 2nd April displaying

Oystercatcher
Seen twice

Black winged Stilt
Common

Avocet
Several seen. 11 out to sea 11th March

Stone Curlew
Seen a few times

Cream coloured Courser
1 over Eilat 15th March. 4 at Nizzana 22nd March and 2nd April

Collared Pratincole
Common

Little Ringed Plover
A few seen

Ringed Plover
Quite common

Kentish Plover
Common

Greater Sand Plover
Regular. Max 18 on 29th Feb

Caspian Plover
1 WP bird on the salt pans for 20 mins 20th April

Grey Plover
A few seen

White tailed Plover
Several seen

Lapwing
1 bird at the bird park in early March

Knot
1 bird over the bird park 27th Feb

Sanderling
1 bird on the salt pans 13th May

Little Stint
V. common

Temminks Stint
Several seen in May

Curlew Sandpiper
Lots seen

Broad billed Sandpiper
Several seen

Dunlin
Present in wader flocks

Ruff
Common

Jack Snipe
1 ringed 20th March

Snipe
Small numbers present

Black tailed Godwit
1 off north beach 5th March

Whimbrel
1 over Jordan 2nd May

Curlew
3 seen

Spotted Redshank
Present. 3 birds in the Bet She'an valley on 13th April were in SP

Redshank
Common

Marsh Sandpiper
Quite common

Greenshank
Present in small numbers

Green Sandpiper
Present in good numbers in March and April

Wood Sandpiper
V. common in May Max 50

Common Sandpiper
Unusually common

Grey Phalarope
An Eilat rarity. 1 WP bird was on the north ponds for a week in early April

Pomarine Skua
Seen late April and May

Arctic Skua
Regular on sea and overland in late April/May

Long tailed Skua
1 over north beach 2nd May

White eyed Gull
Present throughout. max32

Great Black headed Gull
Regular till April

Little Gull
2 in early March, 1 on 20th May was very late

Black headed Gull
Common

Slender billed Gull
V. common

Lesser Black backed Gull
Common mostly fuscus but 1 heuglini 7th April

Yellow legged Gull
Common cachinnans and armenicus

Gull billed Tern
Quite common

Caspian Tern
Common

Sandwich Tern
Singles regularly

Common Tern
Common!

Little Tern
Common

Whiskered Tern
Quite a lot seen

Black Tern
1 over the north fields 15th April and 1 on the sea

White winged Black Tern
Very, very.common 12000 birds dropping out of the sky from very high into Jordan was an impressive sight

Lichtensteins Sandgrouse
Seen at the drinking pool every evening max 54 18th March

Crowned Sandgrouse
5 at Nizzana 22nd March (another site Shizzafon pools)

Spotted Sandgrouse
V. common at Nizzana

Black bellied Sandgrouse
Some at Nizzana

Pin tailed Sandgrouse
As above

Rock Dove
A pair at Wadi Faran were wild birds

Turtle Dove
Migrant through Eilat V. common in the north

Palm Dove
Common

Namaqua Dove
Regular at K20(north ponds) and some in Eilat

Ring necked Parakeet
Seen occasionally

Great spotted Cuckoo
1 at Yotvata 23rd March, common in the north

Cuckoo
A female in the Hula 14th April

Scops Owl
4 seen late March/April in Eilat

Eagle Owl
Seen in the North(I dont think I can say where)

Humes Tawny Owl
3 seen and I think the same applies but Hadoram Shirihai has a permit to show people and does so regularly. Ask at the centre

Swift
Common

Pallid Swift
Common

Alpine Swift
Quite common until April. Lots in the Gamla

Little Swift
2 over Eilat common in the Gamla

Smyrna Kingfisher
Several in Eilat, common in the north

Kingfisher
Common

Pied Kingfisher
Up to 4 in Eilat and common in the north

Little Green Beeeater
Common round Eilat

Blue cheeked Beeeater
16 on 18th April and some others

Beeeater
Common

Roller
Seen in the North and 3 in Eilat in May

Hoopoe
Common

Wryneck
Common

Syrian Woodpecker
Seen in the North

Dunns Lark
1 at K33 23rd March

Bar tailed Desert Lark
Seen at K33

Desert Lark
Common

Hoopoe Lark
Seen at K33

Calandra Lark
6/7 in the Golan 7th May

Bimaculated Lark
Several seen, 1 at K40 26th March 1 at the sewage ponds 4th April

Short toed Lark
Common

Lesser Short toed Lark
Many at Nizzana 2nd April

Crested Lark
Common

Woodlark
Many singing on the top of Mt Hermon

Shorelark
Seen on the very top of Mt Hermon

Sand Martin
V. common eilata and nominate seen

Pale Crag Martin
Common in March

Crag Martin
As above, less common

Swallow
Common

Red rumped Swallow
Common

House Martin
Quite common

Richards Pipit
4 in late April/May

Tawny Pipit
Several in Eilat

Long billed Pipit
1 possibly 2 flew over calling in the Gamla 8th May

Yellow Wagtail
Common Many races seen inc. Black-Headed if this is a race.

Citrine Wagtail
About 8 seen altogether. 2 at the sewage ponds 4th April.

