Our race started at 00:01 when we left the Agamim hotel. First target was Yotvata where we tried to see Eagle Owl and other night time specialties. We scanned the fields with our torch and first species for the day was Common Quail. Second was little bit surprise when we noticed Caspian Plover! Rare bird and i guess most of the teams were not even wake when i text "Caspian Plover in Yotvata fields" to Jonathan.
After fields we checked sewage near by and third species was this.
Some birds in sewage like Common Ringed Plover and Green Sandpiper. Soon we left and started to drive towards Nitzana where we wanted to be at first light.
Long drive and no birds along the drive was exhausting especially when i had only few hours of sleep before start. During the drive we tried to hear some owls. Soon we added Long Eared Owl and Scops Owl on our list.
When sun riced we were in Nitzana and we got nicely some good species like Common Cuckoo and Lesser Shot-toed Lark. We continued towards Ezoz and soon we noticed first Macqueens Bustard near the road.
It did not took long to face first problems... We had to do serious work to see Cream-colored Cursours.
After cursours we arrived to Ezoz and we got all the important species there, including Spectacled Warbler, Goldn Oriole, Bar-tailed Lark, Wood Warbler, Little Owl etc.
Clock was ticking and we had to move to Yeruham Lake which was our next destination. Soon after we left Erkki noticed falcon flying near and we stopped. The falcon was Hobby but more interesting was raptor other side of the road. Very nice Bonelli´s Eagle was there flying with evil Brown-necked Raven who tried to attack the Eagle all the time. That was quick stop and we arrived to the lake quite fast. Some species there, but overall lake was little disappointment.
Next stop was Sde Boker kibbutz where we walked around some time. Black Bird, Green Finch and some other common stuff there. Suddenly i hear Jände yelling very loud "Run!!!" So i did about 100m and what a feeling that was when i got the telescope. Majestic Black Vulture was flying semi close (1 mile away). It was so huge! When i watched the bird it was gliding most of the time but once it showed nicely its wings. Bird was more like brown than Black so it must be juvenile or subadult bird.
Vulture was also long waited lifer for me! After Vulture we had to take some gasoline and while we did that Yoav Called me and told about Syrian Woodpecker and Collared Fly very near by. We dipped both of course.
While we were driving back south we had nice Mourning Wheatear near the road some where in Mizpe ramon and we stopped once there to check Desert Lark and White-crowned Wheatear. Both were success.
Soon we arrived shizafon and we went to Ovda to check Crowned Sandgrouses.
All went good after all and we saw 9 birds.
After Ovda we went to Neot Smadar where we had Linnet and Steppe Eagle. We also went to sewage but nothing interesting there besides except Wood Sandpiper. Then we went to Yotvata again to have some raptor watch and it gave us Booted Eagle. Next real treasure box was km 19 pool where we get about 20 new species for our list because we started from North. Osprey and Eastern Imperial Eagle were best with Ferruginous Duck.
SOon we continued to km20 pools and our wader list started to flood. Spotted Redshanks, Greater Sandplovers, Collared Pratincoles and other nice species. We also met other groups there and i gave short interview for Yuval for the race movie or something.
After pools we did not have much light time so we went to North Beach to have some sea watch and other new species for our list.
Also lost of racing team there chasing the White-eyed Gulls and other red sea specialties.
Just after dark we went to public side of the IRBC and we got Night Heron flying around. When the dark came our last place was Yotvata, again. This time we got Barn owl with the torch! That was nice ending and we returned our score card to the judges at 23:00 or something.
-Tomppa-
After fields we checked sewage near by and third species was this.
 |
| White Storks. |
Some birds in sewage like Common Ringed Plover and Green Sandpiper. Soon we left and started to drive towards Nitzana where we wanted to be at first light.
Long drive and no birds along the drive was exhausting especially when i had only few hours of sleep before start. During the drive we tried to hear some owls. Soon we added Long Eared Owl and Scops Owl on our list.
When sun riced we were in Nitzana and we got nicely some good species like Common Cuckoo and Lesser Shot-toed Lark. We continued towards Ezoz and soon we noticed first Macqueens Bustard near the road.
It did not took long to face first problems... We had to do serious work to see Cream-colored Cursours.
After cursours we arrived to Ezoz and we got all the important species there, including Spectacled Warbler, Goldn Oriole, Bar-tailed Lark, Wood Warbler, Little Owl etc.
Clock was ticking and we had to move to Yeruham Lake which was our next destination. Soon after we left Erkki noticed falcon flying near and we stopped. The falcon was Hobby but more interesting was raptor other side of the road. Very nice Bonelli´s Eagle was there flying with evil Brown-necked Raven who tried to attack the Eagle all the time. That was quick stop and we arrived to the lake quite fast. Some species there, but overall lake was little disappointment.
Next stop was Sde Boker kibbutz where we walked around some time. Black Bird, Green Finch and some other common stuff there. Suddenly i hear Jände yelling very loud "Run!!!" So i did about 100m and what a feeling that was when i got the telescope. Majestic Black Vulture was flying semi close (1 mile away). It was so huge! When i watched the bird it was gliding most of the time but once it showed nicely its wings. Bird was more like brown than Black so it must be juvenile or subadult bird.
Vulture was also long waited lifer for me! After Vulture we had to take some gasoline and while we did that Yoav Called me and told about Syrian Woodpecker and Collared Fly very near by. We dipped both of course.
 |
| Spurge Hawk-moth? This was sitting on gasoline tanks. |
While we were driving back south we had nice Mourning Wheatear near the road some where in Mizpe ramon and we stopped once there to check Desert Lark and White-crowned Wheatear. Both were success.
Soon we arrived shizafon and we went to Ovda to check Crowned Sandgrouses.
All went good after all and we saw 9 birds.
After Ovda we went to Neot Smadar where we had Linnet and Steppe Eagle. We also went to sewage but nothing interesting there besides except Wood Sandpiper. Then we went to Yotvata again to have some raptor watch and it gave us Booted Eagle. Next real treasure box was km 19 pool where we get about 20 new species for our list because we started from North. Osprey and Eastern Imperial Eagle were best with Ferruginous Duck.
SOon we continued to km20 pools and our wader list started to flood. Spotted Redshanks, Greater Sandplovers, Collared Pratincoles and other nice species. We also met other groups there and i gave short interview for Yuval for the race movie or something.
 |
| Pratincoles and Greater Sandplover. |
After pools we did not have much light time so we went to North Beach to have some sea watch and other new species for our list.
Also lost of racing team there chasing the White-eyed Gulls and other red sea specialties.
 |
| I don´t know what this blogspot does to these photos but this should be more dark. |
Just after dark we went to public side of the IRBC and we got Night Heron flying around. When the dark came our last place was Yotvata, again. This time we got Barn owl with the torch! That was nice ending and we returned our score card to the judges at 23:00 or something.
-Tomppa-
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti