Spring vanguard
After a two weeks winter hiatus from ringing I finally did some serious ringing at last. All the fixing of the Heligolands and the new nets rides carved in the thicket are paying back and even though few birds are around I managed about 25-30 birds today. So I have any reason to be optimistic! Chiffchaffs are on the move for the last week and increasing numbers of them are of larger abietinus which are more scarce here in winter then collybita.
But the first real migrants for this spring are the Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler caught in the ever green reedbed around our lake, it felt even better with Steppe Eagles passing overhead, some dozes are passing daily now.
Just before closing down completely we had this chunky little fellow, I’ve seen two of then last week, but this is the first Quail to be ringed this spring.
In the afternoon I went birding at the north beach (without nets or rings!), it was very nice not too windy with flat sea and better vision then I expected. In hour and a half I found most of the birds seen here during the last weeks but failed to find anything else. Though two Brown Boobystogether on the same buoy was a great show lasting almost 20 minutes. Also present were 1Kittiwake (2 were found by Gidon Perelman in the weekend) the Common Gull (the one staring in “Avi Meir photo of the week”).
And of course all the regulars: 50+ White eyed Gulls, one Western reef Heron, 2 Pied Kingfishers.
And one out of context: two weeks ago we received this cute Little Grebe after it was found exhausted and confused on the Arava road, yet after just two hours rest he was fresh again kicking his legs around so I ringed him and released him into the lake where he will meet about 10 little grebes wintering at the park, this is by far the cutest birds I ringed in Israel.
Spring is just arriving to Eilat so updates are about to get hot!
Yotam
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