Grey Wagtail
Some seen

White Wagtail
Common until Mid April

Yellow vented Bulbul
Common

Wren
1 on mt Hermon 7th May

Robin
1 at the cemetary 13th March

Rufous Bushchat
Common after mid April

Thrush Nightingale
1 ringed on 16th May

Nightingale
Common

Bluethroat
Very common until April

Black Redstart
Some in Eilat in March. Semirufus race seen on mt Hermon.

Redstart
Common also sammamisicus.

Blackstart
Common

Whinchat
A few in May

Stonechat
Some in March also some maura race

Isabelline Wheatear
Regular until mid April

Wheatear
Common

(Pied/Cyprus Pied)
A Wheatear of this group was not spcifically identified 16th April.

Mourning Wheatear
Seen in suitable habitat

Hooded Wheatear
Several seen, 2 at the sewage ponds often. A bird thought to be Red tailed Wheatear
at K 33 was a female Hooded Wheatear.

Black-eared Wheatear
Very common. Several races

Desert Wheatear
Seen at Nizzana and 1 in ofira park 16th March

White crowned Black Wheatear
Common in desert areas.

Rock Thrush
1 at K 40, 24th March. 2 females in Fradkin Gardens in April and seen on Mt Hermon

Blue Rock Thrush
Regular in Eilat in March and breeds in the north

Blackbird
Seen at Sde Boker and common in the north

Song Thrush
Some in Eilat

Cetti's Warbler
Common in the north

Fan tailed Warbler
As above

Scrub Warbler
Common in the wadis

Graceful Warbler
Very common

River Warbler
A few in May

Savis Warbler
Several in March

Sedge Warbler
Common

Marsh Warbler
Some in May

Reed Warbler
Common

Clamorous Reed Warbler
Seen in the Hula April and May

Great Reed Warbler
Several in Eilat and common in the north

Olivaceous Warbler
Very common

Upchers Warbler
1 in the Gamla 8th May

Olive Tree Warbler
Several in Eilat in May

Subalpine Warbler
A few seen

Sardinian Warbler
Common in March

Cyprus Warbler
Some in March

Ruppells Warbler
Common in March

Desert Warbler
1 at K33 21st March

Arabian Warbler
1 seen well at the Turkish Police station 23rd March

Orphean Warbler
Quite Common

Barred Warbler
Common in May

Lesser Whitethroat
The commonest passerine. Althea and blythii ringed

Whitethroat
Quite common

Garden Warbler
Comon in May

Blackcap
Very common

Bonelli's Warbler
Common, mostly eastern race birds.

Wood Warbler
A few seen

Chiffchaff
Common

Willow Warbler
Relatively scarce

Spotted Flycatcher
Several seen

Semi-collared Flycatcher
Several seen

Collared Flycatcher
A few seen

Pied Flycatcher
The least common black and white flycatcher

Arabian Babbler
Common

Great Tit
Seen in the north

Rock Nuthatch
Seen on Mt Hermon

Penduline Tit
1 over the ringing station 26th March

Palestine Sunbird
Common

Golden Oriole
Several in May

Red backed Shrike
Common in late April and May

Great Grey Shrike
Common in the north less so in the desert

Woodchat Shrike
Common

Masked Shrike
Common

Jay
Some of the pale headed race seen in the north

Hooded Crow
Common north of Beer Sheva

Indian House Crow
Seen in Eilat

Brown necked Raven
Common in the desert

Fan tailed Raven
Common round the Dead Sea

Raven
Seen at the Dead Sea and Sde Boker

Tristrams Grackle
Common in Eilat

Starling
1 in Eilat also seen in the north

House Sparrow
Very common

Spanish Sparrow
Very common in March

Dead Sea Sparrow
Regular in Eilat in March. A flock of 25 on 9th April was noteable.

Pale Rock Sparrow
Seen on Mt Hermon

Rock Sparrow
As above

Indian Silverbill
Regular in Eilat

Chaffinch
A few in March

Tristrams Serin
Common on Mt Hermon also seen in Eilat

Greenfinch
Common

Goldfinch
Some in Eilat, common elsewhere

Linnet
As above

Desert Finch
Common in Eilat

Crimson Winged Finch
About 12 seen at the edge of the snow near the ski lift at the very top of Mt Hermon

Trumpeter Finch
Common in suitable habitat

Sinai Rosefinch
Seen at Amrams Pillars in March( 1 male 5 female)

Hawfinch
1 at Sde Boker 22nd March

Rock Bunting
Seen on Mt Hermon

House Bunting
Seen regularly in Eilat, max 3

Cinerious Bunting
1 in Eilat 20th March and 1 at K40 26th March

Ortolan Bunting
Very common in April

Cretzschmars Bunting
Common in March

Black headed Bunting
Several in Eilat in May also seen in the north

Corn Bunting
Very common in the north

OTHER WILDLIFE:

Dorcas and Mountain Gazelle, Ibex, Rock Hyrax, Coypu, Mongoose, Jackal, Fox, Wolf, Striped Hyena, Wildcat, Spiny Mouse, Jerboa sp., endemic Eilat Gekko, Za'aman Yafe Yafe(snake), Preying Mantis, Camel
and Spider.

I hope that this is intesting to everyone. Any questions, just ask.

RA Billington
For more information, email to rb6784@Bristol.ac