July 12th
Just after 6 p.m. 26.7 falling, 38% rising, WNW 14.8 kt rising
Just after 6 p.m. 26.7 falling, 38% rising, WNW 14.8 kt rising
Gazelles 2 no horns near pylon far north field
Turtle doves: coos
Bee-eaters: flock 20 plus swarming over east end of north valley pines
House sparrows: garden
Senegal doves: some coos, garden.
Hooded crows: about a score wind surfing and dipping over w side of hill to east of east valley
Jackdaws: flock 50 plus amongst goats in the east field. So that's why and where they'd all gone! After the chicks had fledged they no longer needed our neighbourhood, (they make nests on our flat rooftops seldom disturbed unless someone needs to repair a solar boiler), and all the jackdaw families moved out to the country and became goat herd followers! Many bugs make use of goat droppings and herd animals can provide other benefits. The jackdaws were following the goats much the way cattle egrets follow wild game.
(btw We have only ever seen one cattle egret in our neighbourhood, an immature bird picking the slopes of the north valley though a large flock breeds in south Jerusalem, they're more common amongst livestock at lower altitudes)
When we'd seen the jackdaws on the slopes below the small town of Hizmeh we didn't make the association but when we saw them amongst the goats in the east field today we remembered that goat herds use the same hillslopes where we'd seen them over the last week or so the penny dropped. Now the goatherders had started to use pastures near and within our haunts again the jackdaws came with them, particularly when they use open ground though we haven't seen them follow the goats all the way to the creek meadow or gazelle field. They prefer to keep to the east field and the hill around Hizmeh. Perhaps they will in time, we shall keep eyes and ears open.
(btw We have only ever seen one cattle egret in our neighbourhood, an immature bird picking the slopes of the north valley though a large flock breeds in south Jerusalem, they're more common amongst livestock at lower altitudes)
When we'd seen the jackdaws on the slopes below the small town of Hizmeh we didn't make the association but when we saw them amongst the goats in the east field today we remembered that goat herds use the same hillslopes where we'd seen them over the last week or so the penny dropped. Now the goatherders had started to use pastures near and within our haunts again the jackdaws came with them, particularly when they use open ground though we haven't seen them follow the goats all the way to the creek meadow or gazelle field. They prefer to keep to the east field and the hill around Hizmeh. Perhaps they will in time, we shall keep eyes and ears open.
Jays: wood and esp fields, by cistern
Feral pigeons: as usual
Greenfinches: in the pines, cypress, eucalyptus, vocal
Blackbirds: some song
Chukars: calls to east near creek trail not far from pumping station
Collared doves: coos near cistern
Stone curlews: call and brief glimpse to east of orchard and grove
Sunbirds: in our garden bauhinia as usual
Syrian woodpeckers: active and vocal in forest
Brief glimpse of a mottled brownish raptor flying south over the creek.
Feral cat up a tree and then in the creek by the dry creek trail.
July 14th For about an hour before dusk at the cistern
Nice bee-eater turn out- hard to estimate, I saw at least 30-40, husband estimated 50+.. they were wheeling about behind the giant pine over the east end of gazelle field and finally settled in the pine grove just to the east of the cistern (where that hooded crow pair were bringing up the cuckoos)
Greenfinches twittering pleasantly in the pine above me towards dusk and jays and collared doves still quite active. Hoopoe near cistern.
Some hyrax about but no gazelle today.
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