After the big numbers comes the nice verity+ Eastern Stonechats

After the big numbers comes the nice verity+ Eastern Stonechats

A nice start for a nice ringing day at the IBRCE

Yellow browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus עלוית צהובת גבות

When ringing starts with so many birds, it's only a matter of time till you get some rarities. 24^th of October was a special day at the IBRCE not only because we celebrated Jaen's birthday but also because of nice verity of species (21). Among 111 birds ringed that day, one was Yellow browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus עלוית צהובת גבות. 

Yellow browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus עלוית צהובת גבות

Yellow browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus עלוית צהובת גבות

In addition, we also had our first Whinchat Saxicola rubetra דוחל חום גרון, one Tree Pipit Anthus triviallis פיפיון עצים, a Palestine Sunbirs Cinnyris osea צופית and of course, many more Bluethroats Luscinia svecica כחול חזה and Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collibita עלוית חורף.

Whinchat Saxicola rubetra דוחל חום גרון

Migration of raptors continued also with about 20 Steppe Eagles over Eilat city at noon. Some of the raptors preferred to spend the day at the IBRCE: a pale morph Booted Eagle Aquila pennata עיט גמדי, juvenile Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus זרון סוף & Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus נץ מצוי. Perhaps some of them will decide to spend the winter with us, at the park.

 A birding afternoon at K-19 swage pond on the 22nd of October provided a nice male Eastern Stonechat Saxicola maura דוחל שחור גרון מזרחי. Due to lots of changes in our knowledge about the eastern populations and the separation of sub-species lots of discussions are now occurring daily among birders in Israel. The one photographed is sub species hemprichii (used to be name variegatus) from the Caspian region: not the big white patch in the base of tail feathers. 

 Eastern/Caspian Stonechat Saxicola maura hemprichii 

Many more Eastern Stonechats Saxicola maura were seen recently in the area including this juvenile male Eastern Stonechat Saxicola maura riegatus (used to be called armenicus) which we ringed at the IBRCE on the 22nd of October.  

Eastern Stonechat Saxicola maura vriegatus

Eastern Stonechat Saxicola maura vriegatus

*Many thanks to Yoav Perlman for the help with those Eastern Stonechats. And to Gert Ottens for his fast comment.

Yael Lehnardt

Ringer & guide at IBRCE